2016 AIPG STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
countries that lack even primary building regulations. Thus, this niche provides the perfect fit for my career goals by allow- ing me to bridge my passion for geology to public policy and therefore to the protection of human lives. For these reasons, when asked why I want to become a geologist, the answer may not be expected. The potential to make a tangible difference in the lives of others draws me to this specific field within the geosciences.
Aaron Ashley, SA-7467
Starting in college, I could only imagine science as separate fields. But when only one area is taught in each class, who wouldn’t? Biology grew on my curiosity exclusively in Biology class, physics attracted my mathematical side solely in Physics class, and chemistry bonded to my intrigue only in Chemistry class. The segregation left little room for intermingling. I’ve always enoyed a
bit of everything, which was frustrating when I had to pick one for a career. But, after three semesters, I finally discovered the answer in Geology 1121. What I found was a world of con- nections. Biology survived to help in relative dating and rock correlation through fossils and paleontology. Physics shed light on areas of hydrogeology, engineering, and structural geology. And chemistry? My reaction to its common application in geol- ogy was of oy. Geology is clearly not as separate as the others appeared to be. I’ve relished that interdisciplinary trait from the beginning, and I knew I wanted to do more with geology.
As I progressed through my courses, I enoyed all of my classes, but especially those in geochemistry, petrology, struc- ture, and engineering geology. I strove to get more experience in those areas, taking on teacher’s assistant (TA) positions in similar classes, where I helped the professors teach new students. In fact, I managed to take on two upper level TA positions last fall in Optical Mineralogy and in Field Methods. What had been a learning process now became a teaching one, one which I found surprisingly enoyable. What had been interesting and new to learn became exciting to share. It still wasn’t enough, though; I needed to do more. So I took on two research proects. For the first, my advisor, Dr. Chowns, and I have been analyzing oolitic ironstones with a scanning electron microscope to better understand their clay-mineralogy. Their strange formation has provided quite the challenge to decipher for researchers, given that there’s no modern analogue. Many days have been spent with a furrowed brow, as I spoke with, well really mostly listened to, Dr. Chowns on the subect. For the second proect, my other advisor, Dr. Berg, and I have started investigating a very curious suite of metagabbroic bodies in Central Georgia. I still feel the kink in my neck from that field day, as my head switched from petrologist to field geologist and back again as two excited and intrigued professors discussed the possibilities. Two vastly different proects, but both are surprisingly complex challenges, even for the professors. I can’t help but think of the satisfaction of determining the answers. But I need to learn more to be able to explore geology’s complexities, as even the experts have trouble. I know I need to continue into graduate school, and keep furrowing my brow in thought, as I take the steps to becoming a geologist.
Rocks. That’s what a geologist mainly looks at, right? That’s what the world seems to think. But it’s so much more than that. I feel that I can go anywhere with those rocks, into petrology, geochemistry, structure, engineering, and more. They hold secrets directly beneficial to society. The rocks hold resources we need, whether it’s silicon for computer chips, iron for steel, petroleum for cars, or even the radioactive material for our nuclear reactors. Physicists can’t take all the credit; someone needs to find their most important ingredient. Geologists can help fuel the world’s growth and development by studying the rocks. By studying geology, I can help partake in that, and power us to a better society. Geologists can also save the world. By learning Earth and her processes, geologists can better determine and predict potentially harmful problems. Studies into events like debris flows, earthquakes, water contamina- tion, and others are studied in geology every day. Even coral reef declines are connected to geology, as paleontology ties past and present together from the rocks and present ecology. These studies give us a way to better repair environments we’ve hurt, and require a special connection only geology provides. By mixing biology, physics, and chemistry, and by looking at the rocks, whether it’s through structural, geochemical, or paleontological lenses, geologists can work towards a better future. This is why I want to be a geologist.
Nam Pham, SA-7498
I am a boy who is curious about everything. I always asked my parents many questions about why natural phenomenon happens such as where rain comes from, why the sea water is salty, why some mountains are higher than the others. I tried to get answers for these questions by reading more books, watching television such as Discovery channel, or asking people around. As time progresses, I can answer more and more ques-
tions. I know the Earth is not round like my soccer ball; evaporation of water in oceans, lakes, rivers and condensation of clouds cause rain. Although geoscience was nothing in my head when I was young, this curiosity was the first step for my interests in nature.
My high school was a good studying environment for me to approach closer to science. I was in a math-focused class and my school has the best experiment facilities among many high schools in my home town. Not all of high school in my country, Vietnam, can have enough and good lab rooms. I was excited when having lab class. I was always a person doing the experi- ments in my group. The experiments were some easy stuffs in chemistry, physics, and biology. In my class, I was surrounded my many amazing and talented people. We studied a lot of subects but I especially prefer to study math, physics, and chemistry. I oined in my competitions and challenged myself during my high school years. I had several awards in math competition such as the second prize in VungTau’s Mathematic Olympiad. I also loved studying electricity and waves in phys- ics; doing experiments with circuits; studying about molecules, chemical reactions. My high school years were the best time for me to get to know what science is and to get a solid base in some general science courses.
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