Yurts & skyscrapers: RMC geology professor studying mountains in Mongolia observes country’s mix of tradition, progression
Local residents driving Derek Sjostrom through central Mongolia were geniuses at fixing vehicles that need at least some repair every day. But when they raced like NASCAR drivers down dirt roads at 55 miles per hour, it was scary. Sjostrom, an assistant professor of geology at Rocky Mountain College, spent three weeks in Mongolia this summer on a National Science Foundation project.Sjostrom was part of an eight-member team of Americans studying how mountain ranges may have affected climate over millions of years.
During their stay, they collected fist-sized rocks and photographed and measured geological layers.
The rocks now are being chemically analyzed at Stanford University.
The trip will result in several research papers, including some co-authored by Sjostrom.
Growing up in Seattle, camping and hiking in the Cascade Range, Sjostrom developed an early interest in geology.
The subject really caught his attention when he took a class from a dynamic professor at the University of Washington in Seattle.
After graduating from UW in 1993, he came to the University of Montana where he received a master’s degree in 1997.
In 1995, he traveled to Mongolia for the first time to do research for his master’s degree on rock formations in western Mongolia that had small, hard-to-extract amounts of petroleum.
He returned to Mongolia in 1997.
Sjostrom got a Ph.D. in geology from Dartmouth College in 2002.
Since then, he has taught at Rocky, University of Montana and University of Alaska before returning to Rocky two years ago.
He spends summers in Alaska where his wife, geologist Jennifer Flight, lives.
Country gains attention
Mongolia began attracting a lot of foreign attention as it emerged from its Soviet-era isolation.
The country, which lies between Russia and China, was ruled by a Soviet-backed Communist government for many years.
In the early 1990s when the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was dissolving, Mongolia shed its communist leadership and set up a parliamentary form of government.
During the Soviet era, westerners largely were kept out of Mongolia. But when it opened up, foreign interests were drawn to its natural resources.
During Sjostrom’s first trip, a search for oil was under way.
Now there’s exploration for gold, copper and uranium.
For his third trip this summer, he flew into the capital, Ulaanbaatar. He then traveled through remote areas of Central Mongolia studying mountain ranges.
Scenic route
Mongolia, which is about the size of Alaska, looks a lot like Montana with few people, open landscapes and hills rolling into spectacular vistas.
“Pretty striking,” he said about the countryside. “Pretty cool.”
Cool, rainy weather this summer turned grazing land emerald green.
Although the terrain is similar to what’s found under the Big Sky, there are many differences.
The culture is nomadic, so there’s less of a tradition of private property.
Mongolians run herds of sheep, cows, goats, yaks, camels and horses on open grazing land.
Road warriors
Sjostrom’s team hired several Mongolians, including a cook and three drivers.
The Mongolians the Americans traveled with and met along the way were very friendly and had great senses of humor.
The group traveled in Toyata Land Cruisers and a Russian van similar to a Volkswagen bus.
Although the vehicles regularly needed repairs, they weren’t as bad as those on Sjostrom’s first trip to Mongolia when his team used only Russian vehicles. That necessitated taking along nearly a complete, disassembled vehicle so the drivers would have every part handy in case of a breakdown.
This summer when they stopped for the night, they pulled off the road and set up backpacking tents whereever they could.
Meals were meat-based — lamb, mutton and beef.
Among his favorites were meat-stuffed dumplings and a str fry of pasta and meat.
On an earlier trip, Sjostrom’s group traded toilet paper and cigarettes for a live sheep that the cook slaughtered and cooked.
This trip they bought meat from a store.
City on the grow
Ulaanbaatar was a sleepy seat of government on his first visit. Now, it is bustling with skyscrapers and cranes and looks like many other Asian cities. About one-third of Mongolia’s 3 million people live in Ulaanbaatar.
Small towns are livelier, too, now. Before, towns were quieter because many residents were out herding livestock.
Sjostrom is sorry to see the changes. Sixteen years ago, the country was exotic. Now it’s beginning to look like any other country with cellphone towers and satellite dishes.
Sjostrom has received a NSF grant for himself and one Rocky student to return to Mongolia next summer and the following summer to do more research.
During their stay, they collected fist-sized rocks and photographed and measured geological layers.
The rocks now are being chemically analyzed at Stanford University.
The trip will result in several research papers, including some co-authored by Sjostrom.
Growing up in Seattle, camping and hiking in the Cascade Range, Sjostrom developed an early interest in geology.
The subject really caught his attention when he took a class from a dynamic professor at the University of Washington in Seattle.
After graduating from UW in 1993, he came to the University of Montana where he received a master’s degree in 1997.
In 1995, he traveled to Mongolia for the first time to do research for his master’s degree on rock formations in western Mongolia that had small, hard-to-extract amounts of petroleum.
He returned to Mongolia in 1997.
Sjostrom got a Ph.D. in geology from Dartmouth College in 2002.
Since then, he has taught at Rocky, University of Montana and University of Alaska before returning to Rocky two years ago.
He spends summers in Alaska where his wife, geologist Jennifer Flight, lives.
Country gains attention
Mongolia began attracting a lot of foreign attention as it emerged from its Soviet-era isolation.
The country, which lies between Russia and China, was ruled by a Soviet-backed Communist government for many years.
In the early 1990s when the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was dissolving, Mongolia shed its communist leadership and set up a parliamentary form of government.
During the Soviet era, westerners largely were kept out of Mongolia. But when it opened up, foreign interests were drawn to its natural resources.
During Sjostrom’s first trip, a search for oil was under way.
Now there’s exploration for gold, copper and uranium.
For his third trip this summer, he flew into the capital, Ulaanbaatar. He then traveled through remote areas of Central Mongolia studying mountain ranges.
Scenic route
Mongolia, which is about the size of Alaska, looks a lot like Montana with few people, open landscapes and hills rolling into spectacular vistas.
“Pretty striking,” he said about the countryside. “Pretty cool.”
Cool, rainy weather this summer turned grazing land emerald green.
Although the terrain is similar to what’s found under the Big Sky, there are many differences.
The culture is nomadic, so there’s less of a tradition of private property.
Mongolians run herds of sheep, cows, goats, yaks, camels and horses on open grazing land.
Road warriors
Sjostrom’s team hired several Mongolians, including a cook and three drivers.
The Mongolians the Americans traveled with and met along the way were very friendly and had great senses of humor.
The group traveled in Toyata Land Cruisers and a Russian van similar to a Volkswagen bus.
Although the vehicles regularly needed repairs, they weren’t as bad as those on Sjostrom’s first trip to Mongolia when his team used only Russian vehicles. That necessitated taking along nearly a complete, disassembled vehicle so the drivers would have every part handy in case of a breakdown.
This summer when they stopped for the night, they pulled off the road and set up backpacking tents whereever they could.
Meals were meat-based — lamb, mutton and beef.
Among his favorites were meat-stuffed dumplings and a str fry of pasta and meat.
On an earlier trip, Sjostrom’s group traded toilet paper and cigarettes for a live sheep that the cook slaughtered and cooked.
This trip they bought meat from a store.
City on the grow
Ulaanbaatar was a sleepy seat of government on his first visit. Now, it is bustling with skyscrapers and cranes and looks like many other Asian cities. About one-third of Mongolia’s 3 million people live in Ulaanbaatar.
Small towns are livelier, too, now. Before, towns were quieter because many residents were out herding livestock.
Sjostrom is sorry to see the changes. Sixteen years ago, the country was exotic. Now it’s beginning to look like any other country with cellphone towers and satellite dishes.
Sjostrom has received a NSF grant for himself and one Rocky student to return to Mongolia next summer and the following summer to do more research.
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