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A Mineralogy Professor is a Scientist who teaches mineralogy at the college level. Mineralogy is the study of the solid substances that occur naturally on earth—rocks, minerals, and gemstones all fall under the expertise of the Mineralogist. This gives you a wide range of things to study—everything from grains of sand to the magma at the earth’s core. As a Professor, you’re in charge of passing your knowledge of these substances on to future generations of Scientists.

If you decide to become a Mineralogy Professor, you will need to apply to programs that have strong postgraduate mineralogy or earth science departments. A Masters and PhD will be essential in the pursuit of your goal. When you have achieved the necessary degrees, you can apply to colleges or universities for work. It may also be necessary to choose a subcategory for your studies, such as volcanology or low-temperature geochemistry.

Once you’ve attained your position, you will spend part of your day teaching classes. On a typical day, you might hold office hours in which students come to you to discuss their curriculum and thesis issues. You also spend part of your time giving lectures in your area of expertise. A lot of Mineralogy Professors even spend their time off penning textbooks or manuals for Scientists in the field.

You have the opportunity to shape the lives of the students you teach. Some of them could even choose to teach mineralogy themselves. Look at it this way: as a Mineralogy Professor, you’ll be able to say that your career literally rocks!

Personality Traits


Independent: You enjoy flying solo and doing things your own way.

Outside the Box Thinker: Your creative brainpower gets a workout as you come up with innovative ideas.

Logical Thinker: You take a step-by-step approach to analyze information and solve problems.

Salary and Education


How much does a Mineralogy Professor make?

Nationally: $44,000 – $149,000

Main education level: Advanced

source: US Dept of Labor





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