Nick Bauer (BA Geology, 2015)

I'm a GIS Technician at Asotin County PUD in Clarkston.

To sum it up, I map out the water and sewer systems along with updating and maintaining our records with the use of a software called ArcGIS. I am still very passionate about Geology and still keep an eye out for any job opportunities that come up. However my time in the GIS world has been rewarding and continues to inspire me for the future. Fortunately I had an excellent education at CWU that lead me to where I am today.

When I graduated from CWU with my BS in Geology, I also left with a certificate for Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This software was so influential that I actually stayed an extra year to complete the GIS program.

Dr. Audrey Huerta introduced me to this incredibly powerful tool while working under her for my senior project. At the same time I was a part of the first geology course that integrated GIS into the curriculum which Dr. Anne Egger instructed.

What I'm trying to say is if you're having a hard time deciding whether or not to go with Geology as your major, know this, the opportunities that this program and the faculty offer you along the way can be just as valuable as the degree itself. If it wasn't for the encouragement of my professors I wouldn't have gone into that GIS program and would have missed out on a skill set that helps me have an advantage in the workplace.

P.S.
You go on the coolest field trips and look at rocks all day. Did I mention you get to see with your own eyes rocks that are literally as old as half the age of the Earth. Take that other sciences.