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Penn State Geosciences
WHAT IS GEOSCIENCE?
Geoscience includes all the sciences (geology, geophysics, geochemistry) that study the structure,
evolution and dynamics of the planet Earth and its natural mineral and energy resources.
Geoscience investigates the processes that have shaped the Earth through its 4600 million year
history and uses the rock record to unravel that history - it is concerned with the real world beyond
the laboratory and has direct relevance to the needs of society.
Modern geoscience is founded on plate tectonic theory which states that the outer part of the
Earth (the lithosphere) is composed of a series of interlocking plates in relative motion. All
geological processes such as mountain building, earthquake and volcanic activity are directly or
indirectly related to the motions of the plates.
What do geoscientists do?
Geological survey and mapping:
Geoscientists study and map the distribution of rocks exposed at the Earth's surface. They look at
how they are folded, fractured and altered by geological processes and determine their ages and
field relations. This enables the production of geological maps and databases which are the basic
tools underpinning the utilisation of all geological resources.
Energy supplies:
Geoscience provides the knowledge and understanding of how energy resources such as oil and
gas, coal and uranium are formed and where they may be found - key information for the design of
cost-effective exploration programmes. Geoscience is also involved in the search for sources of
geothermal energy: several types of rock act as heat reservoirs and in many parts of the world this
heat is used as an energy resource.
Rocks as natural resources:
Rock itself is a raw material of immense importance. Slates for roofing, ornamental stone for facing
buildings, rock chippings for roads, limestone for cement, sand and gravel for aggregate, clays for
brick-making and pottery, silica for furnace-linings, gypsum for plaster, rock salt for the dinner table
and icy roads, phosphorites for fertiliser, metallic ores - the discovery, extraction and production of
all these raw materials depend on the expertise of geoscientists.
Engineering Geology: Major construction projects such as dams and tunnels perturb the physical
environment and engineering design parameters need to be based on geoscientific investigation of
local ground conditions. Geoscientists also advise on the design and safety of landfill sites and
other environmentally sensitive developments. Seepage from landfill sites may pose a serious
problem for the local water supply. Old mine workings may present a threat to buildings or may
cause pollution, especially during floods when solutions of heavy metals may be flushed into rivers.
Underground storage sites for nuclear waste raise special environmental concerns because of the
very long time period for which such waste must remain sealed and undisturbed. Geoscientists can
offer expert advice on whether any selected site will be sufficiently safe. Geology of water
supplies: Water is the most important natural resource of all and much of the world's water comes
from underground water supplies. Geoscientists study the movement, behaviour and quality of
groundwater, and potential sources of pollution, and design exploration programmes for new water
supplies - especially in developing countries. More about careers in hydrogeology
How can I become a geoscientist?
To pursue a professional geoscience career you need a BSc degree in geoscience. Entry
qualifications vary widely but include a basic level of competence in science. A and AS level
subjects normally preferred include physics, chemistry, biology, geology and a mathematical
subject. Geography is acceptable for entry to some courses. A/AS geology is not available in the
majority of UK schools and is not an entry requirement. Most students follow a broadly based
geology or Earth science degree course. Such courses cover a broad field of geoscience, offering
some opportunity to specialise in their later stages and scope for independent scientific
investigation. You may wish to choose a more specialised kind of degree course which
concentrates on a particular aspect of geoscience such as Environmental Geology or Geophysics.
It is also possible, as with other subjects, to combine your study of geoscience with other subjects
in joint degree or modular degree programmes. Consult the prospectuses of universities which
interest you., and contact the departmental admissions tutor.
Increasingly, students wishing to become geoscientists go on to take a postgraduate qualification
such as a one-year taught MSc course concentrating on a particular area of interest to employers
(eg, Petroleum Geology, Geophysics, Hydrogeology).
Courtesy of the Geological Society of The United Kingdom
Article sourced from:
http://www3.geosc.psu.edu/prospective/whatis.php