2015 AIPG STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
My passion for geology continued into college. As a freshman and even today, when walking through the halls of Leonard Hall at the University of North Dakota, I always stare into the cases along the wall filled with picture perfect minerals. Quartz crystals with perfect prisms sticking out of a rock, blood red garnets the size of quarters, and pyrites with perfect cubic structures. It still astounds me that these crystals have not been disturbed or broken. They form such beautiful crystals, each one like a snowflake and unique in their own way.
As I went on through my years in college, I was reassured of my passion to be a geologist through field trips with my classes to study the Precambrian rocks of Canada, and the geomorphology of the swamps in the Chippewa Falls National Forest in Minnesota. This last October, I attended the presen- tations of hundreds of students and professional geologists at the GSA conference in Vancouver, Canada in 2014. The scenery of the Coast Mountains in the background was breath taking, but the best part was hearing the passions of professionals. It made me realize that this is what I will be doing someday and I became even more excited for my journey. I felt right at home among everyone at the conference. This is the lifestyle I want to pursue.
As I walk down my pathway, I want to explore the secrets the Earth still has for us. Another frontier we need to explore in order to understand the Earth. My interests lie in mineralogy and petrology. I plan on being apart of the combined program at the University of North Dakota to obtain my Master’s degree a year and a half after I graduate with my Bachelor’s degree. Geologists have a high respect for the Earth and we appreciate all the spectaculars it gives us. Many people tend to forget the beauty in Earth and everyday life. When you look at a sunset in a desert and watch the orange and pink streaks of light cross the sky or the purple mountains at dawn, time slows down and the moment takes your breath away. This is what being a geologist is like for me.
Franklin Wolfe, SA-6334
Why do you want to be a geolo- gist? What is so special about rocks? Somewhat not surprisingly, these are questions that my peers often ask me. And I do not blame them. As an incoming freshman, if you had asked me what I wanted to major in as an undergraduate, geology would not have made my short-list. In fact, I did not even take my introduc- tory geology course until sophomore year. I will never forget my first
geology lab, in which I stood with my mind blown as I tried to understand how river cobbles could sit at the top of a hill that was hundreds of meters from the closest body of water. Initially, I thought for sure my professor was delusional. But as he explained how the sinusoidal migration of a river could occur over a geologic time scale, my imagination began to run wild. Fast-forward three years and I am like a mouse on a wheel, and geology is like a savory piece of cheese dangling just out of reach. I have always hated mornings, but now, I wake up early, before my 8:00 a.m. class, to review yesterday’s material and I often stay up late because I am anxious to read ahead to uncover what I will learn next. Sometimes, it seems like there are just not enough hours in the day.
I want to be a geologist because I enjoy the holistic nature of geology, which not only allows me to incorporate knowledge of chemistry, physics, and mathematics, but also sparks imagina- tion and creative thinking in order to fathom the phenomenal processes that have created Earth, as we know it. I look forward to field days in lab where I get the chance to apply what I have learned through lecture in a hands-on way, and I am grateful to attend college in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, which provides me diverse, geologic, learning opportunities not possible in flatter areas of the country. I can safely say that I had the coolest birthday possible this past April as I was in New Zealand for my geology study abroad course, and we got to map the lava flows from Mt. Ngauruhoe, also known as Mt. Doom in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Also, I have great respect for geologists because they have a major impact and are integral contributors to society. They power the globe through the exploration of hydrocarbon resources, they keep us safe by understanding local geology so that potential landslides, earthquakes, and drinking water contamination hazards are mitigated, and their roles are deeply embedded in global and national politics due to climate concerns and national security issues arising from fossil fuels.
Aside from these general feelings, two events have clari- fied my motivation to pursue a career in geology: conducting research this past summer and then attending the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting & Exposition in October to present my findings. During the research phase of this experi- ence, each day was a challenge to learn as much as I could and I was encouraged by close interactions with my supervisor Dr. Jeffrey Rahl, Washington and Lee University. Learning and using new technologies and techniques such as the scanning electron microscope, thinking about creative ways to approach and solve research questions, and reading the geologic litera- ture to gain knowledge, made me excited to work each day. I found it stimulating to pursue my own understanding of the topic through individual reading and inquiry, and if I came across other questions of interest, I pursued them along the way. My motivation for a research career in geology grew as I began to realize how many geologic questions remain unsolved, how important research is to further our understanding of Earth systems, and how much I enjoy finding answers.
At the Geological Society of America meeting, I was inspired by the overwhelming diversity of geologic topics and the opportunity to be a part of that environment, addressing unanswered questions and creating new knowledge. On the first day, I was only required to be present at my poster for three hours, but remained for six because I realized how much I enjoyed sharing my research findings with others. Seeing my work well received was exciting and encouraged me to continue with this project during the fall 2014 and winter 2015 semesters. On the second day, I took full advantage of the conference by attending lectures and talking with senior geologists, and my desire to learn and become a geologist grew more. I particularly enjoyed experiencing the respect and camaraderie demonstrated among geologists, who all seemed to know one another, and it motivated me to want to be apart of this community.
As I continue my pursuit of a B.S. and Ph.D. in geology, I am determined to soak up as much knowledge as I can so that I can make an impact on society and the geologic community. I am happy to have discovered something that I am truly passionate about and I am eager to discover where geology will take me.
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