Testimonials and Photos
"The RiGS program greatly benefited my understanding of research and applying to graduate programs. Currently, I have two funded M.S. programs offers that I am deciding between and the advice from the RiGS professors greatly helped me when reaching out to schools. If graduate school is not one's intention, this is still a great opportunity to learn about being a geologist and scientist in general. One of the highlights was a several week job shadowing program where I got to work alongside geoscientists at the USGS, Missouri DNR, and the USFS.
I was able to drive a federal vehicle, visit government offices/labs, and visit a host of stunningly beautiful national parks in SE Missouri among other activities while observing employees working in the field. The professors at S&T and the employees from the job shadowing are very accessible with career or general life advice. Lastly, Rolla is a nice community and I had a great summer making new friends and building my resume with research and connections while saving a little bit of money thanks to the NSF grant being able to cover all expenses. I got the chance to see all of the staff and fellow students again later while presenting my research at the 2019 GSA conference."
-David E. Muller RiGS 2019
"I got a better perspective of how to go about getting a job/internship. I do think I will be going for my masters somewhere and the program really taught me how to do that better. The program also allowed me to attend GSA which was another experience that exposed me more to the world of geology and allowed me to further narrow down what I am most interested in thanks to reading other students' research."
-RiGS participant, RiGS 2019
"RiGS provides students with the information they need to make a well-developed decision about their future. The topic of graduate school is on many student's minds. RiGS encouraged
this conversation which is one that not many students get a chance to discuss without bias. Although I am not specifically a geology major I had a wonderful experience in RiGS program, and continue to keep in touch with many of the other students involved!."
-Emily Leggiero, RiGS 2021
"For years I had been unsure of my career path and if the geosciences were right for me. Through the rigs program, I was able to expand my understanding of the opportunities within the geosciences as well as determine what areas of study I would find rewarding. Rigs opened up doors for me and helped me to secure a semester internship related to my field of study. I made life-long friendships as well as many professional connections. I would encourage anyone and everyone to apply to the rigs program."
-Haley Hingst, RiGS 2021
"I have nothing but good things to say about the RiGS program. Going into the program, I already had a good idea of what I wanted to do with my degree. Information regarding careers, research, and conferences helped me to solidify those ideas and better plan my future. You will learn many great skills -- most of which you won't learn in a normal classroom. Beyond the classroom, I made many friends and valuable connection during RiGS, many of which I hope to keep for the rest of my life. If you have any doubts of attending, I would whole heartedly urge you to consider attending! It is a fun, informative, and valuable experience."
-Corey Potter, RiGS 2021