Geology Department

SUNY Cortland’s Geology Department provides a first rate education in the geosciences. In our programs, students gain skills and knowledge for entry into graduate school or employment in the public or private sectors. Students can choose from undergraduate programs in Geology, Geology with a concentration in Environmental Science, or the teacher preparation program in Adolescence Education: Earth Science. Within these programs, students have opportunities to learn through experience by carrying out internships, research or student teaching.

Geology at SUNY Cortland takes full advantage of its location in the scenic Finger Lakes region. Fieldwork is infused into most of the courses and includes studies of the local fossils, glacial landforms and water quality. In addition, our central location within New York state allows us to visit prime mineral and bedrock sites in the Adirondack Mountains and adjacent states. 

The Geology Department is housed in the newly renovated Bowers Hall, and the teaching and research laboratories in the department are equipped with the most current technology and instrumentation. Because of this state-of-the-art facility, our students are engaged in a variety of faculty-mentored research experiences.

Our faculty members take particular joy in mentoring undergraduates and are proud of their accomplishments.  Cortland geology students often present their research at regional, national, and international conferences and have co-authored papers in peer-reviewed journals. Students have gone on to graduate schools across the continent from Alaska and British Columbia to North Carolina. Our alumni network stretches from Alaska to Texas to New York in a wide range of geologic, environmental and engineering firms and government positions.


News

Brooks Lecture Series to tackle science and truth

Feb. 17, 2023
Geologist Robert Darling will explore science as a method for testing what’s real and what’s not.

Brooks Lecture Series to explore the culture of truth

Sept. 13, 2022
Talks will tease deepfakes, classroom censorship, and what makes science deniers tick.

SUNY Cortland employees honored by SUNY

May 17, 2022
Seven university faculty and staff members received a SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence.

Tree artist Jack Elliott to exhibit at Dowd Gallery

Aug. 31, 2021
By turning naturally felled trees into art, Elliott aims to put humanity in perspective.

Globe-traveling photographer documents melting ice caps

April 20, 2021
David Thoreson’s art exposes the truth about climate change.

Clubs/Societies

The Geology Club at Cortland is very active and offers students an informal avenue to share experiences. The Geology Club also offers yearly excursions to points of geological interest such as mineral collecting trips in the Adirondack Mountains or local excursions to collect fossils.



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