Department of Geology | Colgate University

Explore the Earth and its natural systems in one of the best undergraduate geology programs in the nation.

Students and faculty members spend an afternoon lab exploring the geology of Moss Island in Little Falls, N.Y., with geology professor Martin Wong. — Students spend an afternoon lab exploring the geology of Moss Island in Little Falls, N.Y., with geology professor, Martin Wong.

Geology students at Colgate work side-by-side with faculty in the classroom, in the field, and in the lab. Off-campus field programs and student-faculty research involving hands-on experience with specialized instrumentation and computer modeling are just some of the ways our students explore the science of geology.

Colgate’s geology concentration programs are designed to enhance students' understanding of the planet and to help them pursue careers in science, education, environmental consulting, business, law, and natural resource-related fields.

The department offers the following major and minor programs:

Majors

Minor

Geology

Department Contacts

Chair: William Peck

Administrative assistant: Jodi McNamara

Office: 220 Ho Science Center

Phone: 315-228-7201

Whenever the seismic team was mapping the ocean floor, we had to watch out for whales. If a whale ventured within the 500-meter radius, international law dictated that all seismic activity pause until the whale moved away.

Meghan Duffy ’18 describes her thesis work during a research cruise to Antarctica with professor Amy Leventer

Student Research Opportunities

Geology faculty members encourage students to undertake field and analytical lab work, and collaborate with them on publications that give them a head start on careers in geology.

Student-Faculty Research

Geology Department Facilities

Colgate geology students use state-of-the-art facilities and instrumentation in both class-related learning and scientific research.

Geology Department Facilities

Geology Faculty and Staff

Meet the geology department’s faculty and staff, and learn about their teaching interests and ongoing research with students.

Browse the Geology Department Directory

Department Community

Get a sense of what it is like to be a part of the geology department through image galleries, alumni newsletters, and social media.

Learn about Department Activities

Off-Campus Study

Learn more about ways to participate in off-campus study and research in geology in a variety of locations across the US and around the world.

Explore Off-Campus Study Opportunities

Academic Program

Learn what studying geology is all about, and find information on our course offerings and requirements for majoring or minoring in geology or environmental geology.

Our Academic Programs

Robert M. Linsley Geology Museum

Designed by the geology faculty as a teaching museum, the Linsley Geology Museum in the Ho Science Center is a popular spot for Colgate students, families, and alumni, along with countless children from regional schools.

Linsley Museum

Geology professor Joe Levy uses high-resolution images of Mars to research permafrost on the red planet.

Student talks with Maasai women during geology research trip to Africa — Monica Dimas '19 talks to the local Maasai women in Tanzania while helping Assistant Professor Aubreya Adams install seismometers in Africa to learn about the tectonics and deep interior of the East African Rift System.

Read about this faculty-student research experience in Africa

Header photo by Austin Sun ’19.