Posted on Aug 31, 2006

Union's Geology Department has always been rock solid. But now, it's rolling in opportunities.

The department has been accepted into the Keck Geology Consortium, a leading independent undergraduate research organization. Union was among five new institutions accepted this year, the first year the group has taken new members since its inception in 1987.


The College was selected over a number of competitive applications from peer institutions.


“This is a well-deserved honor for the College and for the department,” said Therese McCarty, interim dean of faculty and vice president for academic affairs. “This acceptance is largely in recognition of the department's successful integration of research and teaching.” 


 “Professors get together and share ideas, but primarily it focuses around multi-institutional and interdisciplinary student projects,” said John Garver, a professor of geology. Union's involvement will help foster more grant opportunities, he noted.


In the past 20 years, the Keck Consortium has sponsored 116 projects involving 970 undergraduates from 90 schools across the country. In addition, more than 115 faculty representing 50 colleges, universities, governmental agencies and businesses have participated in programs through the Consortium.


Union joins Amherst, Beloit, Carleton, Colgate, The College of Wooster (in Wooster, Ohio, where the group is housed), The Colorado College, Franklin and Marshall, Macalester, Mt. Holyoke, Oberlin, Pomona, Smith, Trinity University, Washington and Lee, Wesleyan and Whitman in the consortium. 


The consortium's Web site emphasizes that “‘Keck' has a tangible meaning in the geoscience community: talented students gaining field experience supported by dedicated, master teachers.”