2025-09-29 – Weekly Geology News : Field trips' rising costs discussed

Last week in the Geology forum, discussions revolved around the increasing costs of field trips, which are becoming a significant barrier for many in the community. Members also shared their experiences and strategies for transitioning into carbon capture and storage (CCUS) roles, highlighting the skills that facilitate this career pivot. Additionally, the growth of remote roles for geologists was a hot topic, reflecting broader industry trends. Continuing education and its most valuable offerings this year also received plenty of attention.


This Week’s Hot Topics

UV surprise in a dry wash
A fascinating thread on unexpected UV findings in dry washes has caught the interest of several members, offering new insights into geological processes.
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Skills that eased my pivot to CCUS
This discussion is a goldmine for anyone considering a shift into carbon capture and storage, highlighting key skills that smoothed the transition.
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2025-09-25 – Weekly Geology Jobs: Remote roles for geologists are growing
The rise in remote geological roles is significant, offering flexibility and new opportunities in the field.
Read more here

Most valuable CE this year
Members are sharing the continuing education courses they’ve found most beneficial this year, providing a useful guide for professional development.
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FAQ/Guidelines
A helpful resource for new and seasoned members to understand forum norms and expectations.
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Admin Guide: Getting Started
Essential reading for admins looking to efficiently manage community interactions.
Read more here

Is Geology the Right Career Path for You?
A thought-provoking thread for those evaluating their career choices in geology.
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How Did You Land Your First Geology Job?
A collection of personal stories and advice on breaking into the geology profession.
Read more here

Fieldwork vs. Lab Work: Which One Do You Prefer?
A lively debate on the merits of fieldwork compared to lab work, highlighting the diverse interests within our community.
Read more here


Looking forward to another engaging week of discussions. Stay curious and keep sharing your valuable experiences.

, last month our field trip costs spiked when van rentals hit $190/day, so we preplanned stops in Google Earth and used StraboSpot to trim two days — helps, but not a fix. For the CCUS pivot, the one thing that worked for me was building a small CO2 plume model in CMG with a one‑pager on risks; NETL’s primers are a solid start: https://netl.doe.gov/carbon-storage — anyone else noticing “remote roles” still expect site visits?

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We’ve cut trip costs by filing NPS “educational fee waivers” for park entry/parking and rolling the savings into vans; link: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fees/educational-fee-waivers.htm. It doesn’t touch rental spikes, but it reliably frees a few hundred dollars per group.

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Our department used the university motor pool — beats $190/day rentals, but the ‘paperwork’s a pain’.

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@samrodr We sidestepped the rental squeeze by booking off-day school buses from the district — came with a driver and cost less than vans; caveat: they won’t take rough forest roads, so we staged a short hike-.

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We knocked down van fuel spend by partnering with a local CCUS pilot site — if we added a 30‑min stop and Q&A, they covered gas and let us tour their core; , it takes a few emails but it’s worth it. For students feeling the pinch, GSA’s Field Camp Scholarships help a lot: https://www.geosociety.org/GSA/Education_Careers/Field_Experiences/Field_Camp_Scholarships. Small caveat: you need to plan “midweek” visits and have your dates locked a couple weeks out.

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