Becky Morgan (BS Geology, 2001)

After graduating from CWU in 2001, I pursued a Masters in Geology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. My research focused on climate and sea level shifts in Central America. I used isotope, palynology, and stomatal data to examine changes over the past 9,000 years. I completed my thesis "Paleoecology of Twin Cays, Belize" in 2005.

In 2004, I obtained a job as a Mine Geologist at the Fort Knox gold mine. It is located 20 miles northeast of Fairbanks. The mine produces 1000 oz of gold per day and moves about 170,000 tons of rock. The host rock is a late Cretaceous granodiorite. I am responsible for all in-pit geologic mapping and ore releases. Basically, I map the rock to determine what material is economic to mine. Half of my time is in the field and half is office work. I really enjoy my job; it requires a high level of responsibility but allows me to be very independent.

All of the CWU geology courses were valuable and prepared me for my current position. The field courses in Bishop and Mitchell were especially important. I use those geologic mapping skills everyday.

In my free time, my husband and I enjoy hunting, fishing, and exploring Alaska. We have a black lab and had a baby girl in May 2008.