The heat rising from the ground near the top of Pacaya Volcano in Guatemala was intense enough to melt the soles of Aaron Barnes’s boots. He was on a spontaneous mission trip after tenth grade, surrounded by stunning scenery, igneous deposits, and the sheer power of the earth. Roasting marshmallows over lava was cool, but looking out from the summit was profound. “I was like, oh my goodness,” he remembers thinking. “I’m walking on something that formed hundreds of millions of years ago… The combination of the scenery and the intense physical experience really hooked me. And then when you’re at the top, you look out and you can see the entire world.”

Despite that powerful connection to the earth sciences, Aaron initially aimed for a career in law enforcement, seeking a job that would keep him active. It wasn’t until his senior year, when a teacher asked, “Have you ever thought about geology?” that the volcano memory resurfaced. That nudge led him to visit PennWest Edinboro’s campus. Meeting faculty like his future advisor, Dr. Straffin, and sensing the engaging atmosphere within the department where professors clearly shared his passion, Aaron felt an immediate sense of belonging. “When I walked in there, I just felt at home,” he shares. “The subject itself just really interested me.” He knew he’d found his place and his field, enrolling as an Environmental Science major, specializing in Professional Geology.

Aaron has presented research at conferences and joined faculty-led field trips, including one memorable expedition to the Black Hills with Dr. Kyle Fredrick. Standing atop a fire tower, sharing the breathtaking vista with classmates, was a peak moment. “I felt very, like a very unified moment… ‘Oh my goodness, I can’t believe I’m here right now’,” he recalls.

Aaron thrives on the quantitative aspects of geology – calculating stream discharge or continental shifts – and the potential for discovery. His goal is to pursue exploration geology, perhaps earning a master’s or Ph.D. “I’d really like to be able to be put in positions where they’re like, ‘Here’s an undiscovered part of land. Go out there, map it, figure out what’s going on’,” he explains. “To me, that’s a dream job.” His journey shows how PennWest fosters those sparks of interest, providing a welcoming community, expert faculty, and hands-on experiences that allow students like Aaron to turn a moment of awe into a future of adventure and scientific pursuit.

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