I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome back old alumni and to welcome anew those who have only recently graduated.  After Dr. Baharlou’s retirement in 2005, I was chosen as the Acting Chair for the Department for the next year and have since been appointed as Chair for the next three years.  I hope to keep the department on track and advancing on all fronts by meeting the challenges we face ahead.

During the fall of 2004, the University underwent accreditation review by the North Central Association (NCA).  During the self-study process, it was noted that College of Sciences is committed to offering “high quality undergraduate education,” and to instill in its students the “knowledge, skills and values that enable them to become productive and responsible citizens with a capacity for reasoned judgment and effective communication.”  The College’s mission also sets the standard for its departments.  Thus, the overall goal of the Department of Geology / Geography is to “emphasize the application” of classroom principles learned in “real-work settings and laboratories” including field camps and internships and to “promote independent study and research.”  Our alumni have certainly gained from the Department’s programs of providing independent and real-work settings for our students.  Our internships have been instrumental for many participants.  Keeping this in mind, it is my hope that we can further advance the department in the next year and prepare ourselves for Geology and Geography program reviews in 2009.

Considering the recent state cutbacks in funding higher education, the department has done an admirable job not only maintaining, but increasing the number of majors in both programs as well as expanding the equipment that we use for research and teaching.  The number of majors has increased approximately fifty percent in the last few years and we now have close to 80 majors in geology and geography as well as students seeking their bachelor’s degrees leading to certification in science teaching and social science teaching.

We have recently been offering ESRI certification in GIS (ArcGIS I and ArcGIS II) to our majors and interested local groups and now have a X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD) in use for research and teaching.  Our field programs have been extensive, going throughout the United States (Black Hills, Wyoming, Yellowstone, Southwest, Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Missouri, Death Valley, southern California, Nevada, southern Appalachians, and Pennsylvania) as well as world-wide, with Study Abroad programs to Ecuador, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, and Austria.  During this next year we hope to be able to offer an International Studies Concentration to our Geography majors.

Based on peer evaluation of our faculty, the Department continues to do a fine job educating our students as well as preparing them for life after Eastern, whether that is graduate school or industry.  With the help of you, our alumni, we cannot help, but get better.

As an alumni or friend of our program, please keep in touch with us as well as updated on how you are doing.