Research Opportunities in Rock Deformation (R.O.R.D.) is a paid REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) internship program that provides laboratory and field-based research experience in rock mechanics and structural geology.
R.O.R.D. is designed to introduce undergraduate students from earth science, geoscience, and engineering to the field of rock deformation, even if they’ve never heard of it before!
Have questions? Email us at RockDeformationREU@gmail.com
RORD is on hiatus as we are in between funding. We hope to admit a new cohort in 2026!
About
Each cohort of R.O.R.D. students will participate in three sessions over the summer and fall designed to provide extensive training and professional development.
- The program begins in June with a 9 day field session in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California where student participants will be introduced to the geological study of deformed rocks.
- Immediately following the field session students will travel to their host lab, where they will participate in a six week laboratory session conducting deformation experiments on specimens collected during the field session.
- In December we reconvene for a conference session where students have the opportunity to reconnect with their peers and mentors, and present the results of their research projects at the American Geophysical Union international meeting.
The site is “hosted” at Washington University in St. Louis, however students will participate through laboratory sessions at one of eleven participating labs. For more information please contact us at RockDeformationREU@gmail.com.
Important Dates for 2026 RORD Program
| Applications Due | February 15, 2026 |
| Application Notification | March 15, 2026 |
| Field Session | June, 2026 |
| Lab Session | June -July, 2026 |
| Conference Session | December, 2026 |
