Hi everyone! My name is Jen, and I am graduating at the end of this semester. My goal for this series is to maximize my senior year experience (senior-max) by trying things Lafayette College and the greater Easton community have to offer that I have never tried before. This is Jen Tries.
I have never taken a geology class. What better way to change that than by going to Hawaii during our winter break? To be honest, I also needed a science credit, but hey, I was killing two birds with one stone. So I signed up for GEOL 150: The Evolution of the Hawaiian Islands.
Before the class got on the plane, we had an all-day lecture on campus where we learned geology basics. I met the professors and classmates who would be my rocks for the next three weeks. I had no idea what hole I was digging for myself, but I knew that it was sure to be filled with riches.
Geology professor Lawrence Malinconico — commonly referred to as “Doc M” — and lab coordinator John Wilson had extensive knowledge of the geological evolution of the Hawaiian Islands, but even more impressively, they were able to get 23 students through multiple treacherous airports unscathed.
“I’m learning about 23 students,” Wilson said. “I’m learning about how they’re experiencing this for the first time, and how they’re seeing the world now.”
Our professors took us to lava fields and into lava tubes to look at where the lava had flowed down from the volcanoes. Are you catching on to a theme here? There was a lot of lava talk.
We were in the field almost every day, testing soils for the presence of calcite, looking for past volcanic centers, snorkeling with sea turtles and watching an active volcano erupt. While we learned about how the Hawaiian Islands were formed, we also learned about how they were broken down through erosive processes. The soil, rock formations, valleys and beaches all tell a story about how the islands were formed.
“It felt like we were going through a time machine and jumping billions of years to see what the islands will look like,” Omi Yilma ‘26 said.
This was the most fascinating thing that I learned from this trip. Geology happens on such a vast timeline that it is often difficult to understand because you can’t travel across it. In Hawaii, the islands show the past, future and present of the volcanic islands — but it can be difficult to comprehend without a lecture from Malinconico or Wilson.
As I boarded my flight back to Newark, I reflected on my time in Hawaii and my attempt at geology. I might not have discovered my new career path, but I have a newfound appreciation for the processes that shape the landscape around me. I have yet to receive my grade for the course.
Have an idea for something Jen should try before she graduates? Submit suggestions here.
