Students, faculty explore national parks to enhance understanding of geology

Oct. 5, 2022 | By Edidiong Idong-Bassey, communication assistant

Fourteen Northwest Missouri State University students and four faculty members developed a deeper understanding of geological principles during a summer field trip traversing landscapes in the United States’ western region. 

Jeff Bradley, a senior instructor of geology, and other faculty have led the summer field trip since 2013.

“Our main goal was to give students an extended field experience that’s not possible during the spring and fall semesters,” Bradley said. “This trip, like all our field trips, gives students the chance to see firsthand the geological features that we discuss in our classes.”

Northwest students and faculty stopped for a photo along Jenny Lake Trail at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming during a summer tour of national parks. (Submitted photos)

This year, the group embarked on a two-week tour exploring six national parks and monuments, including Yellowstone National Park and the Old Faithful geyser basin as well as Crater Lake National Park and Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Students made roadside stops, including this one in Oregon, to discuss the geology of the area and collect rock and mineral samples.

The group discussed and observed examples of geological phenomena such as rocks formed from the cooling of magma and lava, plutonic rocks, skarns and the formation of precious metals. Students developed presentations discussing the geological features they saw and collected precious gems, mineral and crystals for displays in the Garrett-Strong Science Building.

“We had the opportunity to hike along Jenny Lake with the Tetons jutting up directly across the lake from us. It really made an impression on all of us,” Bradley said. “Another memorable location was at Lassen Peak in California. This is a dormant volcano at the southern end of the Cascade Mountains. We did some hiking there and had a chance to see some active geothermal features, such as hot springs and mud pots. This just reminded everyone that the volcano is clearly not ‘extinct’ – only resting.”

The field trip was Hunter Weakley’s first time traveling outside Missouri, and it was a valuable experience that left a lasting impression on him.

Throughout the field trip, students gave presentations about the geology of the national parks they visited. In this photo, students Shelby Norman and Kate Kilpatrick discuss the geology of Lassen Volcanic National Park in California.

“The two best things from this trip were the collecting stops and camping,” Weakley, a junior general geology major from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, said. “It was fun to learn about the stuff you are finding, such as garnets being in rhyolite, which is rare as they don’t normally form in volcanic rock. For the camping aspect, I think it was cool to be close to nature. You got to see beautiful stars along a campfire in places that allowed it and share life stories and talk with one another. It’s a trip where you can make friends for life.”

In addition to working as a team with group members throughout the trip, Weakley gained in-field experience and honed note-taking skills as a geologist. 

Weakley, who aspires to be a paleontologist, said he enjoyed the opportunity to become familiar with the United States’ vast geological landscape and connect with students who share a similar interest.

“I really wanted to learn more about the Earth,” he said. “You see these things every day, pass by tons of rocks and just think their rocks. You could pick one up and it could be a fossil or granite, which could have feldspar and so many more things in there that you don’t know. Every day you just look past and don’t get the appreciation.”

While the field trip draws students from varied majors and academic interests, the opportunity to visit national parks and monuments allows participants to see significant areas that are set aside and preserved for future generations.

“Aside from a deeper understanding of the geologic principles that students are taught in the classroom, we also hope that students gain appreciation for the fragility of the natural environment,” Bradley said. “The overall design of the field trip is to promote teamwork, regardless of career path. We use geology as a means to achieve that goal, which should serve all students well in the future.”