- Research
- Thematic Reports
What do geologists do every day?
In honour of UNESCO’s International Geodiversity Day, celebrated on October 6, the Quebec division of the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC-Québec) and the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) are honouring the importance of the fieldwork researchers do.
What does fieldwork involve in the geosciences?
We’ve all probably seen people on the side of the road wearing orange vests and looking closely at rocky outcrops. It’s quite common!
These researchers observe and collect information on geological objects in a natural environment. They gather quantitative and qualitative information on subjects like river flows and the orientation and magnetism of rocks. They also collect samples and take photographs to support further analysis in the lab.
This fieldwork is the starting point for many natural sciences. Researchers also provide answers to contemporary issues such as food production, access to drinking water, and the challenges of the green transition.
The importance of fieldwork in research innovation
It’s quite common for researchers to carry out extensive fieldwork, as it’s the key to expanding knowledge on the vast subject of geoscience.
Geneviève Bordeleau, INRS professor and hydrogeology specialist at the Eau Terre Environnement Research Centre, explains how field experiments help build knowledge: “A great deal of qualitative and quantitative data is acquired during fieldwork, and later supplemented by laboratory work. For example, we collect water samples, measure water flow in a river, use techniques to measure interactions between surface and groundwater… Then these data will be analyzed, compiled and interpreted.”
“Broadly speaking, fieldwork is essential to the geosciences. It’s the basis for understanding natural geological processes,” adds Antoine Godet, research scientist at the Geological Survey of Canada.
Fieldwork in Canada is generally done during the summer, when rock outcrops are no longer covered by snow. It can take anywhere from one day to several weeks to complete. Some projects require seasonal monitoring, such as hydrogeology work, where the levels of water tables and bodies of water depend on factors like rainfall and snowmelt.
“Fieldwork has evolved over time,” explains Antoine Godet. “We no longer spend three months at a time in remote areas. Work-life balance is becoming increasingly important. Accommodations can be made so people can return home a few times during long fieldwork seasons.”
Crédits: Jean-Luc Pilote. Guillaume Raymond, étudiant au doctorat INRS-CGC-Q, et le chercheur Jean-Luc Pilote observent un affleurement rocheux. / INRS-CGC-Q PhD student Guillaume Raymond and researcher Jean-Luc Pilote observe a rock outcrop.
Crédits: Jean-Luc Pilote. Après les feux – l’étudiant au doctorat INRS-CGC-Q Guillaume Raymond photographie un affleurement rocheux dans le cadre de son projet dans le nord de l’Abitibi. / After the fires – INRS-CGC-Q doctoral student Guillaume Raymond photographs a rock outcrop as part of his project in northern Abitibi.
Crédits: Antoine Godet. L’étudiante Jillian Côté effectue des travaux de terrain au Réservoir Decelles, Québec. / Student Jillian Côté works in the field at the Decelles Reservoir, Quebec.
Crédits: Antoine Godet. L’étudiante Jillian Côté effectue des travaux de terrain au Réservoir Decelles, Québec. / Student Jillian Côté works in the field at the Decelles Reservoir, Quebec.
Crédits: Antoine Godet. L’étudiante Jillian Côté effectue des travaux de terrain au Réservoir Decelles, Québec. / Student Jillian Côté works in the field at the Decelles Reservoir, Quebec.
A partnership designed for the next generation
Since 1988, GSC-Québec and INRS have established a partnership within the Pôle Géoscientifique de Québec to train the next generation in this surprisingly broad field. Over the past 35 years, more than 160 students have pursued graduate studies in Earth sciences under the direction or co-direction of the two organizations.
“The field is like a big classroom where we learn everything by practicing skills, finding solutions to problems, and constantly honing our methods. And of course, nothing beats the pleasure of working in the great outdoors, surrounded by the beauty of Quebec’s landscapes,” says doctoral student Maria Luisa Moreira dos Santos, who studies natural hydrogen.
“I also find it particularly gratifying to see my knowledge grow over the course of a project. You start the summer with very little information, then as the summer goes on, you put the pieces together and get a better understanding of the geological context,” says Guillaume Raymond, a doctoral student in Earth sciences who investigates gold deposits in northern Abitibi. “Without that fieldwork, this project would be impossible.”
INRS students benefit from a variety of opportunities to gain field experience, notably thanks to the joint INRS-Université Laval student chapter of the Society of Economic Geologists, which organizes international excursions. In September 2024, participants visited mines and remarkable geological sites in Peru. Local excursions around Quebec City are also organized on a regular basis.
Students also have the possibility to acquire valuable field skills during summer internships in private, public, and academic settings.