Tag: mineral exploration

GMES Student Spotlight Q&A: Konraad VanDyke, B.S. Geology ’25

GMES Student Spotlight Q&A: Konraad VanDyke, B.S. Geology 2025
Hometown: Kalamazoo, Michigan

Konraad VanDyke, a Geology major from Kalamazoo, chose Michigan Tech for its unique geology. He enjoys Petrology with Professor Chad Deering and is active in campus groups like the Undergraduate Student Government and Geology Club. Outside class, he explores local history and hikes and embraces winter through snowshoeing and skiing. Keep reading to learn more about Konraad’s reflections on being a current student.

Konraad standing in an old shovel bucket from a coal mine in Germany. The bucket currently sits at the Cliff shafts.

Q: Why did you choose to attend MTU?

A: The geology of the surrounding area.

Q: Do you have a favorite class or professor so far?

A: Professor Chad Deering with Petrology

Q: Are you in any clubs or groups on campus?

A: USG (Undergraduate Student Government), AIPG, SME, Geology Club

Q: What advice would you give to a future Husky?

A: Pay attention in class and chase what you enjoy endlessly. 

Q: What about MTU would you change, if possible?

A: Lately, I have liked better winters with more snow and colder temps.

Q: What local activities do you enjoy outside of MTU?

A: Hiking, exploring, and meeting the locals and old timers who saw the area when some old mines were in operation. 

Q: What is your favorite on-campus place to eat? Off-campus? 

A: Either the Hut in Calumet or Hilltop in L’anse

Q: How do you survive winter?

A: By embracing and enjoying it by hiking, snowshoeing, and skiing. 

Q: Have your post-graduation plans changed since coming to MTU? If so, how and why?

A: They have not changed but focused more on mineral exploration.

A thin section highlights pyroxene (black in the middle) within basalt.