11 Geoscience Education in the Western U.S and México. Practices, Pathways, and Partnerships.

Promotes the exchange of educational practices, and collaborations between U.S.A. and México to strengthen geoscience education, fostering academic networks, pedagogical innovation, and collaborative training for students and faculty.

Wednesday, 22 April 2026
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
LMH, Deli

A Practical Approach to Geochemistry: Case Studies and Digital Tools in the UNAM Geological Engineering Program

Paper number: 11-3
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 2:15 PM – 2:35 PM

Authors

Abstract

Due to the extraordinary diversity of subjects it encompasses, geochemistry is one of the most complex Earth Sciences. Nevertheless, its wide field of study makes geochemistry an important tool in the geological engineer’s toolbox, as it holds the key to understand and solve a variety of issues of economic, environmental and social interest.

 

Within the Geological Engineering curriculum at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, Geochemistry is an intermediate-level course that builds on prior training in chemistry, physical geology and mineralogy, and serves as a foundation for later courses focused on petrology, ore geology, hydrogeology and environmental geology.

 

In order to assist students in acquiring a deeper understanding of the subjects that will be built upon in subsequent courses, we prepared a series of activities that make them practice their knowledge with real-life data, addressing issues such as ore deposit exploration and environmental disaster assessment and remediation.  

 

In these exercises, students use data from different media (water, sediments and igneous rocks) and analyze them using free software such as Geochemist’s Workbench, GEMS, Quantum GIS and Excel. The analysis involves several methods: mapping and recognition of the spatial distribution of data; graphing of data and interpretation of environmental phenomena; and lithological classification to model ore distribution. These activities also allow to contextualize learning through work with data from selected case studies from Mexico.

 

It has been well documented that learning experiences that involve the use of data and models in the geosciences, supported by specialized software, yield positive outcomes in the development of computer literacy and the ability to visualize, interpret, and understand data in real-world contexts. These activities will contribute significantly to the honing of core competencies future geological engineers will require.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 3

doi: 10.1130/abs/2026CD-410999

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