''' FIELDGeo Program Invites Undergraduates to See Rock Formations the Way Geologists Do

Undergraduate students will have enhanced field trip opportunities to study geologic formations in their actual setting, thanks to a four-year, $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

“We can show students rocks in boxes, but that’s only a start. Geologists don’t become geologists in the lab or classroom. To really understand the rocks, you have to be in the field. Walking around and seeing the whole space is a transformative experience,” said Peter Copeland, professor of geology at the University of Houston College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

Copeland, the principal investigator of the field trip project, hopes this introduction to field work will help student participants decide whether geology is the right focus of study for them, and might even be a potential career choice.

"The area’s north-south uplift is a point of interest for geologists. On the 2024 trip, one of our focuses was a large fold in the range, spanning over 10 km. This is the kind of thing that is best illustrated in the field. It’s difficult to appreciate just from maps. You have to go there," Copeland explained.

"All student expenses are covered in the program, even necessary gear for novice campers. Working geologists, often graduates of the UH program, sometimes join the crew and add viewpoints about the science and the careers of working geologists," the article stated.

"FIELDGeo also promises long-term goals. For example, it helps trains future teachers soon to be leading classrooms and inspiring students in earth science and other STEM studies," the program highlighted.

"Applications for FIELDGeo are welcome from undergraduates at any point in their academic career at UH or Wharton County Junior College. I hope to introduce more students, especially from under-represented backgrounds, to seeing what geoscience is all about," Copeland expressed.

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