18 | GEOLOGY
The William Smith Building
Geology is based in the William Smith Building in the heart of Keele’s
attractive campus. All of our academic staff members have our offices in
this building so we are easy to find when you need us. The administrative
staff members are based in an office in the foyer, where you can easily get
information or advice on practical and administrative matters.
Much of your teaching, particularly
practical classes, will also be in this
building or in one of the neighbouring
buildings. The William Smith Building
should quickly start to feel like your
academic “home”. When the practical and
computer labs or seminar rooms are not
in use for teaching, you are welcome to
use them for your own work. It is often
convenient to use a spare room in the
William Smith Building as a group study
room. Fourth Year M.Geol students have
their own dedicated room with their own
desk and computer where they can work
on their Master’s projects and other
course work.
Geology staff members are friendly,
approachable and always pleased to
help you. You will get to know us quickly,
particularly through laboratory classes
and fieldwork. You will also get to know
other students in these classes and make
friends soon after you arrive.
The William Smith Building is also home
to the Geography and the Environment
courses. These subjects overlap with
Geology and many of our students
combine Physical Geography with
Geology, and some Geology modules
are shared with Environmental Science
and Geography where the topics studied
are relevant to both subjects. Our
staff members conduct joint research
projects across these subjects too. This
contributes to the friendly, integrated
feel of our building, which is sometimes
referred to as “Geography, Geology and
the Environment” or just “GGE”.
The student GeoSoc incorporates all
three subjects, and is another way of
making friends and engaging with some
activities outside of classes. The annual
GeoSoc Ball has been a highlight of the
social calendar for the William Smith
Building. In addition to the general
GeoSoc we have a more academically
focused Student Chapter of the American
Association of Petroleum Geologists that
you can join for free. The William Smith
Building also hosts monthly evening talks
by the North Staffordshire Group of the
Geologists Association and the Western
Institute of Mining and Minerals. You
can go to the lectures for free, widen
your geological knowledge and gain
contacts with people working locally in
geological consultancy firms. These
organisations also sponsor several of our
student prizes.
The William Smith Building and the
neighbouring buildings in the centre of
campus are fully equipped with all the
resources you will need. The Library
and Information Services building,
the Students’ Union, Careers Service,
Student Support, the bank, the shops
and the post office are located close by
on campus.
HANNAH REDFERN
GEOLOGY WITH PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY,
THEN SWITCHED TO GEOSCIENCE
MASTERS (MGEOSCI)
“The facilities Keele has allow you
to make the most of University life,
you’re there for your degree but that
doesn’t mean you can’t have fun
doing it...The woods and gardens
around Keele Hall are a great
place to hang out with friends, and
make an ideal backdrop for those
graduation photos at the end!”
keele.ac.uk/gge