I think of field trips as things of the past since I haven’t had a real field trip since middle school. In the geology and geophysics department, however, field trips are essential part of the curriculum. Just this summer, many G&G majors traveled to the Alps and the Apennines to examine the sedimentary record and understand the formation of the mountains.
As a part of my geology class on fossil fuels and energy transitions, we utilized fall break to travel to northeastern Pennsylvania to visit coal mines and natural gas production facilities in the Appalachian basin. Our stops included a working surface coal mine, an underground mine that has been converted into a museum, and a natural gas compressor station where we not only learned the mechanics of resource extraction but also the underlying geography, economics, and policies surrounding the operations.
The field trip was a chance to see my professor in action outside of the classroom. Having grown up in Pennsylvania, my professor knows the land and the people, and from working in the energy field before he is able to provide plenty of interesting insights. Aside from classmates, graduate students from the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and the School of Management also came along on the two-day trip, which brings a range of conversations.
Here are some photos from the trip!
We discussed sedimentary environments just a couple of days ago in class and learned about the formation of coal. In the first photo, I am standing right in front of an actual cross section of a mountainside where the seam of coal is exposed. We got a tour of the site from the workers there on how coal is extracted and then processed. It was incredible to see the sedimentary layers towering over me rather than sitting on a diagram. Later, we visited an old mine that has been closed and turned into a museum. In the underground mine museum, we learned about historical changes in mining conditions and technology. Visiting the mining town provides so much more context for me to understand the coal industry.
Not only did I get to get out of town and see new things on this field trip, I also got a chance to talk to locals and people who work in the mines. Their stories are incredible. From the elderly woman whose father was a miner to the engineering lead for the surfacing mining operation, I learned to appreciate the human side of mining and how much more complex the industry is.
