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Geophysics Field Course

AfricaArray Geophysics Field Course in South Africa
June through July, 2008

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The AfricaArray geophysics field course is designed to provide physics, math, engineering and geoscience students from historically black colleges and universities with exposure to geophysics field methods, modeling techniques, and career opportunities. Students taking this course will become familiar with field and modeling methods commonly used in hydrocarbon, mineral and water exploration, as well as in basic Earth Science research.

The course is eight weeks long. Students will spend the first two weeks at Penn State for orientation. Students will then travel to South Africa where they will spend a week at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), Johannesburg, working with students from Wits to design a field project, 10 days at a remote bush camp collecting and interpreting geophysical data (gravity, magnetic, seismic, radar, electromagnetic) for the field project, and another week back at Wits to interpret and analyze the data. While in the field, students will have an opportunity to visit a platinum mine, and while in Johannesburg students will have opportunities for cultural experiences and sightseeing. Students will return to Penn State for the final two weeks of the course where they will complete a project report and make a formal project presentation.

The course is part of the Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) at Penn State, and is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and Penn State. Students admitted to the course will have all expenses (travel, food, lodging) paid for and will also receive a stipend.

How to apply: Interested students must apply at the SROP site by February 10, 2008http://www.cic.uiuc.edu/programs/SROP/. On the application, select only Penn State as the institution of choice. Then send an email to Dr. Andy Nyblade (andy@geosc.psu.edu) informing him that you have applied.

For more information, please email Dr. Andy Nyblade (andy@geosc.psu.edu), Department of Geosciences, Penn State University or Dr. Solomon Bililign (bililign@ncat.edu), Department of Physics, North Carolina A&T State University