Michelle Robinson
Year Graduated: 
2016

Staff Geologist

Pacific Watershed Associates

Job description

My work at Pacific Watershed Associates centers around water quality and aquatic habitat protection, which involves geomorphic and erosion related mapping, technical report writing, and client communication. Field work includes performing topographic surveys using total stations, auto levels, and clinometers in order to design and construct roads, stream crossings, and grading plans. I am also involved in restoration planning, as well as environmental and land use permitting.

Why did you choose this program?

I chose geology because the HSU Geology Department truly values field-based learning, student research, and community. The HSU Geology Department has long been known for producing employable geologists and having the best field camp capstone class you can take.

How did this program prepare you for your job?

The HSU Geology Department prepared me to be an excellent field geologist by teaching me strong mapping, data collection, and technical writing skills. Reading and orienting myself on a topographic map is a crucial skill that I frequently use in both my professional and personal life.

What did you enjoy most about the program?

For me, the most enjoyable parts of the HSU Geology Program were the hands-on labs, field trips, and the opportunity to do independent research. I thoroughly enjoyed every single field trip with the Geology Department, but field camp was truly a one-of-a-kind experience that made me grateful to have gone through the program.

What would you say to prospective students who are thinking about applying to this program?

The HSU Geology Department is amazing and will certainly give you the tools you need to become a competent, employable geologist. The staff and faculty are intelligent, kind, passionate about geology, and want to help you succeed as a geologist and contribute to the science. There is a great sense of community that comes with spending time in the field with your classmates and the field camp experience is unbeatable.

David Draper, 1985 »
Deputy Chief Scientist
NASA Headquarters

Brandon Crawford, 2015 »
Geoscientist
Los Alamos National Laboratory

Sylvia Nicovich, 2015 »
Tectonic Geomorphologist/Paleoseismologist
United States Bureau of Reclamation

Kurt Fraese, 1982 »
President
Fraese and Associates, LLC

Michelle Robinson, 2016 »
Staff Geologist
Pacific Watershed Associates


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