As a student in the UW Department of Geology and Geophysics you'll work hard. But you'll still have plenty of time to play. The department hosts numerous picnics, parties and social events throughout the year. Students, faculty and staff get to know each other outside the classroom. We learn together, laugh together, help each other through the rough spots. Here, you're part of a community.

While we like our friends in Geology and Geophysics, we do get out of the department now and again. Like the outdoors? From skiing and snowboarding to rock climbing and fishing, the mountains surrounding Laramie offer endless opportunity. Or perhaps cultural events are more your style. Theater, dance and all kinds of music are available on campus and in local coffeehouses. Student government and clubs, college athletics and intramural sports - UW has it all. Its all described on the UW Calendar.

The University of Wyoming AAPG Student Chapter offers undergraduate and graduate students exposure to geology and the petroleum industry beyond the classroom. Field trips, lectures and social events are planned throughout the semester, allowing members to interact with other each other, the professors in the department and professions in the petroleum industry.

To help prepare ourselves for careers in industry or academia, members are encouraged to attend and present posters or give talks at the annual AAPG national convention. Financial aid is available from the student chapter, as well as from the Geology and Geophysics Department to help offset the cost.

Events sponsored by the chapter have included professor- and student-led field trips. Recently Dr. Steidtmann took our group south of Laramie to look at the eolian outcrops of the Casper Formation. Graduate student members often lead us on trips to their field areas, explaining the significance of their research. On one trip we examined marginal marine and marine sand bodies in Selandian and Campanian strata, and Marathon Oil provided partial funding for the excursion.

While the focus of the UW AAPG student chapter is on professional development, we make sure to have fun. Annual social events include Bowling for Oil, a highly-anticipated event in the department. Quarts of oil are given for each strike, and oil-related prizes are awarded for high and low scores. We also sponsor a departmental Halloween party. Undergraduates, graduate students, faculty and staff enjoy the food and music, and prizes are awarded for the most geologically-related and most petroleum-related costumes.

Randi Martinsen, senior lecturer and instructor in the UW Department of Geology and Geophysics, serves as the current faculty advisor to the UW AAPG Student Chapter. Her extensive experience in the petroleum industry provides the group with industry contacts. She has been a great source of information to all our members.

Membership in the UW AAPG student chapter is free to any UW Geology and Geophysics student. However, we encourage members to join the national AAPG organization. Student membership in the national organization costs $10 and needs approval from our faculty advisor. Membership in the national organization gives us access to the national and regional AAPG conventions, and members receive AAPG Bulletin and AAPG Explorer.

For current meeting times of the UW AAPG student chapter, check the department's Upcoming Events. You can also visit AAPG's National Web Site to learn more about the national organization.