Geology Facilities

Teaching Facilities
Students around Professor
Outstanding Teaching Facilities

LSSU Geology students enjoy studying several different topics both in the classroom and in the field! The LSSU Geology Program boasts one of the most extensive undergrad field experiences in the country! One day you may be exploring the Canadian Shield, another you may be hiking in the Appalachians, and other days you will be examining minerals and fossils in the Geology labs of Crawford Hall.

The Field

Geology at Lake State goes much further beyond the classroom. Surrounded by a diversity of local geology spanning across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and north of Sault Ste. Marie into Ontario, no other universities in Michigan have an opportunity quite like this right in their backyard. There are no boundaries either. Several trips take place outside of Michigan and Ontario, including places such as the Appalachian Mountains, the Black Hills, Yellowstone National Park, the Badlands, and more! There is much to see and even more to learn, and what better classroom is there for geology than the field itself. This is a unique experience for geology students at LSSU, so be prepared to get out there and get your hands dirty!

Crawford Hall

Opened in 1965 to house science departments, Crawford Hall underwent a $23 million renovation and expansion that began in 1998 and was completed in 2000. Among the renovations are award-winning classrooms for geology. There’s also a greenhouse, the Ben Long Planetarium, and the Kemp Mineral Resources Museum. Crawford is named after former LSSU chancellor Harry Crawford. Crawford Hall offers an ideal location for commuter and on campus students. With everything contained in the same building close access to, the library, dorms, and parking it’s perfect for those cold Northern Michigan days.

Crawford 339 with students on microscopes.
Crawford 339 with students working with maps
Classrooms

Nearly all of the geology classrooms are equipped to handle 20+ class sizes, though the typical class size for introductory courses range from 15-20 and 10-20 for upper level courses. Most of the core Geology classrooms and labs are located on the 2nd floor of Crawford Hall along the East wall. The interconnected and closely located rooms offer ease of access to student and professor alike, while also creating a sense of community. Intradisciplinary content/tools and mineral samples of various sizes found throughout these rooms adds a personalized touch of flavor.