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Geology and Geosciences

Janet Wert Crampton geology lab on the Rockville Campus
The Janet Wert Crampton Geology Lab on the Rockville Campus

Montgomery College's geoscience laboratory provides materials for geology, meteorology and physical science courses, student research, as well as for education and public outreach projects. Samples from our extensive rock, mineral and fossil collections are presented at the main displays of Janet Wert Crampton Geology Lab to demonstrate different aspects of geology and spark students’ interest in the Earth sciences.

Our goal is to reach and inspire the public and college community about the foundations and frontiers of Geosciences, and to enhance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and encourage the next generation of STEM students. 

Equipment

The geology lab has an array of cutting, grinding and polishing equipment to prepare new class materials and for students’ projects. Next Generation Science Seismograph EQ-1 monitors seismic activities locally and is sensitive to major earthquakes around the globe. We have a Struers Discoplan-TS, a precision cutting and grinding machine for mineralogical and petrographic thin sections. Further research of thin sections is conducted with our brand new AmScope polarizing microscope PZ600 for class purposes and students’ projects.

 Montgomery College possesses a weather station located on the roof of the Science Center Building as a part of Earth Networks database. Data from the weather stationnew window are projected onto monitors for students and the public. 

The MC Geology Club on a field trip to Sideling Hill in Spring 2020
The Geology Club on a field trip to Sideling Hill in Spring 2020.

Geology Club

Geology Club brings motivated and interested students, staff, and faculty together to share their passion for rocks, mineral and earth sciences. Activities include working with polishing equipment to reveal the beauty of rock and minerals, field trips to collect minerals and fossils, travel to geology related events, and many others.

Visit the geoscience lab's blognew window for more information and recent updates.

Geology Courses