The Keck Geology Consortium consists of thirteen liberal arts colleges focused on enriching undergraduate education through the development of high-quality research experiences. Each summer, with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Consortium offers a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program to engage undergraduate students in four- to five-week field and laboratory research projects in the earth sciences. Advanced students continue their summer research projects during the following academic year using cutting-edge laboratory techniques. All students are encouraged to participate in a professional conference. The Keck Geology Consortium is currently administered through Macalester College.

Funding for this REU site is provided by the National Science Foundation’s Division of Earth Sciences, located in Alexandria, VA, to the Keck Geology Consortium (NSF-REU Award No. 1659322 and 2050697).

Important Info

2024 Keck Projects Flyer

Appl. for 2024 Programs - Closed

15 Feb: Applications due

15 Mar: Acceptance letters sent

Keck Program Blog

The goals of this blog are (1) to raise the visibility of Keck Geology Consortium programs, (2) to provide Keck research projects with a venue for communicating the process and results of science, and (3) to foster student learning about communicating science to the general public. We invite contributions to the blog from project students, faculty and staff. Submissions will undergo brief review before posting.

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Oreos, Kittens, Springs

Aug 26, 2024 | 2024-2025 Projects

If you had asked me one year ago where I thought I would be this summer, I doubt I would have said slogging up a stream-bed in knee-deep mud, searching for springs. It was an experience I’ll never forget.

Ticks, Crocs, Oreos, and Socks.

Aug 26, 2024 | 2024-2025 Projects

Three weeks for three different locations. And 105 total springs. To say I didn’t know what to expect when I accepted my offer from Keck is an understatement—I had never been west of Pennsylvania, and never had I ever seen so much water.

Can You Belize It?

Aug 8, 2024 | 2024-2025 Projects

Have you ever wanted to fly? Well, diving made me feel like I was soaring. There is a whole world under the water and for a brief amount of time, I was a part of it. As the summer is coming to a close and school is quickly approaching, I wanted to share the experience of my first college research through the Keck Geology Consortium Coral research project.

Francis, Paddles, and ‘Tainted Love’ by Soft Cell

Aug 8, 2024 | 2024-2025 Projects

I applied to the Glacier National Park REU not knowing what to fully expect and I’m so glad that I did. What I really loved about this trip is how much I learned about myself through things I did and experienced.