Geochemist

Geochemists study the chemical composition of and the actual or possible chemical changes in the crust of the earth. To do this work requires advanced study in the fields of mathematics, chemistry, and geology.

Dr. Rosemary Vidale, a geochemist, works at Los Alamos National Laboratory and lives in Los Alamos, New Mexico. She earned a B.A. degree in chemistry from Oberlin University in Ohio and a Ph.D. from Yale University. When she's not working on her field of special interest, the transport and concentration of chemical elements in the earth's crust, Dr. Vidale enjoys several hobbies. These include photography, hiking, reading, camping, and music. She regularly gives geology travelogues and talks to school groups and the public on such topics as hot springs, volcanoes, and mineral and rock identification. She leads local geology field trips for interested groups.

Her research findings are useful in determining a safe disposal method for chemically dangerous wastes.

· What do geochemists study?

· What kind of knowledge does the work of a geochemist require?

· Where does Dr. Rosemary Vidale work and live?

· Where did she receive her degrees?

· What is the field of her special interest?

· What hobbies does she enjoy?

· What topics does she talk on to school groups and the public?

· What else does she do in her field of interest?

· What is the subject of her research work?

Research Engineer Scientist in Radiocarbon Dating

Persons working in radiocarbon dating use radiocarbon dating techniques to date archeological objects, antiques, charcoal samples, bones, shells, and wood samples. Radiocarbon dating techniques are usually applied to objects that are thought to be less than 40,000 years old. A research engineer scientist uses special chemical treatment techniques in preparing the samples for dating. This work requires at least a bachelor's degree in mathematics and chemistry.

Alejandra Gloria Varela is a research engineer scientist working at the Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory at the University of Texas in Austin. She attributes her interest in science and mathematics to her mother, who held daily classes with the children of the family in their early years. In this class her mother would teach the children to read, write, and do mathematics. Alejandra knew the multiplication tables before she entered first grade. In high school she had an outstanding biology teacher who helped develop her math and science talents by setting up special projects and extra assignments for Alejandra.

In college she took as much mathematics and chemistry as possible. This prepared her for dating archeological materials, antiques, charcoal samples, bones, shells, and wood. Each substance must be treated chemically before its age can be determined. Calculating the age of a substance requires the application of her mathematics.

Alejandra has had more than ten articles published in scientific journals. She finds a special reward when she learns that other scientists refer to her work.

· What kind of objects can be dated by using radiocarbon dating?

· Can these techniques be applied to all objects regardless of their age?

· How does a research engineer scientist use these techniques?

· What education does this work require?

· Where does Alejandra Gloria Varela work?

· How did she get interested in science and mathematics?

· What did her mother do to encourage her children to study?

· Who helped her develop her math and science talents at school and in what way?

· What subject did she take in college?

· When did she use her knowledge?

· What is required to do before determining the age of a substance?

· When does she apply her mathematics?

· Where does she publish her articles?

· What does she feel when she learns that her work is referred to by other scientists?

Petroleum Chemist

Petroleum is a mixture of hydrocarbons and other substances. Crude oil from different oil fields contains various amounts of different hydrocarbons, other substances, and water. Before an oil company can refine the crude oil into gasoline and other products, it must know what substances and how much water are in a shipment of crude oil. A petroleum chemist is a scientist who analyzes crude oil to find out what is in it.

Sonia Hoffher is a petroleum chemist. She works for the Marathon Oil Company in Denver, Colorado. In addition to analyzing crude oil, Sonia analyzes metals. Expensive metals such as platinum are used in the refining process. These metals help refine the gasoline that runs automobiles. By analyzing the metals, Sonia Hoffher helps to verify that her company gets what it pays for. She also analyzes groundwater from near oil wells. This information tells engineers what the rock formations are like.

When Sonia Hoffner was in school, she didn't know that one day she would be a scientist. She was very good in math and enjoyed studying it. A science course that she took increased her curiosity about the world. She learned to ask questions about things she didn't understand in books. With her ability in math and an active curiosity, she went to college and studied to become a chemist.

· What is petroleum?

· What does crude oil contain?

· What must an oil company know before it can refine crude oil?

· What does a petroleum scientist do?

· Where Sonia Hoffner work?

· What does she do?

· Where are expensive metals used?

· Why are they used in the refining progress?

· What does Sonia Hoffner help to verify?

· Why must groundwater from near oil wells be analyzed?

· Was Sonia Hoffner interested in science at school?

· What subjects was she good in?

· What did she learn in a science course?

· Was it her curiosity about the world or her ability in math that led het to study chemistry?

Exploration Petroleum Geologist

An exploration petroleum geologist studies surface and subsurface rocks in search for petroleum. The work involves the evaluation of potential areas as a source of petroleum and the analysis of the rock material that is removed when a well is being drilled. The exploration petroleum geologist is the first to know whether or not drilling is successful.

Marsha Findlay is an exploration petroleum geologist. She attended Walt Whitman High School in Huntington, New York. Later she studied geology and earth science at Vassar College. Her master's degree was earned at the University of South Carolina. Her thesis study on the effects of tectonic events on carbonate sediments of the Jurassic Period provides her with the kind of information that helps her locate potential sources of petroleum.

Her interest in geology began in elementary school when she learned about the glacial features near her home on Long Island. In the ninth grade she took an earth science course that she liked very much. This interest has continued and led to her present position.

An exploration petroleum geologist must be able to interpret surface land-forms and how they relate to subsurface rock formations that may hold petroleum. The scale of events that must be studied range from the microscopic to global. Marsha Findlay finds the study of geologic changes in surface and subsurface rocks exciting and the challenge of using this knowledge in the search for petroleum important.

Marsha Findlay is a member of the Scholarship Committee for the American Geological Institute's Minority Participation Program. This group encourages minority students to study the geologic sciences.

· What does an exploration petroleum geologist study?

· What does the work involve?

· What is the task of an exploration petroleum geologist as regards drilling?

· Where did Marsha Findlay get her education?

· Where did she earn her Master’s degree?

· What was the theme of her thesis?

· What kind of information is provided by her research?

· When did she get interested in geology?

· Where did she live at that time?

· When did she take an earth science course?

· What are the objects of interest for an axploration petroleum geologist?

· What kind of work does she find exciting?