Career in Earth Science

Earth Science is a very promising area where students are exploring nowadays.

If a student is numerate & articulate and wants to learn about the natural world around him, it’s better to go for Geology.

Geology deals with the Study of Earth, its interior and exterior surface, rocks and other materials.

Earth Science is the study of Earth and its neighbors in space. While few Earth scientists use their knowledge of the Earth to locate and develop energy and mineral resources, the others study the impact of human activity on Earth’s environment, and design methods to protect the planet. A few of them also specialize in using their knowledge about Earth processes such as volcanoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes to plan communities that will not expose people to these dangerous events.

Four Basic Areas of Earth Science Study are:

Geology: Branch of Earth Science that deals with the study of Earth – its interior and exterior surface, the rocks and other materials that are around us, the processes that have resulted in the formation of those materials, the water that flows over the surface and lies underground, the changes that have taken place over the vastness of geological time, and the changes that we can anticipate will take place in the near future.

Meteorology: Branch of the atmospheric sciences which includes atmospheric chemistry and atmospheric physics, with a major focus on weather forecasting.

Oceanography: Branch that deals with the study of all aspects of oceans and covers a wide range of topics, from marine life and ecosystems to currents and waves, to the movement of sediments, to seafloor geology.

Astronomy: Branch that includes the scientific study of celestial objects (stars, planets, comets, and galaxies) and phenomena that originate outside the Earth’s atmosphere.

These interdisciplinary fields of study combine the knowledge of Physics, Chemistry, Biology with Geology, Geography, Palaeontology, Astronomy, Mathematics to understand more about the origin, development and future of the Earth.

Career Path:

Students should opt for Geology or Pure Science (PCM) in grade 12 and complete a bachelor’s degree in geology, earth sciences or related scientific field. Institutes like IISER also provides a 5-year dual BS-MS degree in Earth Sciences.

National level exams like GATE and a few university-level exams are conducted for pursuing Masters in Geology/Earth Science/Applied Geology.

PG programs in the above-mentioned specializations will set students up for a career within the energy, environmental or engineering sectors and related work experience can further boost their job prospects.

After getting a degree, students can work in private companies or consulting firms in India as well as abroad.

Scope and Opportunities:

• Few top segments that require Geologists are:
• Environmental consulting/protection firms
• Geology/Engineering firms
• Government institutions
• Academics (Teaching)
• Construction companies
• Petroleum and mining companies
• In India, geologists and earth scientists work in organizations like:
• Geological Survey of India
• Oil & Natural Gas Corporation
• Coal India Limited
• NHPC
• Cairn Energy India
• Indian Oil
• Hindustan Zinc Limited
• Water and Sanitation Management Organization
• ISRO
• DRDO
• Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited
• Central Ground Water Board
• Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited
• The top five jobs held by geology graduates include geologists, mineralogists, environment professionals, civil engineers and geophysicists.
• Top Institutes in India Offering Programs in Geology:
• IISER
• SRM University
• BU University, Bhopal
• Xavier’s College, Mumbai
• Fergusson College, Pune
• Presidency College, Chennai
• IIT Kharagpur/Mumbai/Roorkee
• IIT ISM Dhanbad
• NIT Raipur
• Banaras Hindu University
• Osmania University, Hyderabad
• Delhi University
• Amity University, Noida

Geology looks at some of the most important issues in society today, including energy sources and sustainability, climate change, the impacts of developments on the environment, water management, mineral resources and natural hazards.

!!Happy Learning!!