2013 News Archives
Congratulations to our fall graduates!
Doctor of Philosophy in Geology
James Michael Crane
"Effects of Stress and Water Saturation on Seismic Velocity and Attenuation in Near Surface Sediments"
Advisor: Juan Lorenzo
Bachelor of Science:
Logan Michael Adams
George Sterling Caravella
Elizabeth Winn Ingram
Zachary Bose Kelly
Caven M. Kymes
Edward Limin Lo
Cameron Andrew McCulla
Andrew Raymond Morse
Oliver Joseph Navo
Eric Janssen Orphys
Stephen R. Osborne
Evan Joseph Roundtree
Andrew K. Webb
Craig Nicholas Zimmerman
Congratulations and good luck with your future discoveries!
Dec 09, 2013
G&G at AGU 2013
Presenters from the Department of Geology & Geophysics are listed in bold type.
Tuesday December 10
T. Sun; H. Bao; M. Reich
Salt Profile in Sedimentary Deposits: an archive of past climate and tectonics
Tuesday, December 10, 2013 | 8:00 AM
Hall A-C (Moscone South)
P. D. Clift; L. Giosan
Preserving Climate-Tectonic Interactions in the Marine Stratigraphic Records of South Asia
Tuesday, December 10, 2013 | 10:35 AM
310 (Moscone South)
Conveners: Juan Lorenzo (LSU), Joel LeCalvez, and Arash Dahi-Taleghani (LSU)
NS23C. Advances in Near Surface Fracture Studies Posters
Tuesday, December 10, 2013 | 1:40 PM - 6:00 PM
Hall A-C (Moscone South)
T. N. Jonell; P. D. Clift
Himalayan River Terraces as A Landscape Response to Quaternary Summer Monsoon Variability Tuesday, December 10, 2013 | 2:25 PM
2008 (Moscone West)
N. E. Button; J. Husch; S. Karunatillake; J. R. Skok
Distinguishing Between Bombsags and Dropstones on Mars with Implications for Gusev and Gale Craters
Tuesday, December 10, 2013 | 1:40 PM
Hall A-C (Moscone South)
S. K. Bajgain; B. B. Karki
Water Speciation and properties of hydrous model basalt melt at high pressure
Tuesday, December 10, 2013 | 1:40 PM
Hall A-C (Moscone South)
A. E. Draut; P. D. Clift
Intraoceanic Arc Tectonic and Sedimentary Processes: Translation from Modern Activity to Ancient Records
Tuesday, December 10, 2013 | 1:55 PM
306 (Moscone South)
Wednesday December 11
C. J. Ormand*; T. F. Shipley; B. Tikoff; C. A. Manduca; B. L. Dutrow; L. B. Goodwin; T. Hickson; K. Atit; K. M. Gagnier; I. Resnick
Transforming Spatial Reasoning Skills in the Undergraduate Geoscience Classroom Through Interventions Based on Cognitive Science Research
Wednesday, December 11, 2013 | 8:00 AM
Hall A-C (Moscone South)
H. Bao
Geological records of secondary atmospheric sulfate: A review(Invited)
Wednesday, December 11, 2013 | 11:05 AM
3012 (Moscone West)
A. G. Webb*; W. B. Moore
A new model for early Earth: heat-pipe cooling
Wednesday, December 11, 2013 | 1:40 P
Hall A-C (Moscone South)
Thursday December 12
J. M. Lorenzo; J. M. Crane; J. Shen
Control of in-situ Q by stress and water saturation, for shallow (< 1 m), unconsolidated sand.
Thursday, December 12, 2013 | 8:00 AM
Hall A-C (Moscone South)
P. D. Clift; H. Zheng
Topographic Growth, the Development of Rivers and Implications for the Marine Stratigraphic Record in SE Asia
Thursday, December 12, 2013 | 9:10 AM
310 (Moscone South)
S. J. Bentley; M. D. Blum
Source-To-Sink Perspectives On The Mississippi River System, Miocene To Present, Mountain To Abyss
Thursday, December 12, 2013 | 1:40 PM
Hall A-C (Moscone South)
Friday December 13
J. Bambrick Banks; S. J. Bentley; S. Warny
Examining the Sedimentary and Paleoclimate Signature of Late Holocene Sedimentary Deposits in Okak Bay, Labrador, Canada
Friday, December 13, 2013 | 8:00 AM
Hall A-C (Moscone South)
B. L. Dutrow; D. Henry; I. Fukai; K. Metz
Garnet as a reactant during and recorder of mid-crustal metamorphism: Sawtooth Metamorphic Complex, Idaho
Friday, December 13, 2013 | 8:00 AM
Hall A-C (Moscone South)
Nov 19, 2013
Suniti Karunatillake's research featured on Red Orbit
A new algorithm developed by Dr. Suniti Karunatillake will make it easier for researchers to analyze images of martian soil collected by NASA's Curiosity rover. The new algorithm can analyze the distribution of large-scale and small-scale grains which can help scientists learn more about how these grains traveled to their current locations.
Click here to read more or view a video about the research at redOrbit.com
Nov 07, 2013
Undergraduate Student Presents at AASP
SAN FRANCISCO
Madison Kymes, geology and geophysics senior, recently returned from attending his first scientific conference at the AASP Annual Meeting. To add to this experience he was fortunate enough to also be a presenter as well. Madison was selected as one of only two undergraduate students to present at the conference. His research "Palynological evaluation of Oligocene and Miocene sections from King George Island, Antarctica" involves analyzing pollen and other species of palynomorphs found in Antarctic outcrop samples to evaluate their potential for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. This potential can help researchers better understand how the ancient climate of the continent evolved and changed over millions of years.
The 2013 AASP Annual Meeting took place in October in San Francisco. The LSU Palynology research team headed by Dr. Sophie Warny, Assistant Professor and Interim Director of CENEX, was a force at conference presenting at six sessions. Graduate students Isil Akyuz, Shannon Ferguson, Marie Thomas, Kathryn Griener, and Jill Bambrick also presented their exceptional research.
Oct 28, 2013
Faculty and student presentations at GSA 2013:
Faculty and students are noted in bold type.
FREEMAN, Rebecca L., FISCHER, Sarah, DATTILO, Benjamin F., SCHRAMM, Thomas J., BRETT, Carlton E., MOSSER, Sasha L, BLAIR, Michael, and CHAKRABORTY, Suvankar
CAN CARBON ISOTOPES CONSTRAIN HIGH-RESOLUTION STRATIGRAPHY OF ORDOVICIAN SHALLOW WATER FACIES IN THE CINCINNATI, OHIO REGION?
Session No. 247
T165. Sigma Gamma Epsilon Undergraduate Research (Posters)
Tuesday, 29 October 2013: 9:00 AM-6:30 PM
Colorado Convention Center Hall D
Paper No. 247-30
Presentation Time: 4:15 PM
MA, Chong, FOSTER, David A., DUTROW, Barbara, and MUELLER, Paul A.
EXHUMATION AND COOLING HISTORY OF THE SAWTOOTH METAMORPHIC COMPLEX, IDAHO
Session No. 56
Sunday, 27 October 2013: 9:00 AM-6:30 PM
Paper No. 56-15
Presentation Time: 12:30 PM
MAAS, Benjamin J., and WICKS, Carol
EFFECTS OF MIXING METEORIC WATER AND SALINE GROUNDWATER
Session No. 10
T56. Streams and Aquifers: Integrating the Physical and Chemical I
Sunday, 27 October 2013: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
Colorado Convention Center Room 301
Paper No. 10-9
Presentation Time: 10:25 AM
ORMAND, Carol J., SHIPLEY, Thomas F, TIKOFF, Basil, MANDUCA, Cathryn A., DUTROW, Barbara L., GOODWIN, Laurel B., HICKSON, Thomas, ATIT, Kinnari R., GAGNIER, Kristin M., and RESNICK, Ilyse
IMPROVING SPATIAL VISUALIZATION SKILLS IN THE UNDERGRADUATE GEOSCIENCE CLASSROOM THROUGH INTERVENTIONS BASED ON COGNITIVE SCIENCE RESEARCH
Session No. 47
T26. 3-D Visualization in the Geological Science (Digital Posters)
Sunday, 27 October 2013: 9:00 AM-6:30 PM
Colorado Convention Center Hall D
Paper No. 47-13
Presentation Time: 12:00 PM
ELRICK, Maya1, ALGEO, Thomas J.2, POLYAK, Victor J.1, ZHAO, Laishi3, CHEN, Zhong Qiang3, HERRMANN, Achim D.4, ASMEROM, Yemane1, and ANBAR, Ariel D.5
LATE PERMIAN THROUGH EARLY TRIASSIC MARINE REDOX AND CONTINENTAL WEATHERING FLUX PATTERNS INTERPRETED FROM U AND ND ISOTOPES: IMPLICATIONS FOR END-PERMIAN EXTINCTION MODELS
Session No. 28
T227. Into the Frying PAN: The Early Triassic Hothouse of Pangea and Panthalassa I
Sunday, 27 October 2013: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
Colorado Convention Center Room 601
Paper No. 28-8
Presentation Time: 10:05 AM
DUTROW, Barbara L., FOSTER, C.T. Jr, and GABLE, Carl W.
MAKING MINERALS IN CONTACT METAMORPHIC AUREOLES
Session No. 25
Sunday, 27 October 2013: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
Colorado Convention Center Room 203
Paper No. 25-5
Presentation Time: 9:05 AM
CURRY, John C,., MCMILLAN, Nancy J., DUTROW, Barbara L., and HENRY, Darrell
PROVENANCE OF TOURMALINE USING LASER-INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROSCOPY (LIBS) AND CHEMOMETRIC ANALYSIS
Session No. 25
Sunday, 27 October 2013: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
Colorado Convention Center Room 203
Paper No. 25-8
Presentation Time: 10:10 AM
HENRY, Darrell J., and DUTROW, Barbara L.
THE O-P TREND IN TOURMALINE: INDICATOR OF HIGH SALINITY AND SELECT METAL DEPOSITS
Session No. 25
Sunday, 27 October 2013: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
Colorado Convention Center Room 203
Paper No. 25-11
Presentation Time: 10:55 AM
MOORE, William B., and WEBB, A. Alexander G.
THE HEAT-PIPE MODEL OF EARLY EARTH
Session No. 91
T258. The Pulse of the Earth: Episodic and Periodic Events on Timescales of ³10 million Years
Sunday, 27 October 2013: 1:00 PM-5:00 PM
Colorado Convention Center Room 203
Paper No. 91-2
Presentation Time: 1:20 PM
MUELLER, Paul A., MOGK, D.W., HENRY, D.J., WOODEN, J.L., STAFFENBERG, Jennifer, and VYVERBERG, Karen L.
DISTINGUISHING EPISODIC ARCHEAN CRUSTAL GROWTH: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AN ARC AND ITS FOUNDATION
Session No. 91
T258. The Pulse of the Earth: Episodic and Periodic Events on Timescales of ³10 million Years
Sunday, 27 October 2013: 1:00 PM-5:00 PM
Colorado Convention Center Room 203
Paper No. 91-5
Presentation Time: 2:05 PM
WEBB, A. Alexander G.1, YU, Hongjiao1, HE, Dian1, LARSON, Kyle2, and SCHMITT, Axel K.3
THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS AND ANALOGOUS SYSTEMS WERE BUILT BY UNDERPLATING
Session No. 24
T202. Critical Taper and Orogenic Flow: Compatible or Incompatible Elements?
Sunday, 27 October 2013: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
Colorado Convention Center Room 506
Paper No. 24-3
Presentation Time: 8:45 AM
PAYLOR, Randall, and WICKS, Carol
PARTICULATE INORGANIC CARBON FLUX IN KARST AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE TO KARST DEVELOPMENT AND THE CARBON CYCLE
Session No. 311
T63. Transport and Transformation of Non-Solute Materials in Karst Aquifers
Wednesday, 30 October 2013: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
Colorado Convention Center Room 501
Paper No. 311-6
Presentation Time: 9:30 AM
ROBERTS, Tiffany M., and STEELE, Adrienne
USING TECHNOLOGY FOR ACTIVE LEARNING IN GENERAL EDUCATION GEOLOGY LABS
Session No. 209
T126. Geoscience Learning and Practice Enabled through Cyberinformatics and Technology I
Tuesday, 29 October 2013: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
Colorado Convention Center Room 404
Paper No. 209-4
Presentation Time: 9:05 AM
PROTHRO, Lindsay O., ELLWOOD, Brooks B.,MEYER, Herb, RATCLIFFE, Kenneth T., TOMKIN, Jonathan H., and ABBOTT, Lon D.,
REINTERPRETING THE STRATIGRAPHY OF THE FLORISSANT FOSSIL BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT THROUGH CORRELATION BY MAGNETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY AND GEOCHEMICAL COMPARISON
Session No. 145
T123. Geology in the National Parks: Research, Mapping, and Resource Management (Posters)
Monday, 28 October 2013: 9:00 AM-6:30 PM
Colorado Convention Center Hall D
Paper No. 145-2
Presentation Time: 9:15 AM
DAY, Jed1, CRAMER, Bradley D.2, SALTZMAN, Matt3, WITZKE, Brian J.2, ROWE, Harry4, and ELLWOOD, Brooks B.5
ROLE OF THE HANGENBERG EXCURSION AND MAGNETIC SUSCEPTIBLITY STRATIGRAPHY IN SELECTION OF A NEW DEVONIAN-CARBONIFEROUS SYSTEM BOUNDARY
Session No. 403
T199. Impact of GSSPs on The Evolution of North American Chronostratigraphy
Wednesday, 30 October 2013: 1:00 PM-5:00 PM
Colorado Convention Center Room 401
Paper No. 403-6
Presentation Time: 2:45 PM
HANOR, Jeffrey S.,
WHAT PRESENT-DAY FORMATION WATERS CAN TELL US ABOUT THE SEDIMENTARY GENESIS OF ANCIENT ORE-FORMING FLUIDS
Session No. 173
T99. Sediment-Hosted Base Metal Deposits
Monday, 28 October 2013: 1:00 PM-5:00 PM
Colorado Convention Center Room 401
Paper No. 173-1
Presentation Time: 1:05 PM
JONELL, Tara N. and CLIFT, Peter D.
HIMALAYAN RIVER TERRACES AS A LANDSCAPE RESPONSE TO QUATERNARY SUMMER MONSOON VARIABILITY
Session No. 7
T27. Geomorphic Response to Quaternary Climate Change I: A Session in Memory of James C. Knox
Sunday, 27 October 2013: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
Colorado Convention Center Mile High Ballroom 2C
Paper No. 7-7
Presentation Time: 9:35 AM
GROSSKOPF, Jacob, and WEIGNER, Madeline M.
SURVEYING TRACKWAYS AND OTHER TRACES FROM THE UPPER MEMBER OF THE LATE TRIASSIC CHINLE FORMATION IN DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT
Session No. 175
Monday, 28 October 2013: 1:00 PM-5:00 PM
Colorado Convention Center Room 404
Paper No. 175-7
Presentation Time: 3:00 PM
Oct 23, 2013
Four G&G Students Win NOGS Scholarships
NEW ORLEANS
The New Orleans Geological Society awarded its memorial scholarships on October 14th at its monthly luncheon. Four LSU students in the Department of Geology & Geophysics were recognized at the ceremony and awarded scholarships:
Lee H. Meltzer Graduate Scholarship - $3000
Tara Jonell, PhD student
George W. Schneider Sr. Memorial Scholarship - $2500
Kathryn Denommee, PhD Student
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Scholarships:
Senior Award - $2500
Matthew Smith, Senior Undergraduate
Junior Award - $2000
James Emerson Smith IV, Junior Undergraduate
Oct 22, 2013
Oct 16, 2013
Alumna Maud Walsh wins LTSA Outstanding University Educator Award
Baton Rouge
Congratulations to G&G alumna Maud Walsh who has been awarded the Louisiana Science Teachers Association's William Craig Outstanding University Educator Award. Dr. Walsh graduate from G&G with her PhD in 1989 and is currently a faculty member with the LSU School of Plant, Environmental, and Soil Sciences. The William Craig award seeks to recognize university faculty who give back to their communities by reaching out to K-12 educators to help improve science education in the classroom.
Oct 14, 2013
Peter Clift's Research Featured in The Economist
Baton Rouge
Dr. Peter Clift, Charles T. McCord Professor, has had his research featured in the latest issue of The Economist. The article titled "Divided by Five" looks into the possibility that Asia's five great rivers, the Red River, the Yangzi, the Irrawaddy, the Salween and the Mekong, were at one time joined into one all-powerful stream.
Click here to access the article
Sep 26, 2013
Alex Webb Featured in Nature
Baton Rouge
Heat-pipe Earth: a Hampton University – LSU discovery!
William Moore of Hampton University and the Department of Geology & Geophysic's own Alex Webb explore the early Earth in the September 26, 2013 issue of Nature. Their article “Heat-pipe Earth” offers a new model for the pre-plate tectonic Earth and the onset of plate tectonics. They propose that for the first third of Earth’s history, Earth’s heat-loss and lithospheric dynamics were dominated by volcanism (transfer of “heat” through “pipes”). The rapid accumulation of new volcanic layers pushed down the older layers. Therefore, Earth’s outer shell was in constant motion, moving downwards until eventually partially re-melting and partially assimilating into the mantle. This heat-loss cooling model is directly analogous to the behavior of Jupiter’s moon Io (see adjacent figure). As pre-plate tectonic Earth cooled, volcanism diminished and the stress accommodated by the lithosphere increased until it broke, rapid subduction initiated, and an early version of plate tectonics was off and running. Moore and Webb examine their ideas with a combination of numerical modeling (Moore’s speciality) and examination of the geologic record (Webb’s forte). Their “heat-pipe Earth” appears to provide the first globally coherent geodynamic framework for exploration of Earth prior to plate tectonics.
Sep 25, 2013
Jeff Nunn Wows Crowd at Science Cafe
Baton Rouge, LA
Jeff Nunn, Ernest and Alice Neal Professor of Geology, spoke to a packed house last night at the monthly LSU Science Cafe held at Chelsea's Cafe. Dr. Nunn discussed the transformation of the Bayou Corne sinkhole and the events leading up to its collapse in August 2012. While the sinkhole has been affecting local residents in the surrounding community for some time, the sinkhole has just recently been garnering national attention in online news organizations when an online video of the sinkhole swallowing a cluster of cypress trees went viral. Dr. Nunn spoke to the shear size of the sinkhole noting that it now encompasses a 25 acre area and has grown to approximately 750 ft deep. Comparatively, he noted that the empire state building would fit inside one of larger caverns top-to-bottom. At the end of his presentation, audience members had the opportunity to ask questions which ranged from "who holds the blame for causing the sinkhole's collapse" to "is it safe to swim in it."
LSU Science Cafe is an event held on the last Tuesday of each month with the mission to bring the LSU campus and surrounding community together to learn more about the research and innovations taking place at LSU. These talks are aimed for all audiences and serve to educate everyone from curious young minds to experienced practicing researchers. Science Cafe is organized by the LSU Office of Research & Economic Development. For more information please visit: http://sites01.lsu.edu/wp/lsuresearch/
Sep 16, 2013
LMKR Extends GEOGRAPHIX® SOFTWARE grant to LSU Geology & Geophysics
Houston, TX
LMKR and Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge announced signing of a 3 year software grant agreement for the LMKR GeoGraphix® product line. This agreement will enable the Department of Geology & Geophysics at the LSU College of Science to continue using the GeoGraphix® software for research projects being conducted by students in the university’s Undergraduate and Masters Degree programs.
“The LMKR University Grant Program has been designed for academic institutions involved
in training the future talent of the upstream oil and gas industry. We are delighted
to have extended this partnership as it will go a long way in developing a resource
pool of Geoscientists with strong insight in to the most advanced workflows in the
market.” said Jahanzeb M. Khan, Regional General Manager, LMKR North & South America
Operations. “Through this program, LMKR wants to put GeoGraphix® into university classrooms
across the globe and equip today’s students with a strong foundation in the technology
that they will need for success in tomorrow’s job market”.
“The continuation in the use of the GeoGraphix® software in our research initiatives,
builds on our commitment to pursue excellence in fundamental and applied research
in Earth Sciences”, said Jeffery A. Nunn, Neal Professor of Geology at the university’s
Department of Geology & Geophysics.
LMKR has an ever increasing customer base in North and South America as well as Canada.
This demands a need for personnel trained on LMKR GeoGraphix®. Through the University
Grant Program, LMKR aims to bring GeoGraphix® into the classrooms of leading geoscience
and engineering universities allowing graduates to have a thorough understanding of
the software before embarking on their careers.
About LMKR:
LMKR is a petroleum technology company with an extensive solutions portfolio that
includes reservoir-centric interpretation, modeling and analytics software, mobile
technology solutions, E&P data services as well as geoscience and information management
consulting solutions - all focused towards lowering the risk associated with exploration
and production of conventional and unconventional resource plays. LMKR’s core products
include LMKR GeoGraphix®, the industry’s most complete and integrated Windows®-based
Geology & Geophysical Interpretation System, along with a number of Geoscience and
Data Management specialized services portfolio spanning over more than 80 countries.
Additional Information about LMKR is available at www.lmkr.com
About Louisiana State University:
As the flagship institution of the state, the vision of Louisiana State University
is to be a leading research-extensive university, challenging undergraduate and graduate
students to achieve the highest levels of intellectual and personal development. Designated
as a land-, sea-, and space-grant institution, the mission of Louisiana State University
is the generation, preservation, dissemination, and application of knowledge and cultivation
of the arts.
Aug 29, 2013
Chevron Donates $700,000 to G&G
Aug 19, 2013
Geology & Geophysics Welcomes New Faculty
BATON ROUGE:
The Department of Geology & Geophysics would like to welcome three new faculty members to our ranks.
Amy Luther, Assistant Professor-Professional Practice
Dr. Luther earned her PhD at New Mexico Tech in 2012, specializing in Structural Geology, Field Geology and Fault Mechanics of low-angle normal faults. Dr. Luther was previously a Visiting Assistant Professor where she taught a variety of courses for the Geology Department at the New Mexico State University.
Karen Luttrell, Assistant Professor
Dr. Luttrell earned her PhD in Geophysics at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 2010. Her research involves the monitoring and modeling of deformation and stress in the lithosphere, with particular focus on seismic and volcanic hazards. Dr. Luttrell comes to LSU from the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, where she was a Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellow.
Jianwei Wang, Assistant Professor
Dr. Wang earned his PhD at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2004 and brings his expertise in molecular modeling of earth materials using first-principles and molecular dynamics simulations. His research focuses on surface chemistry of minerals, defect and pressure effects of complex oxides, materials under extreme conditions, gas hydrates, and actinides materials. Dr. Wang was a post-doctoral fellow and research faculty at University of California and University of Michigan.
Aug 09, 2013
Congratulations Summer Graduates
BATON ROUGE
On Friday August 9, 2013 LSU celebrated its 281st Commencement Exercises at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. The Department of Geology & Geophysics was well represented at the ceremony with 12 graduates moving forward in their careers. Congratulations to the following students:
Bachelors of Science in Geology:
Robert Brown Cum Laude
Nicholas Daigle
Alexandra Newton
Stephen Reed
Masters of Science in Geology:
Marielle Ausburn
Advisor: Jeff Hanor
James Ayrer
Advisor: Carol Wicks
Hunter Berch
Advisor: Jeff Nunn
Matthew Freeman
Advisor: Alex Webb
Justin Hayles
Advisor: Huiming Bao
Ashley Howell
Advisor: Sam Bentley
Alexandria Suding
Advisor: Carol Wicks
Doctor of Philosophy in Geology:
Dian He
Advisor: Alex Webb
Jul 24, 2013
Suniti Karunatillake to speak at LSU Science Cafe
Dr. Suniti Karunatillake will be the featured speaker at the July edition of LSU Science Cafe. His talk will focus on the hunt for water on the surface of Mars and its impact on the possibility of sustaining life on the "Red Planet." The event will take place at Chelsea's Cafe at 6:00 on July 30. Doors open at 5:00 and free food is provided for those that attend!
Click here for more information and to RSVP via Facebook
Jul 16, 2013
A. Eugene Fritsche
It saddens us to report that Dr. A. Eugene “Gene” Fritsche passed away on July 7, 2013. Gene periodically taught at our Field Camp in the 1980’s and 90’s. His professional career was spent teaching in California at UCLA and California State University Northridge where he also served as department chair. Gene was an avid researcher in the field and took his family on trips around the world setting foot on every continent.
CSU Northridge has written a very heartfelt farewell to Gene on their homepage. You can read it and see pictures of Gene here: http://www.csun.edu/geology/.
Jul 15, 2013
Darrell Henry Continues to Assist with LSU Accreditation
Baton Rouge:
Dr. Darrell Henry, Campanile Charities Professor of Geology, was recently featured in a Daily Reveille article discussing the University's ongoing reaffirmation process. Every 10 years LSU, and other colleges and universities across the nation, must undergo the accreditation process to remain in good standing with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Dr. Henry is currently filling the role of Director of SACS Reaffirmation of Accreditation until the rigorous process comes to a close in 2014.
Jul 09, 2013
Coastal Studies Institute Awarded Grant by the Water Institute of the Gulf
Baton Rouge
The LSU Coastal Studies Institute, directed by Geology & Geophysics professor Sam Bentley, has been awarded a research grant by the Water Institute of the Gulf to conduct analysis of diversion in the Lower Barataria and Lower Breton Sound in Louisiana. The research group consisting of Dr. Sam Bentley, Dr. Kevin Xu, Oceanography and Coastal Studies, and Dr. Qin Jim Chen, Civil and Environmental Engineering, aims to provide baseline geological, geophysical, and geotechnical measurements within the receiving basin areas. The findings of their research will hopefully be a major step forward in the implementation of Louisiana's Coastal Master Plan to save and secure the dwindling coast of the state.
Click here to read more about the Coastal Master Plan.
Click here to learn more about the LSU Coastal Studies Institute
Jul 08, 2013
Louisiana Geological Survey Awarded Best Reference Map by CaGIS
The Louisiana Geological Survey (LGS) has been awarded the Cartography and Geographic Information Society's (CaGIS) best reference map for its Geologic map of the West-Central Barberton Greenstone Belt in South Africa. Gary Byerly, Richard and Betty Fenton Alumni Professor of Geology, contributed extensively on the project which completed in 2012 after 30 years of collaborative field work. The map, published by the Geological Society of America, illustrates some of the planet's oldest exposed rocks and provides key insights into the formation of the Earth's present landforms.
Jun 20, 2013
Dr. Barb Dutrow "Outstanding Women in Science" Interview
Baton Rouge
The Goldschmidt International Geochemistry Conference sponsored by the European Association of Geochemistry along with the Geochemical Society recently interviewed LSU Geology & Geophysics professor Dr. Barb Dutrow as an Outstanding Woman in Science. The Goldschmidt conference is held annually worldwide and is regarded as the premiere international conference in eochemistry.
Click here to watch Dr. Dutrow's interview.
May 16, 2013
Congratulations Spring Graduates
On May 16 and 17 LSU will celebrate its 280th commencement exercises. The Department of Geology & Geophysics is honored to congratulate the following students for earning their degrees.
Masters of Science Recipients
Sydney Bowles
Advisor: Dr. Philip J. Bart
Nicholas Decker
Advisor: Dr. Gary Byerly
Ryan Ellis
Advisor: Dr. Sophie Warny, Dr. Brooks Ellwood
Isis Fukai
Advisor: Dr. Barbara Dutrow
Logan Kirst
Advisor: Dr. Philip J. Bart
Laurie Richards
Advisors: Dr. Jeffrey Nunn and Dr. Jeffrey Hanor
Celina Will
Advisor: Dr. Darrell Henry
Bachelor of Science in Geology Recipients
John Anthony
Austin Bennett
Ryan Boucher
Shane Cone
Upper Division Honors
Gregory Keller
Lindsay Prothro
College Honors
Brandon Thibodeaux
Congratulations to each of you as you embark on your next journey!
Apr 29, 2013
2013 AAPG Convention - Pittsburgh
The Department of Geology & Geophysics has big plans for the 2013 AAPG Annual Convention & Exposition. Stop by the department's information booth located in the Exhibition Hall to hear news and learn more about things happening on campus. We will be located at booth 2148.
Also, we will be hosting our Alumni Reception at the restaurant Seviche from 5-7pm on Monday, May 20. Seviche has been rated one of Pittsbugh's best tapas restaurants and is located conveniently next to to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Join us for a exciting evening while catching up with former classmates and meeting current department faculty.
We hope to see you there!
Apr 29, 2013
G&G Students Awarded GSA Grants
Congratulations to Crawford White and Ashley Howell on receiving student research grants from the Geological Society of America! Crawford is a PhD student studying under Dr. Sam Bentley. His dissertation deals with "Influences of Hurricanes, Floods, and Organic Production on River-Delta Evolution". Ashley is a Master's student also studying with Dr. Bentley. Her thesis is titled "A Clay Mineral Provenance Study of the Northern Pandora Trough Continental Margin, Gulf of Papua"
Good luck Crawford and Ashley!
Apr 08, 2013
LSU Receives Grant to Start Hydraulics Fracturing Lab
Dr. Juan Lorenzo of Geology & Geophysics along with Dr. Arash Dahi Taleghani of Petroleum Engineering recently received an award from the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America to establish a lab on the LSU campus to scientifically study the effects of hydraulic fracturing. This lab will be a tremendous resource for the oil and gas industry as well as LSU students looking for more unique opportunities to enhance their learning experience at LSU.
Congratulations Dr. Lorenzo!
Apr 02, 2013
Benjamin Maas wins PhD Dissertation Year Fellowship
The Department of Geology & Geophysics would like to congratulate Benjamin Maas for being a recipient of the Dissertation Year Fellowship. Ben is a third year PhD student working with Dr. Carol Wicks. He will be awarded a stipend of $18,000 to continue work on his dissertation, "Geochemical signatures of basinal fluids from modern carbonate springs to the rock record." His research involves aqueous geochemistry in carbonate systems in the Arkoma, Illinois, Michigan, and Permian basins throughout the United States.
Mar 11, 2013
Murray Free Hawkins Jr.
Murray F. Hawkins Jr. passed away on March 7, 2013 at the age of 95. His legacy at LSU and the Department of Geology & Geophysics was profoundly rich serving as Field Camp Director and head of the Craft and Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering of which he is half namesake. He will sorely be missed by the faculty, staff, and students he impacted.
Full obituary courtesy of the Advocate
Jan 17, 2013
Sam Bentley Named Director of the LSU Coastal Studies Institute
Congratulations to Dr. Sam Bentley on his appointment as the new Director of the LSU Coastal Studies Institute (CSI). The CSI has long been an unique component of LSU's research portfolio with contributions directly affecting the preservation of Louisiana's coastal wetlands. As part of a renewed commitment to coastal study, LSU has restructured the CSI to form an interdisciplinary research powerhouse with contributions from the College of Science, the College of Engineering, and the School of the Coast & Environment.
The new CSI will be a singular component to focus coastal research efforts as well as serve the state's governing officials as a centralized source of information to be used when formulating policy. Additionally, it will serve the higher function of training and educating tomorrow's coastal experts who will be charged with analyzing and solving coastal problems in Louisiana and across the globe.
Dr. Bentley joined the Department of Geology & Geophysics in 2011 and holds the Billy and Ann Harrison Chair in Sedimentary Geology.
Click here for more information about the Coastal Studies Institute.