Research

The Department of Geological Sciences and Engineering is a large diverse department that encompasses a wide range of research disciplines. Further the close association, both in research interests and physically, with other departments and centers within the Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, with the offices of the United States Geological Survey (specializing in GIS-based mineral mapping and cartography) with the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, and with the nearby Desert Research Institute provides broad expertise.

Department specialties include;

• General Geology
• Regional Geology
• Environmental Geosciences
• Field Geology
• Geomorphology
• Glacial Geology, Mineralogy & Crystallography
• Industrial Minerals
• Mineral Exploration
• Igneous & Metamorphic Petrology
• Sedimentary Petrology
• Sedimentology & Stratigraphy
• Tectonics/Structural Geology
• Volcanology
• General Geophysics
• Exploration Geophysics
• Geomagnetism & Paleomagnetism
• Seismology
• Biostratigraphy
• Neotectonics
• Rock Fracture Mechanics
• Rock Mass Characterization & Design
• Slope stability
• Remote Sensing
• Geologic Mapping & GIS

• Micropaleontology
• Vertebrate Paleontology
• Invertebrate & Vertebrate Paleontology
• Paleoecology
• Paleoclimatology
• Paleoseismology
• Potential Fields (Gravity & Magnetism)
• General Hydrology
• Groundwater Hydrogeology
• Engineering Geology
• Geological Oceanography
• Physical Oceanography
• Planetology
• Geostatistics
• Soil Science
• Quaternary Sciences
• Economic Geology
• Global Change
• General Geochemistry
• Aqueous Geochemistry
• Low Temperature Geochemistry
• Stable Isotope Geochemistry
• Geologic hazards

Research Centers:

Center for Neotectonic Studies
Steve Wesnousky, Director
phone: (775) 784-6067
email: stevewseismo.unr.edu
Shelley Harvey, Management Assistant
phone: (775) 784-1382
email: shelleyseismo.unr.edu

Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy
Dr. James V. Taranik, Director
phone: (775) 784-4258
Dr. Lisa Shevenell, Assistant Director
phone: (775) 784-1779
email: lisasunr.edu
Linda Ward, Administrative Assistant
phone: (775) 784-7018
fax: (775) 327-5801
email: geothermalmines.unr.edu

Arthur Brant Laboratory for Exploration Geophysics
Dr. James V. Taranik, Director
phone: (775) 784-4258
Lori Rountree, Executive Assistant
Phone: (775) 784-6261
Fax: (775) 327-2235
email: lorimines.unr.edu

Stable Isotope Laboratory
Dr. Greg Arehart, Director
email: arehartunr.edu
Dr. Simon Poulson, Assistant Director
Phone: (775) 784-1104
Fax: (775) 784-1833
email: poulsonmines.unr.edu

Ralph J. Roberts Center for Research in Economic Geology (CREG)
Dr. Tommy Thompson, Director
Phone: (775) 327-5146
Email: tommytmines.unr.edu
Shelley Harvey, Administrative Assistant
Phone: (775) 784-1382
Fax: (775) 784-1382
Email: shelleymines.unr.edu

Related Organizations:

Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology
Jon Price, Director
phone number: (775) 784-6691 x126
email: jpriceunr.edu
Terri Garside, Executive Secretary
phone: (775) 784-6691 x126
email: tgarsideunr.edu

Nevada Seismological Laboratory
John Anderson, Director
phone: (775) 784-4265
email: jgaseismo.unr.edu
Pam Love, Management Assistant
phone: (775) 784-4975
email: ploveseismo.unr.edu

Geological Society of Nevada
Shannon Fitzpatrick, Office Manager
phone number: (775) 323-3500
email: gsnmines.unr.edu

The Consortium for Economic Migration and Tomography
Phone: (775) 784-6613;
Fax: (775) 784-4165
Email: honjasoptimsoftware.com

U. S. Geological Survey, Reno Field Office
Peter Vikre, Team Chief Scientist
phone: 775-784-5597
email: pvikreusgs.gov
Patty Schumacher, Administrative Assistant
phone: 775-784-5366
email: pschumacherusgs.gov