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The Department of Geology offers graduate study leading to a Master of Science degree. Applicants for admission should hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology or its equivalent from an accredited institution, have a minimum GPA of 2.80 (those with a GPA between 2.50 and 2.79 may be considered at the discretion of the Graduate Admission Committee), and have taken the Graduate Record Examination (the general GRE is required and the geology GRE is recommended), in addition to the requirements of the Graduate Studies Office. Students who do not meet these requirements may be admitted on a provisional basis until deficiencies are removed.
A student enrolled in the Master’s Degree program in Geology needs to approve a minimum of thirty-two (32) credit hours subsequent to the bachelor’s degree. Of these 32 credit hours, three (3) to six (6) credit hours are for research for the Master’s thesis, two (2) credit hours are for a graduate seminar (1 credit hour per semester for two semesters) and three (3) credit hours are for the course GEOL 6107 Geology and Tectonics of the Caribbean. Of the remaining credit hours, fifteen (15) to eighteen (18) credit hours have to be approved in geology courses (amount depends on number of credits given for research), and six (6) credit hours in courses outside of their field of specialization. The latter courses may be taken outside of Geology, or in areas within geology but in specializations distinct from that of the student’s major. Students will not be permitted to take more than six (6) credit hours of Special Topics to satisfy their graduation requirements. As per university regulations, students will only be allowed to take a maximum of nine (9) credit hours in 55—level courses.
The aims of the academic program of the Department of Geology are to provide students with a firm understanding of the geological sciences, and advanced knowledge of techniques for data collection and analysis, and instruction at the forefront of their fields of specialization. Research emphasizes geological, geophysical, geochemical, and geobiological problems of the circum-Caribbean region with particular focus on surficial, tectonic, and volcanic processes and their associated hazards; the development of Cretaceous to Holocene reefs; carbonate petrology and stratigraphy; fluid history and hydrothermal mineralization; island arc formation and evolution; and accretionary and transcurrent plate boundary tectonics.
Funding for students is available in the form of teaching and research assistantships both from departmental funds and from research grants.
The Department of Geology occupies the northern third of the Physics Building, shared by Geology, Physics, and Marine Sciences, and has separate facilities available in two other buildings. Equipment is available for a wide variety of geochemical and geophysical measurements. Geochemical instrumentation includes:
- SIEMENS D5000 X-ray diffractometer
- SIEMENS SRS303 X-ray fluorescence spectrometer
and other ancillary equipment, all purchased through a grant from the National Science Foundation Minority Research Center of Excellence program. Wet chemistry facilities have been recently renovated. Equipment is available to prepare petrographic thin sections.
The Department also hosts the UPRM Stable Isotope Laboratory, a facility funded through a grant from the National Science Foundation Major Research and Instrumentation program and the University of Puerto Rico Central Administration. The Stable Isotope Laboratory features a GV (Micromass) Isoprime magnetic sector isotope ratio mass spectrometer for measurement of the stable isotopes of H, C, N, O, and S in dual inlet or continuous flow operation. Peripheral attachments include a Eurovector 3000 elemental analyzer, and a New Wave Micromill device. The laboratory routinely measures the stable isotopes of carbon and oxygen in marine carbonates using the continuous flow method, and also the stable isotopes of O and H in water samples. The laboratory is continually expanding capability to analyze diverse materials.
The Department has a portable gravimeter, portable magnetometer, portable seismometer, and hand-held GPS equipment. Computing facilities consist of an extensive networked array of PC and Macintosh microcomputers, a Sun Microsystems Ultra5, an HP Design Jet 755 larger format printer and several laser printers. The department hosts a remote sensing/gis/seismology teaching laboratory with 20 PC microcomputers with scanners and printers, and the Geological Environmental Remote Sensing Laboratory (GERS Lab) with three Pentium IV PC computers with a Dell Power edge Server and two Silicon graphics work stations. Both teaching and research laboratories have installed ENVI and Arc Gis software.
Seismic Network
The Puerto Rico Seismic Network (PRSN, Red Sísmica de Puerto Rico) is under the administration of the Dept. of Geology. The mission of the PRSN is to produce high quality data and information to be able to respond to the needs of the emergency management, academic and research community and the general public. The network operates 25 digital real time broadband and short period seismic stations in Puerto Rico and the US and British Virgin Islands. Future plans include installing two stations in eastern Dominican Republic. The PRSN maintains a catalogue of earthquakes for the Puerto Rico region which extends from eastern Dominican Republic through the Virgin Islands. Continuous waveforms from all of its stations are also archived. As of 2007, the PRSN is also operating a network of 6 tsunami ready tide gauge stations. The data from these stations will be incorporated into the Tsunami Warning System for Puerto Rico and the Caribbean which has been under development at the PRSN since 2000. The information and data generated are distributed among the scientific and academic community, emergency management organizations, and the general public. It maintains an active education and outreach program which focuses on K-12 and emergency management. The PRSN is staffed by scientists, technicians, administrative personnel and students.
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Advanced Undergraduate Courses
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GEOL 5005. MARINE GEOLOGY (Even numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one two-hour laboratory per week. Prerequisite: authorization of the Director of the Department.
Discussion of the broad morphotectonic features of the sea floor and of coastal zones. Sediments, their origin, mode of formation, methods of study and interpretation. Reefs. Sea bottom topography and geomorphology. Study of changes of the level of the sea. Emphasis on the Caribbean region.
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GEOL 5006. SEDIMENTATION (Odd numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one two-hour laboratory per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 4046.
Erosion, transportation, and deposition of sediments; classification of sediments; sedimentary environment; sedimentary history of depositional sites; significance of grain size in the sedimentary environment.
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GEOL 5011. PRINCIPLES OF PALEONTOLOGY I (I, Odd numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one two-hour laboratory per week. Prerequisite: authorization of the Director of the Department.
Morphology and classification of fossils with emphasis on the invertebrates. General stratigraphic distribution. The most significant fossil groups will be studied in the laboratory.
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GEOL 5015. OPTICAL MINERALOGY (Odd numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 3056.
Optical crystallography, detailed microscopic study of rock forming minerals.
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GEOL 5020. GEOPHYSICS (Odd numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week.
The principal physical processes related to the dynamics and evolution of the Earth, including energetic activity, gravitational and magnetic fields, heat flow, tectonics, and convection.
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GEOL 5025. GEOLOGY OF THE CARIBBEAN (Every year). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 4009 or authorization of the Director of the Department.
The geological and geophysical history and evolution of the Caribbean region, with special emphasis on Puerto Rico; mineral resources; geological hazards; relation of the region to global tectonics.
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GEOL 5026. TECTONICS (Odd numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 4009 or authorization of the Director of the Department.
Theory of global plate tectonics as a synthesis of diverse geological themes, with emphasis on the Caribbean region.
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GEOL 5027. METALLOGENESIS AND GLOBAL TECTONICS (Even numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week.
The relationship of the genesis and distribution of ore deposits to the tectonic environments.
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GEOL 5565. SEISMOLOGY (Even numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week.
The use of local and global networks to determine the location, magnitude, and source parameters of earthquakes; global seismicity; theory of wave propagation; point sources; inversion of the Earth's structure; source properties.
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GEOL 5605. GEOLOGICAL HAZARDS (Even numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory per week.
Mechanisms, distribution, and mitigation of geological hazards, including earthquakes, surface fault ruptures, volcanoes, landslides, floods, and ground subsidence. Analysis of case histories. Field trips are required.
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Graduate Courses
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GEOL 6105. GROUND FAILURE IN THE TROPICS (Even numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory per week.
Modes and mechanisms of ground failure including landslides, sinkholes collapse, and soils expansion; slope stability analysis; aerial photos interpretation and their use in mapping of landslides and sinkholes. Analysis of case histories. Field trips are required.
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GEOL 6107. GEOLOGY AND TECTONICS OF THE CARIBBEAN (Every year). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week.
The geologic and tectonic evolution of the Caribbean plate and adjacent areas.
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GEOL 6115. VOLCANIC HAZARDS (Odd numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week.
Volcanic hazards: causes, effects, assessment, mitigation, prediction, and management. Analysis of case histories.
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GEOL 6117. VOLCANIC PROCESSES AND DEPOSITS (I, Even numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory per week.
Volcanic processes and the deposits they produce.
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GEOL 6119. VOLCANIC PETROGENESIS (II, Even numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory per week.
Mineralogy and geochemistry of volcanic rocks in relation to their petrogenesis.
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GEOL 6120. CARTOGRAPHY AND GEODESY IN GEOSCIENCES. Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory per week.
Quantitative methods of cartography and geodesy in map-making; surveying, and surface deformation study for the geosciences with an emphasis on differential GPS and the generation of hypsometric and geophysical data from airborne and satellite platforms. Examples of environmental, geological, and natural hazard mitigation applications from the Caribbean.
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GEOL 6125. PROBLEMS IN ENGINEERING GEOLOGY (On demand). Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory per week.
The application of geology to engineering problems in tropical regions; soil and rock description for engineering purposes; geophysical instrumentation and techniques. Analysis of case histories. Field trips are required.
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GEOL 6135. INSTRUMENTAL ANALYSIS OF SOLID MATERIALS (Odd numbered years) (On demand). Four credit hours. Two hours of lecture and two three-hour laboratories per week.
Modern instruments used in the analysis of solid materials: theoretical background, training in their use, and interpretation of the measurements.
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GEOL 6145. MICROFACIES ANALYSIS (Odd numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory per week.
Paleontological and sedimentary criteria for the recognition of environments of limestone deposits. Field trips are required.
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GEOL 6147. CARBONATE GEOLOGY (Even numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory per week.
Identification and classification of carbonate sediments and rocks; environments of deposition; variations in styles of accumulation through time; diagenetic modifications. Field trips are required.
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GEOL 6155. HYDROGEOLOGY (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week.
Principles of hydrogeology: chemical and physical properties of surface and subsurface water; rock-water interaction; effects and behavior of contaminants; water resources management.
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GEOL 6157. BASIN ANALYSIS (Odd numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week.
Origin and evolution of sedimentary basins; mechanisms, controls, and mathematical models of their subsidence.
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GEOL 6165. CLASTIC SEDIMENTOLOGY (Odd numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory per week.
Origin of clastic sedimentary rocks and the characteristics of the environments in which they are formed. Field trips are required.
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GEOL 6175. PALEOECOLOGY (Even numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week.
Use of geological evidence and the ecology of living organisms to understand the nature and development of past environments.
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GEOL 6185. ORE DEPOSITS (Odd numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week.
Ore deposits: nature, mode of occurrence, origin, and their host rocks. Field trips are required.
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GEOL 6187. ORE PETROLOGY (Even numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory per week.
Identification and classification of ore minerals and their host rocks; analysis of texture and composition. Field trips are required.
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GEOL 6195. IGNEOUS PETROLOGICAL SYSTEMS (Odd numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory per week.
Theory and methodology of igneous petrology.
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GEOL 6205. ADVANCED SEISMOLOGY (Even numbered years) (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week.
Modern aspects of seismology including wave propagation in an inhomogeneous medium, attenuation and scattering, and source theory; recent contributions to the understanding of the physical processes of the Earth's interior.
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GEOL 6215. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY (On demand). Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory per week.
Geology and its relationship to the environment: internal and surface processes, resources, pollution and waste disposal, medical geology, environmental laws, and land use planning. Analysis of case histories. Field trips are required.
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GEOL 6225. ADVANCED GEOLOGICAL REMOTE SENSING. Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one two-hour laboratory per week.
Theory and techniques of remote sensing for the geosciences with an emphasis on quantitative analysis, error estimation, and image enhancement; digital processing, analysis, and interpretation of image data from a variety of operational platforms.
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GEOL 6228. STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF DEFORMED TERRAINS. Three credit hours. Two hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory per week.
Advanced methods of structural analysis with an emphasis on microcrystalline deformation, foliation development, and rheological models; techniques for measuring strain, differentiation between simple and complex fabrics on the stereographic projection, and balancing cross sections. Examples from the geology of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean will be used.
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GEOL 6505. GRADUATE SEMINAR I (On demand). One credit hour. One hour of seminar per week.
Oral presentation and discussion of recent developments or classical works in the geosciences.
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GEOL 6506. GRADUATE SEMINAR II (On demand). One credit hour. One hour of seminar per week.
Oral presentation and discussion of recent developments or classical works in the geosciences.
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GEOL 6991. SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN APPLIED GEOLOGY (On demand). One to three credit hours.
Individual research on selected topics in applied geology with special emphasis on the Caribbean.
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GEOL 6992. SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN STRATIGRAPHY (On demand). One to three credit hours.
Individual research on selected topics in stratigraphy with special emphasis on the geology of the Caribbean.
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GEOL 6993. SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN GEOPHYSICS (On demand). One to three credit hours.
Individual research on selected topics in geophysics with special emphasis on the geology of the Caribbean.
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GEOL 6994. SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN PETROLOGY (On demand). One to three credit hours.
Individual research on selected topics in petrology with special emphasis on the geology of the Caribbean.
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GEOL 6999. RESEARCH AND THESIS (I, II). Three to six credit hours.
Research in geology and presentation of a thesis.
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A list of professors who engage in graduate activities in the Department follows including the highest earned degree, and institution granting the degree. Research and teaching interests are also included.
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EUGENIO ASENCIO, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., 2002, University of South Carolina. Research interest: Active and passive source seismology; applied geophysics.
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| AARON J. CAVOSIE, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., 2005, University of Wisconsin at Madison. Research interests: Stable isotope systematics of rocks and minerals. Teaching interests: Igneous and metamorphic petrology geochemistry, geochronology, analytical methods. |
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FERNANDO GILBES, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 1996, University of South Florida. Research interests: Environmental remote sensing, GIS.
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| VÍCTOR HUÉRFANO, Assistant Researcher, Ph.D., 2003, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez. Research interests: Real Time Seismic Network Operations, Early Warning Systems (Tsunamis and Earthquakes), Tsunami Generation and Modeling, Crustal Structure and Local Field Seismic Inversion. Teaching interests: Earthquake Seismology, Physics of Tsunamis, Numerical methods in Real Time Seismology. |
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JAMES JOYCE, Professor, Ph.D., 1985, Northwestern University. Research interests: Caribbean geology; neo-tectonics; Quaternary geology; metamorphic petrology. Teaching interests: Caribbean geology; metamorphic petrology; structure and tectonics; Quaternary geology.
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THOMAS MILLER, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 1982, McMaster University. Research interests: Karst geomorphology; hydrogeology. Teaching interests: Geomorphology; environmental geochemistry.
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WILSON RAMÍREZ, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 2000, Tulane University. Teaching and Research interests: Carbonate petrology, low temperature geochemistry, ground water, geology of reef systems.
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HERNÁN SANTOS, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 1999, University of Colorado. Research interests: Carbonate sequence stratigraphy; biostratigraphy; paleontology. Teaching interests: Sedimentology; stratigraphy; paleontology.
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JOHANNES H. SCHELLEKENS, Professor, Ph.D., 1993, Syracuse University. Research interests: Island arc development; mineral deposits; volcanic geochemistry; ancient and modern hydrothermal processes. Teaching Interests: Ore petrology and ore geology; global tectonics and metallogenesis.
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| MARTITIA TUTTLE, Adjunct Profesor, Ph.D., 1999, University of Maryland, College Park, MD. Research interests: Paleoseismology and neotectonics of Caribbean and North America. Liquefaction and ground failure triggered by earthquakes. Earthquake potential of New Madrid seismic zone, central United States. Effects of earthquake-related ground failure on archeological sites. Characteristics of tsunami and storm deposits. Tsunami hazards in the northern Atlantic and Caribbean. Teaching interests: Paleoseismology; Coastal Geology; Field Methods. |
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CHRISTA VON HILLEBRANDT, Assistant Researcher, M.S., 1989, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito, Ecuador. Research interests: Earthquake hazard mitigation, improved earthquake location.
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| GUOQUAN WANG, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., 2001, China Seismological Bureau, Bejing, China. Research interests: Kinematics and Dynamics of earthquake source; Strong earthquake ground motion; Application of high-rate GPS in Geosciences; Super-computer simulation of earthquake wave propagations; Seismic tomography and imaging technology; Earthquake risk analysis and hazard mitigation. Teaching interests: Geophysical Data Processing, Application of GPS in Geosciences, Seismology, Introduction to Geophysical Computing, Computer Application in Geosciences, Earthquake Engineering, Engineering Geology. |
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| ROBERT B. WATTS, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., 2002, University of Bristol, U.K. Research interests: physical volcanology, volcanic hazards, petrology. Teaching interests: igneous petrology, physical volcanology. |
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AD HONOREM PROFESSORS
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KEITH ROWLEY, Assistant Investigator, Ph.D., 1978, University of the West Indies. Research interests: Volcanology.
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