Program in Geology School of Science Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Program in Geology - Overview The Renowned Geology Department at Rensselaer

Founded by Amos Eaton and Stephen Van Rensselaer in 1824 in Troy, New York, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was the first technological university in the country. Amos Eaton is a man who is often considered the father of North American geology, and the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at Rensselaer (RPI) has a long history of contributing to geological research. The department has produced a series of alumni who are leaders in the field, from James Hall to Don L. Anderson. It has long been home to notable geologists, such as J. M. Clarke, Ebenezer Emmons, Douglass Houghton, Shephard W. Lowman, Henry B. Nason, and G.M. Friedman.

Today, Rensselaer's Earth and Environmental Sciences Department has gained an international reputation and the department enjoys high rankings in national and international surveys. Its faculty members are considered leaders in their fields of geochemistry, seismology and solid-earth geophysics, metamorphic petrology, paleoceanography, and micropaleontology, and data science. The department offers a PhD program in Geology and a Master of Science (MS) program in Geology.

The MS in Geology at Rensselaer

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute awards Master of Science (MS) degrees to graduate students who complete 30 credit hours of graduate study. Most students complete theses based on original research.

The PhD in Geology at Rensselaer

Doctoral students in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences generally complete 72 credits beyond their bachelor's degrees. Student may conduct dissertation research in petrology, geochemistry, geophysics, paleoceanography, micropaleontology, environmental geochemistry, and data science.

Ground-breaking Research in Geology

Faculty and graduate students within the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are conducting groundbreaking research in a number of areas.

Rensselaer is a leader in research in experimental geochemistry and mass transport within the earth. Studies of the diffusion of geochemically significant elements both through bulk materials and along grain boundaries allow scientists to more accurately evaluate the migration and distribution of elements within the lithosphere. New, experimentally calibrated trace element geothermometers and geobarometers have provided unprecedented new insights into the physical conditions within the crust and the near-surface environment of earliest Earth. Applications of these and other techniques in metamorphic petrology have revealed unexpected dynamics of ancient and modern mountain belts and are being used to constrain the time scales of mountain building processes.

Within the area of freshwater and sediment environmental chemistry and hydrology, the department initiated the use of isotopic and chemical markers to characterize the deposition of sediments and the impact of human development. Research in contaminant geochemistry has focused on the application of state of the art science to major environmental problems and remediation efforts. Rensselaer's faculty members' expertise in sediment dating and the analysis of trace metals and organic contaminants has provided direction to some of the nation's largest and most complex Superfund investigations. Current research also includes studies of the atmospheric deposition of trace metals and collaboration with medical researchers where geology faculty members and graduate students provide geochemical and analytical perspectives to environmental epidemiologic investigations.

Research in micropaleontology and geochemistry is applied to reconstructing details of ancient ocean and climate conditions which have direct implications for paleoclimate studies and which provide important insights into the driving forces of global climate change.

New and innovative studies in data science at the interface of traditional geoscience applications and computer science are allowing integration of hugely diverse databases of geoscience information that permit the user to access seamlessly data from across disciplines and is heralding entirely new possibilities for future research through data mining and the semantic web that extend to all scientific disciplines.

Within the field of solid-earth geophysics, Rensselaer researchers are carrying out a number of field investigations in geologically active regions throughout the globe. Analyzing this data with new seismological imaging techniques, they are uncovering new insights into the heterogeneity and composition of the crust and mantle and into plate dynamics.

Highly Accomplished Faculty

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has long been home to award-winning faculty members whose work has attracted generous support from government and private sources. Faculty members include:

- E. Bruce Watson, a recipient of a PhD from MIT, and of a Clarke Medal (GS), Day Medal (GSA), Goldschmidt Medal (GS), Bucher Medal (AGU), and Murchison Medal (GSL); a member of National Academy of Sciences, Fellow of GS, AGU, MSA, GSA, EAG, AAAS; aHighly Cited Researcher, ISI/Thomsen Scientific; currently, a Rensselaer Institute Professor of Science.

- Frank Spear, a recipient of a PhD from UCLA, and of the Bowen Award (AGU), the Dana Medal (MSA), and the Murchison Medal (GSL); recipient of the Weeks Visiting Professorship (UWisc), and a Gallagher Visiting Professor (UCalgary); a Fellow of MSA, GSA, AGU; and an Edward P. Hamilton Distinguished Professor of Science Education.

- Steven Roecker, a recipient of a PhD from MIT; a Xinjiang (China) Foreign Scientist of the Year, an AGU outstanding reviewer, and a Fellow, Clare Hall, Cambridge University; a Fulbright Scholar; and the recipient of a Leverhulme Fellowship, Cambridge University.

- Miriam Katz, a recipient of a PhD from Rutgers University; holder of an Honorary PhD from St. Lawrence University; recipient of a Doris M. Curtis Women in Science Award (GSA); 2012-2013 Ocean Leadership Distinguished Lecturer.

- Richard Bopp, a recipient of a PhD from Columbia University; an Adjunct Senior Research Scientist at Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University.

- Peter Fox, a recipient of a PhD from Monash University; the Tetherless World Constellation Chair, an Adjunct Scientist in Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, a Chief Computational Scientist (High Altitude Observatory/NCAR), a visiting fellow at the School of Physics, Sydney University, and a visiting faculty professor CSIRO TasICTC.

- Laurie Leshin, a recipient of a PhD from CalTech; Dean of the School of Science, a recipient of the Nier Prize (Meteoritical Society), a Rubey Faculty Fellowship (UCLA), a Dean's Distinguished Professorship (ASU), a NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, and a Fellow of International Women's Forum Leadership Foundation; Director of School of Earth and Space Exploration (ASU), and Exploration Systems Mission Associate Administrator (NASA).

Well-Equipped Facilities for Innovative Research

The department is well-equipped to support the groundbreaking research that graduate students and faculty members carry out. Its analytical geochemistry resources include an electron microprobe facility, laser-ablation ICP mass spectrometer (LA-ICPMS), a Raman Spectroscopy lab, an atomic force microscope (AFM), a Fourier transform Infrared Spectrometer, an autoradiographic facility, a digital cathodoluminoscope, an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, a stable isotope laboratory, and numerous microscopes and other equipment.

The Watson Facility supports research in experimental geochemistry with a prep lab, a low pressure lab, and a piston cylinder lab.

Geophysics and tectonics researchers have access to a state-of-the-art geophysics computing facility, along with a variety of geophysical equipment including GPS receivers, gravimeters, magnetometers, and an exploration seismograph.

In addition, graduate students have access to the Darrin Fresh Water Institute, state-of-the-art scanning and transmission electron microscopes, an X-ray diffraction facility, a FIB, and many of the other labs and resources available at RPI.

Admission and Financial Assistance

Applicants interested in the Geoscience program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute must submit GRE general and subject test scores. Doctoral students must pass qualifying exams as well.

Teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and fellowships are available to graduate students in the geoscience program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Graduate students generally maintain GPAs of 3.0 in order to keep this financial aid.

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Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute -- A Top University in the Nation

Founded in 1824 in Troy, New York, Rensselaer was the first technology university in the country. Today, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is considered to be one of the best universities, ranking among the top 50 universities in the nation according to "US News and World Report."

Rensselaer alumni have been integral to national and technological development, from the first alumni who helped build the nation's infrastructure by constructing canals, roads, bridges, and skyscrapers, to more recent alumni who have developed innovative research and solutions for such prestigious clients as GE Energy, Boeing, and IBM.

• Degrees Offered
• Major Degree Levels Offered
• Master of Science (MS)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

• Degrees Awarded
• Master's Degrees 2
• Doctoral Degrees 1
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported
• * Shows the number of degrees awarded for the last academic year that data was reported.

• Earning Your Degree
• Part-time study available? Yes
• Evening/weekend programs available? No
• Distance learning programs available? No
• Terminal master's degree available? Yes

• Degree Requirements
• Master's Degrees Required and Required for some
• Doctoral Degrees Required and Required
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported

• Acceptance Rate
• Applied36
• Accepted11
• Acceptance Rate30%
• Enrolled6
• Applying
• Application Fee - Domestic $75
• Application Fee - International $75
• Electronic applications accepted? Yes
• Applications processed on a rolling basis? Yes
• Application Deadlines
• Type Domestic International Priority Date
• Fall deadline January 15th Not Reported Yes
• Winter deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Spring deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Entrance Requirements
• Master's DegreesGRE General Test
• Doctoral's DegreesGRE General Test
• First-Professional's DegreesNot Reported
• Other Advanced DegreesNot Reported
• International DegreesTOEFL required

• Tuition & Fees
• In-state tuition *$39,600
• Out-of-state tuition *$39,600
• International student tuitionNot Reported
• * Tuition for full-time graduate student per academic year
• Fees
• Per-academic year fees$1,896.00
• Per-term feesNot Reported
• One-time feeNot Reported
• * Fees for full-time graduate students
• Financial Support
• Financial award applicants must submitFAFSA
• Application deadlines for financial awardsFebruary 1
• Types of financial support availableResearch Assitantships, Teaching Assistantships, Career or Field-Related Internships, Scholarship and/or loans

• Gender
• Total Graduate Students12
• Female Percentage33%
• Male Percentage67%
• Participation
• Total Graduate Students12
• Part-time Percentage8%
• Full-time Percentage92%
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic / Latino11%
• Black / African American0%
• White / Caucasian67%
• American Indian / Alaskan Native0%
• Asian0%
• Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander0%
• Two or more races0%
• Unknown22%

• Faculty Breakout
• Total Faculty9
• Full-time Percentage89%
• Part-time Percentage11%
• Female Percentage11%
• Male Percentage89%

• Existing Research
• Focus of faculty researchGeochemistry, petrology, geophysics, environmental geochemistry, planetary geology
• Externally sponsored research expenditures last year$2,300,000