Honestly, the push for solo fieldwork in geology needs a rethink

Honestly, I've been a geologist since I finished school, and everyone at my firm thinks going out alone with a hammer is the best way to learn. Tbh, I found that sitting with my team in the lab, looking at thin sections together, gave us way better understanding. Ngl, when I was by myself in the field, I often missed key details that others spotted later. In my last project, we had a big debate about a rock layer, and it was only after group discussion that we got it right. I think management should push for more team work instead of sending us off solo. It's not that fieldwork is bad, but it's too hyped if you're not sharing what you see. From my view, geology is about putting pieces together, and that's easier with more eyes. So yeah, I'll take a good lab session over a lonely field day any time.

3 comments

3 Comments

hall.ruby1mo ago

It's wild how many fields push the lone genius myth when most real breakthroughs happen in groups. You see it everywhere from science labs to creative teams where the best ideas get polished by debate. Makes me wonder why we still romanticize working alone when collaboration clearly gets better results. Your rock layer story is a perfect example of how missing pieces click into place with more perspectives.

wells.morgan17d agoTop Commenter

Guess @piper_green just needs better rocks, not a whole team.

piper_green1mo ago

Totally agree. My own solo trips often end with me proudly presenting a 'rare find' that turns out to be common quartz. It's embarrassing, but it shows how easy it is to get stuck in your own head without a second opinion. In the lab, someone would have laughed and pointed it out in five minutes. Solo work has its place, but for learning and accuracy, a team saves you from your own blind spots. I've seen too many reports get revised after group review to think otherwise. So yeah, more eyes on the rock, less time wasted.