Highlights

The Geochemical Society is pleased to announce that Prof. Carla Koretsky, Dean of the Lee Honors College and Professor of Geosciences at Western Michigan University, will be awarded the Geochemical Society’s Distinguished Service Award. The award recognizes and documents outstanding service to the Geochemical Society and/or the geochemical community that greatly exceeds the normal expectations of voluntary service to the Society. Read more.

WMU Geoscientists used GRACE to examine the water availability in Africa’s hydrologic systems. Results indicated that warming of the tropical Atlantic Ocean is intensifying Atlantic monsoons and increasing precipitation and total water storage over western and central Africa, whereas the warming in the central Indian Ocean is disrupting onshore moisture transport, causing droughts, and decreasing precipitation. Results of this work were published in Earth-Sciences Reviews.

WMU Geoscientists contributed to generating new global sea-level estimates with a peak of ~22 m higher than present for the Pliocene interval 2.7–3.2 Ma. The new estimates imply loss of the equivalent of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets, and some volume loss from the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, and address the long-standing controversy concerning the Pliocene stability of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. Results are published in Geology.

The National Groundwater Association is awarding Dr. W. Richard Laton alumnus of the Geosciences Department of Western Michigan University, for his outstanding service. He is currently developing a geological and hydrogeological conceptual model of the Malibu Valley Groundwater Basin. In addition, his students are researching the groundwater and geology of the campus, utilizing the research wells at the Fullerton Arboretum and on the northern portion of campus. More...

WMU Geoscientists develop methodologies and tools using remote sensing, ground sensors, and artificial intelligence techniques to characterize the spatial and temporal conditions that control debris flow occurrences and forecast their distribution on a regional scale. Results are published in IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing.

 Check out the latest issue of the newsletter from the Department of Geosciences. More...

Opportunities

Tenure track faculty position in Sedimentary Geology View the announcement 

Enrollment in our 2015 summer field geology classes ( GEOS 4380, GEOS 4390)

Programs

Major in geociences and receive a strong foundation in traditional geology as well as broad instruction in multi-disciplinary geosciences. Programs include the study of geology, geophysics, geochemistry, hydrogeology and earth science. Students are strongly encouraged to participate in research and internship experiences. Majors gain extensive hands-on field and laboratory experience to produce both a practical and theoretical understanding of geosciences. 

Further your expertise in the field with a geosciences graduate degree; an advanced degree is the key to building a rewarding and challenging future.