John Fieldhouse
- Course: Geology BSc
- Year of graduation: 2019
- Nationality: British
- Job title: Exploration Geologist
- Company: Anglo Gold
John Fieldhouse was a Geology BSc student, studying at the School of Earth and Environment. John graduated in 2019 and now works as an Exploration Geologist at Anglo Gold.
After finishing his studies at Leeds, John decided to take a year off to do some travelling. In September 2020 he commenced an MSc in Exploration Geology.
Following this, John took on his current role as an exploration geologist in Cyprus, managing drill programmes and orchestrating sampling campaigns across the country. I’ll soon be moving over to Western Australia to take the next steps in my career in mineral exploration there.
Choosing Geology at Leeds
“I decided to study at the University of Leeds because of the fantastic student life there along with the engaging course content and interesting modules available.”
The best thing about the geology course at Leeds was definitely the field trips and the social life that often stemmed from them - field trips were fantastic fun and meant that everyone on the course got to know each-other.
Exciting projects
The best project John was involved in at Leeds was the independent mapping project, which he conducted in Kerrera, Inner Hebrides.
“We spent 6 weeks mapping the island, having barbecues, swimming in the sea and enjoying the occasional drink in the evening.”
Impact of studying at Leeds on future career
“At Leeds I met a huge variety of people from different backgrounds, which I think has set me up to work well in teams across the world during my career.”
The course also honed the fundamental, first principles skills needed for a geologist which I think are absolutely invaluable in any career in geoscience.
Hobbies and societies
Alongside his studies, John also spent time rock-climbing, which Leeds offers great chances to do.
“I also enjoyed getting out in town with other geos, including roc-soc which had some great social events.”
Advice for future students
I’d definitely encourage anyone thinking about studying geology at Leeds to do so - I had an absolutely fantastic three years there and I can’t praise the teaching I received there enough - all of the staff are extremely passionate and I can’t count how many times a faculty member went the extra mile to help me learn.
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