Cory Shircliff’11

Job: Geologist Manager at the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources

Major: Geology

Typical job responsibilities: Managing staff that review permits and compliance for injection wells in Louisiana as part of a primacy program for Underground Injection Control from the US EPA under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Injection wells are a myriad of designs.  They dispose of oilfield waste, industrial waste, or they can solution-mine cavities into massive salt domes and subsequently store gas and liquids in the cavities. The responsibility of my department is to insure the safety of drinking water in light of these activities.

Typical challenges of the work: Conducting complex geological reviews with limited information (e.g., mapping software, recent data), weighing the health and safety of the environment against economical concerns and political pressures, and budget constraints imposed by the Louisiana Legislature.

Education level for entry-level positions: Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred.

Advice for current Beloit College students: I would highly recommend that senior-level geology students look into taking the ASBOG Geologist-in-Training exam. This is the first step to obtaining their Professional Geologist license. We look upon candidates who have these certifications with more interest. I would generally encourage geologists to work toward a master’s degree in geology - it can be hard to compete in the workforce without the MS.