Is this programme right for you?

How did you choose your programme?
– It was a coincidence that I started studying geophysics; I had decided to become a geologist, but when I searched for programmes, geophysics came up. I had never heard of it before, but since I like physics, I thought it would be an interesting field—and it was. After completing the Bachelor’s programme in geophysics at Uppsala University, it felt natural to continue at the Master’s level; I had a good understanding of the curriculum, and the course offerings in general were appealing.

What is the best thing about studying at Uppsala University?
– I think Uppsala itself is a great city to live in as a student.

Was there anything you found difficult or surprising when you started your studies at Uppsala University?
– I commuted at first, and it was more of a challenge than I had expected. I wouldn't recommend commuting.

Describe the student life!
– There are plenty of clubs for anyone who wants to experience the student life here, everything from choirs and clubs for board games to volleyball teams. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in department clubs or student nations for socialising and parties.

Name three things you are doing this week:
– I’m going to visit the old mine at Dannemora, take care of my family's dogs, and attend several lectures.

What is your reason for studying, or your ultimate goal?
– My goal after graduation is to find a job – preferably abroad – that involves a lot of fieldwork and maybe some adventure as well.

What advice would you give to someone considering applying for this programme?
– Be prepared for the fact that this is a small program with only a few students, so try to socialise and work with students from other programs. Don’t be afraid to look silly, have the courage to ask your questions in class, the professors are dedicated and want us to learn.

What is your favourite place in Uppsala?
– The nature reserve behind BMC (Uppsala Biomedical Centre).

Where is the best place to study?
– The library at Geo Centre. It's definitely the coziest library, and the quiet reading room is flooded in wonderful natural light in the morning. It’s also really fun to go down to the bomb shelter in the basement – which doubles as a storage room – and browse through old scripts and papers.

Do you have any final reflections or comments?
– One thing I appreciate about geophysics is the great opportunity it offers to work with people from different fields.

Spring 2026

How did you choose the programme?
– I grew up during violent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in Iceland and watched experts and geoscientists on TV analysing the situations and events. When I got my Bachelor's degree, I met a geophysicist who worked as an expert on natural hazards in Iceland. It sounded like a dream job, and I was fascinated by her passion for research related to it. She had studied geophysics here at Uppsala University, and when I looked into the program and the field, I became very interested.

What is the best thing about studying at Uppsala University?
– For me, it's the flexibility, the enthusiasm of the teachers that is transferred to the students, and the personal teaching.

Was there anything you found difficult or surprising when you started studying?
– I found it quite difficult to move to another country and start a new course at the same time. You want to experience everything student life has to offer, even though you don't always have time, but after a while, you find a balance.

Describe student life!
– Student life in Uppsala offers so many opportunities to get to know others and try something new. Everyone can find something they are interested in every week.

Name three things you are doing this week:
– Finishing my vacation, skiing, and meeting friends at a restaurant.

What is your goal with this education?
– My goal is to work in research and gain a better understanding of how geosystems work with better modeling and technology, where I can go out into the field and take measurements. An additional goal is to be able to connect with the development of sustainable energy.

What advice would you give to someone considering applying to this program?
– You have a lot of flexibility to learn about and focus on something you find interesting in each course. The teachers are very knowledgeable and encourage critical thinking, which is important and helps you gain a better understanding of the subject.

– Don't stress yourself out, ask your classmates or teachers for help if you don't understand something, and try to participate in the events offered by the nations.

What is your favorite place in Uppsala?
– Lyssnaängsbadet in Sunnersta.

Where is the best place to study?
– Geo Centre. It's so quiet and cozy.

Spring 2026

Can you explain what geophysics is to someone who doesn’t know?
– Geophysics means that you use physics to understand the earth. It may be that you are trying to understand physical phenomena such as plate tectonics and the earth's magnetic field, but also to study and measure the physical properties of rocks (such as density, electrical conductivity or magnetic susceptibility) to map e.g. groundwater reservoirs, mineral deposits, fracture zones and other underground structures.

What made you choose to study geophysics?
– I like physics and thought it sounded exciting to study something more concrete, something that you might be able to touch and understand more easily (unlike more mysterious things like quarks and string theory). I tried a course in global geophysics and after that I was stuck! I attended the Bachelor's programme in Physics and took some geophysics courses during the last year. Then I continued with the Master's programme in geophysics.

What was the best thing about the programme?
– The best thing was that the programme was so versatile and that we got to read about so many different subjects, everything from seismology and earthquakes to electromagnetic geophysics and inversion theory.

What does the labour market look like? Was it easy to find a job?
– My experience is that there are not so many advertisements for jobs in geophysics, but at the same time there are not so many geophysicists either. It may depend a bit on what you want to work in, but there are, for example, good opportunities to study further as a doctoral student. Further, SGU (Geological Survey of Sweden) has opportunities in geophysics and there are also jobs in mineral exploration and geotechnics. I got a job pretty quickly after graduation, but I don’t know if it was easy or if I was lucky that the job just appeared timely.

Are there any international career opportunities?
– Yes, there absolutely is. Even if I'm not so familiar with what that market looks like. But at work, we often collaborate with companies and universities from other countries that also work with geophysics.

Where do you work now? Tell us a little about what you do.
– I work as a geophysicist in mineral exploration at Boliden Gruvor. I plan geophysical measurements and process results from these measurements to find new mineral deposits. The ore we are looking for are often good electrical conductors and we can use electromagnetic methods to find them, we make measurements both on the ground and inside boreholes.

Have you had any contact with Uppsala University since you graduated?
– Yes, I took the course "Electromagnetic Methods in Deep Mineral Exploration" recently. As an alumnus, it is fun to keep in touch with your former teachers and it is rewarding to be able to continuously learn more in the subject. It was my old teacher and supervisor who asked me to be a part of this interview.

Your best advice for someone considering studying geophysics?
– Try it! If you like physics and mathematics and want to know more about how the earth works, this is the right choice!

Spring 2022

Can you explain what geophysics is to someone who doesn’t know?
– In geophysics, we try to understand the earth's interior, its properties and behaviour. The methods used are many, for example, seismology, electromagnetism and thermodynamics. The same methods are used when we examine other planets and moons in the universe. Through measuring with these methods, we can produce 3D models of the earth's geological structure. The information can be used for many different things, ranging from community planning and secure infrastructure from natural disasters to environmental research or exploration of natural resources such as metals or groundwater.

What made you choose to study geophysics?
– I was interested in physics during high school and wanted to continue with physics. When I was going to choose a university degree, I came to the conclusion that the Bachelor's programme in physics would suit me. The programme provides a broad base in physics and then there is the opportunity to specialise, in my case in geophysics. I was first admitted to the Bachelor's programme in physics with the specialisation in physics but chose to change my specialisation to geophysics during the programme.

What was the best thing about the programme?
– The best thing about the programme was that you get to see the theories put into practice. During the Bachelor's programme, one acquires solid theoretical knowledge which one then has to learn to apply directly to geophysical problems. In addition, I like to be outdoors and in geophysics you often have the opportunity to collect data outdoors. There was also very good contact between the students and the lecturers and researchers we had during the courses, which made it easy to find interesting project work.

What does the labour market look like, was it easy to find a job?
– The labour market for a geophysicist looks quite good and there is a need for geophysicists both in the industry and in academia. It is particularly interesting now when it comes to the green transition that is being implemented throughout society. A deeper understanding is needed of how the earth reacts to different processes. When converting to renewable energy, our society needs large amounts of natural resources to be able to produce batteries and other electronic equipment, which requires knowledge in geophysics. In the industry, geophysicists are also needed, in exploration work in the mining industry or preliminary investigations of soil and rock in major construction projects.

For me, it was relatively easy to find a job; I had talked to both my supervisor for my Bachelor’s thesis and my supervisor for the Master's thesis that I was considering a doctorate. I received a lot of help in finding and applying for advertised doctoral student positions, both in Sweden and abroad. Of these positions, I got a doctoral position at Luleå University of Technology and started there about 14 days after I finished my Master's.

Where do you work now? Tell us a little about what you are doing.
– I am a doctoral student in exploration geophysics at Luleå University of Technology (LTU). I work with something called "Common Earth modelling" (CEM). It is about merging different types of geophysical and geological data into a coherent model of the earth. It involves a lot of programming and thinking at the office, combined with fieldwork where I get the opportunity to spend a lot of time outdoors to collect my data.

Have you had any contact with Uppsala University since you graduated?
– Yes! It is not been so long since I graduated, spring semester of 2021, but I am a member of both Uppsala University's alumni association and the programme specific alumni association (UPAN). As a current doctoral student, I have also continuous contact with the teachers and researchers at Uppsala University who are active in my field.

Your best advice for someone who is considering studying geophysics?
– Make sure to have fun during your studies. You can complete the studies as long as you spend the time recommended for the courses. Be sure to participate in one of Uppsala's many student associations, such as the student union for engineering and science (UTN), the sections, the student nations or something completely different! It takes some time but in my opinion, it is definitely worth it.

Spring 2022