2016 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results

[GeoDUDE!]

I guess I'll start this? 

 

 

--------------------------------

Undergrad Institution: (School or type of school, such as big state, lib arts, ivy, technical, foreign (what country?)... Overall Reputation in Biology?)
Major(s):
Minor(s):
GPA in Major:
Overall GPA:
Position in Class: (No numbers needed, but are you top? near top? average? struggling?)
Type of Student: (Domestic/International, male/female, minority?)

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q:
V:
W:


TOEFL Total: (if applicable, otherwise delete this)

Research Experience: (At your school or elsewhere? What field? How much time? Any publications (Mth author out of N?) or conference talks etc...)

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: (Within your school or outside?)

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: (Such as tutor, TA, SPS officer etc...)

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:

Special Bonus Points: (Such as connections, grad classes, famous recommenders, female or minority status etc...)

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:

Applying to Where:

School - Department - Research Interest
School - Department - Research Interest
School - Department - Research Interest

[MindYourOwnBiscuits]

Undergrad Institution: BigTen School
Major(s): Environmental Science
Minor(s): N/A
GPA in Major: 3.4
Overall GPA: 2.8

Grad Institution: Ivy League (I was surprised, too)
Major(s): Environmental Science, again
Overall GPA: 2.8
Type of Student: International, female

GRE Scores (revised):
Q: 163
V: 156
W: 4.5

Research Experience: No publications; 3 months of undergrad research experience

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 3+ years of relevant international work experience

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: N/A

Applying to Where: 14 US-based PhD programs, 1 UK based PhD, 1 dual-degree program. All for Environmental Policy (it's a numbers game)

Edited October 1, 2015 by MindYourOwnBiscuits

[surfgirl87]

Undergrad Institution: Hawaii Pacific
Major(s): Environmental Sciences
Minor(s):
GPA in Major: 3.3
Overall GPA: 2.7
Position in Class: Struggled, worked full time in addition to going to school full time and was 3,000 miles and a body of water away from my family.
Type of Student: Female (and technically a minority at HPU, hahaha)

Grad Institution: Big State school top 10 in field
Major(s): Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
Minor(s): Geological Oceanography
Overall GPA: 3.4

GRE Scores (revised/old version): old version
Q: 720
V: 540
W: 5.0



Research Experience: Have held jobs as a hydrogeologist and in water quality.  Did my thesis on groundwater remediation


Pertinent Activities or Jobs: In addition to jobs mentioned above I current teach Earth Science at the local Community College

Special Bonus Points: I'm a female, have extensive field work and a master's degree

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:

Applying to Where: University of South Florida, College of Marine Science -- Ph.D. Geological Oceanography -- Snowball Earth Hypothesis

[Savingtehplanet]

Undergrad Institution: Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad (slated to be converted to an IIT)
Major(s): Environmental Engineering
Minor(s): None
GPA in Major: 8.36/10 (roughly 3.4-3.5 on the US scale)
Overall GPA: 8.36/10
Position in Class: Top 10 out of 60
Type of Student: International male

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 170
V:  162
W: 5.0


TOEFL Total: 118/120

Research Experience: Two months under a renowned professor in crop science at the University of Aberdeen and an undergraduate research project (unrelated to each other)

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: None

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: None
Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Top quizzer? Debater? Blogger?

Special Bonus Points: None I can think of
Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:

Applying to Where:
MIT

Princeton

Yale

 Berkeley

Caltech

UW Madison

UIUC

UC Davis

Harvard

Cornell

UWashington Seattle

All for relevant soil science or related programs. Do I apply for an MS or a PHD? And is the list too ambitious or far fetched?

 

[cobalt27]

Undergrad Institution: Large Private School
Major(s): Environmental Science
Minor(s):
GPA in Major:
Overall GPA: 3.39
Position in Class:
Type of Student: Domestic female

GRE Scores (revised version):
Q: 156 (64%)
V: 164 (94%)
W: 3.5 (38%)

Taken about a year later:
Q: 155 (60%)
V: 165 (95%)
W: Waiting

Research Experience: No publications. Worked as a lab technician in a biology lab (at my school) for one semester, interned as a research associate in a neurobiology lab elsewhere for one semester (prior to changing my major to Env Sci)

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Scholarship recipient, Dean's list/graduated with honors

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: One year of relevant work experience. Also served as a TA while in undergrad and have experience tutoring high school students in math and science

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Served on boards of a few student groups (not sure if this really matters)

Special Bonus Points: Female

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: Downward trend in GPA starting in last three semesters due to a family situation - addressing this in my SOP

Applying to Where:

UMD (reach)

Mines (maybe - reach)

University of Florida (reach)

University of South Carolina

UNH

URI

 

I am primarily interested in geochemistry/geology programs with a focus on water resources/management.  

My GPA and GRE scores are both low/middle of the road. Any suggestions to programs to look into is greatly appreciated!!

Edited October 28, 2015 by rising_star
to add information at OP's request

[Fartre]

Undergrad Institution: UC Berkeley
Major(s): Integrative Biology
Minor(s):
GPA in Major: 3.35
Overall GPA: 3.17
Position in Class: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Type of Student: Domestic student (USA), male

GRE Scores (revised/old version): Taking the GRE on Nov. 4.

Research Experience: Independent research with a Berkeley class on French Polynesia - results written up in paper, presented in public talk - not published.

Extensive work in a paleobotany lab (Dr. Cindy Looy), currently describing a Cretaceous dicot for publication in March, will likely present at Botanical Society of America, will do field work in March and April.

Independent summer research at Bodega Marine Lab, results written up in paper that is worse than paper mentioned above, presented in public talk.

Independent wildlife research (fence lizard metabolism) for the Vertebrate Natural History class at Berkeley, results written up in paper of intermediate quality.

Assisted a NASA researcher with investigation of spectral properties of vegetation.

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Unpaid tutor and paid notetaker for Student Learning Center, taught introductory biology to other students on behalf of SLC.

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Impending publication.

Special Bonus Points: Recommenders are all senior scientists with a decent amount of clout:

Dr. Brent Mishler

Dr. Cindy Looy

Dr. Petya Campbell

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: Grades took a huge, anomalous hit in sophomore year - I panicked and switched to a computer science track, had to take too many classes, switched back to biology at the end of sophomore year. Unsure of how to explain this one, really. I switched into CS because that was my other big passion in high school, and my experience in biology labs (all molecular and cell bio labs) in freshman year had really turned me off the whole discipline. 

Still not sure how to spin that one. Provisional strategy is to play the "I'm a well-rounded student with the breadth of education to tackle big problems... just ignore the grades in those CS classes and look instead at their big scary names" card. Eager to hear if people have alternate strategies I might roll with. My transcript is attached for those curious.

Applying to Where:

UC Berkeley - Integrative Biology - Paleontology

U Chicago - Geophysical Sciences - Paleontology

James Saulsbury Unofficial Berkeley Transcript.pdf

Edited October 28, 2015 by Fartre

[Tidus]

Undergrad Institution: UK, Top 20 globally for Earth science

Major: Earth Science

Overall GPA: 1^st Class Honours (~3.5-4ish? depends how it's interpreted)

Position in Class: Near top
Type of Student: International, male

GRE Scores (revised/old version): Revised
Q: 168
V: 165
W: 4.5

Research Experience: 

Dissertations on flood modelling and wind regimes/geology of Mars.

Co-author on paper related to Mars project.

Summer volunteer research assistant on meteorological/geophysical hazard assessments

Two years employment in UK maths department (top 3 globally) researching polar oceanography.

One additional paper submitted, two more in progress, several reports written.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: N/A

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Maths tutor, several years

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Masters in Earth science, same institution as undergrad.

Special Bonus Points: Well known first recommender, significant field-work experience in area of application.

Applying to Where:
University of Washington – Atmospheric Sciences (maybe others) – Polar oceanography

UC-Boulder – Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences – Polar oceanography

Scripps, UCSD – Oceanography – Polar oceanography

Columbia – Earth and Environmental Sciences – Polar oceanography

Possibly 1-2 more

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looking to do something polar ocean/atmosphere/sea ice related incorporating some modelling, remote sensing or field measurements. Any comments/questions welcome, still not totally decided on which schools/departments I'll be applying to. I’m in touch with faculty at each of the ones mentioned.

[GeoDUDE!]

Are you looking to work with Chris Zappa at Columbia? He's a really cool dude. 

[Tidus]

I'd spent some time looking at his group and you're not the first person to suggest him as a good person to work with, so I've just sent off an e-mail to get in touch and ask a few questions about the potential direction of future research projects he might work on. I'd been previously looking at the Polar Climate group there but agree that Zappa's group could be a good fit too. Thanks.

[GeoDUDE!]

I'd spent some time looking at his group and you're not the first person to suggest him as a good person to work with, so I've just sent off an e-mail to get in touch and ask a few questions about the potential direction of future research projects he might work on. I'd been previously looking at the Polar Climate group there but agree that Zappa's group could be a good fit too. Thanks.

He's really a fun guy: I'm a solid earth guy but I actually was a research assistant in his lab for a summer. He's also wicked smart (and, right or wrong, I don't say that about many people).  It's good to have multiple labs to be interested in when applying to LDEO, lemme know if you have any specific questions (in a pm). Good luck with your apps

[GeoMex]

Undergrad Institution: Top 10 University in Mexico
Major(s): Geophysics
GPA in Major: 3.4
Position in Class: Average
Type of Student: International male

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 160
V: 156
W: 3.5


TOEFL Total: 110 iBT, but it's no longer valid, going to take one this weekend.

Research Experience: None, just industry experience

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Calculus tutor as social service in the university, internship and thesis project with an oil company for undergrad, 5 years experience as geophysicist, although 3 of them have been more administrative tasks, hence why I decided to do my graduate studies now

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Got accepted for this year but had issues with funding, hoping to get accepted next year in the same university

Special Bonus Points: Being funded by my gov. and by the company I work for. 

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: Funded by goverment and company to do my studies

Applying to Where: 

Geosciences- Exploration Seismology, Seismic interpretation.

UT Austin 

Rice

TAMU

thinking if I should apply to:

Texas Tech

UT Dallas

Baylor

Southern Methodist Univ

Arizona (don't know which one yet)

 

If anyone knows how the programs are in these last Universities for Seismic interpretation I'd appreciate any info. Some have a couple of courses but doesn't seem too good to specialize on it. Any other suggestions will be appreciated.

[trulytriaxial]

On 11/2/2015, 8:39:19, GeoMex said:

Arizona (don't know which one yet)

 

If anyone knows how the programs are in these last Universities for Seismic interpretation I'd appreciate any info. Some have a couple of courses but doesn't seem too good to specialize on it. Any other suggestions will be appreciated.

I would recommend looking into Roy Johnson and George Zandt at Univ of Arizona for seismology.

Edited November 4, 2015 by trulytriaxial

[sjoh197]

Re-applier here...

Undergrad Institution: Louisiana St. Uni
Major(s): Geology
GPA in Major: 3.4
Overall GPA: 3.04
Type of Student: Domestic Female

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 159 (75%)
V: 165 (95%)
W: 4.5 (80%)


Research Experience: 1.5 years of lab work, research, publication figures

Geochron - zircons

§  Laser Ablation/ICPMS of hand-picked and mounted zircons at the UCSB Laser Ablation Split Stream facility. Depth profiling of thin rims to determine time constraints on local shear.

§  Superimposition of laser ablation data rims over Cathodoluminescence imagery.

§  Himalayan/Zanskar-Region map alterations and corrections in Adobe Illustrator for publication.

§  Stereonet projections of field data for publication.

§  Compilation of LA-ICP-MS U-Pb zircon data into publishable geochron table formats.

 

Thermochron - micas

§  Thin section identification and analysis of Calc-Alkaline samples to determine the quality of the samples for potential  of micas.

§  Sample preparations for testing of illite crystallinity using X-Ray Diffraction analyses. Included billets, breakdown, gravitational separation, and centrifuging of <2μm particles.

§  Heavy liquid separation of zircons using Lithium Metatungstate and Frantz magnetic separation.

§  Micron size separations (< 0.2 μm -2 μm) of illite/muscovite crystals, using a centrifuging method for .

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: 1 departmental undergrad poster contest... 3rd place

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: None

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: None

Special Bonus Points: (Such as connections, grad classes, famous recommenders, female or minority status etc...)

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:
I live in houston... can't leave. My daughter passed away at the end of my freshman year. I didn't meet the admissions requirements in my applications last year, but now I've brought my gpa .2 points and meet their minimums now. I've also got recommenders that know my situation now, and have a much better SOP

Applying to Where:
UH - thermochron with Peter Copeland

Edited November 4, 2015 by sjoh197

[PochoRockNwaves]

 

Undergrad Institution: The Ohio State University
Major(s): B.S Earth Sciences - Research Distinction
Minor(s): Portuguese & Music
GPA in Major: 3.55
Overall GPA: 1.15
Position in Class: In Major - Near Top. No Idea in over University.
Type of Student: Domestic, Male, Latino

GRE Scores (revised/old version): Took it once, taking again in late November to effort to improve towards 160/160/5 area.
Q: 155
V: 157
W: 4



Research Experience: 

• Academic
  • Shale Laboratory Petrophysics - Summer Research Fellowship at University sponsored by Shell
    •  Worked in a group with research scientists, focusing on the primary characterizations of shale core samples from the Eagle Ford Shale.
    •  Worked thoroughly with SEM imaging, Probe Permeameters and MICP techniques to analysis the porosity and permeability characteristics of the shale cores.
    • Presented to Shell representatives, at several undergraduate forums on campus, and AAPG/SEG Student Expo 2014.
    • 6th of 8th on a Urtec Paper with several other authors from University.
  • Several semesters of 2-D seismic stratigraphic and structural interpretation of east coast passive margin geology related to landslides and methane hydrates.
    • Presented at campus forums and AAPG/SEG Student Expo 2015.
  Industry Internship - Gulf of Mexico Geoscience Intern with Major E&P company Summer 2015. Accepted return offer for summer 2016.
  • Assembled inventory of Miocene ash bed well data (mudlog, log, seismic, petrographic, paleo, core).
  • Utilized Petrel to synthesize maps and cross sections to integrate data to ash bed origin/transportation processes. 
  • Integrated supporting evidence of ash bed influence in depositional and diagenetic processes in areas of interest.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: 

• Full Tuition Scholarship for Undergraduate.
• Couple of department scholarships for achievement and field camp.
• Travel Grant - SEP ExxonMobil SEG 2015 Participant. 
• Other awards from campus orgs and placement at campus wide poster competitions. 

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 

• Lab TA - several semesters of intro earth science courses.
• Research Assistant for two advisors.
• GOM Earth Science Internship
• President of AAPG/SEG Student Chapter at University for couple of years. 
• Mentor for underprivileged latino youth.
• Play in music ensembles for majority of undergraduate.

Special Bonus Points: (Such as connections, grad classes, famous recommenders, female or minority status etc...)

• Connections
  • Have talked personally or over phone with several of potential advisors of interest at either AAPG conferences or other industry/geoscience events.
• Grad Classes
  • IBA Seminar with other grad students. 
• Recommenders
  • 2 research advisors with connections at several places where I'm applying. Internship Mentor who did his PHD at a U that I'm applying and knows faculty there.
• Status....
  • Latino, duel citizen. Speaking and Writing fluent in English and Spanish. Work fluency in Portuguese. 

Applying to Where:

Oklahoma - Earth Sciences - Reservoir Characterization

Texas - Earth Sciences - Stratigraphy/Structural Geology

Stanford - Earth Sciences - Stratigraphy

CU Boulder - Earth Sciences - Deepwater Seismic Interpretation

Houston - Earth Sciences - Stratigraphy/Structural Geology

Mines - Earth Sciences - Basin Analysis, Unconventional Shales

A few more but those are the main ones.

[GeoMex]

22 hours ago, trulytriaxial said:

I would recommend looking into Roy Johnson and George Zandt at Univ of Arizona for seismology.

Thank you. Are they focused on exploration seismology or earthquake seismology?

[PochoRockNwaves]

21 hours ago, PochoRockNwaves said:

 

Undergrad Institution: The Ohio State University
Major(s): B.S Earth Sciences - Research Distinction
Minor(s): Portuguese & Music
GPA in Major: 3.55
Overall GPA: 1.15
Position in Class: In Major - Near Top. No Idea in over University.
Type of Student: Domestic, Male, Latino

GRE Scores (revised/old version): Took it once, taking again in late November to effort to improve towards 160/160/5 area.
Q: 155
V: 157
W: 4



Research Experience: 

• Academic
  • Shale Laboratory Petrophysics - Summer Research Fellowship at University sponsored by Shell
    •  Worked in a group with research scientists, focusing on the primary characterizations of shale core samples from the Eagle Ford Shale.
    •  Worked thoroughly with SEM imaging, Probe Permeameters and MICP techniques to analysis the porosity and permeability characteristics of the shale cores.
    • Presented to Shell representatives, at several undergraduate forums on campus, and AAPG/SEG Student Expo 2014.
    • 6th of 8th on a Urtec Paper with several other authors from University.
  • Several semesters of 2-D seismic stratigraphic and structural interpretation of east coast passive margin geology related to landslides and methane hydrates.
    • Presented at campus forums and AAPG/SEG Student Expo 2015.
  Industry Internship - Gulf of Mexico Geoscience Intern with Major E&P company Summer 2015. Accepted return offer for summer 2016.
  • Assembled inventory of Miocene ash bed well data (mudlog, log, seismic, petrographic, paleo, core).
  • Utilized Petrel to synthesize maps and cross sections to integrate data to ash bed origin/transportation processes. 
  • Integrated supporting evidence of ash bed influence in depositional and diagenetic processes in areas of interest.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: 

• Full Tuition Scholarship for Undergraduate.
• Couple of department scholarships for achievement and field camp.
• Travel Grant - SEP ExxonMobil SEG 2015 Participant. 
• Other awards from campus orgs and placement at campus wide poster competitions. 

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 

• Lab TA - several semesters of intro earth science courses.
• Research Assistant for two advisors.
• GOM Earth Science Internship
• President of AAPG/SEG Student Chapter at University for couple of years. 
• Mentor for underprivileged latino youth.
• Play in music ensembles for majority of undergraduate.

Special Bonus Points: (Such as connections, grad classes, famous recommenders, female or minority status etc...)

• Connections
  • Have talked personally or over phone with several of potential advisors of interest at either AAPG conferences or other industry/geoscience events.
• Grad Classes
  • IBA Seminar with other grad students. 
• Recommenders
  • 2 research advisors with connections at several places where I'm applying. Internship Mentor who did his PHD at a U that I'm applying and knows faculty there.
• Status....
  • Latino, duel citizen. Speaking and Writing fluent in English and Spanish. Work fluency in Portuguese. 

Applying to Where:

Oklahoma - Earth Sciences - Reservoir Characterization

Texas - Earth Sciences - Stratigraphy/Structural Geology

Stanford - Earth Sciences - Stratigraphy

CU Boulder - Earth Sciences - Deepwater Seismic Interpretation

Houston - Earth Sciences - Stratigraphy/Structural Geology

Mines - Earth Sciences - Basin Analysis, Unconventional Shales

A few more but those are the main ones.

Any recommendations for other faculty to contact? Im pretty nervous about funding this year, considering the down turn.

 

[GeoDUDE!]

1 hour ago, PochoRockNwaves said:

Any recommendations for other faculty to contact? Im pretty nervous about funding this year, considering the down turn.

 

Those schools won't have trouble with funding.... if they want you they will find money for you. 

[PochoRockNwaves]

9 minutes ago, GeoDUDE! said:

Those schools won't have trouble with funding.... if they want you they will find money for you. 

Ok. That makes sense. Thank you 

[magnetite]

Undergrad Institution: Mid-sized school in Texas.
Major(s): Physics
Minor(s):
GPA in Major: 3.85
Overall GPA: 3.64
Position in Class: Slightly above average?
Type of Student: Domestic, male.

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 161 / 80%
V: 163 / 92%
W: 4.5 / 80%

Research Experience:

• Three semesters doing an independent study project, essentially a literature review.
• Three semesters in a space sciences remote sensing lab doing miscellaneous scripting/programming relating to ionospheric scintillations.
• Summer REU studying the ionosphere at a premier radio observatory.
• Poster presentation at this year's LPSC for the independent study project and a poster at the upcoming AGU meeting for the REU.
• I should be able to submit a paper based on the REU research, but not until after application deadlines.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions:

• Dean's List one semester
• Phi Theta Kappa community college honors society
• Undergraduate travel award from Lunar and Planetary Institute
• Travel award from school to help with travel to LPSC

Pertinent Activities or Jobs:

• Founded a campus space club
• Peer-Led Team Learning Leader for three semesters
• Extensive work experience, including several years in IT

Special Bonus Points: Recommendations from my two advisors on campus and my REU advisor.

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: I first started college in 2002 before dropping out after an undistinguished four semesters where I changed majors three times, took no upper level courses, and had a 2.5 overall GPA. I eventually returned to my first university in 2012, after earning an associates degree in 2006.

None of my recommenders currently do research in planetary science or earth science. Two are atmospheric/space scientists and the other is in the university's science education department.

Applying to Where:

Arizona State - SESE
Arizona - Planetary Sciences
CU Boulder - Geological Sciences/Astrobiology cert.
MIT/WHOI Joint Program - Chemical Oceanography
University of Washington - Oceanography/Astrobiology cert.
Stony Brook - Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
University of Minnesota - Earth Sciences
Hawaii - Oceanography

At all, I've found professors doing research relating to hydrothermal vents, geochemistry and/or serpentinization, though I haven't received responses from all that I've contacted.

[sjoh197]

So shell is laying off 2800 more people...  so now if i don't get into grad school... i'll never be employed. 

 

http://www.khou.com/story/money/business/2015/12/14/shell-announces-another-round-of-layoffs-in-2016/77323254/

[GeoMex]

Those are cycles. There was another in 2004, and 1998, and 1993, etc.

Since the industry in Mexico is going private they have been laying off a lot of people, and it's estimated they will lay off around 15000 at the begining of this next year.

The thing is, be confident that you will enter a program, use it, take all you can from it because when you get out oil prices are thought to start going up again, maybe not to 100, but at least to some level where companies can start hiring again.

Maybe you can learn some stuff on the side that can help you get hired while the position you want is available. Like working with softwares like GIS or programming in some language building some geoscience program, if you do great, a company can buy your program or hire you to do more

[sjoh197]

I know the cycles have an upside eventually... but it certainly sucks to hit the job market in 1993, 1998, 2004, now. It was like when my partner graduated in 2008. Not a single job opened in his field for an entire year in his region. He went back to school and snatched up before he even graduated because the market was so much better. 

Hopefully I can do the same thing. My confidence in getting into my program is pretty abysmal right now. 

[trulytriaxial]

Undergrad Institution: Top 10 in India
Major(s): Mining/Geological Engineering
GPA in Major: 9.9/10
Overall GPA: 9.5/10
Position in Class: Top/Near top
Type of Student: International male in US

Grad Institution: University of Arizona
Major(s): Geophysical/Geological Engineering - Geomechanics
GPA in Major: 4.0
Overall GPA: 4.0

GRE Scores (revised/old version):
Q: 168
V: 158
W: 4.5


Research Experience:

• Undergrad RA for 2 years (1 Journal, 1 Conference - both with low-medium impact, in geomechanics/drilling)
• 2 undergrad internships in geomechanics
• Graduate RA in Geological/Gephysical Engg. at Univ. of Arizona (1 high impact paper from my MS thesis, 2 more in review, all in geomechanics - lab and computational)

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: 2 travel awards, 2 small scholarships from local chapters of AGS/SME in Arizona, best outgoing student - undergrad

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: TA'd a MOOC in my undergrad

Special Bonus Points: One of my recommendations is from a professor who's a big deal at Penn State, MIT and Lamont-Doherty.

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: Attempting to make a switch from engineering (geomechanics) to science (geomechanics and geophsyics) - I've tried to twist it in a way, in my SOP, that might make me seem attractive, built my graduate profile in a way that should make me an attractive prospect for geophysicists interested in fault/rock mechanics.

Applying to Where:

Penn State - Geosciences - Fault mechanics

Stanford - Geophysics - Fault mechanics

MIT - EAPS - Geomechanics, fracture mechanics

MIT/WHOI - Marine Geology and Geophysics - Fault mechanics

Columbia - Lamont-Doherty - Fault mechanics

UT Austin - JSG - Sediment mechanics/Marine geology

UW Madison - Geological Engg - Fault mechanics, rock creep

CSM - Geology - Rock mechanics, engineering geology

Had informal interviews/conversations with POIs at PSU (went well), Stanford (went horribly, horribly wrong), CSM (very neutral). Had encouraging (or neutral at the very least) responses from POIs at all places except POI from Columbia, who never responded. Didn't apply to Brown for the same reason.

My primary focus is experimental geomechanics, with some computational modeling as an auxiliary during my PhD.

Edited December 28, 2015 by trulytriaxial

[GeoMex]

5 hours ago, sjoh197 said:

I know the cycles have an upside eventually... but it certainly sucks to hit the job market in 1993, 1998, 2004, now. It was like when my partner graduated in 2008. Not a single job opened in his field for an entire year in his region. He went back to school and snatched up before he even graduated because the market was so much better. 

Hopefully I can do the same thing. My confidence in getting into my program is pretty abysmal right now. 

Why is it like that?

What programs are you trying to get in?

[sjoh197]

My knowledge of large scale economics is pretty sad, so I don't really know, but I mean, oil is notorious for cycling and I now live somewhere where the city's foundations are all oil, and the job market is all oil. 

 

I'm only applying to UH this year, as I now live in Houston.