A path from "rocks for jocks" to a career in engineering geology

Description

This talk will explain how a person might develop their interest in engineering geology in school, apprentice with a licensed engineering geologist, pass the FG and PG exams, and contribute to society as a professional geologist. It will provide an answer to the question "what is engineering geology," by considering some of the geological problems that engineering geologists are involved with (e.g., a myriad of water-related issues, coastal and fluvial erosion/deposition, characterization of active faults, forensic geology, dam siting, work on roads and foundations and pre-development site investigations, et cetera). It will highlight the idea that engineering geologists have established communities (AEG, GSA-EEGD, AIPG, SIPES) that provide networking opportunities, continuing education, and support for their members.

Dr. Cronin will also emphasize the universal utility of environmental and engineering geology. That is, a person with strong family ties to a given place is likely to be able to work as an engineering geoscientist in or near that place. Or, if they feel that job-related travel/relocation is an attractive aspect of career, they can work as an engineering geologist almost anywhere including internationally.

Professional Association Homepages

Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists (AEG) homepage: https://www.aegweb.org

American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) homepage: https://www.aipg.org

Geological Society of America, Environmental & Engineering Geology Division (GSA-EEGD) homepage: https://community.geosociety.org/eegdivision/home

International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment (IAEG) homepage: https://www.iaeg.info

International Association for Promoting Geoethics (IAPG) homepage: https://www.geoethics.org

National Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG) homepage: https://www.asbog.org

Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists (SIPES) homepage: https://sipes.org

Some State Geology Licensure Standards

Arizona State Board of Technical Registration homepage: https://btr.az.gov
ASBOG summary sheet for Arizona: https://asbog.org/states/az.pdf

California Department of Consumer Affairs, Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists homepage: https://www.bpelsg.ca.gov/
ASBOG summary sheet for California: https://asbog.org/states/ca.pdf

Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation: https://idfpr.illinois.gov
ASBOG summary sheet for Illinois: https://asbog.org/states/il.pdf

Indiana Board of Licensure for Professional Geologists: https://igws.indiana.edu/LPG/
ASBOG summary sheet for Indiana: https://asbog.org/states/in.pdf

Kansas State Board of Technical Professions – Geology: https://www.ksbtp.ks.gov/professions/geologists
ASBOG summary sheet for Kansas: https://asbog.org/states/ks.pdf

Massachusetts Board of Registration of Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup Professionals: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/board-of-registration-of-hazardous-waste-site-cleanup-professionals
ASBOG summary sheet for Massachusetts: https://asbog.org/states/ma.pdf

Michigan Geological Survey: https://wmich.edu/geologysurvey
ASBOG summary sheet for Michigan: https://asbog.org/states/mi.pdf

Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Board of Geologist Registration: https://www.pr.mo.gov/geologists.asp
ASBOG summary sheet for Missouri: https://asbog.org/states/mo.pdf

New Jersey Site Remediation Professional Licensing Board homepage: https://www.nj.gov/lsrpboard/
ASBOG summary sheet for New Jersey: https://asbog.org/states/nj.pdf

New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions
Governing law: Article 145, Professional Engineering, Land Surveying and Geology: https://www.op.nysed.gov/title8/education-law/article-145
ASBOG summary sheet for New York: https://asbog.org/states/ny.pdf

North Carolina Board for Licensing of Geologists: https://www.ncblg.org
ASBOG summary sheet for North Carolina: https://asbog.org/states/nc.pdf

Oregon State Board of Geologist Examiners homepage: https://www.oregon.gov/osbge/Pages/default.aspx
ASBOG summary sheet for Oregon: https://asbog.org/states/or.pdf

Pennsylvania Department of State, Professional Licensing homepage: https://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/EngineersLandSurveyorsandGeologists/Pages/default.aspx
ASBOG summary sheet for Pennsylvania: https://asbog.org/states/pa.pdf

South Carolina Board of Registration for Geologists: https://llr.sc.gov/geo/
ASBOG summary sheet for South Carolina: https://asbog.org/states/sc.pdf

Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists: https://tbpg.state.tx.us
ASBOG summary sheet for Texas: https://asbog.org/states/tx.pdf

Washington State Department of Licensing for Geologists homepage: https://www.dol.wa.gov/professional-licenses/geologists
ASBOG summary sheet for Washington: https://asbog.org/states/wa.pdf

Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training

OSHA HAZWOPER general information page: https://www.osha.gov/emergency-preparedness/hazardous-waste-operations

OSHA information about HAZWOPER training (FAQs): https://www.osha.gov/emergency-preparedness/hazardous-waste-operations/faq

OSHA Training Institute Education Centers: https://www.osha.gov/otiec/

References

Also see the references on the Jahns Geoethics and AEG-Geoethics webpages

AGI, 2019, Geologist-In-Training Certification in the United States, 2019: American Geosciences Institute, Geoscience Currents, accessible via https://www.americangeosciences.org/geoscience-currents/geologist-training-certification-united-states-2019

ASBOG, 2017, The Professional Geologist Model Licensure Law, accessible via https://asbog.org/documents/ModelLawWithRevisions_10-15-17.pdf

ASBOG, 2018, Geology Registration Standards (July 2018), accessible via https://asbog.org/matrix/MatrixJuly2018.pdf

Cronin, V.S., 2021, Geoethics as a common thread that can bind a geoscience department together, in Di Capua, G., [editor], Geoethics — Status and Future Perspectives: Geological Society of London Special Publication SP508, p. 55-65

Luino, F., and De Graff, J.V., 2012, The Stava mudflow of 19 July 1985 (Northern Italy) -- a disaster that effective regulation might have prevented: Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, v. 12, p. 1029-1044, accessible via https://nhess.copernicus.org/articles/12/1029/2012/

Shuirman, G., and Slosson, J.E., 1992, Forensic Engineering -- Environmental Case Histories for Civil Engineers and Geologists: San Diego, Academic Press, 296 p.

Slosson, J.E., Williams, J.W., and Cronin, V.S., 1991, Current and future difficulties in the practice of engineering geology: Engineering Geology, v. 30, p. 3-12

Tepel, R.E., 1995, Professional Licensure for Geologists, An Exporation of Issues: Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists, Special Publication No. 7, 135 p., accessible via https://www.aegweb.org/assets/docs/Publications/SP7_Professional%20Licensure%20for%20Geologists.pdf

Warner, J.L., 2015, Task Analysis Survey 2015 -- A Study of the Practice of Geology in the United States and Canada: ASBOG, 22 p., accessible via https://asbog.org/documents/ASBOG%20TAS%202015%20-%20Summary%20Report%20(July%202021).pdf

If you have any questions or comments about this site or its contents, drop an email to Vince Cronin.