Student Views of the Geo-Industry

A survey was performed at two universities to gather information on undergraduate's perceptions of the geo-industry. The surveys were administered to students in a required soil mechanics course and in geotechnical elective courses at The University of Texas at Austin and Villanova University. These two universities — a large, public institution and a small, private institution — provided an interesting range of responses. Example questions include: What do you think geotechnical engineers do?; What is appealing about a career in the geo-industry?; and What is the highest degree you intend to seek?. Demographic information, such as the gender and GPA of the respondent, was also collected to provide a context for the survey data. Academics can use the results of the survey to improve their geotechnical course materials, and practitioners will find the results useful when recruiting students for summer internships and permanent employment after graduation.