Attitudes, Jobs, and the Future: Parallels for Geography and Geology

1. Attitudes, Jobs, and the Future:Parallels for Geography and Geology Christopher M. Keane P. Patrick Leahy American Geological Institute 17 April 2008

2. Geology & GeographySeparated at Birth? • Strong connections • Geospatial context • 3-space thought processes • Earth-human interactions • Strong focus on the Earth surface • Deviations by Geology • Also has a major focus on the subsurface, hydro cycle… • Strong resources focus • Strong temporal and thermal scale components • Deep time, deep earth, climate change, paleoclimate, etc.

3. Where geoscience is today… • ~50% of geoscience highest degree earners do NOT work as a geoscientist • ~50% of working geoscientists do NOT have their highest degree in geosciences • 0% MS & Ph.D. unemployment since 2001 • Sharp increase in new hire demand • Employer dissatisfaction with new hires

4. Government 18% Petroleum 43% Academia 17% Exec. Management Mining 1% 12% Environmental 8% Other Services 1% US GeoscienceEmployment 1986 Other Academic Retired/Unemployed 5% 7% 10% Government Environmental 12% 7% 2005 N=125,000 Mining 9% Petroleum 50% N=125,000 NSF/AGI/BLS

5. Petroleum Geoscientist DemandGeologists, Geophysicists, and Engineers 90 80 Demand 70 60 Total Workforce 50 Current Workforce Petroleum Geoscientists (Thousands) 40 30 20 New Entries (3% Growth) 10 0 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 Year

6. The Enrollment Rollercoaster1955-2007 40000 35000 30000 Undergraduate 25000 Students 20000 15000 10000 Graduate 5000 0 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 Year

7. Newly Minted Geoscientists1973-2007 8000 7000 6000 Degrees Awarded 5000 4000 Bachelor's 3000 2000 Master's 1000 Doctorate 0 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 Year

8. Mean Salaries2005 • Geologists • Petroleum $107K • Mining $69K • Finance $84K • Consulting $68K • Academia $58K • Government • Federal $86K • State $51K • Local $62K • Hydrologists • Consulting $65K • Academia $57K • Government • Federal $75K • State $52K • Local $63K BLS

9. Bachelor New Hires? • Substantial hiring of new geology/env science bachelor recipients • What are their REAL future prospects? • Professional geoscientist? • Starbucks Barrista? • Wal-Mart Greeter? • Is the profession serving them honestly?

10. Race and Gender – the future? • Gender • Females now dominate at the university • Geoscience second at attracting women • 48% of new B.S • 42% of new Ph.Ds • Industry discontinuing female preferences • Race • Minorities tend not to move for college • Few geo programs near minority areas • Most come through Community Colleges • Lack of cultural continuity

11. 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% Intention Rate 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% K-12 Other Mining Federal Academia High Tech Petroleum State/Local Environmental General Business Continue Education Outside of Geoscience Student Attitudes and Careers2005 AGI

12. Student Interest vs. Opportunity • Hostility towards private sector • Source of bulk of opportunities • “Environmental Awareness” • Student interest declines precipitously • Preference for government • Little to no hiring growth • 29% of students intend to look at “non-traditional” careers

13. Why Do Students Choose a Field? • Self-Efficacy • Work towards tangible success • Make the class attractive and applied • Outcome Expectations • Promote rewards of the success • Social & Intellectual Standing • Interest • Align with interests and currency • Be innovative • Make success attainable Akbulut & Looney, ACM Communications, October 2007

14. Challenges Today and Ahead

15. Common Employer Concerns • Poor student preparation • Little or poor quality field experience • Too much specialization (e.g. Env. Companies want geologists, not environmental science majors, but will hire a strong back) • Work ethic challenges • Little sense of professionalism • US new hire parochialism • Business sense • What business sense? • The Sleepless Night Points • Fear the budget at all levels • Future leadership

16. The Challenges • Geoscience must compete aggressively for the best • Budget issues are not unique • Why do we want majors • Meet societies needs • Framework for leadership • Not losing the opportunities • K-12 is starting to rebound • Jobs are available • Bridging the gap from K-12 to major

17. Need Some New Thinking • Attrition Math • 340,000 Intro Geo Students • 6,000 New Geo Majors Per Year • 2,700 New Geo BS Degrees Per Year • Internal Competition • “Young” Intro Geology • Make it the “Gotta Have” class for the “left-brained” • Are we fighting for other STEM students? • Differentiate program on campus, not between schools • How to meet needs in a Uni. Environment • Divergent university and professional demands

18. Total Success

19. Imperatives for cooperation? • Mutual issues • Quality of students • Sustaining the pipeline • Engaging young professionals • Loss of baby-boomers • Bridging corporate-academia-government gap • Learning from each other • Sustaining academic programs • Engaging public exposure • Accelerating professional leadership development