s w Ne
Vol. 64, No. 5 – Winter 2021
Coming up INSIDE…
2021 Annual Meeting Recap
San Antonio, Texas
GASH Conference March 2022
65thAnnual Mee eting September 13 3-17, 2022 Planet Hollywoood | Las Veegas, Neevada our fun begins on The T Strip, Las Vegas’ maain artery and home to bustlin ng casinos, world-class restaurants, ornatelyy designed g r resorts and over-the-top p shows.
Stay Like a Star S
To register To g , visit: aegannualmeeting.org g g g
s w e N
Vol. 64, No. 5 – Winter 2021
AEG News (ISSN 0899-5788; USPS 954-380) is published by the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists (AEG), 3053 Nationwide Pkwy., Brunswick, OH 44212, four times a year in April, July, and December with the Annual Report and Directory in March. The Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts is published only digitally, in September, and the digital copies are distributed at the AEG Annual Meeting. Association members receive an electronic copy of all five issues of the AEG News as part of their dues. Print subscription for Association members, which includes all three regular issues of the AEG News and the Annual Report and Directory issue, is $40 in addition to annual membership dues. Nonmember annual subscription is $50. Back copies of AEG News regular issues are $12 each. Inquiries should be sent to AEG Headquarters: Association Manager, 3053 Nationwide Parkway, Brunswick, OH 44212 330-578-4900.
Periodical Postage paid at Brunswick, OH, and additional mailing offices: POSTMASTER: Send address changes to AEG News, 3053 Nationwide Pkwy., Brunswick, OH 44212. © 2021 Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists—All Rights Reserved Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those officially representing the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists except where expressly stated.
AEG News Editors Acquisitions Editor: Martha Whitney, Principal Engineering Geologist, Whitney Geologic, news@aegweb.org Content Editor: Bill Roman, Chief Geologist, Gannett Fleming, Inc., wroman@gfnet.com Managing Editor/Production: Andrea Leigh Ptak, Communicating Words & Images, 206-300-2067, andrealeighptak@me.com, www.andrealeighptak.com
Table of Contents Index to Advertisers
4
From the Editors 4 Your Questions & Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 The Acquisitions Editor’s Pen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 News of the Association 6 The President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Vice President’s Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Treasurer’s Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Secretary’s Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Foundation Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Committee Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Memorials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 People of AEG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Special Section – 2021 Annual Meeting Recap
22
News of the Profession 28 ASBOG® Annual Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Field Notes–The Gift of Mentorship
29
Professional Contributions 30 Hazards and Havoc: Recent Eruptions on La Palma Island, Canary Archipelago . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Field Trips
33
The HomeFront
34
Submission Information
On the Cover
In order of preference:
Paleoseismic trench exposes plate boundary thrust fault in southern Papua New Guinea. Beau Whitney will present the investigation findings at the GASH Virtual Conference in March. Registration details on page 17.
1. Send files via email, preferably as attachments, to both email addresses above. Optimum file format is MSWord. Users of other software programs should convert their file to ASCII or text only. Photos and other images, charts, graphs, etc.) should be sent as separate images but may be included in the Word.doc for placement purposes. 2. Images should be sent as high-resolution (250 dpi at 4” wide or larger) jpeg or tiff files and should be named with a strong identifier such as HF-Texas-John Jones —NOT P204679.jpg. Corresponding photo captions should be included in the text along with an attribution of the source/photographer. 3. The policy of AEG News editorial staff is to limit the credentials of an individual to two. No effort will be made by the AEG News editorial staff to determine if individuals whose credentials are missing from the submitted copy actually have academic or professional credentials, nor will the staff verify the existence or correctness of the credentials submitted. For detailed guidelines visit: https://aeg.memberclicks.net/assets/docs/aeg_news_style_guide_0713.pdf
Advertising in the News
The association 2021–22 Officers President: MADDIE GERMAN Atlantic Coast Consulting, Atlanta, Georgia, president@aegweb.org Vice President/President Elect: NATHAN SARACENO Senior Geologist, DiGioia Gray and Associates, Monroeville, Pennsylvania, VP@aegweb.org Treasurer: SARAH KALIKA Consulting Geologist, DiabloGeo Environmental, San Ramon, California, treasurer@aegweb.org Secretary: RENEE WAWCZAK Hydrogeologist, Norridge, Illinois, secretary@aegweb.org
Contact AEG Headquarters at advertising@aegweb.org.
Past President: WILLIAM GODWIN Consulting Geologist, Carmel, California, PP@aegweb.org
Submission Deadlines
Association Contacts
https://www.aegweb.org/aeg-news-2
Headquarters: Association Manager: SHERI MASKOW J&M Business Solutions 3053 Nationwide Parkway, Brunswick, OH 44212 330-578-4900, manager@aegweb.org
Canada Agreement number: PM40063731; Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Station A, PO Box 54; Windsor, ON N9A 6J5; Email: returnsil@imex.pb.com
AEG Foundation—President: KEN NEAL, president@aegfoundation.org
Winter 2021
AEG NEWS 64(5)
3
FROM THE EDITORS
Your
Q – What is AEG doing to increase awareness of diversity, equity and inclusion?
Get answers and information from AEG members on your industry and associationrelated questions.
Q – I have small children that I think understand what a geologist does but how can I be sure?
Questions &Answers
A – Currently AEG has an operating committee of the same name and goes by DEIC (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Committee). The committee has several members and has an online call every month. Details on the committee can be found on the AEG website https://aeg.memberclicks.net/diversity
In each issue, questions sent by any member will be posted along with the response from the official to whom it is addressed. If the questions are general in nature, then the AEG News editorial staff will research it and post the response, otherwise a specific AEG official will respond to the question.
A – Speaking as a father with two now adult daughters, my initial involvement was visiting their elementary school classrooms. A simple show and tell with crystals, fossils, and maps is a lot of fun. You can take it to the next level and get soil samples in a remote corner of the play yard. When they get a little older, see if your employer will support a “Take Your Child to Work Day” so they can see firsthand what you do. The next one will be held April 28, 2022.
Please send your questions, comments, input, or suggestions to Martha Whitney, AEG News Acquisitions Editor at news@aegweb.org. This issue’s questions answered by AEG Past President Bill Godwin
Q – I’m an undergraduate with a geology major and am wondering whether pursuing a master’s degree is worth it and how would I pay for it? A – Obtaining a master’s degree in geology or the geosciences can be rewarding from the standpoint of specialization in a particular field of study and also for career advancement. Certainly, if you have little industry experience and want to join a career in academia, an MS or MA is a minimum at the junior college level. Consult your university counselor for more details. While AEG as an organization can’t provide specific advice or resources, reaching out to members for their advice is beneficial. What AEG can provide are scholarships through the AEG Foundation for graduate work. Visit the AEG Foundation website for more details and to fill out an application. https://www.aegfoundation.org/
o t x e d In vertisers Ad
AEG Corporate Sponsor Listing . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 University of Arizona . . . . . . . . .Inside Back Cover UPenn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Back Cover AEG 2022 Annual Meeting . . . .Inside Front Cover AEG 2023 Annual Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 To advertise in AEG News, contact AEG Headquarters at advertising@aegweb.org
4
Requesting Submissions for Spring 2022 2022 is the sesquicentennial of the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act, which established Yellowstone as the world's first national park. In 1871, Ferdinand V. Hayden and his photographer William H. Jackson conducted geologic surveys in the western territories and were instrumental in providing the reports and photographs that led to the establishment of Yellowstone National Park. https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/7000078/report.pdf The Spring issue of AEG News will celebrate this extraordinary achievement by publishing a National Parks Special Edition with contributions from geologists working in our national parks. The AEG News team welcomes and encourages members to contribute their stories. Did you work for the park service "back in the day"? Consider sharing your personal story. Are you currently working for the National Parks Service on an engineering geology or environmental geology project? Consider writing up a short technical note. Have you carried out research in the National Parks? Consider writing up a short summary of that research. Technical contributions are typically about 2,000 words and photos and figures are encouraged. Remember, AEG News is a newsletter not a peer-reviewed journal; there are no charges if you wish to include color photos and figures.
The deadline for the Spring Edition is February 15. Please contact Martha Whitney, AEG News Acquisitions Editor at news@aegweb.org if you are interested in contributing.
AEG NEWS 64(5)
Winter 2021
HERE FROMHEADER THE EDITORS
Acquisitions Editor’s Pen
G
Martha Whitney, AEG News Acquisitions Editor
reetings and welcome to the Winter Edition of AEG News. I hope that everyone has had a relatively smooth transition back to social and professional endeavors. My first fully vaccinated trip was in May when I flew from France to California to attend my daughter’s graduation from Humboldt State University. In addition to visiting friends and family I’d not seen in so long, I had planned to attend the AEG Annual Meeting in San Antonio. Unfortunately, work got in the way (doesn’t it always in our industry!). I was very disappointed to miss the opportunity to meet you all in person. This issue includes a recap of the meeting, and indeed it was a success! We can now all look forward to the 2022 Annual
Meeting, which will be in Las Vegas, Nevada, and I look forward to the technical sessions, field trips, and good times that will be sure to define next year’s event! The work engagement that kept me away was a rather interesting one: three months on two different research vessels at sea in the north Atlantic off the coast of the United States. I was working as a client representative, providing oversight to geotechnical investigations to support the development of offshore wind farms along the outer continental shelf. If you were able to attend the Annual Meeting, perhaps you saw Zack Westgate’s presentation: Glauconite Sands: A New Geohazard for Offshore Wind? Glauconite is but one of the engineering challenges facing foundation design teams in these settings. We as engineering geologists have a key role to play in the development of the offshore wind sector, from providing standard geophysical and geotechnical investigation activities to identifying and characterizing offshore geohazards and working with engineers to minimize geohazard risks. We have some exciting topics envisioned for your AEG News 2022 editions, including the role of geologists in clean energy resource development. If you have worked in any of the clean energy sectors (windfarms, hydro, geothermal, other) please consider contributing an article. We are also planning a special issue to commemorate the sesquicentennial of the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act, which established Yellowstone as the world’s first national park. We are seeking articles from park geologists past and present, in Yellowstone and throughout our amazing National Park Service network. If you or someone you know is (or was) a NPS geologist and would be interested in sharing their experience, please ask them to contact me at news@aegweb.org. We hope you enjoy this Winter issue of AEG News and have a great holiday season.
AEG News Acquisitions Editor Martha Whitney at work on one of the vessels off the north Atlantic coast of the United States. Winter 2021
AEG NEWS 64(5)
5
NEWS OFHERE THE ASSOCIATION – THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE HEADER
“Something to Talk About”
B
Maddie German, 2021–22 AEG President
y the time your eyes skim across my words, several months will have passed since the 2021 Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. It will be an honor for me to serve as your AEG President for the 2021–22 year, and I would be remiss if I failed to thank you, the AEG membership, for putting your trust in my leadership. To everyone who attended the Annual Meeting, thank you for supporting AEG as we rebuild our professional relationships in-person. The fantastic speakers, excellent networking, and a supportive local environment made for an amazing event. I want to extend my gratitude to all who helped make the meeting a success. If you were not able to make it, you were missed, but we look forward to celebrating with you in Las Vegas this September 2022! As we continue on a rebuilding journey, I want to present my three primary, high-level objectives for my year as AEG president: 1. Communication, 2. Chapters and Members, and 3. Building Leaders.
1. Communication Communication is the foundation of any business or organization and AEG is no different. I will strive to reinvigorate the open dialogue between the Chapter members and leadership. Our membership should be aware they can reach out to not only their Chapter leaders, but also to anyone on the Board of Directors (BOD) or in an association leadership position. I plan to continue the ongoing encouragement of geoscientists to collaborate on social media and to open new avenues for dialog. In this polarizing world pulling folks away from one another, I want AEG to have a centering message: that we are geoscientists and this is a place where we meet to discuss what interests us all as professionals. Throughout my tenure, I will write monthly notes in the AEG Insider to the membership to help foster the open communication process and to share information with the membership about upcoming events and interesting industry news.
In an effort to gain a better understanding of the health of our Chapters, one of my goals as President is to devote an hour with each Chapter’s leadership group (ideally in person, but via zoom if necessary) and discuss “how’s it going” and chapter needs, ideas, and opportunities. I aim to follow in Bill’s footsteps by continuing to speak with the Chapters in-person to help maintain the bonds of AEG and to continue to demonstrate that leadership roles in AEG are attainable by all our membership.
3. Building Leaders The core of our strength at AEG is our volunteer leadership. To preserve the longevity of our association we must build-up future leaders from a young age. We have many student members who have assumed leadership roles in their college Chapters as well as many professional members who fulfill leadership roles in their local communities. No matter the current stage of your professional development, there are numerous opportunities to grow your leadership skills within AEG. The association has recently placed a greater focus on supporting our volunteers by providing additional backup, along with educational opportunities and other small perks. Our goal is to provide more ways for our membership to learn and hone the skills they desire for AEG, their career, and life. I look forward to working with you all and sharing in our growth over the next year. Please feel free to contact me with your thoughts and ideas to continue to make AEG the premier association for applied geology.
Current AEG Chapters Alaska
New York-Philadelphia
Atlanta
Nisqually
Carolinas
Oregon
Chicago
Phoenix
2. Chapters and Members
DC/Maryland/Virginia
Puget Sound
AEG cannot not exist without the Chapters, which, through their Chairs, are the primary link between association leadership and individual members. Strong Chapter leadership is a linchpin in keeping the entire association working. Over the past few years, your BOD and committee chairs have been working hard to enhance the “Chapter Toolkit” that provides Chapter leadership with the tools they need to grow successful Chapters. The “Chapter Toolkit” holds numerous templates and forms, along with great general information that Chapter leadership can use at the local level. Participation on the Chapter Support Committee calls is a fast way to share wins or lessons learned.
Great Basin
Sacramento
Greater Pittsburgh
San Francisco Bay Area
Inland Empire
San Joaquin Valley
Kansas City/Omaha
Southern California
Lower Mississippi Valley
Southern Nevada
Mile High
St Louis
Nashville
Texas
New England
Utah
6
AEG NEWS 64(5)
PLUS 40 Student Chapters
Winter 2021
NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – VICE PRESIDENT’S HEADER REPORT HERE
Committees Are Our Core
A
Nathan Saraceno, 2021–22 AEG Vice President
s I continue serving AEG on the Executive Council, I want to thank you for your trust and support. The main responsibility of the Vice President/President Elect is to serve as a liaison between the Operational Committees and the Board of Directors, and to facilitate the operational committees to engage AEG members in taking ownership of their Association. I am looking forward to interacting more closely with members through our operational committees—listed below— and supporting their efforts while promoting AEG’s mission and moving our strategic plan forward. This list with descriptions for each of the committees can be found on the AEGs website and you can check the calendar
to see their next meeting time. AEG operational committees are a great place for anyone looking to develop their leadership and communication skills and/or those interested in having a larger role in the association. Anyone can join a committee—student members, new members, retired professionals. If you have an interest, you are welcome. If you don’t see your personal interest on that list, please reach out to me, AEG is always seeking enthusiastic members to build committees and expand our reach. You can email me at VP@aegweb.org or HQ at manager@aegweb.org if you are interested and want to be connected with a Committee Chair.
AEG Operational Committees Advocacy Awards Chapter Support Communications
Continuing Education Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Finance Governance
Corporartse 2021 Sponso Kilimanjaro
K–12 Education Licensure Meetings Advisory Strategic Initiative
Student and Young Professional Support 2022 Annual Meeting
Kilauea Collier Geophysics, LLC Phil Sirles, 7711 W 6th Ave., Suite G Lakewood, CO 80214 720-487-9200 https://colliergeophysics.com/
The University of Arizona College of Engineering (888) 658-2042 1209 East 2nd St., Room 100 Tucson, AZ 85721 onlineengineering@arizona.edu https://online.engineering.arizona.edu/online-eng-mining/
Lettis Consultants International, Inc. Earth Science Consultants Ion Bazgan, 1981 N. Broadway, Suite 330 Walnut Creek, CA 94596 (925) 482-0360 http://www.lettisci.com/
AEG News Disclaimer
AEG News Welcomes Your Feedback.
Authors alone are responsible for views expressed in signed articles. Advertisers and their agencies are solely responsible for the content of all advertisements printed and also assume responsibility for any claims arising therefrom against the publisher. AEG and AEG News reserve the right to reject any advertising copy.
Comments, suggestions, or questions should be sent with the writer's name, address, and daytime phone number via e-mail to news@aegweb.org.
Winter 2021
AEG NEWS 64(5)
7
HEADER NEWS OFHERE THE ASSOCIATION – TREASURER’S REPORT
Heading into the New Year on Strong Financial Footing Sarah Kalika, 2021–22 AEG Treasurer
A
EG has weathered the COVID pandemic stronger than expected, thanks to continued strong membership numbers and a small surplus in 2020. Despite the Covid-driven uncertainty, membership has remained stable, with some membership categories increasing. Despite a financial loss from this year’s Annual Meeting in San Antonio, AEG’s finances remain strong and in fact, much stronger than if we had chosen to cancel the meeting this year and pay over $200,000 in cancellation fees and penalties. Contracts with hotels for the Annual Meeting are signed years in advance; we have contracts in place today through 2025. Often hotels are reluctant to modify these contracts and allow a latestage cancellation without penalty, which was the case in San Antonio. Most contracts have severe cancellation penalties, but we are thankful that the hotel in San Antonio worked with our Meetings Manager, Heather Clark, to greatly reduce food and beverage minimums and lowered our financial penalties for failing to meet the room block. Through skillful negotiations and modifications by Heather and Meeting Chair Jeff Neathery, we were able to hold a successful meeting while minimizing losses. The choice to cancel would have resulted in a loss equaling nearly half of the Treasurer’s Reserve fund which would have had dire consequences for the future of the Association. The Treasurer’s Reserve, which sits currently at $463,020 has taken ten years to build to this point, so a loss of half of these funds would have left AEG with fewer financial options during a worst-case scenario of future major losses. The good news is we’re looking optimistically ahead to 2022. The Board of Directors approved our budget for next year and membership renewal season is here. While Full Members make up 46% of our membership, 91% of our income comes from dues paid by Full Members. Please remember to renew your membership, and, if you’re able, please consider donating an additional amount to support the continued operation of AEG as a “Sustaining Member.” All Sustaining Members are recognized in the Annual Report and Directory, thank you for your continued support! Our operating budget for 2022 is $542,031, which projects a small loss of $22,346 but can be 8
made up if we have strong membership renewals and a surplus that exceeds our budgeted minimum for the 2022 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is important to point out that while we have historically budgeted a net deficit, previous years have ended with a net surplus. In particular, 2020 ended in a surplus due to reduced travel expenses (the majority of the Board and Executive Council meetings were
AEG NEWS 64(5)
Winter 2021
NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – TREASURER’S HEADER REPORT HERE conducted virtually, our Virtual Annual Meeting was financially successful, and administrative costs decreased under our new Association Management company). As Chapters get back up and running, 2022 may be the right time for you to host a Professional Forum. We do not currently have any short courses, symposiums, or regional professional forums scheduled for 2022, though several are in early planning stages. Successful professional forums highlight a half to full-day of short presentations on a similar topic. Professional forums can be held successfully as webinars or inperson! If you’re interested in hosting, but don’t know how to begin the planning process, AEG’s Meeting Manager Heather Clark can help! Heather’s experience in negotiating contracts, handling registration, organizing webinars, and communicating with presenters makes hosting a professional forum easier than it has ever been. Heather can be reached at heather@aegweb.org. I look forward to serving AEG as Treasurer this year!
AEG 2021–22 Treasurer Sarah Kalika during the 2021 Annual Meeting in San Antonio.
NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – SECRETARY’S REPORT
Looking Forward to This Leg in My Journey with AEG
l
Renee Wawczak, 2021–22 AEG Secretary
am excited and honored to have started my newest journey with AEG on the Executive Council (EC). I am grateful for the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of so many passionate leaders and join the dedicated group already serving on the EC and Board of Directors (BOD). I attended my first Board meeting in my new role as Secretary at our Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, this past September. It was so wonderful to connect with friends I hadn’t seen in two years as well as meet so many amazing new people! I started participating with AEG at the local level shortly after completing my undergraduate degree. Although I was employed in the industry, attending the local meetings allowed me to regularly connect with other industry professionals. AEG provided the opportunity for me to stay engaged with the profession and to gain an understanding of countless local, national, and international applied geology projects. The local leadership noticed my regular participation at these events and encouraged me to become a member of the Association and to take on a local leadership role. Thanks to their encouragement, I became a member in 2009, and I immediately began volunteering in various capacities. I was elected as Treasurer of the North Central Section (now known as the Chicago Chapter) from 2010 to 2012, and later as Chair from 2012 to 2016. Under the previous AEG Winter 2021
structure, the Chair was by default a Board Member of the Association. I later went on to serve on the Governance Committee from 2015 to 2018, and on several ad-hoc committees and work groups. I became a Strategic Initiatives Coordinator (SIC) in 2018 and served in that role up until being elected as Secretary. By participating in the Board Meetings and with other Operational Committees, I have received priceless hands-on leadership training that I would have never received so early in my career. Each role has been valuable and prepared me for continuing my service to the Association on the EC. AEG has been and will continue to be a prized resource when navigating my professional life. The Association has also meant a great deal to me personally; I have formed many lifelong friendships through AEG that I cherish greatly! If you haven’t had the opportunity to participate with AEG recently, I encourage you to check out some of our events! We have a mix of in-person and virtual events at the Association and Chapter levels to meet your comfort level. The events have a wide variety of professional topics and timely relevance. Check our website, social media, and Insider posts to find our next event. Now is a great time to reconnect with old friends, foster new relationships, earn continuing education credits, and engage with professionals all over the world!
AEG NEWS 64(5)
9
NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – FOUNDATION REPORT
Foundation Awards & Scholarship Updates
T
Nichole J. Vetter, PG, AEGF Director
he AEG Foundation was proud to select and present six students with Lemke Awards at the Annual Meeting in San Antonio. The Lemke Award is intended to help defray the costs of attending the meeting for students who present their research.
Shlemon Quaternary Engineering Geology Fund: Provides support for geologic studies by students at the graduate level. Stout Fund: Provides support to graduate and undergraduate students in environmental and engineering geology.
The 2021 Lemke Recipients
Susan Steele Weir Scholarship Fund (Women Of “Steele”): Provides support for the continued development and advancement of women in the profession of engineering geology.
Gozde Altunas, Mizzou University of Missouri Andrew Graber, Colorado School of Mines Cassidy Grady, Colorado School of Mines
John Moylan Student Chapter Grant: Provides support to AEG Student Chapters for field trips, visiting professionals, and other program needs through small grants.
Lauren Herbert, Colorado School of Mines Isaac Pope, Centralia College Hamed Tohidi, University of Memphis
Tilford Fund: Provides support to graduate and undergraduate students for field studies.
New Scholarship and Grant Available in 2022!
West-Gray Scholarship Fund: Provides support to undergraduate and graduate geology students in the eastern half of the United States.
AEG Foundation is delighted to announce these new offerings:
Diversity Scholarship Fund In mid-2020, AEG established the Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Committee (DEIC). Leaders and members of the DEIC have established the AEG Foundation Diversity Scholarship Fund to support academic scholarships for qualified college/university students.
Diversity Field Trips Grant This grant supports geoscience enrichment field trips for junior high-school (or middle-school) and high-school students and academic scholarship for college/university students.
Other Funds/Grants Available for 2022:
How to Apply: Check out the AEG Foundation’s Fund page to learn more about the different scholarships, qualifications, and the various requirements to find out which one(s) you should apply for. https://www.aegfoundation.org/funds/ The application process is straightforward and painless, but it’s best to start now! The deadline for 2022 scholarships is February 1, 2022. Currently, applications are only accepted online, so visit the website to apply. PLEASE NOTE: You must set up an account for the application process that is separate from your AEG log-in. https://www.aegfoundation.org/application/
Beardsley-Kuper Fund: Provides support for field camp tuition and expenses. Carolinas Scholarship Fund: Provides support for geologic studies by undergraduate students enrolled in a geology or geoscience program at an accredited university in North Carolina or South Carolina. Lemke Fund: Provides support to AEG Student Members presenting at professional meetings at which AEG plays a substantial role. Marliave Fund: Provides support to graduate and undergraduate scholarships in engineering geology and geological engineering. Mathewson Fund: Provides support to AEG Student Members studying in Texas. Robert J. Watters Great Basin Chapter Scholarship Fund: Provides support for geoscience studies by students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. 10
2021 Lemke award recipient Isaac Pope (center) presents a poster at the 2021 Annual Meeting in San Antonio.
AEG NEWS 64(5)
Winter 2021
NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – FOUNDATION REPORT
Montana Field Camp Report
T
Anastasia Ivanova, 2021 Beardsley-Kuper Field Camp Scholar
he day before I left, my friend gave me a traveling tip: “The first thing you’ll notice about Montana is the sky looks bigger.” I took note, but when my plane landed in Butte on June 19th, 2021, I was surprised. My friend hadn’t told me about the desert landscape, the dry heat, or the contrast between the blue sky and the yellow grass. She failed to mention the mountains, the most distinctive aspect of the state. The landscape looked like play dough punched by a fiveyear-old; the cast of his knuckles leaving behind deep canyons and rising plateaus. At the baggage claim, I met up with two instructors who helped me shuffle through the crowd, shoved my two suitcases into a black van, and drove me out of the airport parking lot. It was an eight-hour flight from New York, and I still had an hour on the road before I arrived at my destination—the Indiana University Geological Field Station (IUGFS).
Founded around 1948 by Charles Deiss, the Indiana University Geological Field Camp offers the best possible field-based learning and research opportunities to students and is one of the most prestigious field camps in the world. IUGFS was my number one priority because the program would provide me with the skillset and knowledge needed to graduate with a geology degree and become a professional in the field. I was ready and determined to succeed academically in this rigorous six-week summer course. The first week had been difficult, as the course has been structured so that the students receive the most out of their time. My peers and I were in the field from 8:20 am to 4:30 pm. Our goal was to geologically map the area we were surveying. We used Brunton compasses, rock hammers, and aerial maps to determine our location, identify facies, and to plot their locations. From 6:30 to 7:00 pm we ate dinner, and from 7:00 till 10:00 pm we would work on our mapping assignment,
Chasing glaciers in Glacier National Park
Winter 2021
AEG NEWS 64(5)
11
NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – FOUNDATION REPORT
Glacier National Park provides prime examples of U-shaped valleys formed during glaciation.
which usually included a finished geological map in full color, a write up, and a geological timeline of events in the area. The deadline for turn-in was always at 10:00 pm, but every night students would sit in the labs until as late as midnight working on upcoming assignments. Every two to four days we would map and explore a new location. Some days we were mapping areas near the station. Other days we drove past our nearest town (Cardwell) and continued for hours on the road before stopping. The Sheep Mountain mapping site is a place I will never forget. The caravan of students had driven hours along a sandy and barren two-track road before stopping. I climbed out the van and looked around. There was nothing in sight except the yellow dirt beneath our feet and the rolling hills that surrounded us. Our class climbed up a small and dusty incline, and when we reached the top, we could see only the vast expanse of rocks and mountains. It was the kind of geology seen in college textbooks. There was no fauna to block the view of towering mountains with distinct layering and the folds formed during the Laramide orogeny. The sky above us was cloudless and beneath our feet was windblown sandstone and fragments of gypsum. The class stopped 12
when we arrived at the Sundance Formation, as students rushed over to collect belemnite pieces under their feet. Academic courses are only as strong as their instructors, and the ones at IUGFS were some of the most brilliant people I have ever worked with. IUGFS rotated groups every week so students could experience the different teaching style of each professor. I had come into the course not knowing the basics, such as using a Brunton or identifying anticlines and synclines. But by the third day of the course, I was taught all the tools and knowledge needed to conduct proper field work. I mastered the Brunton, learned to identify folds on a map, and even understood how to use a Jacob’s staff. I had been taught everything from making the best scientific hypothesis based on limited data to using a drone. But most importantly, we learned through experience. Inconsistent data is a common mistake for new students, and a mistake that takes the most points out of an assignment. We learned over time to make accurate data-based predictions, take consistent notes, and not rely on our peers’ answers when we were confused. The “consistency skill” was heavily emphasized through independent mapping projects. Students would be given an area marked by flags to plot, and individually we would
AEG NEWS 64(5)
Winter 2021
NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – FOUNDATION REPORT wander through the landscape identifying rocks and making hypotheses of the structures we observed. After the assignment was turned in, the class would congregate, and the final map of the area would be presented. The presentation was always followed by sad groans from the students, as we all interpreted the landscape incorrectly. The IUGFS journey did not end at five weeks for some. As seven people left for home, the rest of the participants stayed to complete an optional concentration week. Majoring in both geology and environmental studies at my college, I was naturally drawn to the Environmental Concentration that IUGFS offered. The most interesting aspect of my chosen concentration was that the education was focused on a real-life situation. Most environmental science studies and geology courses teach concepts from a textbook, without covering the basic skills required in a real-world job. The IUGFS Environmental Concentration placed its students in an actual scenario and taught us step-by-step the required skillset we needed to conduct our work. Our job during that week was to collect water and soil samples at the Bismark Mine, a site located in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. We were given a budget, a time frame, and equipment instructions to conduct our research. Our group collected samples at the source and around the area, stopping outside of the park to observe underground wells at local towns. The goal of the assignment was to complete Phase 1 and 2 Environmental Site Assessments and to determine if the area required a Phase 3 (Remediation). That week, we turned in a seven-page report of our assessment of the Superfund site. Before that, we were busy digging holes in the bog, wading through fast moving rivers, and hiking up mountains measuring type-one and type-two fractures. It was the most field work I had ever conducted in my three years of college.
Now, it is September 3, 2021. It’s been more than a month since I bid farewell to my friends at the field camp and was driven up the mountainous road back to the Butte airport. With one last schedule change, senior year was beginning to feel like every other semester—stressful. But something was different. I speak on behalf of every geology student when I ask, “Have you ever sat in on a class and had no idea what was being taught?” Maybe it was the geological maps that was the most confusing. Or perhaps your professor assumed that everyone understood his PhD-level jargon on the first day of structural geology, and no one was brave enough to ask questions. When I walked into my first geology class that week, I understood it. Everything I learned in field camp suddenly became that missing puzzle piece that helped me comprehend almost every geological subject. Geologic maps no longer looked like interpretive Picasso paintings and using a Brunton became as easy as using a pencil. For the first time in years, I was the one helping my peers understand concepts within the class. I concluded my junior year in fear of graduation. Now, I start my senior year confidently, aware of my career goals and what I need to do to achieve them. Although Field Camp is the most academically and physically rigorous program I’ve done in my life, I would still recommend it to anyone who is still in school. Field camp has provided me with the tools I need to succeed outside of college, and I am ready to use my newfound skills to contribute to the field of Geology as a confident and proficient scientist. IUGFS has changed my life, and I want to extend a thank you to the AEG Foundation for making this dream possible. Without your generous support, I wouldn’t be half the geology student I am today. Editor’s Note: Dorian Kuper and her husband Tom Kuper graciously started the Beardsley-Kuper Field Camp Scholarship when Dorian was AEG President and Tom was on the Board of the AEG Foundation. Normally two $3,500 scholarships are awarded each year to support participation in an engineering and/or environmental oriented field camp. Covid cancelled most field camps in 2020, and no scholarships were awarded, however in 2021, Anastasia Ivanova received a scholarship to attend the Indiana University Geological Field Camp in Montana. We are pleased to publish Anastasia’s appreciative write-up about her field camp experience.
View from outside a field exam boundary, marked by an orange flag.
Winter 2021
AEG NEWS 64(5)
13
HEADER NEWS OFHERE THE ASSOCIATION – COMMITTEE REPORT
DEIC Symposium Summary
A
Sarah Kalika
t AEG’s Annual Meeting in San Antonio, our committee hosted the first-ever Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Symposium featuring live and pre-recorded presentations, moderated by Sarah Kalika. Many of the presenters and attendees of the symposium also attended the “Many Faces of AEG” Women/Diversity Luncheon, so this symposium was a great follow-up to the discussion that began at the luncheon. The symposium featured recorded presentations by Deborah Green—You Don’t Look Like a Geologist and Scott Walker—Neurodiversity in the Technical Workplace. Deb Green’s presentation discussed observations on how students tend to begin their careers in geology, the acknowledgement of the predominance of white people in the geoscience profession, and how we can move toward increasing participation by people of color. Scott Walker discussed the autism spectrum and Asperger’s Syndrome, which is another name for a highfunctioning form of autism. Multiple attendees identified traits that they observed in themselves, friends, and coworkers. Both recorded presentations were well done and felt like they were given “live.” Sarah Kalika presented an overview of the DEIC and AEG’s accomplishments thus far, as well as Let’s Get Real—Stories from Women in the Geoscience Workplace and Listening to Learn, a presentation recounting stories from her own career and the professional lives of other women in geoscience that caused some to reflect on situations that had occurred in professional settings that were absolutely inappropriate. Sometimes the lack of workplace flexibility and downright lack of concern by managers leads to fewer women continuing their professional careers in geoscience fields. Additionally, she presented some ways for professionals in geoscience to use different word choices to communicate more inclusively. Minda Moe discussed his experience as a member of the LGBTQ+ community in their presentation What to Look for in an Inclusive Company and how feelings of support and acceptance for typically underrepresented employees at work results in a happier and more productive environment. Minda also introduced the concept of employee affinity groups, which are employee-led groups that have been formed at his employer. These groups facilitate discussion, provide a safe space, present (and shape) resources, and provide support for typically underrepresented groups. Recognizing that a work environment that encourages diverse voices and experiences contributes to a company that attracts the best people, his employer has embraced and encouraged groups that provide support for women, people of color, working parents, LGBTQ+ persons, and more. This has resulted in increased awareness and empathy within the corporation and a recognition as one of the “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality” according to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index in 2021, a ranking which is valuable in attracting future employees. 14
Minda Moe presenting at the DEI Symposium
Holly Nichols presented Changing the Bureaucracy – Advances in the California Department of Water Resources’ DEI Culture and Policy, which discussed the efforts that her employer, a public water management agency in California, has made in diversifying their professional employees. She reported that encouraging diversity in gender and race, along with broadening their recruitment methods, making the hiring process less burdensome, and targeting specific universities for recruitment has resulted in an increase in diversity among employees. She also remarked that while her agency has come a long way, diversifying the workforce is a gradual task. Holly Nichols presenting at the DEI Symposium
Kenneth Darko talked about his experience as a geologist from Ghana who now lives in the United States. His discussion drew the audience’s attention to the many (often underpublicized) accomplishments of scientists from typically underrepresented groups, including those of Katherine Johnson (a pioneering black woman mathematician for NASA), Nikola Tesla (an immigrant from Serbia who is famous for advancements in electrical power), Alan Turing (a gay man who invented the Enigma
AEG NEWS 64(5)
Winter 2021
NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – COMMITTEE REPORT away from his presentation was machine, which led to the comKenneth Darko presenting at the DEI Symposium the concept that diversity, equity, puters we use daily), and Percy and inclusion is not about lowLavon Julian (a black man whose ering the standards for the proresearch in chemical synthesis fession (or for an organization) resulted in the invention of birth but is about overcoming a control). Kenneth also discussed person’s unconscious biases and how important it is for the geoensuring that recruitment and science profession to reflect the support of all members is supdemographics of society to ported regardless if they look foster more diverse ideas based “different” than you. on the varied experiences of the The last few minutes of the members of the profession. He symposium was filled with a suggested that education within lively and interactive discussion a diverse setting not only preamongst the audience. pares students to be better citizens within an increasingly complex and pluralistic society Coming Up… but is also the right thing to do. The Diversity, Equity, and He suggested some concrete Inclusion Committee is planning a recurring webinar series to ideas on how to create a diversity strategy including engaging facilitate discussions among AEG’s membership. The DEIC is groups who are most impacted by the decisions of a committee, co-chaired by Deborah Green and Jennifer Bauer. The cominviting feedback, gathering and publishing diversity metrics, and mittee meets monthly, contact manager@aegweb.org if you’re creating goals to broaden the leadership pool. A valuable takeinterested in joining us. NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – MEMORIALS
In Memory of
l
Charles William Welby, PhD
t is with sadness that AEG notes the passing of Charles William Welby, 93, of Lexington, NC, formerly of Raleigh, on September 22, 2020, after a gradual decline in health in recent years. Charles graduated from Taft High School (CA) in 1944 and the University of California, Berkeley (1948 and 1949), before earning his PhD in 1952 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Dr. Welby’s lifelong enthusiasm for and study of geology was inspired by his experiences growing up in the oil fields of Taft. He was an Eagle Scout; served in the Navy ROTC; and was a manager for the Treble Clef music group, where he met his wife, Eleanor. He was a professor at several institutions before joining the geology faculty at NC State in 1965. Before retiring as Professor Emeritus in 1997, he especially enjoyed teaching courses in environmental geology, paleontology, and hydrogeology. As a licensed geologist in three states, he was energized by research and loved participating in professional geological organizations, often presenting papers at international conferences. A philanthropist at heart, he raised funds for scholarships and research awards, and established a scholarship for geology students at NCSU. He was a benefactor to several museums and libraries and was a longtime member of numerous professional organizations, including AEG; the Geological Society of America, and the American Water Resources Association. Winter 2021
In 1977, Dr. Welby was one of the early members who helped form the North Carolina Section of AEG—representing academia. He remained an active member as the group added in South Carolina to become the joint Carolinas Section and when it morphed again into a Chapter. He attended Annual Meetings and contributed financially to both the AEG Foundation and his Chapter. Charles was active in community service as a member of the Raleigh Kiwanis Club, and he served on the Wake County Planning Board, the NC Radiation Protection Commission, and Raleigh’s Citizen Advisory Council. A lifelong Presbyterian, he was a member of Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church for over 50 years. He was a regular at the NC State University Club and a member of NCSU Retired Faculty until he moved to Lexington. Together with Eleanor, Charles loved gardening, playing the piano and traveling around the world, spending time on six of the seven continents; and he always had a story to share about their many trips. Memorials may be made to the Charles & Eleanor Welby Geology Scholarship Endowment at the N.C. State College of Sciences Foundation, P.O. Box 8118, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695; the Raleigh Kiwanis Foundation, Inc.; P.O. Box 12, Raleigh, NC 27602-0012; or to the Eleanor Welby Piano Maintenance Fund at Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church, 4921 Six Forks Rd., Raleigh, NC 27609.
AEG NEWS 64(5)
15
HEADER NEWS OFHERE THE ASSOCIATION – MEMORIALS
In Memory of
A
Paul G. Marinos, PhD
EG joins Greece and the international tunnelling and geotechnical communities in mourning the loss of Dr. Paul Marinos who died on October 9, 2021, in Athens, Greece. Dr. Marinos was an internationally renowned engineering geology lecturer, researcher, independent consulting engineer, and past president of The International Association for Engineering Geology (IAEG). Having received a degree in mining engineering from the School of Mines of the National Technical University of Athens in 1966, Marinos progressed to a postgraduate degree in applied geology, followed by a PhD in engineering geology from the University of Grenoble, France in 1969. Up until 1977, he worked for French and Greek design and construction companies, subsequently receiving a professorship at the Democritus University of Thrace in northern Greece. Marinos was Professor of Engineering Geology at the National Technical University of Athens for many years and served as head of the geotechnical department. He was also director of the graduate course in tunnelling and underground construction from 2001–04 and 2006–08. As well as being a visiting professor to the geology departments of several European universities, he wrote numerous technical papers, particularly with Hoek on predicting tunnel squeezing problems in weak heterogeneous rock masses; he later undertook work on anisotropic flysch. In 2013, he was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques by the French government. An International member of AEG since 1996, Dr. Marinos did not let miles or an ocean keep him from participating. He presented at more than a few Annual Meetings and served as the 2010 Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lecturer in Engineering Geology when he travelled to sev eral AEG Chapters to make presentations. He was given the Hans Cloos Medal by IAEG in 2000. Beginning in 1992, Dr. Marinos in his role as a professor at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) led an internationally famous, twelve-day, four-country field trip in the Alps for over 200 third-year civil engineering students. The intent of the field trip is suggested by the name Engineering Geology in Engineering Works in Greece-Italy-France-Switzerland with 16
L to R: Ed Medley, Paul Marinos, and John Bray at the 2010 Annual Meeting in Charleston, South Carolina.
Dr. Paul Marinos with his wife at the 2013 Annual Meeting in Seattle.
Emphasis on Case Histories of Great Failures. The field trip developed student awareness of the importance of engineering geology to the field of civil engineering by exposing them to engineering successes and, most importantly, to famous failures caused by unrecognized or neglected “geological details.” About twenty-five locales of geology/engineering significance were visited and/or discussed, with special attention to the Malpasset Dam and Vaiont Dam failures. Prof. Marinos and the NTUA also welcomed up to four visiting professors on each field trip—many from Europe. AEG members who held this honor and forged friendships with Dr. Marino included Allen Hatheway, Abdul Shakoor, Paul Santi, Irwin Novak, Mark Diederichs, Jean Hutchinson and Ed Medley. His contributions to the Association and the field will not be forgotten.
AEG NEWS 64(5)
Winter 2021
VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
Methods and Case Histories for Characterization of Potential Geologic and Seismic Hazards March 15–17, 2022* FREE to 2021 Annual Meeting Attendees/Cost to Others Still TBD Co-Chairs: Gerry L. Stirewalt and Courtney Johnson *Daily Sessions begin at 8:00am Pacific/11:00am Eastern and are scheduled to run four hours to accommodate eight half-hour sessions. This virtual conference, planned by AEG’s Geologic and Seismic Hazards (GASH) Technical Working Group, will be convened to discuss methods and case histories related to collecting and analyzing data for characterizing potential hazards in a variety of geologic settings. Two separate keynote presentations, each delivered by an internationally recognized expert, will address practical examples and lessons learned during evolutionary development of the Senior Seismic Hazard Analysis Committee (SSHAC) process and the field of paleoseismology—both of which involve collection and analysis of data for characterizing geologic and seismic hazards. Presentations will generally provide examples of data collection and analysis methods proven successful for evaluation of geologic and seismic hazards, thus discussing methods that may be applicable at locations other than those for the specific examples. For more information or details about presentations, contact Gerry Stirewalt at glstirewalt1@comcast.net and Gerry.stirewalt@nrc.gov). To register, full details—including fees—coming soon to www.aegmeetings.org. Fault offset from the 2010 Darfield Earthquake in New Zealand PHOTO COURTESY OF BILL GODWIN
Planned Sessions Seismic and Volcanic Hazard Studies at Existing Nuclear Power Plant Sites in Taiwan Remote Geo-Environmental Hazard Mapping in Peru Flooding, Debris Flow History, and Landslide Dams in California Paleoseismic Studies for Documenting Recurrence of Large Upper Plate Earthquakes in Washington Paleoseismic Investigations in Engineering of Pipeline Fault Crossings Paleoseismic Studies of the Gales Creek Fault in Oregon and a Plate Boundary Thrust Fault in Papua New Guinea Results of Paleoliquefaction Exploration in Central Virginia and Western North Carolina Field Studies of Surface Rupture Related to an Intraplate M5.1 August 2020 Earthquake in North Carolina Potential for Seepage and Internal Erosion of Karstic Foundation Units at a Dam Site in Tennessee Communicating about Geologic and Seismic Hazards with Geotechnical and Structural Engineers The 1811–1812 Earthquakes in the New Madrid Seismic Zone Potential Karst-Related Hazard at a Proposed Nuclear Power Plant Site in Tennessee Seismically Induced Shaking, Liquefaction, and Lateral Spreading in California Volcanic History and Hazards at Mount Adams in Washington Planning Site Investigations for Nearshore and Offshore Infrastructure Development where Glauconitic Sands Might Occur Implications for Federal Land Management Agencies Associated with the January 2021 National Landslide Hazards Act Nuclear Waste Repository Investigations
HEADER NEWS OFHERE THE ASSOCIATION – PEOPLE OF AEG
P
Phyllis Steckel
hyllis Steckel graduated from UC Davis in 1974 and received her master’s degree in 1992 at Southeast Missouri State. She is an active volunteer with AEG and the Missouri Geologists’ Consortium. She has an extensive consulting background both on the west coast and central United States. She is an expert on the New Madrid Fault Zone. Phyllis is currently AEG’s Midwest Regional Director and very active in AEG’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEIC) and AEG’s Geologic and Seismic Hazards (GASH) technical working group. She is the owner of Earthquake Insight, LLC, based in Washington, Missouri. On 25 May 2021, Martha Whitney interviewed Phyllis. The following transcript is paraphrased from that interview. MW: What inspired you to become a geologist? PS: I kind of came by it naturally. My grandfather was a mining engineer, and he managed some pretty good-sized mines. He also passed away before I was born so I never got to meet him. My grandmother, his wife, was born and raised in Creede, Colorado, in the far southwest corner of Colorado way up in the silver area. She was born and raised in that mining town and that is where they had met. She kind of always picked up rocks and would say, “that was a pretty one,” and you know whenever we were doing anything, we’d be looking at the ground and finding pretty rocks. She always carried a big purse and as soon as I could walk, I’d be picking up pretty rocks and putting them in grandma’s purse. She was probably taking them out as fast as I could put them in, but it was okay to pick up rocks. I guess that was one of the earliest messages I got from her. Later, I ended up with a lot of his specimens that are actually pretty nice and some of his textbooks and things like that, which were way out of date of course by the time I got them, but still they were interesting to look at. So, I guess that’s kind of where it came from. I naturally was aware that this was a way to make a living. I am not into mining at all, although I do like minerals and collecting pretty specimens. MW: Why did you choose to study at the University of California Davis? PS: I was raised in San Mateo, California, and this is where I consider home even though I had family from the area I live now—Washington, Missouri, which is about 50 miles west of Saint Louis. I think where I really got exposed to it academically (if you could call it that) was at my high school where they actually had a science class which was kind of unusual even then. He was the [worst] teacher I had, he was not a very good teacher, he was just kind of a mean, grumpy man. I think something else must have been going on in his life at that time. But I loved the textbook, and I did all the readings. I got serious about looking for pretty rocks whenever we would go to the beach or any place like that and I would always be looking for crystals or fossils. I really enjoyed that class even though the teacher was not very good. I enjoyed the material and that is what led to CSU Davis. I decided I liked this topic, and I took a 18
fair number of classes on it and I enjoyed it and I was able to graduate. I actually graduated early, which at that time was pretty unusual. We were on a quarter system then and I graduated at the end of March I think it was. It was lucky for me because I was three months ahead of everybody else who was trying to get a job and there were not a lot of jobs in geoscience at that time…especially for somebody with no contacts and with no real skills to speak of. It was absolutely dumb luck I ended up at Woodward Clyde. It was Woodward Lundgren at that time and in Oakland, California. I didn’t realize, until I’d been working there for four or five or six years… I mean these people were literally sort of writing the book on geotechnical engineering at the time-as we were doing it. Investigative geology. We had some projects looking for geologically “good” sites for nuclear power plants, some of which were never built because the geology was questionable, and it was moving away from that being feasible at that time. I worked on the Auburn Dam Project and the Washington Public Power Supply System (WPPSS), which had a lot of facilities around the tri-cities area, and we looked at earthquake information for that area. We were really looking for aftershocks from the Walla Walla earthquake that happened in the late 1800s, but we never really found anything too convincing. Then I worked for a few years on the Paradox Basin Project which was a high-level nuclear waste isolation program in southeast Utah. We were looking at the Paradox Basin and assessing its suitability for becoming a high-level repository for nuclear fuel rods. That was a great project because of all the sites in the US, you know Yucca Mountain, Permian Basin, Paradox Basin…I think it really was probably the best geologically, but it wasn’t the best politically. I did that up until the early to mid- ’80s. In the meantime, the people I worked with at Woodward Clyde, were in a way it was like working for Thomas Edison… like being a lab assistant for Thomas Edison. I am just amazed when I look back at the people I worked with…they were really incredible people that were making this whole piece of engineering work. It just hadn’t been done before that. We had a nuclear power plant in Humboldt Bay, and they almost put one there at Bodega Head, because you know no one was doing
AEG NEWS 64(5)
Winter 2021
NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – PEOPLE HEADER OFHERE AEG this type of work (earthquake hazard investigations]. So, then it was the mid- ’80s and the industry was in a bit of a downturn. Projects were drying up; budgets were cut; funding was down if not totally absent. I kind of felt like I needed a change. We were getting unhappy with California. Both my husband and I were from California and we said, “Well let’s do something different.” I had relatives here in Missouri, so we took a road trip to see what’s out there and kind of look for a job in the meantime. So, we did that and we made a deal that whoever got a job first, the other has to go back and move all our stuff. I got a job first with another smaller consulting firm, and I did that for four or five years or so, and we started having kids, and in the meantime, both my parents and Richard’s parents moved back to this area, and I was simply gobbled up as a member of the sandwiched generation, and so we had some other extended family members and both sets of parents and two kids, and that’s pretty much what I did—I didn’t work, at least formally. I did a little consulting here and there—I got a master’s degree and just kind of spent the time getting familiarized with the world of geologic hazards in the central US. That is where my interest was, in geologic hazards. And so, I really started looking at the New Madrid [Seismic Zone] and saw that the geology and the geophysics and the seismology of it are all reasonably well understood. I mean there is always more we can learn, but what I really saw was an absolute gap between what we knew about the New Madrid and what we were doing about the New Madrid, and that is where I really saw that I had to get busy. Not too many people were seeing that because you had a lot of the hard-core geophysics types who sit and analyze their data and that’s fine, but you know when you really have to sit down with a senator or somebody who’s making decisions about statewide building codes and things like that, the geophysicists can’t communicate with them. I spent a fair amount of time getting better at public presentations and giving talks which used to terrify me to the point where I would almost faint if I even had to stand up in front of a group. So, I thought, I have got to get over this, and I became active with the Toastmasters, and I really kind of worked through that. I was active for three or four years and really kind of got over it you know. I am not the perfect speaker or the greatest speaker in the world, but I am a whole lot better than I used to be, and I like doing it now. So that is what I am doing now. I did a lot of contract work and consulting work, part time for a while. And then as the kids grew up and got launched and our parents passed away, there were fewer family demands on me, so I was able to get back into working, if not full time, but as a serious part timer, let’s put it that way. I did contract work for the USGS and for what used to be EQE or Earthquake Engineering. This was a consulting firm, and I was their token geologist. My role was to help explain the geologic hazards to their clients. It was actually a California firm, but they had an office here in St. Louis. They were doing a lot of retrofit for bigger companies who tended to understand the big picture hazard that the New Madrid earthquake situation presented here in the central US. Winter 2021
They were learning that they needed to do some performancebased engineering rather than follow the building code because for a big part of the state of Missouri, there literally is no building code. In some places there is not even a fire code. So, think twice before you stay in a hotel here…I mean in the bigger cities there are—but if you’re in a rural area, there may not be a fire code incorporated into that structure, especially if it is an older structure. MW: Good to know. Here in earthquake-centric California, the law requires signage on the building entrances stating that you are entering an unreinforced masonry structure. PS: Those don’t even bother me anymore although I do look at where I am sitting! And I am really starting to recognize where the ground is really going to shake, if the New Madrid really let’s go with a pretty good-sized earthquake, and I would say that would be anything from a 5.5 or a 6 on up…I think [the damage] will be really spotty. I think some areas will be absolutely devastated and then other areas, not that far away, could see little damage. It’s how the ground responds, and if you know where to look and where to build, it can make a very big difference in how your site is going to respond in an earthquake. I am kind of tuned into this in a lot of different directions. My son works for a medium sized manufacturing company and he is in upper management there, and he was telling me how they were looking at three cities that they were looking at putting a new warehouse facility in, and I gave him my opinion as to which one would be the best. MW: Going back to your earlier, academic time, what motivated you to go back to school and get your master’s degree sixteen years later at Southeast Missouri State? PS: I knew there were limitations with having only field experience and most of my understanding of geology based in the west, and now here I was in the central US. I figured I really needed to learn what was around here, and it was literally the first time I had heard the phrase “nontraditional student,” and I didn’t even know what that was and that they were referring to me because I had a two-year-old child and a six-week-old baby at home. So, I was the nontraditional student. And I enjoyed it, and it wasn’t too bad. I think the professors hadn’t had a whole lot of students like me. I probably had more field experience than some of the professors. They kind of left me alone. I did my research and did my work and made arrangements, so I was only on campus one or two days a week, and this was before email. I just went home and checked stuff out of the library, read and wrote, and did a lot of work at home. So that is kind of how that happened. MW: I imagine there were not a lot of women in your graduating class at Davis. Do you remember what that was like? PS: Yes, that was kind of interesting. I remember a conversation I had with my favorite professor—it was a geomorphology class, and I really liked him. He was a nice guy, and he would, you know, chat it up with the students. The guy smoked like a chimney, lighting one cigarette off the other, and I went in his office once and could hardly breathe. He said to me, “You know, you’re a good student, but you are a woman, and
AEG NEWS 64(5)
19
HEADER NEWS OFHERE THE ASSOCIATION – PEOPLE OF AEG geology is kind of a man’s world, and I hope you can get a job in that.” I should have been really [angry] but I wasn’t. I just took it in stride. Thinking back on it, you know, it was really pretty abrupt what he said, but you know I’ve done a lot in geology, and I am a geologist now, and he is dead. That would have been about 1973.
MW: Yes, indeed. I’ve seen that particularly outside the US where there is no governmental regulation over infrastructure design. The industry sort of self-regulates because we are talking about huge investments and assets which they are very interested in protecting. Do you care to comment on your outreach and advocacy endeavors?
MW: So, were things much different or improved when you went to grad school in Missouri?
PS: Well, I am mostly retired. I’ve been working off grants and, in all honesty, I’ve been doing a lot of stuff gratis. I’ve been doing a lot of this work with no renumeration at all and that’s okay, you know, we are okay with that.
PS: Yes, there were a lot more women in the program by the time I came to Missouri, and that would have been in the early ’90s. So yeah, it wasn’t 50:50 male:female, but I want to say it was maybe 25 to 30 percent female. And now when I look, as I do a lot of different stuff with universities and at AEG, and I’d say there are more female students than male, especially in environmental. MW: For someone engaged in seismic hazard consulting yet living in the center of the United States, what type of seismic issues do you deal with other than those related to the New Madrid Seismic Zone? PS: Well, there are other earthquakes we have here. There’s a lot of stuff going on in Oklahoma and a lot of that (in fact there was literally a 4.1 just a few hours ago in Oklahoma that did some damage) is definitely related to the injection of waste fluids after the fracking process. So, that’s kind of another bag of cats because it’s man-made, and so far, they have been fairly lucky. There’s been dozens of earthquakes that have caused minor damage in Oklahoma, but so far that damage has been fairly minor. A couple of them were over a million dollars here and there, but in a state that is so tied to the petroleum industry, that is just sort of accepted as a cost of doing business. So far, there have been no serious injuries and no fatalities, luckily. But the day is coming when that luck just might run out. MW: Do you work on these induced seismicity hazards? PS: No. What I am doing now, there is a small informal group called the Central US Earthquake Coordinating Committee, and what we do is get together once a month and touch base with what’s going on in our physical and topical areas. My interest is in getting the message of what this earthquake hazard is and what risk it presents to the people that own it. I am talking about the people who are going to lose the money, the big money, in the event of a significant earthquake. Because they are the ones that are in a position, maybe, to make a difference. They can change some policies. They can get a statewide building code. I could go up there and talk to the state senators until I am blue in the face, and nothing will happen. There is no argument I can make that they respond to. But if the insurance industry lets go of their horde of lobbyists, and they make some changes as to how they support candidates, and then all of a sudden, earthquakes become an important issue that we need to address…THEN we will have better building codes and better response plans etc. Then it becomes important. But I can’t do that, so I am not going to bother talking to politicians. I focus on talking to the people who are in a position to change policy through their industry-wide lobbying resources. Does that make sense? 20
MW: I understand that as part of your involvement with the AEG Diversity Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEIC), you and your husband are working on initiating and funding a scholarship program. Do you want to talk about that a little bit? PS: Yes. We like to support education, so Richard and I have decided to initiate a DEIC fund for scholarships for students so as to diversify the spectrum of folks in the geoscience community. It’s kind of neat because there are going to be two arms to this thing. One is for regular scholarships for college students to help their education along, and the other one is kind of different. We are in unknown territory here, but what we want to do is to give grants to inner city middle school and high school teachers who have earth science classes, to help them get their BIPOC students in the field. Take them to the beach to look at erosion, see fossil beds, take them to a mine…just to give kids living in the inner cities an opportunity to see what geology is about. Give them a chance to get their hands dirty, put their hands in the water, feel the sediment, take some samples, and do experiments. I think that may get a few more kids interested, so that when they do get to college, they might consider taking some geoscience courses. Again, this is new territory, so we are kind of making up the rules as we go along. Maybe it won’t work out, maybe the logistics will be difficult, maybe the cost will be too much. With the grants, we are hoping that we can do five $1,000 grants per year, plus a $5,000 scholarship for the undergraduate. That’s the plan at this point. MW: That sounds like a great philanthropic endeavor! And how are things going with your Cities of the World manuscript on the geology of St. Louis. PS: [Laughs] Yeah, I am just sort of starting that. It is just a couple of weeks old. And I think we are going to have a target date of late 2022 or maybe into 2023. It’s a framework…are you familiar with the Geology of the Cities of The World? MW: Yes, I’ve looked at quite a few of those on the AEG publications page. PS: Ok, so this is a new one that focuses on the City of St. Louis, and it’s been started several times before, and it just never got to the point where it was usable. Most of the earlier ones were also hard copy so they were kind of limited by publisher deadlines, which made it rather difficult. So, what I am planning on doing with this is making the whole thing digital. We can develop a framework, which I have pretty much done, and then we can fill in the slots. And I’ve got quite a few people I’ve already talked to who are interested, and they are each going
AEG NEWS 64(5)
Winter 2021
NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – PEOPLE HEADER OFHERE AEG to prepare a small topic. For example, abandoned coal mines, of which there are a fair number. Some of them have been built over, and some of them we don’t know about until the building that was constructed on top of these things collapses. So, we are doing that, and it is a couple years away. MW: What are your must-see geology stops in the St. Louis area? PS: Well, it’s a church actually. It was built in 1789. It is a pretty good-sized church, especially for that area. Its dimensions are about 60 feet by 150 feet or so. This church went through the 1811–12 New Madrid earthquake swarm. It is the only structure I know of in the St. Louis area that survived the earthquake. It is interesting because it is built in the French poteaux-sur-sol structure with vertical logs. It is called Holy Family Church, and it is in Cahokia, Illinois. This is where I start my field trips. It is built on probably 100 ft of loose sediments of the Mississippi River floodplain. Even with that, this structure has held together, and it had minimal damage, in fact no damage was recorded. Now right next door to the church there was a home. It was the Jarrott home. Jarrott was building an unreinforced masonry home. He was kind of the local big shot, and it was a beautiful home. It would have been a nice size home by today’s standards—two story, main hall went through with big rooms on either side, a symmetric sort of layout, and it was finished right before the earthquake happened. During the earthquake, much of it was destroyed, and they had to rebuild it. And it was right next door to the church with the vertical posts on sill structural design that was still standing. So, I think that is an interesting stop, and it is the only one I have in St. Louis where you can really see earthquake related stuff.
we will visit on the cruise, which makes a lot of sense. Usually, enrichment speakers provide their programs on the days when we are at sea, in between stops, sometimes in the evening but usually when we are at sea. For the 2022 cruise, we are leaving from Santiago, and we will go around Cape Horn, South America to Buenos Aires. We will be visiting the Chilean Fjords, there in southwest Chile, and then we will go over to the Falkland Islands and come up along the east side. I’ve also done a cruise from Tokyo to Vancouver. I have kind of an “Earthquakes 101” talk and then I have another one on the “Ring of Fire” that explains how that works. I have another one, not finished yet, that is on glaciers in general, and I will make it specific to that area because we will be going into some of those fjords. The enrichment manager has suggested, and I think it might depend on the weather that day and the captain too, but the enrichment manager suggested that I go up on the bridge and then I can talk about what we are seeing as we cruise through, so I can point out the features. I also have a talk on landforms. Again, a kind of a “Landforms 101” talk. I’ll have probably six or seven talks. I may only give four or five, but I sort of like to have a couple in my back pocket, so if another speaker can’t make it, I can step in and do an extra one. And Viking is kind of neat because they record your presentations and make them available on the ship’s in-house television system. Some of them are on demand…but I didn’t want to watch myself, so I didn’t do that. But I did have a lot of people come up to me when we were on the ship in the public areas, and they would say that they saw my talk on earthquakes etc. And if they thought I did a good job, I would ask them to tell the cruise director. I mean I appreciate the feedback but please tell the enrichment director [laughs] and that worked because we were invited back, so that has been fun. For the 2023 cruise, we will leave from Los Angeles and go in a westerly direction to London. So that one will be about five months. I don’t have everything figured out for that one yet, but I will probably prepare about a dozen talks for that one. I will do one on Krakatoa, one on Christchurch, one on the Andaman Earthquake among others, as we will be travelling near those areas. MW: In closing, what do you like most about being a geoscience expert speaker on a cruise ship?
Holy Family Church in Cahokia, Illinois KBH3RD, CC BY-SA 3.0 <HTTPS://CREATIVECOMMONS.ORG/LICENSES/BY-SA/3.0>, VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
MW: Your LinkedIn page indicates you are an enrichment speaker aboard Viking Cruises. Where will you go and what will you be talking about?
PS: Well, I enjoy giving the talks…as goofy as that probably sounds from somebody who used to faint before they had to give a little presentation in class…I enjoy talking. I enjoy telling people about geoscience. I enjoy presenting it at a level that the general population understands and recognizes. Especially on cruises like this. The folks that are on board are well educated, but they don’t know anything about geology or earthquakes or what we do. I make sure I present the information at a comprehensible level. I aim my talks for really smart eighthgraders. And that usually gets it. I get a lot of positive feedback, and I really enjoy that.
PS: For their enrichment programs, they want the speakers to talk about things they are actually going to be seeing or places
Winter 2021
AEG NEWS 64(5)
21
n o i t c e S l a i Spec
AEG2021 – ANNUAL MEETING PREVIEW
RECAP
AEG 64th Annual Meeting Rock-n the River
A
Jeff Neathery, AEG 2021 Annual Committee Chair
EG’s 64th Annual Meeting was held at the Westin Riverwalk Hotel in downtown San Antonio, Texas, from September 20–26, 2021. For the 223 attendees, the meeting was a great success. Some described it as a more “intimate meeting.” The big cloud hovering over the meeting was Covid. We took great care in protecting our attendees, but many chose to stay home, some canceling just a few weeks before the meeting. As a result, most of the Field Courses and all four Guest Trips were cancelled. Some of the other activities were scaled back. Despite the challenges of the last two years, we remain optimistic and thankful that we were able to host the Annual Meeting in person and hope that we can continue to do so in the future to provide much needed networking, interaction, and collaborative education. The meeting kicked off on Monday with the field course: Texas Hill Country Terroir Experience. We were able to run two additional courses, Karst Cave and Canyon Lake Gorge (pictured). The attendees raved that they were some of the best courses that they have ever attended.
22
AEG NEWS 64(5)
Winter 2021
AEG 64TH ANNUAL MEETING HEADERRECAP HERE
Opening Session–Bill Godwin, Rick Wooten at right
The Icebreaker on Tuesday evening welcomed attendees and was followed by the Young at Heart Student/Professional gathering at Casa Rio Restaurant on the Riverwalk. The General Session opened Wednesday morning and featured Carlos Aguilar’s talk on High-Speed, Low-Impact. The AEG Outstanding Environmental & Engineering Project Award was presented to the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River Walk. Steven Schauer accepted the award on behalf of the San Antonio River Authority. The General Session ended with two presentations from the 2020–21 AEG/GSA Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lecturer in Applied Geology, Cheryl Hapke and the incoming 2021–22 Jahns Lecturer Richard Wooten (shown at right). The technical program ran Wednesday through Friday and featured 105 oral presentations and 9 posters. Our technical sessions included symposia on Coastal Hazards, Tunneling, GeoUAS (Drones), Land Subsidence, Dams and Levees, Geologic and Seismic Hazards, Geophysics, Landslides, and Environmental Topics. Other sessions included Case Studies and Investigations and From Words to Action: Doing More than Talk About Diversity in the Geosciences. One of the meeting’s highlights was our Special Event, A Night on the River. It started with a guided boat tour of the San Antonio River and ended with dinner at the Brisco Western Museum. Winter 2021
Other highlights included a Student/Professional Networking Reception, the Women in AEG Luncheon – The Many faces of Geology, various meetings of the AEG working groups and committees, and meetings by the AEG Executive Council and Board of Directors. I would like to thank our exhibitors and numerous generous sponsors. In addition, I would like to thank the members of the Annual Meeting Committee, Field Course Committee Billie Long, Marilyn Long and Randy Mattzela, Finance Chair William Flanigan, Poster Session Chair Skye Ibarra, Symposia Chair Marty Goff, Technical Program Committee Billie Long, Marilyn Long and Tim Duduit. I would also like to thank Sheri Maskow and Becky McWilliam at AEG Headquarters for all their support. A special Thank You goes to AEG’s Meeting Manager Heather Clark who kept the ship on the right course and kept us afloat during trying times.
AEG NEWS 64(5)
23
HEADER AEG 64THHERE ANNUAL MEETING RECAP
Awards luncheon
24
AEG NEWS 64(5)
Winter 2021
AEG 64TH ANNUAL MEETING HEADERRECAP HERE
Scenes from the Special Event guided boat tour of the San Antonio Riverwalk and dinner at the Brisco Western Museum
Winter 2021
AEG NEWS 64(5)
25
HEADER AEG 64THHERE ANNUAL MEETING RECAP
26
AEG NEWS 64(5)
Winter 2021
! " #$$
$
$
%
#$$ % %$
$ & ' (
)
*+ # ! , - . + , - .
HEADER NEWS OFHERE THE PROFESSION
T
ASBOG® Annual Meeting
he Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG) held its Annual Meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas, on October 25–30. One of the principal services of ASBOG is to develop standardized written examinations for determining qualifications of applicants seeking licensure as professional geologists. State boards of registration are provided with uniform examinations that are valid measures of competency related to the practice of the profession. The Annual Meeting included business meetings by the Association, a one-day field trip and two days of workshops by the Council of Examiners (COE). William (Bill) Godwin, Immediate Past President of AEG, has assumed the role of AEG liaison with ASBOG, a position previously held by the late Dr. John Williams. Bill will attend as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) and will contribute to the COE to
review various aspects of both the Fundamentals of Geology (FG) and Practice of Geology (PG) exams. Bill reminds geologists within AEG who are considering becoming licensed to check out the ASBOG website https://asbog.org/index.html in addition to the licensure resources available on the AEG website https://aeg.memberclicks.net/licensure-resources The next testing date is March 18, 2022. Examination candidates should contact their individual State Board Office (Examination Administrator and/or Testing Service representative, as applicable) for application “cut-off” dates and other internal board-related guidelines.
e h t e v a S Date …for the 2023 Annual Meeting Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront – Portland, Oregon – September 19–24 The In-Person AEG 2020 Annual Meeting has been rescheduled for 2023. Portland, Oregon’s largest city, sits on the Columbia and Willamette rivers, in the shadow of snow-capped Mount Hood. It’s known for its parks, bridges, and bicycle paths, as well as for its eco-friendliness and its microbreweries and coffeehouses. The city hosts thriving art, theater, and music scenes. Surrounded by Portland hot spots, the Marriott Portland Downtown Waterfront hotel reflects the vibrancy of the city and is located directly on the waterfront in downtown, surrounded by more than 60 breweries. Wind down with friends by sampling some of the 150 types of whiskey at their on-site restaurant, Proof Reader. The hotel even helps you go green with complimentary car-charging stations, biodegradable straws and easy access to light rail from the nearby Morrison Subway Station. At night, retire to elevated guest rooms with 24-hour room service, waterfall showers, free Wi-Fi, premium channels and views of Portland. Don’t miss all of the exciting Field Courses, Guest Tours and the Special Event at the Oswago Hills Vineyard planned for this incredible Annual Meeting.
28
AEG NEWS 64(5)
Winter 2021
HEADER HERE FIELD NOTES FROM THE GEOLOGISTWRITER
HEADER HERE
In this series, we present ideas, opinions, and, sometimes, ramblings of the author. The opinions are not necessarily those of the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists or any other organization or entity.
The Gift of Mentorship Deborah Green Deborah Green has 35 years of professional experience, and has been a self-employed consultant for 25 of those years. Now, semi-retired, she’s written a novel whose protagonist is an engineering geologist working on a dam with a problematic foundation. Her website, www.geologistwriter.com, is populated with short essays on geology, the natural world, and our interactions with them. She is a long-time, active member of AEG, joining in 1982 as a graduate student. Deborah was awarded the Floyd T. Johnston Service Award in 2005, and traveled the country meeting students as the 2018–19 Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lecturer.
l
Annual Meeting, where students are paired with professionals who help them navigate their first conference. While Association meetings are great places to learn and network, they can be overwhelming to newcomers. A meeting mentor can provide guidance and introductions, so students maximize the benefits from their attendance. Though this type of mentoring relationship may only last for the length of the conference, their positive impacts can last throughout a student’s education and subsequent career. Both formal and informal mentoring can lead to great outcomes. I think we can draw a distinction between teachers and mentors. Both are important, and a teacher may also become a mentor. But for me, teachers have come to provide needed lessons, and then gone, while my mentors have endured, still inspiring me years, and even decades, after I came to know them. Older now, with enough professional and life experience in my wake, I like to think I can be that kind of mentor to others. Again, it’s not been in a formal setting, but some of my younger geologist friends tell me that our connection has nurtured them, both at work and in life. I could not ask for a better legacy from my time as a professional geologist. If someone has encouraged you, helped you to fulfill your potential, or even if you only wish they had, when an opportunity arises for you to do the same, please give the gift of mentorship.
have never been in a formal mentoring relationship, as in having a mentor assigned on the job for instance, but I most assuredly have mentors, both professionally and personally. One or two are geologists, more are not. No matter their titles, these mentors changed my life for the better, some subtly, others in striking ways. One encouraged me to start a business, then inspired me not to give up on it after my partner in the practice died in an accident. That move altered the trajectory not only of my career, but of my life. Another gave me the confidence to sail my boat singlehanded, fulfilling a dream. She could not do that for me, instead she made me believe that I could do it for myself, along with handing me a few tools for my real and metaphorical toolkits. Mentors have influenced me most by modeling Decades after I worked for him in industry, Gary Long is still a valued behaviors, rather than giving advice or imparting techmentor. nical knowledge—how they pursued projects, jobs, and even dreams; how they managed subordinates, providing autonomy and expecting self-responsibility; how they faced professional or personal challenges with perseverance, curiosity, and sometimes audacity; how they didn’t think they were too old to achieve a goal, or I was too young to (way back when). These relationships grew organically as I observed the people who would become my mentors moving through their careers, or the world, in ways I admired and aspired to, and still do. I was lucky they were open to sharing their ideas, and their ideals. And yes, also their wise counsel, but that would come later, also organically, after the relationship had developed. This is not to say that mentoring in a formal My dear friend and mentee, Jennifer Bauer, and I hiking together in Denali National setting doesn’t work—it can and does. One Park before the 2011 AEG Annual Meeting in Anchorage, Alaska example would be the mentoring program for AEG’s Winter 2021
AEG NEWS 64(5)
29
HEADER HERE CONTRIBUTIONS PROFESSIONAL
Hazards and Havoc: Recent Eruptions on La Palma Island, Canary Archipelago
l
Isaac E. Pope
n a world dominated by quiescence, it is the erratic disruptions in the landscape that demand attention, yet few have created such unremittent surprises of late as the recent eruptions on La Palma Island. Located in the Canary Archipelago off the coast of Morocco, La Palma Island developed from the steady turmoil typical of oceanic hotspot island chains. Nonetheless, the erratic volcanic history of the archipelago seemed to suggest that eruptions are few and far between though dangerous in the extreme. Naturally, the identification of growing unrest beneath the Cumbre Vieja rift zone on La Palma’s southern limits from 2017 to 2020 led researchers to conclude it was a warning “most likely decades before a potential eruption” (Fernandez et al., 2021), yet this was merely the rising curtain before the main act. Beginning in September 2021, fissure eruptions released basaltic lavas across the countryside, continuing the intricate volcanic history of the archipelago. Even so, the eruptions on La Palma Island are but the budding expressions of a long, luxurious history of volcanism.
The Canary Archipelago: A Luxurious History The saga of volcanism in the Canary Archipelago rests upon a backdrop stretching to the breakup of Pangea (Troll and Carracedo, 2016a). As rifting sliced through Pangea, a series of basaltic eruptions fed by the upwelling mantle produced an extensive large igneous province in Jurassic time. Since then, continued decompression melting led to the development of a hot spot which fed a series of submarine volcanoes along the rigid passive margin of the African Plate. Though speculation abounds on the exact nature of the hot spot (van den Bogaard, 2013), its effects have remained consistent in the region, as evidenced by the Canary Archipelago, yet even the obviousness of its extreme duration is perhaps a greater mystery than the hot spot itself. Indeed, the Canary Archipelago and Hawaiian Islands are, for all intents and purposes, nearly identical except in one detail: their age. The oldest Hawaiian Island still above sea level is dated at nearly 5 Ma, while the oldest island in the Canary Archipelago is dated as four times older at 20 Ma (Carracedo, 1999). The immense volume of the shield volcano gently warps the adjoining oceanic lithosphere, and the volcanic islands gradually subside and eventually become seamounts. Many oceanic island chains have ages similar to that of the Hawaiian Islands, yet it appears the curious ancientness of the Canary Archipelago may be due indirectly to the rifting of Pangea. Some geologists have proposed that the rigid passive margin of Africa may be helping to offset the subsidence of the Canary Archipelago, allowing individuals islands to remain above sea level for as Figure 1. Located off the western coast of Morocco, the Canary Archipelago resulted from an intricate volcanic history stretching back to Jurassic time. As the westernmost and youngest member of the Canaries, La Palma Island and its various mapped volcanic centers provides a window into oceanic hotspot volcanism. Note that each historic eruption has been sourced from novel fissures, as is the case of the 2021 (not mapped) eruption along the Cumbre Vieja Rift Zone. Produced after Fernández et al. (2021).
30
AEG NEWS 64(5)
Winter 2021
PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS much as four times longer than at the Hawaiian Islands (Troll and Carracedo, 2016a). Having so much of its volcanic history yet exposed above the waves has greatly aided geoscientists in deciphering the story of the Canary Archipelago. Just off the coast of Morocco, the five islands of the Canary Archipelago have been investigated since the earliest days of geology, even receiving visits from Lyell and others. Later work on the Hawaiian Islands provided keys to solving mysteries long buried in the Canaries, yet few places have the entire life story of oceanic islands arcs so clearly presented as the Canaries themselves. Indeed, two developmental phases have been identified: the shield stage and post-erosion stage (Carracedo, 1999). In the initial shield stage, the volcano’s emergence from the sea appears to be the most disruptive. Frequent upticks in volcanism Figure 2. After a week of over 20,000 earthquakes, a fissure opened along the Cumbre Vieja Rift Zone steadily builds the shield, while intermittent on September 19, unleashing basalt lava through the forest and into residential areas across La Palma’s periods of comparative calm allows erosion to southern limits. Courtesy of Eduardo Robaina under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license. set in. The high eruptive output often oversteepens the shield, which coupled with the La Palma Island: A Youthful Terror Reawakens shield-weakening forces of erosion, causes massive sector colAmong the westernmost and youngest islands of the Canary lapses (Hunt and Jarvis, 2017; Maccaferri et al., 2017). These Archipelago, La Palma Island is comprised of several volcanic debris avalanches, in turn, often remove so much overburden complexes, each representing a key phase of the island’s shield that dikes are exposed near the surface, catalyzing another stage development. Though its age is not yet well constrained, phase of increased volcanism (Thiele et al., 2020). Over time, La Palma is believed to have formed perhaps as far back as 5 the rejuvenating turmoil of volcanism grinds to a halt and is Ma due to turbidites extending towards the abyssal plain (Hunt replaced by destructive forces during the post-erosion phase. and Jarvis, 2017). The island was certainly well established as During this time, incision is the norm and only rarely punctuated a submarine volcano and finally surpassed sea level between 4 by the occasional eruption. to 3 Ma and has since been superimposed by three distinct volThough volcanism plays a key role in both phases, the canic complexes in the northern region of the island (Fernandez resultant hazards are most pronounced during the initial shield et al., 2021). Several major sector collapses, including that of stage. During this time, eruptions can range from effusive subalCaldera de Taburiente, have unearthed the interior of the kaline flows to explosive highly differentiated silicic tephra expulnorthern volcanic complexes in cross-section, yet more sions, creating an intricate patchwork of lavas and pyroclastics recent volcanism has shifted south, building yet another of various compositions across the islands (Carracedo, 1999). volcanic complex along the Cumbre Vieja Rift Zone. Such a loose agglomeration of volcanics have contributed to Despite its age being as much a mystery as that of the repeated debris avalanches, including dozens of mapped turisland itself, the Cumbre Vieja Rift Zone has fueled six eruptions bidites from the youthful La Palma Island alone over the past 5 on the island in the past 500 years (Troll and Carracedo, Ma (Hunt and Jarvis, 2017). Some of these deposits rank 2016b). Of these eruptions, the most recent had been the among the largest submarine sector collapses on the globe, 1971 Teneguía eruption, which was primarily a series of basalt stimulating research on their origin and potential hazards. Curiflows restricted to the southeastern coastline of the island. ously, these collapses appear to feed a positive feedback loop, Periods of volcanic unrest have intermittently punctuated the often occurring during periods of volcanism and seismic unrest relative quiet, a better appreciation for the subsurface causes to only allow more dikes to feed eruptions at the surface (Thiele of these events would not be possible until the 2017–20 seiset al., 2020). On the other hand, displacement of the water micity events. By studying deformation patterns and seismicity column could cause tremendous tsunamis reaching shores as across the island, Fernandez et al. (2021) mapped potential distant as the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. Modeling magma pathways which suggested an impending eruption by Ward and Day (2001) suggested that waves cresting at 15 m within the upcoming decades. Rather than a few decades, howof more could reach the eastern United States, but more recent ever, it would be only a matter of months before this suspicion calculations suggest a more conservative value no greater than would be confirmed. 1 m (Troll and Carracedo, 2016a). Nonetheless, the tsunamiBeginning on September 11, 2021, a swarm of earthquakes genic potential of these events may pose hazardous to a variety eventually numbering over 20,000 recorded the ascension of of communities nearby. Winter 2021
AEG NEWS 64(5)
31
PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS
local and ocean-wide hazards associated with these seemingly small yet significant members of Earth’s volcanic community.
Biography Writing from western Washington, Isaac Pope is a sophomore undergraduate fascinated by geoscience, sharing his passion through outdoor geoscience education and publishing his research. Isaac co-chairs AEG’s Communications Committee and is the Book Review Editor of Environmental & Engineering Geoscience.
Infrared Signal
Cumbre Vieja
References Figure 3. Growing to the largest recorded eruption on La Palma, the 2021 eruption displaced as many as 10,000 people, extended across over 2,000 acres, and created over 70 acres of shoreline. COURTESY OF COPERNICUS SENTINEL 2021 DATA COURTESY OF THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY.
magma to the surface, culminating in an eruption on the 19th (Suarez, 2021). Fueled by a newly opened vent, the basalt overflowed into the surrounding forests on what would become a 2-km trek to the ocean. Though initially a purely effusive eruption at Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) 0, the eruption quickly built to a VEI 2 as other vents opened, releasing ash deposits across the island (Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System, 2021). Lava flows continue pouring from continual opening of new fissures and the eventual collapse of the dome on 25 September (Martinez and Nazca, 2021). In what has become the largest historic eruption on La Palma, the lava flow has displaced as many as 10,000 people (Suarez, 2021) while covering over 2,200 acres with fresh lava (Copernicus, 2021) and adding a further 70 acres of coast along a new lava delta (Canarian Weekly, 2021). As evidenced by satellite imagery from the Copernicus, the eruption appears to have not yet reached its climax, promising further additions to this volcanic landscape.
Conclusions With an intricate volcanic history stretching back to Jurassic time, the Canary Archipelago has aroused both wonder and curiosity in geologists since the field’s earliest days. Due to its unique position along the rigid passive margin of Africa, the archipelago offers keys to better understanding not only the history typical of oceanic hotspots but also a live presentation of the processes and associated hazards. Indeed, the recent reawakening of the Cumbre Vieja Rift Zone on the southern region of La Palma Island provided an opportunity to comprehensively record the seismic triggers and eventual release of volcanism across the island, now peaking as the most devastating recorded eruption on La Palma. With the formation of several new fissures, lava flows have extended across over 2,000 acres and currently show no sign of slowing. As the eruption continues, opportunities abound for investigating both 32
Canarian Weekly, 2 October 2021, The ‘New Land’ Created by the Lava from the Volcano Now Measures 27.7 Hectares” Canarian Weekly: https://www.canarianweekly.com/posts/new-land-created-by%20volcano. Accessed 26 October 2021. Carracedo, J.C., 1999. Growth, structure, instability and collapse of Canarian volcanoes and comparisons with Hawaiian volcanoes: Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 94, pp. 1–19, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-0273(99)00095-5. Copernicus, 2021, EMSR546: Volcano eruption in La Palma, Spain, Copernicus, https://emergency.copernicus.eu/mapping/list-of-components/EMSR546. Accessed 26 October 2021. Fernández, J., Escayo, J., Hu, Z., et al., 2021, Detection of volcanic unrest onset in La Palma, Canary Islands, evolution and implications: Nature Scientific Reports, v. 11, 2540, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-02182292-3. Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System, 2021, Overall Orange alert Volcanic eruption for La Palma, Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System, https://www.gdacs.org/report.aspx?eventtype=VO&eventid=1000031, accessed 26 October 2021. Hunt, J.E., and Jarvis, I, 2017, Prodigious submarine landslides during the inception and early growth of volcanic islands: Nature Communications, v. 8, 2061, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02100-3. Maccaferri, F., Richter, N. and Walter, T.R., 2017, The effect of giant lateral collapses on magma pathways and the location of volcanism: Nature Communications, v. 8, 1097, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-01256-2. Martinez, G. and Nazca, J., 25 September 2021, Airport closed as La Palma volcano eruption intensifies. Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/red-hot-lava-spews-la-palmavolcano-eruption-intensifies-2021-09-25/. Suarez, B, 19 September 2021, Lava pours out of volcano on La Palma in Spain’s Canary Islands. Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/people-evacuated-spanish-island-lapalma-after-volcano-eruption-warning-2021-09-19/. Thiele, S.T., Cruden, A.R., Micklethwaite, S. et al., 2020, Dyke apertures record stress accumulation during sustained volcanism: Nature Scientific Reports, v. 10, 17335. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-74361-w. Troll, V.R. and Carracedo, J.C., 2016a, The Canary Islands: An Introduction, in Troll, V.R., and Carracedo, J.C., eds., The Geology of the Canary Islands, Elsevier, pp. 1–41, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-809663-5.00001-3. Troll, V.R. and Carracedo, J.C., 2016b, The Geology of La Palma, in Troll, V.R., and Carracedo, J.C., eds., The Geology of the Canary Islands, Elsevier, pp. 101–180, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-809663-5.00001-3. van den Bogaard, P., 2013, The origin of the Canary Island Seamount Province – New ages of old seamounts: Nature Scientific Reports, v. 3, 2107. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep02107. Ward, S.N. and Day, S., 2001., Cumbre Vieja Volcano––Potential collapse and tsunami at La Palma, Canary Islands: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 28, no. 17, pp. 3397–3400, https://doi.org/10.1029/2001GL013110.
AEG NEWS 64(5)
Winter 2021
HEADER FIELD TRIPS HERE
North McCullough Range Southern Nevada Chapter AEG News is grateful to Deborah Morales for sharing photos from the Southern Nevada Chapter’s recent field trip. Deborah is a PhD student, Teaching Assistant, and AEG Student Chapter Chair at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). The field trip was led by Professor Eugene Smith of UNLV and his postdoc, Dr. Racheal Johnsen. The group visited newly discovered Neogene rhyolitic ashfall deposits in the North McCullough
Range of southern Nevada. Falling lake levels have exposed three previously submerged layers of ash. The close-up photo shows the outcrop of the 9.31 Ma middle ash layer, which correlates to the Yellowstone Snake River Plain hotspot.
Editors’ Note: AEG News welcomes your Chapter’s field trip reports and photos.
AT LEFT: Dr. Racheal Johnsen (in lime green) and Professor Eugene Smith (in gray hat) at the outcrop of the 9.31 Ma middle ash layer, which correlates to the Yellowstone Snake River Plain hotspot.
Winter 2021
AEG NEWS 64(5)
33
t n o r f e m o H e h T Announcing the 2020–21 HEADER HERE
Chapter of the Year – Nashville Curt Schmidt, Region 10 Director, Chapter Support Committee Co-chair, and Strategic Initiative Coordinator An independent committee of former AEG Chapter officers reviewed the Annual Chapter Reports submitted to AEG Headquarters. This year, being unlike any previous years due to COVID restrictions to meetings in person, the committee had to focus on Chapters that conducted virtual meetings for their members and others and maintained contact with their members through email and social media. The ad hoc committee selected the Nashville Chapter the Chapter who did these things with an exemplary manner. The Chapter was honored with a certificate at the 2021 Annual Meeting in San Antonio. The Southern Nevada and the St. Louis Chapters were also awarded “Chapters of Distinction” for their efforts to offer online meetings and communication with their members.
Oregon Chapter Ryan Cole, Secretary Hello from Oregon! In June, the Oregon Chapter elected new board members for 2022. These include Chair Nancy Calhoun, RG; Chair-elect Aine Mines, PE, CEG; Treasurer Bryon Free; Secretary Ryan Cole, RG; and Past Chair Mike Marshall, CEG, LEG. Unfortunately for the Chapter, Bryon Free is embarking on a new career opportunity as a high school teacher and had to resign his position. Congratulations Bryon, we wish you well on your new adventure and thank you for your service on the Board! In early September we had a joint Regional meeting with AEG President Bill Godwin presenting to the Nisqually and Puget Sound Chapters. It was interesting and we hope to have another joint meeting in the future! Later in the month we held our first in-person meeting since the start of the pandemic. An outdoor social was held at Rogue Brewing’s Eastside Pub and Pilot Brewery, and was well attended by a mix of students, early career professionals, AEG long-haulers, and folks new to the Portland area. It was a very enthusiastic group, and it was great to see faces in-person again! In October, our Chapter hosted a fantastic virtual meeting with a presentation by the Vice Chair of the Oregon State Board of Geologist Examiners, Ericka Koss, PE, CEG. Ericka provided an in-depth overview of new requirements for Continuing Education requirements for
34
HEADER HERE
geologist registration in the State of Oregon. Did you know that eleven of the ASBOG states have Continuing Education requirements? Oregon is the newest state to join the club and will require RGs and CEGs to complete eight hours of continuing education each calendar year. Virtual AEG has been a wild ride, but we are looking forward to transitioning back to in-person events as more people get vaccinated, hospitalizations drop, and the restrictions on inperson gatherings are relaxed. Maybe we’ll all be maskless for Student Night in May 2022!
Texas Chapter Skye Ibarra, Vice Chair Our 2021 fall meeting was held virtually and in coordination with Becky Johnson, PG, Chair of the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists. Becky presented a fantastic ethics hour and emphasized the importance of diversity and inclusion in STEM fields and organizations like AEG. We can support our current membership and new members by recognizing and working against bias and actively encouraging diversity in our activities and careers. She covered the ethics of situations like the water problems in Flint, Michigan, and the widespread development of coastal low-lying areas that will be directly affected by sea level rise in the coming decades. Lastly, we discussed the ethics inherent in being a licensed and practicing geoscientist and how those ethical practices protect the public. Our fall meeting included the chance to introduce our new board, courtesy of Pat Frost, our outgoing Chair. Chapter members voted in Eric Stiffler as the incoming Chair, Skye Ibarra as Vice-Chair, Beronica Lee-Brand as Treasurer, Matthew Cowan as Secretary, and Ashley Aguilar as Student Liaison. The evening of our virtual meeting included a Zoom social hour to give members a chance to catch up with friends before we jump back into in-person meetings later this year. Several of our members were able to take advantage of the AEG Annual Meeting being local this year and met up in San Antonio. AEG Texas Chapter members met up during the Annual Meeting in San Antonio.
AEG NEWS 64(5)
PHOTO COURTESY OF CYNTHIA PALOMARES
Winter 2021
LEAD THE WAY
TO A MORE RESPONSIBLY SOURCED FUTURE
Experience a career-driven program dedicated to sustainable outcomes. The University of Arizona’s online mining and geological engineering programs bring 130 years of expertise to a customizable virtual format. Earn your online Master of Engineering in Mining, Geological and Geophysical Engineering or choose from four graduate certificate options: > Geomechanics/Rock Mechanics > Mining Occupational Safety and Health > Mine Production and Information Technology > Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy
130 YEARS, 100% ONLINE. PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF YOUR CAREER TODAY. online.engineering.arizona.edu/online-eng-mining
With Penn’s on nline Master of Scie ence in Applied Ge eosciences, you sta ay ahead of the curve in environmental remed diation and enginee ering geology practices. Advance your ccareer and learn fro om industry leaderss about: nics • Geomechan • Stormwater remediation • New technologies and technique es Discover more about a our full-time RSWLRQV DQG SDUUW WLPH ȵH[LELOLW\ IR IRU working professsionals:
www upenn edu/msgo www.upenn.edu/msgo o
