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Mapping The Mojave Desert

Geology students hone their skills in California

By SUNY Oneonta

January 17^th, 2020

Twelve SUNY Oneonta geology students recently spent 13 days in California mapping geologic layers that have been warped and broken in the Mojave Desert, near Barstow, California.

The trip was part of the upper-level course Field Geology of Plate Boundaries. Students were accompanied by their professor, Dr. Keith Brunstad, as well as Dr. Les Hasbargen.

It was an opportunity for students to use what they have learned about geologic mapping in prior coursework in a real-world context and build confidence and experience in this area.

Amid the eroding mountains and expansive views of the Rainbow Basin, students practiced recording geologic observations, taking field notes and sketches, creating maps and geologic cross sections, and presenting summaries of their findings.

At night, they slept in tents and cooked their own food.

"My favorite part about this trip was being able to see a different part of the country that had so many interesting geologic features that we don’t see here in New York." - Carla Medina, Class of 2021

Students spent the last few days of the trip at University of California – Riverside’s Sweeney Granite Mountains Research Station located in the Mojave National Preserve. They got to climb volcanoes and into lava tubes and visit dry lakes where salt is mined.

"The trip allowed me to test the knowledge base I have accumulated in the classroom and apply it to a real-world situation. Seeing things in the field helped to verify the things we learn about in the classroom, adding a new perspective to my geology education."