The Department maintains active research programs in geomicrobiology, geomorphology, hydrogeology, igneous petrology, isotope geochemistry, low-temperature geochemistry, geophysics, mineralogy and crystallography, mineral surface geochemistry, sedimentology and stratigraphy, structural geology, tectonics, and volcanology.

The Department of Geology occupies approximately 19,000 square feet of space in Shideler Hall, a three-story building shared with the Department of Geography. Shideler Hall houses research laboratories for the investigation of a variety of earth materials and processes. Many of these laboratories support material preparation and analysis using departmental instrumentation. For a list research facilities available click here.

Undergraduates in our department are valued members of our community. Our undergraduate program offers a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Bachelor of Science degree, a Minor in Geology, and two Thematic Sequences. Independent Study/Research projects are encouraged and provide exposure to research and one-on-one contact with the faculty. Five to ten students per year present research results at national and regional meetings of professional geological organizations.

The department also offers graduate programs leading to the M.A., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Graduate students are integral members of our research teams.

In addition to rigorous courses - all of which are taught by faculty - we offer a variety of field experiences beyond the Ohio/Indiana/Kentucky region. Recent and ongoing opportunities include field-oriented studies in Alaska, Albania, Argentina, the Bahama Islands, Canada, China, Ethiopia, India, Japan, Mexico, Nepal, Norway, Ohio-Indiana- Kentucky, the Oregon Plateau, Pakistan, Portugal (Azores), the Snake River Plain, Chile, Turkey, Yemen and the Rocky Mountains.

The Geology Capstone Course is a 5-week summer field course in Wyoming during June and early July. This course includes a 2-week camping experience including the Tetons, Yellowstone, Glacier-Waterton (Canada), and Banff (Canada) National Parks prior to the three week field station based experience in Dubois, Wyoming.