University of Oklahoma School of Geosciences

The School of Geosciences, part of the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy, is located in the Sarkeys Energy Center on the main campus of the University of Oklahoma.  Founded in 1900 by Charles Gould, the School has been a leader in the geosciences research and education for over a century.  Today, the School's 20 faculty, ten emeritus and seven cooperating faculty mentor a diverse group of undergraduate and graduate students in various B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. programs.

The School of Geosciences has traditionally been a global leader in education and research in topics related to hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation, but now includes research programs spanning aspects of  organic, inorganic and environmental geochemistry, and hydrochemistry, planetary geology, structure and geophysics of earthquakes and induced seismicity, near-field and crustal-scale geophysics, paleoecology and paleoclimate, paleomagnetism, and mineralogy/petrology.

The School’s mission is to provide students with high-quality education and research opportunities within a creative, inclusive, and interdisciplinary environment with an emphasis on fundamental and applied geosciences.

Toward this mission, students in our Geosciences program experience learning far beyond the classroom. Extended field trips funded by generous donors are an important component of our educational program, and undergraduate classes travel to West Texas, the Gulf of Mexico, Colorado and the Rio Grande Rift. Graduate students travel to Florida, West Texas, California and Colorado. Faculty and students conduct field work that has spanned virtually every continent. In addition, our students utilize computational and experimental facilities to learn and conduct research on geophysical, structural, geochemical and hydrological projects using state-of-the-art software.

OU Geosciences hosts several student groups that help foster both learning and camaraderie. The School of Geosciences’ Pick and Hammer Club is a social club, but also engages in extensive outreach to area schools, in addition to rock-collecting and camping trips. OU student chapters of national organizations (SEG, AAPG) attract visitors for lunch-and-learn talks, and workshops, and have also been recognized for numerous prestigious awards. Our School provides a supportive community and individualized attention to strive for student success.