The Earth Sciences Department offers several research opportunities for interested undergraduates, both to majors and non-majors. Because earth science is truly cross disciplinary, undergraduates can gain hands-on experience in a range of areas. There are several avenues for getting involved in earth science research see our “Getting into Research” sheet for a summary.
Further details of the specific programs can be found here:
| Workstudy or other lab jobs |
| Dornsife SOAR (semester) and SURF (summer) |
| Women in Science and Engineering opportunities |
| Earth Science Research Apprenticeship Program (ESRAP) |
| Directed Research GEOL 490 |
| Senior Thesis GEOL 494 (See Senior Thesis Guidelines) |
| Maymester (GEOL 465) |
| SCEC Internship Programs |
All Earth Sciences faculty are involved in research and welcome the involvement of undergraduate students in many projects. We encourage you to visit our department research and faculty pages to learn more. If you are interested in working with an individual faculty member you may contact them directly. If you need help finding a faculty member to work with, contact Professor David Bottjer (undergraduate faculty advisor).
SCEC Internship Programs
Statewide California Earthquake Center (SCEC) offers two internship programs for college undergraduate students. Through hands-on research and professional development, SCEC interns acquire skills in data analysis, problem-solving, and systems thinking, collaborating with a diverse community of experts from over 90 institutions. SURE offers immersive, in-person research, while SOURCES provides accessible, remote opportunities. Both programs empower students to deepen their knowledge, expand professional networks, and contribute to impactful projects that address pressing geoscience challenges.