Geology & Geological Engineering

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Discover Hands-On Geology and Paleontology Opportunities Here

Geology and paleontology of the Black Hills, and adjacent Great Plains, provides us with an extraordinary natural classroom and laboratory. Geologists from all around the world travel to study what we have right here in our own backyard. So whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student, expect hands-on learning out of doors, in our labs, or doing research in affiliated facilities including the unique Sanford Underground Research Facility (a former gold mine that's now home to cutting edge neutrino research), the South Dakota Mines Engineering Mining Experiment Station, the Mining Hub, the James E. Martin Paleontology Laboratory, and the on-campus Museum of Geology.

We also operate the Black Hills Natural Sciences Field Station, one of the largest summer field camp stations in the United States, with opportunities for study in the Black Hills, western California, Montana, Utah, Arizona, Death Valley, Hawaii, Turkey, France, Spain, Nepal, Iceland, New Zealand, Morocco, and Andes-Ecuador.  

Related Links

Faculty and Staff
Related Links

 

imgBlackHillsStoryMap

The Amazing Geology of the Black Hills

View our  Black Hills Story Map  to learn more about the complex geology of the Black Hills region - just one example of research being done in this department. Find more presentations in the Online Exhibits section of the Museum of Geology and the Museum of Geology YouTube channel which both showcase faculty and student research.

Activities and Organizations

Students learn in myriad ways, from classroom lectures and coursework to hands-on research and projects. They also learn by participating in activities and opportunities that bring added dimensions to their academic years.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) Student Chapter

Faculty Advisor: TBA (@sdsmt.edu)

Student President: TBA (@mines.sdsmt.edu)


The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) student chapter aims to provide its members activities that promote the knowledge of oil and gas exploration, and to help students develop professional knowledge and ethics in preparation for careers in petroleum geology. The chapter plans activities throughout the year to foster positive relationships and engagement with the petroleum industry as well as prepare for and participate in future Imperial Barrel Award competitions.

Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists (AEG) Student Chapter

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Kurt Katzenstein (Kurt.Katzenstein@sdsmt.edu) 

Student President: TBA (@mines.sdsmt.edu) 


Since its inception in 1957, the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists (AEG) (the society was originally called the Association of Engineering Geologists until "Environmental" was added in 2005 to reflect important changes in the public awareness of services provided by the association members) has been an international leader in environmental and engineering geology, and is greatly respected for its stewardship of the profession.

AEG is popular both within industry as well as in academia and the society offers information useful to practitioners, scientists, engineers, students, and the public. This student organization serves as the SD Mines Student chapter of the parent society and was reestablished by students with an interest in these fields in 2018.

National Chapter Website: https://www.aegweb.org/ 

Association for Women Geoscientists (AWG) Black Hills Student Chapter

Faculty Advisor: TBA (@sdsmt.edu)

Student President: TBA (@mines.sdsmt.edu)


The Association for Women Geoscientists (AWG) is an international organization devoted to enhancing the quality and level of participation of women in geosciences and to introduce girls and young women to geoscience as a career option. Membership is open to anyone who supports AWG's goals. Our diverse interests and expertise cover the entire spectrum of geoscience disciplines and career paths, providing networking, support, and mentoring for women embarking on geoscience careers. The membership is brought together by a common love of Earth science and by the desire to ensure fair and balance opportunities for women in the geosciences.

URL (national society): https://www.awg.org/

Paleontology Club

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Darrin Pagnac (Darrin.Pagnac@sdsmt.edu)

Student President: Hannah Walker Hannah.Walker@mines.sdsmt.edu



The Paleontology Club is an educational, scientific, and non-profit organization dedicated to promoting paleontology in the community. Membership is open to all students with an interest in paleontology and its related fields. The club sponsors monthly meetings, guest lecturers, field trips, and outreach activities at the Museum of Geology and in community classrooms.

URL: https://sdsmt.presence.io/organization/paleontology-club

Sigma Gamma Epsilon - Theta Nu

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Liangping Li (Liangping.Li@sdsmt.edu) 

Student President: TBA (@mines.sdsmt.edu)


SD Mines chapter of the national honor society recognizing scholarship in the earth sciences. 

URL (national society): http://www.sigmagammaepsilon.com

Society of Economic Geologists Student Chapter

Faculty Advisors: Dr. Colin Paterson (Colin.Paterson@sdsmt.edu) and Dr. Kelli McCormick (Kelli.McCormick@sdsmt.edu)

Student President: Riley Kortenbusch (Riley.Kortenbusch@mines.sdsmt.edu)

SEG aims to provide its members with a variety of fun and service activities that promote knowledge of mineral deposits and mineral resources, and to help students develop professional knowledge and ethics in preparation for careers in economic geology. The chapter plans field trips to regional mines and other localities, visits schools to interest students in geology careers, raises funds for member activities, and sponsors the weekly refreshments at the Friday seminars.

URL (national society): https://www.segweb.org/

Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration/Drill & Crucible (SME)

Organized through the Department of Mining Engineering and Management

Faculty Advisors: Dr. Robert Hall (Robert.Hall@sdsmt.edu) and Dr. Brett Carlson (Brett.Carlson@sdsmt.edu)

Student President: Jed Sieverding (Jed.Sieverding@mines.sdsmt.edu)



SME is a national organization that involves individuals representing companies involved in mining, metallurgy, and exploration. We represent the SDSM&T student chapter.

URL: https://sdsmt.presence.io/organization/student-chapter-society-for-mining-metallurgy-and-exploration

Society of Petroleum Engineering (SPE) Student Chapter

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Zhi Ye (Zhi.Ye@sdsmt.edu)

Student President: Nathaniel Pfiefer (Nathaniel.Pfiefer@mines.sdsmt.edu)


The Society of Petroleum Engineering (SPE) Student Chapter links our students to a global organization of petroleum engineering professionals involved in numerous aspects of the industry. Student activities include field trips to active drill sites and production facilities in the Williston and Powder River basins and informational seminars presented by professionals in exploration, drilling, and production engineering.

URL (national society): https://www.spe.org/en/

Tech Geological Association

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Kurt Katzenstein (Kurt.Katzenstein@sdsmt.edu)

Student President: TBA (@mines.sdsmt.edu)

TGA promotes student involvement in professional associations while providing a focus for fun and profession-building activities. Each student in TGA must belong to at least one geoscience or engineering professional organization suited to their interests.

GGE Seminars 2024-2025

Announcements

Announcements for each talk are emailed to the South Dakota Mines campus community. 
If you are off campus, please subscribe to GGE_SEMINAR-L to get announcements and updates. 

Seminar coordinator: Dr. Sarah Keenan

All of our department seminars are at 4:00 pm local campus time unless noted otherwise.


Date Location Speaker (* - online) Organization
Aug-30 No Seminar - GGE Department Fall field trip
Sep-06 PRL Atrium GGE Department South Dakota Mines
Sep-13 CB204W

Dr. Sarah A.S. Dare

Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC)
Sep-20 No Seminar - Rocker Days / M Day
Sep-27 No Seminar - Geological Society of America annual meeting (Anaheim, CA)
Oct-4 CB204W Dr. Katrina Donovan South Dakota Mines
Oct-11 No Seminar - Native American Day Holiday
Oct-18 CB204W Dr. Murray Gingras University of Alberta
Oct-25 CB204W Zach Grimac Iris Metals
Nov-8 No Seminar - Veterans Day Holiday Observance
Nov-15 CB204W Dr. Sabre Moore Carter County Museum
Nov-22 CBEC 2228

Dr. William Kibikas

Sandia National Lab
Nov-29 No Seminar - Thanksgiving Holiday Break
Dec-6

PRL Atrium

 GEOL 700 poster presentations  
Jan-17 No Seminar - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Holiday    
Jan-31 CB204W Dr. Joy Buongiorno; Senior Editor Biogeochemistry/Nature Communications
Feb-7 CB204W Dr. Trevor Waldien TBA
Feb-14 No Seminar - President's Day Holiday Observance
Feb-21 CB204W TBA TBA
Feb-28 CB204W TBA TBA
Mar-7 No Seminar - Spring Break
Mar-14 No Seminar - Spring Break
Mar-21 CB204W TBA South Dakota Mines
Mar-28 CB204W TBA TBA
Apr-4 CB204W

Dr. Wenfeng Li

Los Alamos National Lab
Apr-11 CB204W Dr. Geoffrey Gilleaudeau George Mason University
Apr-18 No Seminar - Easter Holiday Break
Apr-25 TBA TBA TBA
May-2 TBA TBA TBA

 

Grad Lunch & Learn

TBD Coordinated by GGE Graduate Representatives. Information will be added as seminars are arranged.

Contact: Dr. Trevor Waldien ( Trevor.Waldien@sdsmt.edu )

Regular meeting time: Mondays at 12:00 pm   Zoom meeting link

Schedule
Date Lead Title/Topic
TBD Dr. Li  Meeting to vote for new student representatives
TBD Dr. Li Graduate student Town Hall meeting on Zoom 

 

GIS Workshops

Professional GIS Workshops are offered twice a year (December/January and May/June)

Intro to GIS I and II; Switching To Pro; GIS Field Data Collection

Workshop website and registration

GEOE/GEOL/PALE Advisory Board Meetings

Next meeting: Saturday, April 26, 2025. 

Upcoming Workshops

Workshops

Date

TBA

 TBA

 

*Online attendance is supported with Zoom. (Except Field Data Collection workshop). 
**Concepts discussed in workshop apply to both ArcMap and ArcGIS Pro, attendees must select which application for lab exercises ahead of time. Fall/Winter 2023 Workshops will be the last workshops that include the option for ArcMap instruction.
◊Receive a $100 discount by registering for both Intro to ArcGIS I, II workshops in one week. 

Workshops are held in December/January and May/June. Daily schedule is 8:30am to 4:30pm Mountain Time, with an hour break for lunch. 

Register Online

Note: If you do not receive a GIS Workshop confirmation email within a day or two of registering, please email Victoria.Karnes@sdsmt.edu to inquire.

Workshop Descriptions

Intro to ArcGIS I: Mapping with GIS

Instructor: Victoria Karnes
Cost: $550 Course Outline (pdf) 
This workshop is for people with no previous GIS experience. It covers the basics on how ArcGIS stores and manages map data and introduces participants to making maps and working with GIS data sets and data tables. GIS data storage, creating maps, publishing map layouts, and working with tables are all covered. It also includes an overview of commonly used sources of GIS data and how to adapt them for your own use. (Tuition includes license for Mastering ArcGIS or Mastering ArcGIS Pro e-textbook)
Background required: Familiarity with Windows and Internet browsers

Intro to ArcGIS II: GIS Analysis

Instructor: Victoria Karnes
Cost: $425 Course Outline (pdf)
This workshop is for people who want an introduction to the types of spatial analysis possible with GIS data. It introduces many key GIS techniques, including how to: do a suitability study based on multiple criteria, analyze spatial relationships between layers, work with topographic data, interpolate values from point data, and solve problems using distance and neighborhood factors. (Tuition includes license for Mastering ArcGIS or Mastering ArcGIS Pro e-textbook)
Background required: Intro to ArcGIS I workshop or equivalent experience

Field Data Collection with ArcGIS          

Instructor: Victoria Karnes
Cost: $425 Course Outline (pdf)
This workshop is for people who need to learn about how to prepare GIS data for field collection projects, collect spatially enabled data in the field, and integrate the collected data back into the geodatabase. The course includes an brief overview of geodetic fundamentals and geo-location technologies, and hands-on practice with ArcGIS Online hosted technology (Survey123, QuickCapture, and Collector) using student's personal devices. (BYOD: Bring Your Own Device)
Background required: Familiarity with the ArcGIS platform recommended but not required.
Equipment: Bad Elf handheld GPS units (provided with assistance from the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium) will be used to collect data. However, participants must bring their own phone or tablet (iOS or Android). See ArcGIS Collector System Requirements.

Switching to ArcGIS Pro

Instructor: Maribeth Price
Cost: $250 
This workshop is designed for people who already know ArcMap and ArcCatalog well and need to quickly get up to speed on the basics in ArcGIS Pro. The course covers the key differences in the platforms, project documents, the new GUI, integration with ArcGIS Online, visualization in 2D and 3D, symbolizing data, geoprocessing, tables, and layouts. The course runs for two partial days with 5 hours of live activity each day.
Background required: Participants must already know ArcMap and ArcCatalog well. This course is not intended for beginners to learn ArcGIS Pro. This course is no longer offered regularly, but organizations needing training for multiple employees may contact Maribeth.Price@sdsmt.edu to inquire about scheduling a session.
Equipment: Participants must have ArcGIS Pro installed on their computer and access to Zoom for this online course.

About the Instructors

Victoria Karnes is the Geospatial Technology Instructor in the Geology and Geological Engineering department at South Dakota Mines. She joined the South Dakota Mines faculty in 2022 after completing her master’s in science in Space and Planetary Science at the University of Arkansas. She runs both the Geospatial Technology minors and Geospatial Technology certificate programs and is in charge of ArcGIS Licensing for all South Dakota Universities. She also serves as a board member for the Black Hills Digital Mapping Associations and enjoys assisting other professors in various research projects across campus. She earned her B.S. in Geology from South Dakota Mines in 2019 and specialized in ESRI products, QGIS, and ENVI. 

Dr. Maribeth Price holds a PhD in Geosciences from Princeton University and is currently a professor of geology at the South Dakota Mines. She has been using and teaching GIS for over 20 years, has consulted on GIS in both industry and government, and supervised undergraduate and graduate research projects involving GIS. She is the author of Mastering ArcGIS and Mastering ArcGIS Pro (McGraw-Hill Higher Education), introductory GIS textbooks used by both college students and professionals in developing their GIS knowledge and skills, as well as Switching to ArcGIS Pro (Esri Press). She has given more than 100 workshops to over 1200 participants since 2000.

Attendee Comments

  • The instructor was very knowledgeable and presented the class clearly
  • The workshop helped me with understanding the general concepts
  • The class project aspect for each day helped
  • The organization was great. The instructor's ability to respond to questions real-time was very useful.

South Dakota Mines GIS Workshops is a proud sponsor of BHDMA

Helpful Resources for Beginners

If you are new to GIS and GIS Data, here are a few articles and GIS Data Sources to get you started with some extra information: 

ArcGIS Online

There is a great deal of data and other content on ArcGIS Online but since anyone can post data without review, some of it is of low quality or is not documented. Some layers that look useful for analysis are imagery layers or tiled layers (image map services) do not have downloadable data and are just pictures. To look for data you can download, try adding the text "type:layer" or "type:raster" to your search text (leave out the quotes). If in Pro, click the Living Atlas button. (ArcGIS Pro has new portal search capability with filters that makes this easier.) If using arcgis.com, click the box for authoritative data and makes sure you toggle the button to look outside of your organization, if you are in one. Make sure to always check your data and make sure it is from authoritative sources and includes documentation, as this will give you the most accurate and the best quality data! For more info, visit ArcGIS Online Help: advanced search.

US Data and Other Reputable Sources

While this is not a complete list of all reputable data sources for the U.S., here are a few sites to take a look at if you are looking for data. There are many other data sources for other countries (and planets!) that you can also find on the web, as well. If you are looking for GIS Data for certain states (or other countries), you can usually find data by going to the states official site and searching for GIS Data or searching the United States Geological Survey (USGS) websites for the individual state. 

 

If you are a Faculty Member, Staff Member, or Student at South Dakota Mines and would like to access our ESRI License specific data files, contact Victoria Karnes (victoria.karnes@sdsmt.edu) for more information. 

Catalog Links

2024-2025 Academic Catalog

Have more questions?

Department of Geology and Geological Engineering
General Information and room scheduling - Cleo Heenan, Department Secretary

(Check Faculty and Staff Page to see all the contacts information)

Our Facebook
(605) 394-2461
Cleo.Heenan@sdsmt.edu