About the department

The Geology Department of Zanjan University at a Glance

The Geology Department of Zanjan University was founded in 1993 by the efforts of Dr. Yousef Ghadimi, a graduate of Philips Marburg University, Germany. It began its educational activities that same year by admitting undergraduate students in geology. The department started its educational activities for the second round of undergraduate studies in February 2005. In 2006, the department also started admitting students for a master's degree in petrology. Furthermore, admission for master's degrees in economic geology, mineralogy, and paleontology began in 2014 at Zanjan University. By the end of the 2019-2020 academic year, approximately 600 students graduated with a bachelor's degree in geology from Zanjan University. Many of these graduates have been accepted into other prestigious universities in the country for higher studies. Some of the top graduates of the department are actively serving in academic and industrial centers across the country. Additionally, as of the end of the 2019-2020 academic year, approximately 120 students have obtained master's degrees in these fields.

The Geology Department at Zanjan University consists of 12 faculty members (4 associate professors and 8 assistant professors), all of whom have graduated from reputable universities both domestically and internationally in sub-disciplines such as petrology, mineralogy, paleontology, sedimentary geology, economic geology, and structural geology, focusing on both teaching and research. Some faculty members are renowned researchers both in Iran and globally. Until the end of the 2019-2020 academic year, the faculty members of the Geology Department have published over 200 national and international research papers and have presented 500 papers at domestic and international scientific conferences. They have also executed 10 research projects and published 5 textbooks.

The Geology Department is equipped with educational laboratories in mineralogy, paleontology, Azarini stratigraphy and diagenesis, economic geology, sedimentary and rock geology, photogeology, and structural geology. Additionally, the department has research laboratories for ICP device analysis, applied mineralogy (mineral processing), fossil preparation, palynology, and heavy mineral separation. Workshops for preparing microscopic and hand sample sections for cutting rock samples, producing thin and polished sections, and preparing rock samples for chemical analysis are also available.

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Introduction to Geology

Geology is the study of the Earth, its constituent materials, existing structures, influencing factors, and its history and evolution. Geology is a branch of earth science that encompasses various earth sciences such as hydrogeology and meteorology, collectively forming the science of understanding the Earth's planetary system.

Geologists describe the existing structures on Earth's surface, its internal characteristics, and investigate the factors that change and create them. This science possesses methods to determine the age of rocks and Earth layers, helping to represent the history and evolution of them and past life creatures. Earth scientists also study the movement of continents, changes in seas and oceans, and past Earth conditions.

To conduct geological studies, a wide range of tools and methods are employed to understand and comprehend the structures and stages of Earth's evolution. These methods include field studies and observations, laboratory analysis, chemical analysis, and computer modeling. Geologists try to understand the history of Earth by examining the changes in materials, structures, processes, and organisms over time, in order to use this knowledge for understanding present and future conditions.

In practical applications, geology is extensively used in the exploration and extraction of mineral resources and energy sources (such as oil, gas, and coal), the assessment of water resources, the execution of engineering and construction projects, understanding the mechanisms of natural disasters, and mitigating environmental impacts.

For example, studying influential processes on Earth, such as earthquakes, floods, landslides, and volcanoes, and understanding the controlling mechanisms and how they become hazardous, helps us to reduce their damaging effects on human societies. If geologists create maps of potential flooding or other geological hazards for a region, it can assist in predicting their occurrence in the future and mitigating their harmful consequences.

In the realm of application, geology plays a vital role in exploration and extraction of mineral resources (oil, gas, and coal), assessment of water resources, execution of engineering and civil projects, understanding the mechanisms of natural disasters, and mitigating environmental impacts. For instance, studying processes that affect the Earth, such as earthquakes, floods, landslides, and volcanoes, and understanding the mechanisms and factors controlling them helps us predict and reduce the damaging effects of these events in human communities. If geologists create maps of flood occurrences or other geological hazards for a region, it can assist in predicting the location of such events in the future and reducing their harmful effects.