The Keck Geology Consortium consists of ten liberal arts colleges focused on enriching undergraduate education through the development of high-quality research experiences. Each summer, with support from the Hanrahan/Maxwell Foundation and 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 Hanrahan/Maxwell Foundation and the National Science Foundation’s Division of Earth Sciences (NSF Award 2547795). to the Keck Geology Consortium.

Important Info

Coming Soon: Flyer for 2027-28 Projects

Coming Soon: Application for 2027 Programs

15 Feb: Applications due

16 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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Spotted: A Wild Near Peer Mentor

Aug 21, 2018 | Montana - Glacier National Park

Would they listen to me? NOPE. Would they respect my “authority”? NOPE. Would they snark at me and think of me as a huge dork? YUP.

Sharing is Caring

Aug 9, 2018 | Montana - Glacier National Park

We were situated underneath a bridge which was frequented by hikers, so throughout the day people would stop and stare, prompting us to greet them and strike a conversation. Everyone we spoke to was super excited to hear about what we were doing and often asked intriguing questions. It was amazing to connect with so many individuals, to the point where knowledge of our work was being spread throughout the Many Glacier area.

Park Rangers: The Gatekeepers of Glacier National Park

Aug 8, 2018 | Montana - Glacier National Park

… I began to understand that park rangers not only have a duty to protect the park because it is their job, but also because it is their home.

Mooving and Grooving

Aug 8, 2018 | Montana - Glacier National Park

I could tell it wasn’t going to be a usual hike. First of all, unlike the trail to Iceberg, the trail was pretty void of people. This made our group feel a real intimacy with the wilderness around us. Second of all, after walking just a little bit on the trail, we came to realize that the trail had turned into one giant incline. Oof.