About the Department of Geology
Who and what we are, in summary...
This Department is recognised internationally for the quality and breadth of its research and its graduates, and nationally is top-ranked for research amongst earth science departments (New Zealand Universities' 2006 Performance-Based Research Funding assessment). Our research is linked strongly to the dynamic geology of New Zealand. In particular, we emphasise process-related research tied to the "active" geology of the South Island, and to the evolution of our unique New Zealand biota.
There are 9.5 equivalent full time teaching positions ranging from lecturer to professor. Teaching and research skills and interests include: sedimentology, marine geology particularly sedimentology and seismology, paleomagnetism, paleoclimatology, paleoceanography, paleontology, stratigraphy, tectonics, structure, environmental geology, economic geology, geochemistry, mineralogy, igneous and metamorphic petrology, geochronology, geophysics, volcanic processes, and regional and Antarctic geology. Details are under courses, research, and staff interests elsewhere on this website.
The 8.5 support staff include two experienced senior administrators and technicians involved in geochemistry, paleomagnetism, electronics, thin sectioning, and web/graphics. We maintain paleomagnetism and geochemistry (electron microprobe, XRF-XRD) labs, the latter including mineral separation and trace preparation. Sedimentology facilities include a Geotek core logger, core splitter and core storage; a second sedimentology lab is under construction. There are dedicated geophysics and structural geology computing facilities, and a computer graphics laboratory. A Geology Museum has associated paleontology/ micropaleontology preparation laboratories, and extensive collections of fossils, rocks and minerals. Geophysical equipment includes seismic gear for the university's new research vessel, RV Polaris. Facilities for trace element and stable and radiogenic isotope analysis (including LA-MC-ICPMS with laser ablation) and SEM are available on campus. The department is based in the Geology building in the centre of the Dunedin campus.
We teach a full undergraduate programme based on a mix of core (compulsory) and optional geology courses leading to BSc, BSc (Hons) or BAppSc degrees. Undergraduate courses include both sole-taught and team-taught styles. The Department currently has about 30 MSc and PhD students, and a first-year intake of 120-200 students. Close relationships are maintained in teaching and research with other Departments including Chemistry (notably the trace element and isotopic facilities), Geography, Mathematics, Marine Science, Botany and Surveying. We contribute to several University-designated interdisciplinary research themes or strengths, including active earth processes, Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, and ecology. External collaborative research projects involve the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences and varied overseas universities and research groups. We emphasize the dynamic geological environment of New Zealand as a natural laboratory in which to explore active earth processes and their products.