Geology Department

For information on current volcanic hazards, please visit the web sites of Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense
and the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory .

UH Hilo Geology Virtual Graduation for Spring 2020

Two students sit at a table — Will Wenrich and Audria Dennen, UH Hilo 2020 Geology graduates, will head to Iceland this summer for graduate school.

A screen shot from a computer shows the faces of participants in a remote meeting — The UH Hilo Geology graduates of 2020 met remotely via Zoom, joined by professors, staff, and former grads.

A family at an outdoor table lifts champagne glasses in a toast — Families of the graduates joined the Zoom meeting and cheered at the accomplishments of the students.

A woman is dressed in her graduation cap and gown — Dana Jennings, a graduating Natural Sciences major, wore her cap with tassel for the celebration.

UH Hilo Geology is Adapting During the COVID-19 Pandemic

A man stands at a whiteboard, lecturing to an empty classroom — Professor Jim Anderson appears to be teaching to an empty room, but actually, students see and hear everything! Technology allows for remote teaching via ZOOM and other platforms.

Students and a professor look at an active lava flow — During the pandemic, class field trips have been cancelled to protect everyone, but we look forward to future field work.

Students and professors chat in a classroom — After things return to normal, we will once again enjoy learning in classrooms, with interaction between students and professors.

Research Projects of the UH Hilo Geology Department

UH Hilo Geology students measure cracks associated with the 2018 Caldera Collapse of Kilauea

Things not so hot where you live? Wouldn’t you rather be outdoors in Hawaiʻi with a field notebook, studying active volcanoes? Imagine living in Hawaiʻi surrounded by erupting volcanoes, lush rainforests, high mountain peaks, and the tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean. This could be your life if you enroll at the Geology program, or the Natural Science program, at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. We offer an affordable undergraduate education with small classes and personalized instruction. Visit our Mentos page, which explains how the famous Mentos & Diet Coke explosions work, and how expanding gas relates to volcanoes.

Visit our high-resolution Gallery featuring Jack Dykinga photos of students working around lava!

Several reasons to study at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo:

Three geologist stand with rock hammers raised

Affordable education on a beautiful campus.
Small class sizes.
Hilo is the perfect college town.
Watch volcanoes erupt.
Excellent outdoor recreational activities.
Internship opportunities at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
New! Gordon A. Macdonald research grant for Geology majors!

Contact us

We'd love to hear from you!