My Motivation To Study Geological Sciences

The sheer complexity and adaptability of our planet has left me completely enthralled. The many intricate natural processes and the sheer scale of natural landscapes such as the mountains and oceans are some of the many reasons for my fascination with the geological sciences. During my years of secondary education, as well as my current A levels choices, I have studied geography, building up a sturdy foundation of knowledge. My interest within the geological sciences developed further at GCSE, where I was introduced to different areas within physical geography: wave formations, volcanology and systems. On the other hand, my personal study into the subject has granted me a deeper understanding, and engaged me with a further desire to learn. Throughout a recent summer school to the University of Edinburgh, where I proceeded to attend seminars and lectures on geological sciences, I became further fascinated by the foundations of the planet. To develop my understanding into my passion for the geological sciences, I wish to study geology to a higher degree.

The diversity in my A level subjects has granted me a scientific approach to problem solving; an understanding into the composition of fundamental geological processes as well as methods of data collection and manipulation, overall giving me a greater depth of understanding regarding geology. Furthermore, having an academic background in these three fields has facilitated my use and appreciation of graphs and statistics, leading to the development of analytical skills which are essential to the role of a geologist.

In the July of this year I was selected to attend the Sutton Trust Summer School at the Edinburgh University, which presented me with the opportunity to engage with professors and current students of the earth and environmental sciences, partake in discussions and appreciate new concepts and ideas currently being tested, such as the recent development of charcoal from various different sources and its use in the different industries. Talking to the academics in the field further opened up my understanding of the subject, bringing me to the realization of the complexity of the subject as well as the limitless knowledge that can be gained throughout it.

From my GCSEs and as of present, I have taken a part-time job at Subway to help fund my higher education in the future. The employment gave me the pleasure in being given the opportunity to demonstrate and improve my skills, which I believe to be working confidently, making decisions under pressure, my communication skills and my intuitive and qualitative analysis, all of which are skills needed to progress in the field of geology. A love of the outdoors and the landscape led me to enjoy outdoor pursuits, which in turn led me to take up mountain hiking as a challenge to push myself. In my first year of A Levels, through a series of presentations, meetings, interviews and many challenges, I was successfully able to obtain a grant from the Mark Evison Charity, enabling my travel to the Scottish Highlands for a week. The purpose of the trip was to challenge myself and raise money for modern slavery in countries like Libya, as well as my personal interest in the geography of the landscape, as Stephen Jay Gould has rightly stated, “No Geologist worth anything is permanently bound to a desk or laboratory,”

Overall, any opportunity to further continue my studies around the geological sciences would be much appreciated. Discovering and learning about new fields around the subject and the prospects of further research and exploration of the world are some of many reasons I wish to pursue this subject and ultimately career in the future.