Geology (GEOL)
Structures and deformation of the lithosphere and of rocks, including the metamorphic and tectonic development of orogens, interaction between Earth internal and surface processes.
Information: Prof. Anneleen Foubert (Fribourg), Prof. Marco Herwegh (Bern) or Prof. Fritz Schlunegger (Bern)
The curriculum of the Specialization in Geology spans the entire realm from unconsolidated soil to solid rock, on both small and large scales with a common theme: the understanding of geological processes and the results thereof in space and time. Due to this breadth, natural overlapping with the Specializations “Environmental and Resource Geochemistry”, “Quaternary Geology”, and “Earth and Life Evolution” is inevitable. A careful selection of courses can provide a widely based education, with certain areas of increased expertise, thus preparing the students to tackle the huge variety of problems that are encountered in professional practice
By specializing in Geology, various fields of professional activity in Earth sciences become available. Industry and government agencies throughout the world have a considerable demand for scientific experts in sectors such as resource supply (oil, natural gas, gravel, sand or water), disposal of waste (both industrial and household), projections concerning the geological behaviour of the subsurface in construction projects or mining operations, assessing risk and ecological compatibility, etc. Many graduates of the institutes of Geological Sciences at the Universities in Bern and Fribourg are currently working in one of these fields in small or large companies, or in the private, public or academic sectors in Switzerland and abroad.
This Specialization aims to equip graduates with the combination of skills required in professions within the sectors of resource supply, waste disposal, civil engineering, mining, natural hazard assessment and ecological compatibility studies. These include a broad understanding of geological processes; an ability to integrate diverse scientific information into concrete problem-solving strategies; hands-on expertise with modern field, analytical and computational methods; and practice in communicating ideas and results in a professional manner, both in written and oral form.
Examples of topics in which MSc projects may be conducted include:
- Crustal structure and deformation in orogens (Alps, Andes)
- Metamorphic and tectonic evolution in orogenic belts (Alps or other)
- Growth of the Alps and climatic development
- Synsedimentary tectonics in the Alps and their foreland
- Sedimentary processes in the Jura mountains, the Molasse basin or the Alps
- Active landslides and sediment transport in Alpine valleys and rivers
- Correlation between surface types and the occurrence of meteorites
In various cases, a master thesis can be approached from multiple fields:
- “Geology” or “Quaternary Geology”: Brittle deformation in rockc avalanches: The landslide of Flims as a case study
- “Geology” or “Earth Materials”: Deformation structures in crustal rock, in mantel rock, in analogue material or in experiments
MSc students have access to a wide range of modern analytical facilities at the host institute, including petrographic microscopy, cathode-luminescence, scanning-electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, electron microprobe, Laser-Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, Laser-ablation-ICP-MS, fluid inclusion microthermometry, rock porosity and permeability apparatus, wet-chemical laboratories with atomic-absorption and ion-chromatography, mass-spectrometers for stable isotopes of C, O, H, He, Ca, and Mo, and for radiogenic isotopes of the K-Ar, Rb-Sr, Nd-Sm, and U-Pb systems. Experimental equipment includes porewater extraction devices, flow-through reaction vessels, exchange columns and hydrothermal autoclaves for high P–T studies. Computational facilities include computer clusters for geochemical modelling and GIS applications. Additional facilities are available at the collaborating research institutes.
Prospective students for the Specialization in “Geology” should contact the following instructors for further information:
Prof. Anneleen Foubert (Fribourg), Prof. Marco Herwegh (Bern) or Prof. Fritz Schlunegger (Bern)