More on Careers in Geophysics

A Geophysical Letter
taken from Wyatt, K.D. (1998) The Leading Edge V17 (6)

Dear Timothy, You are living in exciting times and are most fortunate in being able to choose a career just now. You have demonstrated a knack and enthusiasm for science and mathematics and have expressed joy for the out-of-doors and the earth. These talents and interests make you a strong candidate for a career in geophysics. For that reason I want to share with you a little bit about my own career in that field, and why I think it is a good choice for anyone with the necessary talents and desire. Geophysics is the most wonderful of fields and professions. Excitement and challenges abound in this science, and technology, driven field. A geoscientist is someone who studies the earth's physical makeup and history. Geoscience helps us find the key to new sources of useful earth materials, and understand earth processes that affect our lives. Geoscientists enjoy the earth. It is an outdoor laboratory filled with opportunities to observe earth processes in action. By applying knowledge of forces that shape the earth, geoscientists seek to reconstruct the past and anticipate the future. Geophysicists help to decipher the earth's interior and magnetic, electric and gravitational fields. Our profession is one that is filled with the riches of mathematics and physics. There are few things as satisfying as predicting how the earth will respond to a given event, and then going out into the field and recording geophysical measurements which prove our theory. Some geophyicisists try to understand the deepest secrets of the earth; what it is made of, how it came to be, how the grand processes operate. Most of these people work in universities or governmental agencies; they have advanced degrees and remarkable abilities.

Others try to understand those parts of the earth which have a more direct bearing on current human affairs, for example the exploration of the earth's crust for hydrocarbons and minerals. Some of us have the particular challenge of making specific predictions, based on our geophysical measurements, which pinpoint where and how a borehole, several miles deep, is to be drilled. Geophysicists work with some of the most exciting tools around. Our supercomputers can process geophysical measurements, such as massive amounts of 3-D siesmic data, at unprecedented speeds. We also use the most advanced computer graphics tools available today to help interpret and visualise the geophysical data that we record. Many large oil companies are even routinely using virtual reality techniques to help us understand the geology in our petroleum fields by letting us become a part of the computer model that we build to represent the earth. How do you prepare yourself to work in today's environment? You must maintain a keen desire to learn. Always strive to continually learn and apply knowledge so that you can maintain competiveness. Acquire an education that is broad enough to prevent you from being captive to a particular industry. This means more physics, mathematics, computer science and electrical engineering courses. Diversify your skills and be flexible. Build your communication skills, both written and oral. Salaries, benefits and stability don't guarantee happiness or excellence. It is very hard to compete with someone who loves their job. Thus, my final adivce is to follow your heart's desire; make sure you enjoy what you are doing. Aunt Kay

An Open Letter to the World
taken from The Leading Edge - August, 1999

Dear Employer, If your company is in need of uniquely skilled, highly educated individuals to staff or manage high tech areas of your operations, and if your company has been experiencing less than optimum success in locating such candidates, the geophysicist may be the perfect answer. What is a geophysicist? Geophysicists generally direct their skills toward exploration for oil, gas, and other minerals. However, recent oversupply of oil has driven prices to historic lows which, coupled with several major mergers in the oil industry, has resulted in displacement of many thousands of outstanding professionals. Though an up cycle is expected, much of the decline in employment will, more than likely, be permanent which will doubtless force many geophysicists to look for careers in other industries which can utlise their skills. And what are those skills? For this we provide the following: The Geophysicist: Skills for the New Millenium. The geophysicist by education and experience is uniquely prepared to meet the technological challenges of the new millenium. Thoroughly grounded in digital data technology and the application of the computer to the solution of complex problems, the geophysicist has learned to adapt a wide range of scientific concepts to the search for earth resources. The intermediate mission for the geophysicist has been to develop consistent, dependable methods of collection, processing, graphically displaying, and accurately interpreting the earth's physical subsurface. Through their thorough understanding of physics, geology, mathematics, and computer technology and the use of a variety of state-of-the-art tools and techniques, the geophysicist has been able to unlock earth resource secrets that have existed since the beginning of time. The geophysicist is ingeniously resourceful. The creative solution is their daily companion. Often posessing outstanding supervisory or project management experience, the geophysicist is at home in the field, in the office, in the laboratory designing, directing, visualising, analysing, summarising and advising. The more difficult the technical challenge, the more intense the commitment. That's the hallmark of today's geophysicist. The Geophysicist and the Computer. Most geophysicists have far more than basic computer skills. Most have hands on experience in all the architecture of the computer age - from supercomputer to the desktop - and are very familiar with all of the available operating systems. They are also adept at learning and applying new software rapidly, and possess excellent skills in systems analysis by providing practical solutions to computer- solvable problems. The geophysicist has broad experience in creative interpretation of digitally displayed graphics especially in an interactive environment. They are very experienced in the use of sophisticated, colour-enhanced imagery, and in the use of creative manipulation of data and graphic displays in the solution of a broad range of technological and industrial problems. The Geophysicist and Mathematics. The average geophysicis,t through education and experience, is indeed mathematicalyl sophisticated with at least some expericnec in signal processing (including Fourier Transforms), computer programming, and solutions to the wave equation. The Geophysicist and Physics . Geophysicists have an extensive background in the field of physics and the application of that knowledge to practical problem solving, an understanding which would be easily transferred to today's technological challenges in many industries. The Geophysicist and Geology . The geophysicist, both educationally and experentially, has an excellent background in geology and earth dynamics. In summary, your industry may well be one that needs scientists and technologists with the geophysicist's broad range of skills and experience. Coupled with multilevel vision, integration of multidisciplinary input in problem solving, and a fresh perspective from a different environment, the geophysicist can bring a unique package of professional skills and experience to any employer.

A Career in Electromagnetic Methods
taken from Christopherson, K.R. (1998) The Leading Edge V17 (6)

Are you the type of person who would be interested - from a scientific or business perspective, or just because you want a career that isn't virtually identical to that of your colleagues - in looking for gold in Peru, mapping plate boundaries in the Himalayas, finding diamonds in Canada, or exploring for oil in Greenland? Then electrical methods geophysics might be the place for you. EM specialists have done all of the above, and much else, and they might be the only branch of our profession that has. In other words, if you like a challenge, you will get one in this speciality. That is guaranteed. In fact, it is the only guarantee that you will get. Intrigued or, better yet, challenged? Then read on .... What do EM geophysicists do? EM geophysicists usually participate in more than one phase of the geophysical process. Those involved in exploration help with field planning, may bird-dog a job, and often process and interpret the data, which will involve integrating them with other information (geological and geophysical). Contractors perform the field acquisition, usually process the data, and may interpret them. They are also often involved in system design or modification, and in research.

Equipment manufacturers build the gear but also may work as contractors and are continually involved in new design work and research. Those in academic groups develop new algorithms for understanding the processes but may also acquire data, build equipment, interpret data, and interface with the above groups. What are electrical geophysical methods? Briefly, electrical and electromagnetic geophysical methods measure either natural or man-made electric and / or magnetic fields. The measured fields are normally time-varying but can also be frequency-varying. From these measurements, some parameter of the subsurface is derived. The most used parameter is resistivity. These measurements can be taken on land, in the air, at sea, or in a borehole. Major applications of EM geophysics include looking for almost any resource (minerals, oils, gas and groundwater); environmental and engineering analysis, such as mapping brine contamination in the subsurface or locating archaelogical sites; and fundamental scientific research like mapping plate boundaries.

Potential Careers in Potential Fields
taken from Millegan, P.S. (1998) The Leading Edge V17 (6)

I am enthusiastic about gravity and magnetics because the more I use them, the more powerful I know that they are! I also know that at times this specialised part of applied geophyisics is misunderstood, misrepresented, and misdirected. However, the more common situation is careful use by a special group of professionals who enjoy the challenge, and who are not afraid to be in the minority. Gravity and magnetics practitioners have and do come from all disciplines. For example, my background is math and geology. Others have purely geologic or purely geophysical education and experience. Still others are mathematicians or computer scientists. A priceless few, as in other branches of geophysics, are foot-loose adventurers who want the freedom that acquisition work affords.

We are a small community within geophysics. This means that many gravity and magnetic careers span the spectrum from acquisition, to processing, to quality control, to interpretation, to research, and to team leadership and management. The most important character traits for a gravity and magnetics specialist are thick skin, tenacity, an eye for detail, and a real interest in these complex but powerful disciplines. A potential field processor needs the ability to work with the latest computer technology and state-of-the-art software in order to organise, review, and analyse potential field data from geophysical surveys around the globe.

Environmental Geophysics
taken from Hrabar, S. (1998) The Leading Edge V17 (6)

Environmental geophysics refers to professional geophysical services that help site assessments, remediation programs, and engineering construction programs. The term environmental has various implications: the general surroundings, regulatory compliance, health and safety, public works water and sewage facitilites, and others. Successful careers in environmental geophysics can have different starting points (mathematics, physics, geology, geophysics and civil, chemical or petroleum engineering). To be successful in environmental geophysics you need courses in geology, field experience in geologic mapping, operations experience with various geophysical methods, and much practice in applying this knowledge in different situations and field conditions. Geophysicists are employed by government, academia, and industry. They use both nonintrusive and intrusive geophysical methods and geochemistry to test and refine earth, water, and atmospheric models.

The scope of their work ranges from global (such as seismicity, climatology and physical oceanography) to local (minerals and mining). Industry and governments conduct geological and geochemical surveys to evaluate the exploration potential of natural resources for the benefit of humankind. To be a successful environmental geophysicist you need to be able to assist the geoscience team and landowners to characterise, model, analyse and monitor proposed sites. Your knowledge of geology needs to include natural resources, tectonic processes and faulting, stratigraphy, surface processes and soil characteristics. You need to be aware of the common terms used differently by various disciplines. Of course you need experience with nonintrusive and intrusive geophysical methods.

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