Photo: Carina Johansson

– I chose geochemistry, because I really liked organic chemistry and biochemistry in school, but I also really liked being outdoors and was fascinated by mountains and rocks. So, instead of enjoying the mountains and rocks on the weekend and a chemical engineer or pharmaceutical chemist working for a company during the work week, I discovered that I could study a field where the hard sciences chemistry and physics are part of a job that lets me work outdoors. I like working quantitatively and analytically using sophisticated instruments, and in the course of my studies, I discovered that geochemistry allows me to do this – being both in the field and in the lab. Moreover, I discovered that biology and microbiology are also subjects that are intimately tied to the geological sciences, and that geochemistry allows one to combine these fields as well. Today I have a large toolkit at my disposal to explore scientific questions using chemical analysis that span both the ocean, groundwaters, and land. I wouldn’t know of many other subjects that would allow me to work so broadly.

Why is it important to educate about the Earth?

– There is a simple answer to this question: The Earth is, where we human beings evolved, and it has provided the fertile ground for an incredible evolution of life over billions of years. Studying Earth tells about everything surrounding us, how it developed and how it survives. Understanding Earth is essential to understand our resources, to gauge the constraints of our living and other life’s conditions, and the stress and consequences that changes in Earth’s conditions, for example, due to climate change, impose on us. Studying Earth provides one with the opportunity to study changes at a global scale.

– We educate broadly and your acquired skills will be used rather selectively. In my field, geochemistry, currently, most students start to work with consulting companies that investigate surface water and groundwater quality, or soil quality. For example, you would work on charting out and remediating contaminant spreading or help to predict the safety of waste disposal sites. You may be involved in environment risk assessment. You may also work for public legal bodies, such as county administrations. But, you may also choose to work for a mining company, or as still some do, to work in the oil and gas sector in exploration. If you do not become a researcher and university teacher, because there is also a need for geochemistry educators.

Studying Earth provides one with the opportunity to study changes at a global scale.

Volker Brüchert is associate professor of Biogeochemistry and theaches three courses. Two at the undergraduate level: Basics of Geochemistry and Geochemistry in the Field and Laboratory, and one at the master level: Applied Environmental Geochemistry.

Photo: Carina Johansson

– I chose geochemistry, because I really liked organic chemistry and biochemistry in school, but I also really liked being outdoors and was fascinated by mountains and rocks. So, instead of enjoying the mountains and rocks on the weekend and a chemical engineer or pharmaceutical chemist working for a company during the work week, I discovered that I could study a field where the hard sciences chemistry and physics are part of a job that lets me work outdoors. I like working quantitatively and analytically using sophisticated instruments, and in the course of my studies, I discovered that geochemistry allows me to do this – being both in the field and in the lab. Moreover, I discovered that biology and microbiology are also subjects that are intimately tied to the geological sciences, and that geochemistry allows one to combine these fields as well. Today I have a large toolkit at my disposal to explore scientific questions using chemical analysis that span both the ocean, groundwaters, and land. I wouldn’t know of many other subjects that would allow me to work so broadly.

Why is it important to educate about the Earth?

– There is a simple answer to this question: The Earth is, where we human beings evolved, and it has provided the fertile ground for an incredible evolution of life over billions of years. Studying Earth tells about everything surrounding us, how it developed and how it survives. Understanding Earth is essential to understand our resources, to gauge the constraints of our living and other life’s conditions, and the stress and consequences that changes in Earth’s conditions, for example, due to climate change, impose on us. Studying Earth provides one with the opportunity to study changes at a global scale.

– We educate broadly and your acquired skills will be used rather selectively. In my field, geochemistry, currently, most students start to work with consulting companies that investigate surface water and groundwater quality, or soil quality. For example, you would work on charting out and remediating contaminant spreading or help to predict the safety of waste disposal sites. You may be involved in environment risk assessment. You may also work for public legal bodies, such as county administrations. But, you may also choose to work for a mining company, or as still some do, to work in the oil and gas sector in exploration. If you do not become a researcher and university teacher, because there is also a need for geochemistry educators.