Summer 2026 Projects

Project Summary

Environmental geology examines the interaction between humans and the environment, focusing on the stresses placed on natural systems by factors, such as changing land use, resource extraction, and transportation needs. It also emphasizes proactive management and protection to minimize and mitigate negative impacts. This field is crucial for natural resource assessment, land management, and environmental protection.

The Illinois State Geological Survey offers a unique platform for studying environmental geology. ISGS develops and distributes geologic information with municipal, state, federal, public, and industry stakeholders. Its environmental geologic studies emphasize observing natural responses outside the laboratory, playing a vital role in resource assessment, land management, and environmental protection throughout Illinois and nationwide.

Location

Urbana-Champaign, Illinois

Natural Resources Building, Research Park, Illini Plaza

Intern Tasks

The ISGS Environmental Geology Internship Program, hosted by the Wetlands Geology, Geochemistry, and Site Assessment sections, typically accepts at least two interns. Each intern will work collaboratively with their cohort and geoscientists to:

The internship will begin with a one-week organization and program orientation. Following this, interns will work alongside staff geologists on specialized topics, including nature preserves, wetlands, environmental site assessments, and water quality/geochemistry. The internship includes office and fieldwork on various projects and large-scale programs serving state agencies such as the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Illinois Department of Transportation, and the Illinois Tollway. Interns will dedicate time to developing and preparing a final project, which they will present in a seminar at the end of the program. These experiences will provide interns with a comprehensive understanding and practical knowledge of applied environmental geology conducted at the Illinois State Geological Survey.

Project Summary

Coastal geology focuses on understanding shoreline processes and how natural forces such as waves and storms shape coastal environments. Along the Illinois coast of Lake Michigan, storm-driven wave energy plays a major role in shoreline erosion and retreat. Monitoring how this energy transfers from water to land is critical for evaluating coastal protection strategies and identifying areas vulnerable to future change.

This project, hosted by the Coastal Management Program, applies geophysical monitoring techniques to coastal geology studies at Illinois Beach State Park. Interns will help test and develop a land-based passive seismic recording network designed to measure ground motion generated by storm waves. The data collected will provide insight into storm impacts during periods when traditional water-based monitoring systems are unavailable, particularly during the winter months. Results will support assessments of recent breakwater installations and contribute to long-term shoreline monitoring efforts along the Illinois coast.

Location

Chicago, Illinois

Intern Tasks

The intern will work closely with Coastal Management Program staff and geoscientists to:

• Assist with the design, deployment, and maintenance of a seismic recording network at Illinois Beach State Park
• Participate in field data collection to measure and characterize ground motion during storm and wave events
• Learn to develop and apply Python-based workflows for seismic data processing, analysis, and interpretation
• Conduct GIS-based analyses and assist with the preparation of maps, figures, and other project materials
• Complete an individual project and present findings at the Potter Research Symposium

Office-based responsibilities will focus on data analysis, interpretation, and preparation of final project materials, providing the intern with hands-on experience in applied coastal geophysics and geology.

In addition to their primary project, the intern will have opportunities to participate in a variety of coastal field activities throughout the summer. These may include small unmanned aerial system (sUAS/drone) surveys, RTK-GPS surveying for ground control and shallow-water measurements, and single-beam sonar data collection using remote-controlled or crewed vessels.

Note: Fieldwork may occur under variable environmental conditions and may require flexible scheduling, including early morning departures, to take advantage of optimal data-collection weather. Field activities involve moderate physical exertion and may include working in hot weather, walking long distances while carrying equipment, traversing uneven or soft terrain, operating in areas with heavy insect activity, lifting and transporting items up to approximately 40 pounds, and using data loggers and sensors in challenging outdoor environments. All work will follow strict field safety protocols, with training provided as needed.

Project Summary

This project focuses on the coastal geology and nearshore sediment dynamics of the Illinois Lake Michigan shoreline, with emphasis on how engineered structures influence natural sediment transport processes. Along the breakwater chain at Illinois Beach State Park, the intern will investigate how waves, currents, and human-made structures interact to shape underwater landforms and control erosion and deposition patterns.

Using high-resolution bathymetric data, the intern will identify underwater slopes, channels, and depressions that indicate zones of sediment accumulation and erosion. These features will be analyzed and mapped using GIS tools to interpret sediment transport pathways in the nearshore environment. The intern will also compare modern bathymetric surfaces with historical bathymetry and drone imagery to visualize shoreline and nearshore change over time. Field-based sediment sampling using a Ponar grab will allow the intern to analyze grain-size distributions surrounding and along the breakwaters, linking sediment characteristics to observed geomorphic patterns.

This project provides hands-on experience in coastal geomorphology, sediment analysis, and applied geospatial workflows, while building a deeper understanding of nearshore morphodynamics and how human-engineered structures influence sediment transport and coastal systems along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Location

Winthrop Harbor, Illinois

Coastal Geology Field Office

Intern Tasks

The intern will work closely with Coastal Management Program staff and geoscientists to:

• Collect bathymetric data using single-beam sonar from a remote-controlled vessel or crewed boat to identify underwater slopes, channels, and depressions where erosion and deposition are likley
• Process, analyze, and interpret current and historic spatial datasets to map sediment transport pathways using GIS
• Collect sediment samples via Ponar grab to investigate grain size distribution near the breakwaters
• Conduct small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) surveys to support shoreline and nearshore mapping
• UseRTK-GPS for ground control, shallow-water wading measurements
• Prepare maps, figures, and visualizations
• Complete an individual project and present findings at the Potter Research Symposium

Note: Fieldwork may occur under variable environmental conditions and may require flexible scheduling, including early morning departures, to take advantage of optimal data-collection weather. Boat-based work may occur. Field activities involve moderate physical exertion and may include working in hot weather, walking long distances while carrying equipment, traversing uneven or soft terrain, operating in areas with heavy insect activity, lifting and transporting items up to approximately 40 pounds, and using data loggers and sensors in challenging outdoor environments. All work will follow strict field safety protocols, with training provided as needed.

Project Summary

Gas generation within the Illinois Basin reflects a range of geological and biological processes, including coal-bed methane production, near-surface microbial activity, and deeper thermogenic gas generation. Understanding how gas composition varies across the basin provides critical insight into gas maturity, subsurface fluid and hydrocarbon movement, and the conditions under which gas emissions may occur if not captured or flared.

This project supports ongoing work within the Methane Emissions Reduction Program (MERP), led by the Illinois State Geological Survey in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Interns will analyze current and legacy gas composition and isotopic datasets to evaluate spatial and compositional trends in methane and associated gases across the Illinois Basin. By normalizing and integrating multiple datasets, interns will help distinguish thermogenic, microbial, and mixed gas signatures and assess their distribution within different basin settings.

The work emphasizes compositional and isotopic interpretation using established geochemical plots and basin-scale mapping. Results will directly inform MERP objectives by identifying gas-prone regions, characterizing emission risks, and improving understanding of subsurface gas generation processes relevant to energy production, emissions mitigation, and resource management.

Through this project, interns will gain hands-on experience in gas geochemistry, data normalization, statistical analysis, and geospatial visualization while contributing to an applied research effort with direct regulatory and environmental relevance.

Location

Urbana-Champaign, Illinois

Natural Resources Building

Intern Tasks

Interns will work collaboratively with Subsurface Energy Resources staff and geoscientists to:

Gas Data Compilation and Normalization

• Compile current and legacy gas composition datasets collected through the MERP program
• Normalize gas composition data to exclude nitrogen and oxygen, retaining relevant components (C1–C5, C6+, H₂, He, and CO₂ where present)
• Identify thermogenic gas datasets reported in Bulletin 122 and determine whether existing data are already normalized

Digitization of Legacy Gas and Isotopic Data

• Digitize reported gas composition and isotopic datasets from reports and bulletins
• Compile isotopic measurements, including δ¹³CO₂, δ¹³C₁, δ¹³C₂, δ¹³C₃, and δD–C₁
• Standardize datasets to ensure consistency across sources

Statistical and Graphical Analysis

• Generate histograms of gas concentration data to evaluate compositional distributions
• Create graphical relationships, including:
  • Gas concentration versus individual gas components
  • Gas wetness ratio versus light-to-heavy hydrocarbon ratios
  • Bernard plots (C₁/(C₂+C₃) vs. δ¹³C₁) to distinguish thermogenic and microbial gas origins
  • Modified Coleman plots (δD–C₁ vs. δ¹³C₁) to evaluate shallow versus deep microbial gas sources

Spatial Analysis and Mapping

• Plot well locations and associated gas composition data using GIS
• Create basin-scale maps highlighting priority components or component groups, including light hydrocarbons, heavier hydrocarbons, helium, and isotopic signatures
• Evaluate spatial patterns in gas composition and origin across the Illinois Basin

Interpretation and Synthesis

• Synthesize results into figures and present findings and interpretations at the Potter Research Symposium

Project Summary

Glacial sediments across Illinois preserve a detailed record of Ice Age landscape evolution, including changes in ice extent, depositional environments, and past climate and ecosystems. Understanding the distribution, stratigraphy, and composition of these sediments—along with the fossils preserved within them—provides critical insight into Quaternary history and supports applied geologic mapping used for land-use planning, groundwater studies, and hazard assessment.

This project integrates surficial and subsurface geologic mapping of Pleistocene deposits with the study of macrofossils preserved in glacial sediments to reconstruct past environments across Illinois. Interns will work alongside Illinois State Geological Survey geologists on ongoing STATEMAP-supported mapping efforts in the Chicago region and contribute to broader statewide mapping of Illinois Episode and pre-Illinois Episode deposits. Mapping efforts will focus on refining the stratigraphic framework and producing subsurface structure contour maps of key glacial units, including the Haeger Member and Wadsworth Formation.

Macrofossil materials preserved within Quaternary deposits—such as fossil conifer wood, ostracodes, and mollusks from glacial lake sediments—provide an important link between sedimentary processes and paleoenvironmental conditions. By combining stratigraphic mapping with fossil identification and interpretation, interns will help connect physical glacial deposits to Ice Age climate and ecological change.

This project offers hands-on experience in Quaternary geology, subsurface and surficial mapping, field and laboratory methods, and paleoenvironmental interpretation while contributing directly to ongoing geologic mapping and research in Illinois.

Location

Urbana-Champaign, Illinois

Natural Resources Building

Intern Tasks

Interns will work collaboratively with Earth Characterization Center staff and geoscientists to:

Field and Sample Collection

• Participate in fieldwork related to Quaternary geologic mapping, including drilling and logging core samples
• Assist with sample collection of glacial sediments and macrofossils in the field
• Document field observations and sampling locations

Core Description and Laboratory Analyses

• Assist with geologic descriptions of core samples and archived sample sets (at the ISGS Core Library)
• Conduct geochemical analyses using portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF)
• Perform magnetic susceptibility measurements
• Photograph samples and prepare descriptive metadata

Geospatial Analysis and Geologic Mapping

• Compile and process subsurface and surficial data using GIS
• Assist in the construction of structure contour maps for key Pleistocene units, including the Haeger Member and Wadsworth Formation
• Support statewide subsurface mapping of Illinois Episode and pre-Illinois Episode deposits

Macrofossil Identification and Paleoenvironmental Research

• Identify and describe macrofossils preserved in Quaternary sediments, including fossil wood and shells
• Assist with tree ring studies or taxonomic identification of fossil mollusks
• Interpret macrofossil assemblages in the context of depositional environment, paleoclimate, and paleoecology

Synthesis and Communication

• Integrate stratigraphic, geochemical, and fossil data to reconstruct Ice Age environments
• Synthesize results into figures and present findings and interpretations at the Potter Research Symposium

Note: Fieldwork may occur under variable environmental conditions and may require flexible scheduling, including overnight and weekend work. Field activities involve moderate physical exertion and may include working in hot weather, walking long distances while carrying equipment, traversing uneven, operating in areas with heavy insect activity, and lifting and transporting items up to approximately 40 pounds. All work will follow strict field safety protocols, with training provided as needed.

Project Summary

Shallow lake and wetland sediments in central Illinois preserve high-resolution records of post-glacial environmental change, capturing shifts in climate, hydrology, and landscape processes that shaped pre-settlement ecosystems. These archives provide a powerful means of evaluating how moisture balance, sediment sources, and ecological conditions responded to major climate events during the late Quaternary.

This project builds on recent research conducted west of Champaign and expands the investigation to additional post-glacial lake basins, including the former plain of Glacial Lake Douglas in east-central Illinois. Interns will engage in original research focused on reconstructing changes in sediment composition, effective moisture, and dust inputs recorded in short lacustrine sediment cores. Key research questions include whether central Illinois experienced increased moisture following the global 4.2 ka drought event and whether soils and lake sediments record inputs of far-traveled dust with compositions distinct from local glacial drift and loess.

The project integrates sedimentology, geochemistry, and paleoecology to interpret post-glacial environmental change. Elemental profiles derived from X-ray fluorescence analyses will be used to evaluate sediment sources and dust inputs, while microfossil analysis and radiocarbon dating will help constrain environmental and hydrologic changes through time. Core collection is expected to occur prior to the summer field season, allowing interns to focus on sediment description, laboratory analyses, and data interpretation during the internship.

Through this work, interns will gain hands-on experience with Quaternary sediment records, laboratory analytical techniques, and paleoenvironmental interpretation while contributing to a developing, multi-year research effort led by the Illinois State Geological Survey in collaboration with university partners.

Location

Urbana-Champaign, Illinois

Natural Resources Building

Intern Tasks

Interns will work collaboratively with Earth Characterization Center staff and geoscientists to:

Core Familiarization and Sediment Description

• Examine and describe lacustrine sediment cores using standard sedimentological criteria, including color, sedimentary structures, soil features, stiffness, and hand-scale particle-size assessment
• Record, edit, and organize descriptive core logs

Subsampling and Laboratory Preparation

• Subsample sediment cores for geochemical, mineralogical, and paleoecological analyses
• Learn the rationale behind different analytical techniques and sampling strategies

Geochemical and Sediment Analyses

• Conduct or interpret elemental profiles using X-ray fluorescence (XRF)
• Assist with particle-size analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to characterize sediment composition and provenance
• Evaluate elemental trends related to dust inputs, hydrologic change, and sediment sources

Paleoecological and Chronologic Analysis

• Wet-sieve sediment samples to isolate materials for radiocarbon dating
• Identify and document fossils preserved in the sediments, including plant and invertebrate remains
• Photograph fossil materials and assist with paleoenvironmental interpretation

Data Synthesis and Interpretation

• Integrate sedimentological, geochemical, and paleoecological data to interpret post-glacial environmental change
• Compare records from different lake basins to assess regional versus local environmental signals

Communication and Scientific Writing

• Synthesize results into figures and present findings and interpretations at the Potter Research Symposium

Project Summary

Groundwater systems in the Wolf Project area reflect complex interactions among stratigraphy, hydrogeologic properties, and geochemical processes that influence groundwater flow behavior and long-term water-quality evolution. The region’s variable lithology, heterogeneous aquifer properties, and potential solute migration pathways make it a valuable setting for evaluating aquifer sustainability and subsurface water–rock interactions.

This project focuses on building a comprehensive data foundation and developing a preliminary groundwater flow and reactive transport modeling framework for the Wolf Project area. The work integrates well construction records, lithologic and structural information, hydraulic properties, potentiometric surfaces, and geochemical time-series data to support the development of conceptual and numerical models capable of simulating groundwater movement, solute transport, and geochemical evolution under different hydrologic scenarios.

GIS-based spatial analysis plays a central role in delineating hydrostratigraphic units, recharge zones, boundary conditions, and potential flow barriers or preferential pathways. These spatial datasets support the construction of conceptual models describing aquifer architecture, hydraulic connectivity, and solute migration pathways. As the project progresses, interns will assist with the development of introductory groundwater flow models and reactive transport simulations to examine hydraulic gradients, storage behavior, and water-quality responses to stresses such as pumping or recharge.

Through this work, interns will contribute to establishing a technically sound foundation for future scenario analysis while gaining practical experience in applied groundwater science, spatial data processing, and early-stage hydrogeologic and geochemical modeling.

Location

Urbana-Champaign, Illinois

Natural Resources Building

Intern Tasks

Interns will work collaboratively with Subsurface Energy Resources staff and geoscientists to:

Data Compilation and Organization

• Collect and compile well construction records, lithologic logs, hydraulic conductivity and porosity data, potentiometric surfaces, geochemical time-series measurements, and structural information from multiple sources
• Digitize and organize datasets into standardized, model-ready spreadsheets or databases
• Review datasets for completeness, consistency, and quality

Spatial Data Processing and GIS Analysis

• Use GIS tools to map hydrostratigraphic units, monitoring locations, recharge zones, surface boundaries, and structural controls
• Generate contour maps, cross sections, and spatial overlays needed to define model domains and boundary conditions
• Identify potential flow barriers and preferential pathways based on geologic and hydrologic data

Conceptual Model Development

• Assist in constructing conceptual models that describe aquifer structure, groundwater flow dynamics, and solute migration pathways
• Integrate geologic, hydrologic, and geochemical information to support model assumptions and framework development

Preliminary Groundwater Flow and Reactive Transport Modeling

• Support the setup of introductory groundwater flow models, including preparation of input files and evaluation of hydraulic parameters
• Assist with reactive transport simulations to examine solute migration and geochemical reactions influencing water quality and aquifer integrity
• Interpret preliminary model results and assess system behavior under different hydrologic scenarios

Synthesis and Communication

• Summarize relevant hydrogeologic literature
• Document data workflows and modeling steps
• Synthesize results into figures and present findings and interpretations at the Potter Research Symposium