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From Field Camp to Profession: One Step in the
Career Path for Emerging Geoscientists

One of the pillars of GSA’s mission is advancement of As an undergraduate student with little to no prior
the geosciences profession, and as geologists from all experience in the oil and gas industry, it was initially
disciplines, we know how important fieldwork is to quite intimating to be in the field with and presenting
our careers. Opportunities to experience fieldwork to company and industry experts. I soon realized our
are dwindling, and so GSA’s efforts to help provide this opportu- mentors shared the same passion and curiosity for the
nity, with partner support, are important for our student members. geological sciences as I did, and it inspired me to pur-
sue a career in industry.
Starting in 2009, the GSA/ExxonMobil Bighorn Basin Field Kim’s success is encouraging to all of us at GSA, at the GSA
Camp awarded 20 undergraduate and/or graduate students and Foundation, at companies like ExxonMobil and others who have
five faculty members participation in a high-quality seven-day hired alumni of the Bighorn Basin Field Camp, and to students
field seminar for seven conscutive years. Run in the Bighorn following in her footsteps. If you feel as strongly as we do about
Basin of north central Wyoming, USA, participants had costs the vital component of field experience for students moving
covered for transportation, meals, and living expenses. The camp toward careers in the geosciences, please join us in support of
was taught by ExxonMobil professionals with specific skills in our future geoscientists at https://www.gsafweb.org/donate/
tectonics, geochemistry, structure, sequence stratigraphy, sedi- #fund=field-camp-opportunities. To discuss support of
mentology, paleontology, hydrocarbon systems analysis, and field camp opportunities like this one, please contact Debbie
integrated play analysis. GSA’s Committee on Professional Marcinkowski at +1 303 357-1047 or dmarcinkowski
Development selected participants based on grades, cover letters, @geosociety.org.
and letters of recommendation.
Kim’s participation in the 2014 GSA/ExxonMobil Bighorn Basin Field Camp.
Kimberly Gloersen was an undergraduate student at Clemson
University when she attended the Bighorn Basin Field Camp in
2014. After the field camp, she was offered an internship as a
production geologist. At the conclusion of the internship, Kim
was offered a full-time position with ExxonMobil Exploration
Company beginning in early 2016 and is now working with the
Gulf of Mexico team.

As one of many participants over the years, Kim’s story conveys
the value of field experience for geology students hoping to
pursue careers in industry:

The Bighorn Basin Field Camp was an excellent,
well-rounded program that provided a fundamental,
hands-on look as to how hydrocarbon systems form
and how industry views and attempts to develop an
understanding of them.

Students and professors were split into teams and
given a week to develop different play elements and
concepts. I felt this system was effective because team
members came from a variety of geologic backgrounds
and experiences, and were able to draw upon that and
integrate a diverse spectrum of ideas into a final product.

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