Research
One of the benefits of majoring in Geology at Appalachian is the opportunity to conduct independent research with one or more faculty members in the department.
 Fieldwork:Appalachian students have drilled sediment cores from ships in Alaska and dry lake beds in Nevada, excavated dinosaurs from New Mexico, sampled unusual minerals from caves, and measured the streams of Watauga County. Most field work incorporates technology - river flow meters, differential GPS for surveying, in-situ chemical probes, and even backhoes. Of course, most field work involves a lot of dirt, a shovel, or a hammer! |
 Lab work:
In the lab, students use technology to explore their data: powerful microscopes, geographic computer programs (GIS), chemical analyzers, and traditional binocular microscopes. These tools help students quantify compositional or spatial variation in the data and allow them to test their hypotheses with their data. |
Presentations:
Appalachian geology students receive departmental, university, and sometimes national support to present their research at international, national and regional conferences- the Geological Society of America meeting is a favorite.
Internships and Employment:
We strongly encourage students to work with other scientists through research internship or summer jobs. Recently, our students have worked at the Smithsonian, the North Carolina Geological Survey, the United States Geological Survey and regional industries including environmental consulting and mining.
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INTERESTED?
Approach one of the geology faculty to find a good mentor for the questions that interest you! Their research interests, field areas, and contact information are given below.| Who | What | Where | |
| Dr. Rick Abbott Professor |
Metamorphic Petrology and Mineralogy | Jamaica, Dominican Republic | abbottra@appstate.edu |
| Dr. Bill Anderson Assistant Professor |
Hydrogeology | North Carolina, England | andersonwp@appstate.edu |
| Dr. Sarah Carmichael Assistant Professor |
Biomineralogy, Geochemistry and Petrology | Southern Appalachians, East Pacific Rise, Italy | carmichaelsk@appstate.edu |
| Dr. Ellen Cowan Professor |
Sedimentary record of climate change, Geoarchaeology, Geomorphology | Alaska, Antarctica | cowanea@appstate.edu |
| Dr. Ryan Emanuel Assistant Professor |
Hydrology and Land-Atmosphere Interaction | North Carolina, Montana | emanuelre@appstate.edu |
| Dr. Chuanhui Gu Assistant Professor |
Environmental Hydrology, Catchment Biogeochemistry | Virginia, California | guc@appstate.edu |
| Dr. Steve Hageman Associate Professor |
Invertebrate Paleontology, Paleoecology | Australia, Scotland, the Adriatic Seaway | hagemansj@appstate.edu |
| Dr. Andrew Heckert Assistant Professor |
Vertebrate Paleontology, Dinosaurs | American Southwest, North Carolina | heckertab@appstate.edu |
| Dr. Cynthia Liutkus Assistant Professor |
Sedimentology, Paleoecology | East African Rift; Nevada | liutkuscm@appstate.edu |
| Dr. Scott Marshall Assistant Professor |
Geophysics and Structural Geology | California, Nevada | marshallst@appstate.edu |
| Dr. Kate Scharer Assistant Professor |
Structural Geology, Neotectonics | China, California, North Carolina | scharerkm@appstate.edu |
| Dr. Roy Sidle Environmental Science Director |
Environmental Science, Slope Stability, Disaster Prevention | Japan, China, USA | sidlerc@appstate.edu |
| Dr. Johnny Waters Chair |
Invertebrate Paleontology | China, USA | watersja@appstate.edu |
| Crystal Wilson Instructor |
Tectonics | North Carolina | wilsoncg@appstate.edu |
