Growing up in Oneida, New York, nestled between Syracuse and Utica, Rose Barris always imagined she would pursue higher education. With two scientist parents, college was part of her family’s vocabulary from the start. Her father studied astronomy before moving into satellite data processing, while her mother is a geologist working in environmental remediation. So as high school ended, the question for Barris was not ‘Do I go to college?’ but rather ‘Where do I want to go to college?’
“I actually wasn’t interested in Cornell at first,” she admits. Having moved from Southern California to upstate New York in second grade, Barris was eager to venture farther from home. But her parents encouraged her to at least tour the campus. That visit changed everything. “Once I saw the campus, I was like, that seems pretty cool. I would enjoy going there. And then I looked more into the academic programs, and I actually really wanted to go. I even applied early decision.” The combination of a vibrant campus community, expansive natural surroundings, and strong science programs made Cornell the right choice.
Her initial plan was to study engineering physics. Without an AP physics background in high school, however, she quickly realized the program wasn’t the right fit. Exploring other classes, she found herself increasingly drawn to the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. “I realized I was a lot more interested in the science side of things than in applied engineering,” she says.
Attending a freshman orientation info session about geology solidified her interest. By sophomore year, she had affiliated with the department and joined the Cornell student chapter of the Society of Economic Geologists. A field trip that fall to the Sterling Hill Mining Museum in New Jersey and a coal mine in Pennsylvania cemented her decision. “That trip really sealed it for me,” Barris said.
The Society of Economic Geologists has become central to Barris’s undergraduate experience. She first joined as a new student simply looking for ways to get involved. “I saw it listed under undergraduate clubs, emailed to ask if new members were welcome, and the president said, ‘Yeah, we’d love to have you.’” Barris went on to serve as president herself and continues to stay active as secretary. The club has given her hands-on exposure to the field and the chance to connect closely with faculty mentors. “Because I became president, I worked really closely with Professor Karin Olson Hoal,” she says. “I also had the opportunity to do research for her before she left on sabbatical.”
Barris’s academic journey has been equally shaped by coursework and research opportunities. She highlights “Fundamentals of Energy and Mineral Resources” with Olsen Hoal and a geodesy course with Rowena Lohman, professor, as particular favorites. “It was pretty cool to do the programming exercises, create interferograms myself and see how the data worked,” Barris said of the geodesy class. Research projects have taken her from analyzing kimberlite samples collected beneath Cornell’s campus in the 1980s to studying volcanic flank collapse on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula using remote sensing and digital elevation models. “One of the great things about earth and atmospheric sciences being a smaller department is that it was easier to find research opportunities,” she explains. “I cold-emailed a couple of professors, and ended up being able to work with both.”
Outside the classroom, Barris enjoys hiking in the Adirondacks, swimming, and reading – habits that go back to her childhood. She’s also pursued a minor in history, a field she says offers “a nice change of pace from my science-based courses.” Looking ahead, she is weighing her options between graduate school and entering the workforce. For now, she plans to apply for jobs and consider grad school later. “I think I’ll work for a few years and then decide if I want to go back,” Barris said. Her ideal path may still be taking shape, but her openness to new experiences and her passion for geology have already made her time at Cornell rich and rewarding.