Have you ever imagined walking in a terrain filled with ice? You walk together with professional mountaineers as you trail over highly crevassed areas. One would say that this is one of the coolest careers of all the professions and this mean that this is literally the coolest. Glaciologist is the name of the job.
Do you have the heart for adventures? Are you fascinated on the ice that is floating in your drink on a hot summer day? This may be the appropriate career for you.
What is a Glaciologist?
A Glaciologist is the one who studies and analyzes the movement and physical properties of glaciers and ice. They work in order to find out if this ice sheets and glaciers are moving or sinking. The researches they produce make us understand and be aware of climate changes and sea levels.
Duties of a Glaciologist
- A Glaciologist gathers ice, study it and make experiments to complete a research. Their job would include monitoring the movement of the ice and elevation changes through looking at satellite images and utilizing remote sensing techniques.
- Glaciologist implants devices deep the ice and after a few days or months they would have to locate it again and measure the changes in its position for them to get thorough information on a specific glacier or ice drainage.
- Glaciologist makes use of remote sensing device to learn more about ice formations. They are asked to trek the coldest and driest arctic environments and down to the deepest crevices. They make reports on the findings of their experiment after they return working from the field.
Work Condition of a Glaciologist
- You would expect them to work in the field since it would be difficult to study ice if you are just in the office. But there would be times that they have to stay in the office especially when they make reports and synthesize their research. They do their research in field stations that are set in mountains around the globe.
- Their day would depend on their setting; it can be in the office or in the field. When they are in the office, they work in standard office hours but if they are assigned in the field they would have to work for extended hours. Glaciologists who are assigned in the field would have to stay in tents and build a bathroom in the snow.
Educational Requirements of a Glaciologist
- One of the minimum requirements to be hired as a Glaciologist is a Bachelors degree in Geology. But if you are aspiring to be a field researcher or to be a postsecondary instructor you should hold a masters or a doctoral degree in glaciology. There are limited schools who present graduate degrees in glaciology.
Occupation and Progress of a Glaciologist
- Global warming is one of the greatest concerns in our environment nowadays. This will be the perfect time to perform thorough studies about the formations of ice and learning about its effects in our climate and our environment. Aside from having interest in ice one must be physically able for them to push through harsh missions.
A Glaciologist who has gained a lot of experience can advance to greater research projects. They can also opt to be professors in educational institution or be a specialist in any field of geology and others can start their own research.