Geoscience Workforce

Latest News

GeoConnection Webinar - Career Series
Geoscientists in the Media
March 16, 2010: 1:00 pm -2:00 pm EST (U.S.)

Join us to discuss career opportunities for geoscientists in the media. Geoscientists working in print and digital media will discuss their career paths and will share ways that they use their backgrounds to communicate science to a broad audience. Presentations by speakers below will be followed by an open Q & A session with webinar participants. Register for this webinar.

Geoscience Currents #29 delves into the mega-trends in the Australian mining industry including commodities, ore grades, waste rock, and economic mineral resources. Collectively, these trends point to significant environmental challenges for the future of mining and mineral processing, such as potentially increased unit energy, pollutant, waste and water costs, and subsequently higher production costs. This will impact not only the demand for minerals and metals, but also drive the search for alternative technologies across exploration, mining, milling, smelting and refining. In the long term, it will increase the need for greater material efficiency and recycling. Read more in Geoscience Currents #29.

GeoConnection Webinar:
March 2, 2010: 4:00 pm -5:00 pm EST (U.S.)
Future Trends in Mining (will be posted online soon!)

This webinar is co-sponsored the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG).

GeoConnection Webinar:
January 26, 2010: 1:30 pm -2:30 pm EST (U.S.)
Linking AP Courses and Earth Science Literacy with Departmental Sustainability.

GeoConnection Webinar:
December 4, 2009: 12:00 pm -1:00 pm EST (U.S.)
Strategies for Departmental Survival and Viability During Economic Downturns.

This webinar is co-sponsored by NAGT and the Building Strong Geoscience Departments project.

 

AGI began sending GeoConnection Student Packets to Academic Leadership Departments in April. If you have a packet, register it here.

Effects of the Global Economic Crisis on Geoscience Departments
The Effects of the Economic Crisis on Geoscience Departments report provides a snapshot of the impacts of the economic downturn as of March 2009 on geoscience departments within the United States as well as in other countries. The report includes analyses based on institution type and regional analyses for U.S. geoscience departments.

Overall, 83 percent of geoscience departments that responded to the survey expect budget cuts for 2009 and/or 2010. These budget cuts are expected to impact faculty (reductions and hiring freezes) and support activities (IT, lab equipment, etc.) the most. Graduate student admission and graduate student support will be least impacted. Although the majority of departments expect to be viable beyond the next three years, several U.S. departments indicated that their future was "definitely" or "immediately" threatened by the impacts of the economic downturn.

Read more about how geoscience departments are weathering the economic downturn by downloading the report from the Geoscience Workforce Program's Reports page.

 

Status of the Geoscience Workforce 2009
Despite the global economic crisis, the geosciences continue to see opportunity in the future, with commodities like gold pushing historic highs, oil showing signs of rebounding, and the ever present dilemma of the talent gap expected from the retirement of the Baby Boomers.  Never before has there been a comprehensive look at the state of the workforce, education, and economic dynamics of the geosciences.  In these times of uncertainty, The Status of the Geoscience Workforce 2009 report provides the intelligence needed for decision makers that rely on geoscience professionals to accomplish their missions. 

The report integrates all available data sources, including original data collected by AGI, as well as federal, society, and industry sources, into a comprehensive view of the human and economic parameters of the geosciences, including supply and training of new students, workforce demographics and employment projections, to trends in geoscience research funding and other economic indicators.

Demographics by age, race, gender, and industry type; student and research funding statistics; commodity pricing, the GDP of the geosciences, and more are all detailed thoroughly. This book is a resource to assist members of the geosciences community in preparing presentations to their colleagues and other stakeholders about the issues and opportunities in the geosciences.

To learn more and purchase this essential publication visit http://www.agiweb.org/pubs/pubdetail.html?item=300355.

Quick Links

Register for free email delivery of Geoscience Currents.

Register your GeoConnection Student Packet: "Welcome to your Future in the Geosciences"

Visit GeoConnection on YouTube

Connect with the GeoConnection Facebook website.

View Geoscience Enrollment Trends and Employment Statistics

AGI has also been a partner in the Sloan Foundation's Career Cornerstone Series.