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GEOLOGY & GEOPHYSICS NEWS Yale University I Department of Geology and Geophysics Fall 2014

Chairman’s Letter example, he has used evolutionary development Jay Ague ([email protected]) in a remarkable way to demonstrate the origin of the bird skull through retention of the juvenile It’s my pleasure to once morphology of , and to show the again welcome you to evolutionary origin of the bird beak. Anjan’s G&G’s annual newsletter. approach is fundamentally interdisciplinary and Inside, you can read about his expertise runs the gamut from field excavation, the many adventures morphology, phylogeny, and evolutionary and accomplishments development. Welcome, Anjan! of current members of We are also saddened the department, alums, to bid farewell to Dolf postdocs and former Seilacher, who passed faculty, including research away earlier this year. and teaching activities Dolf was one of the spanning the globe from the Andes to . great paleontologists Best wishes to Elisabeth Vrba, who is retiring of our time and a true after a long and distinguished career. Elisabeth, departmental icon. As a vertebrate paleontologist who came to Yale most of you know, he made in 1986, was a pioneer in recognizing how seminal contributions environmental and changes could to our understanding impact profoundly faunal replacement via rapid Anjan Bhullar of trace , pattern speciation and extinction. Her groundbreaking formation and the factors controlling the forms “turnover-pulse” hypothesis and recognition of of organisms, exceptional preservation, the importance of exaptation (a term she coined Ediacaran fauna, and many other aspects of with Stephan J. Gould) will influence the field invertebrate and evolutionary for decades to come. Elisabeth’s office became theory. His uncanny observational skills, a legendary venue for stimulating classes and thoughtful mentoring, riveting stories, and mentoring with its spectacular skulls and other legendary jokes (not necessarily good...) will be specimens adorning the walls. She was the second sorely missed. I will always remember Dolf on the director of the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies 2nd floor balcony of KGL smoking a cigar while he (YIBS), the Director of the YIBS ECOSAVE Center, envisioned ancient seas and all that lived in them. and served as Acting Chair of G&G. Elisabeth, one G&G’s educational programs continue to of the very first tenured women in the physical expand and diversify. Our graduate students have sciences at Yale, has been a wonderful role model continued on page 2 and a true inspiration for the women faculty, students, and researchers in the department. Inside this Issue Good luck, Elisabeth, as you forge your new life! Faculty Research ...... 2 And we are delighted to welcome new faculty In Memoriam ...... 4 member Anjan Bhullar to G&G. Anjan is a Retirement ...... 5 vertebrate paleontologist who received his B.S. from Yale, his M.S. from U.T. Austin, and his Ph.D. Recent Awards and Honors: Faculty ...... 6 from Harvard. He will join us next year as an Recent Awards and Honors: Students ...... 7 Assistant Professor after he completes his postdoc Recent Awards and Honors: Alumni ...... 11 at the University of Chicago. Anjan integrates Student News ...... 12 evidence from genes, laboratory experiments on Dana Club Beard-A-Thon ...... 15 growth and development, and fossils to study Postdoc News ...... 16 transitions between major vertebrate groups. For Alumni News ...... 17 GEOLOGY & GEOPHYSICS NEWS Fall 2014

Letter continued from page 1 field excursions and learning experiences possible that we had only dreamed about in the past. received well-deserved national and international Joe’s generosity will provide countless new field recognition for their research. Recent Ph.D.’s and opportunities for students to learn the wonders of postdocs have gone on to prestigious positions our planet. I know it will make dreams come true. around the globe. Our undergraduate program Thank you so much Joe! continues to grow and we now have over 40 So please take a moment to read and enjoy majors! The Yale Climate and Energy Institute’s our newsletter. As always, we hope to hear from (YCEI) “Energy Scholars” program now has you and see you whenever you are in New Haven. more than 80 undergraduate participants across When you visit KGL, you will notice some new campus. infrastructure improvements, including much The field is where so many students fall in (MUCH!) needed renovations to the women’s love with the geosciences. In this regard, I would restrooms and the installation of a new parent’s like to express my deep gratitude on behalf of room for department members with young the department to undergraduate alum Joe children. Please let us know about your activities Greenberg ’83 BS. Joe recently established a new so we can feature them in future newsletters, and endowment for field studies in G&G! It will make good luck for 2015!

FACULTY RESEARCH

Tracking Earth’s Oxygenation Noah Planavsky ([email protected])

The rise of over several billion years dramatically changed Earth’s surface environments and ultimately paved the way for the emergence of complex life. However, our current picture of Earth’s oxidation is still painted with only broad strokes. A central theme of my research is trying to piece together the history and effects of Earth’s oxygenation over broad time scales.

Earth’s earliest atmosphere was essentially devoid of oxygen. What traces of oxygen there wasere probably came from Graduate Student David Auerbach with Noah Planavsky and Postdoc Bleuenn Guéguen photo dissociation of other atmospheric gases. This evolutionary singularity, arguably more so than Atmospheric oxygen levels any other event, shaped the chemical evolution of on the pre-biotic Earth are our planet. estimated to have been In spite of the importance of oxygenic a fraction of those of the photosynthesis, the precise timing of this metabolic Noah Planavsky modern—less than 10-10 evolution is a matter of intense debate. Current present atmospheric levels (PAL). The switch estimates are scattered over a billion years of Earth to a well-oxygenated atmosphere like that of history, ranging from prior to 3.7 billion years ago today—an atmosphere containing ~21% oxygen—is (Ga), the age of the oldest sedimentary rocks, ultimately the result of the evolution of oxygenic to 2.4-2.3 Ga, coincident with the first step-wise photosynthesis (the biologically mediated (permanent) rise in atmospheric oxygen, which conversion, through photolysis, of dioxide is often referred to as the “The Great Oxidation and water to oxygen and sugars—the materials Event” or GOE. The permanent rise of atmospheric needed to sustain complex life). Oxygenic oxygen paved the way for the radiation of complex photosynthesis is the only process that releases life, including eukaryotes. However, current significant amounts of oxygen to Earth’s surface. estimates of oxygen levels during the billion and

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FACULTY RESEARCH

half years leading up to the rise and diversification of also recently published Mo evidence eukaryotes after the GOE vary widely, with markedly for oxygenic photosynthesis 2.95 billion year contrasting implications for the role, if any, that ago, which is over half a billion years before oxygenation played in controlling the evolution and the permanent accumulation of oxygen in the of early complex life. It is clear that there atmosphere. Undergraduate Chris Brown (’15) are absolute oxygen requirements for animals: larger is currently working on rocks from northern body sizes, increased mobility, and sophisticated Australia and South Africa deposited from 3.5 to such as predation, all have high metabolic 3.2 billion years ago. oxygen demands. And the absolute oxygen requirements of different animal groups can be Emergence of Animals quantified. However, there are very few constraints Further, redox reactions in the Cr, Mo, and U on atmospheric oxygen levels in the billion and isotope systems are triggered at different levels of a half years leading up to the rise of animals and oxygen. This variable response to the presence of thus very little material to which physiological oxygen may help us determine the links between baselines can be compared. Two of my research the rise in oxygen and physiological baselines for group’s main goals animal evolution. are pinpointing Specifically, when oxygenic Cr requires photosynthesis significantly evolved and more free oxygen determining than the Mo the links and U isotope between Earth’s systems to turn Figure 1. Schematic of Earth’s atmospheric oxygen (O ) content through time. The mauve oxygenation and 2 on oxidative curve shows the classical, unidirectional “stepwise” history of atmospheric O2; the blue the rise of animal curve shows an emerging model derived from recent geochemical data from our lab and cycling and from other groups. Arrows denote possible late Archean high O excursions. From (Lyons life. 2 induce isotopic et al., 2014). variability. Our When did photosynthesis begin? current hypothesis is that oxygen levels near the The pursuit of Earth’s history of oxygenation has, minimum oxygen threshold of simple animals are historically, been a long and arduous one. However, needed for oxidative Cr cycling. Further, we find I am hoping to move our understanding forward by a persistent signal for inhibited Cr oxidation— tackling the history with a new set of geochemical muted Cr isotope variability in marine strata—until tools. Most of my research focuses on novel around 750 million years ago, which is close to geochemical proxies, foremost are the of the current estimates for the emergence of the chromium, molybdenum, and uranium. We have an earliest animals. This record may provide some ultra-trace metal clean room designed for this work initial geochemical evidence for a direct link and we are able to measure the isotopic variations between oxygenation and animal emergence. in these systems using G&G’s multi-collector, PhD student Dave Auerbach is working on inductively-coupled, plasma mass spectrometer—a producing a terrestrial record to accompany Neptune mass spectrometer. our recently produced marine record. Post-doc The isotopic systems of chromium, molybdenum, Bleuenn Guéguen is currently working on better and uranium are uniquely suited to track Earth’s calibrating the oxygen levels needed to induce Cr oxygenation, given that, for each of these elements, isotope variability though experimental work. the largest fractionations occur during redox (reduction-oxidation) reactions. The simplest use Oxygenation and Deoxygenation of the Ocean of these systems is searching for large isotopic Although we have a general understanding variations, which, as a signature of biological oxygen of how atmospheric oxygen has fluctuated in production, can be used to pinpoint the evolution Earth’s recent past, we have a relatively poor of oxygenic photosynthesis. Post-doc Xiangli Wang understanding of how marine oxygen levels has been using Cr and U isotopes to look for the have varied. I am interesting in tracking recent oldest evidence of oxygenic photosynthesis. We marine oxygen variability, given that two of

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Oxygenation continued from page 3 estimates of their magnitude—stemming in large the consequences of global , part from our lack of understanding of how ocean ocean warming and increased stratification of oxygen levels have varied in the past. A central the upper ocean, will likely lead to declines in goal of my research group is to provide a record of dissolved O2 in the ocean (ocean deoxygenation) marine oxygen levels over the past 65 million years, over the next century. And the consequences of focusing especially on intervals of rapid warming. ocean deoxygenation are potentially extreme. To tackle how marine oxygen levels varied in The predicated oxygen losses will have a direct Earth’s recent history we are again relying on U and and detrimental impact on marine life, both Cr ‘novel’ isotope systems. However, our approach within individual populations to deciphering the record of the and across entire ecosystems ‘recent’ geologic past is quite and environments. Shifts in different to the way we use the dissolved oxygen will alter the systems to interpret Earth’s early nutrient cycles that regulate history. In this case, we construct primary productivity and a global isotopic mass balance for control ecosystem structure. each element. The isotopic value of And in deleteriously impacting seawater is controlled by the marine the abundance, biodiversity redox landscape—the extent of and ecological balance of oxic and anoxic areas in the ocean. marine communities, significant This means that we can track shifts deoxygenation will likely cause in the extent of anoxic conditions, correspondingly severe economic by looking for shifts in the Cr and losses in fisheries. The basic U isotope values. Utilizing this principles of­­ ocean deoxygenation approach, we hope to gain a better are indisputable. However, there is Postdoc Xianlgi Wang tuning the Neptune multi collector inductively coupled plasma understanding of the effects of rapid considerable uncertainty in current mass spectrometer. warming on marine oxygen levels.

IN MEMORIAM

Adolf Seilacher (1925–2014) Dolf, as he preferred to be called, died April 26, 2014, in his native Germany. He spent 22 years as an Adjunct Professor at Yale, from 1987 through 2009. Each year for 22 years, Dolf would arrive for a semester, teach Alan Gishlick G ’08, Edith and Dolf Seilacher, Tübingen, March 2014. one or two courses, and work with graduate with Dolf to help him complete his long germinating students. He was an active, vital member of the book on morphometrics. I was able to visit him this Department of Geology and Geophysics. Dolf was past March to complete the final pieces and the an iconic member of the world’s paleontology manuscript was sent to the publisher a few days community, and in 1992 he was awarded the before his death. It will be published this October by Crafoord Prize by the Swedish Royal Academy, the the CRC press imprint of Taylor and Francis.” same organization that awards the Nobel Prizes. G&G Professor Derek Briggs has written a The Crafoord honors researchers in disciplines the marvelous tribute to Dolf in Nature which captures Nobles do not recognize. Dolf’s last publication, beautifully the essence of Dolf’s scholarship and a book, was finished days before his death. Alan career. You can find the article here: Gishlick G’ 08, who worked with Dolf on the book, http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v509/n7501/ reported that: “Over the past four years, I worked full/509428a.html

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IN MEMORIAM

Edward Thomas Ruppel (1925–2014) After 30 years with the U.S. Geological Survey, working in Yellowstone National Park, east-central Ed Ruppel G’ 58, died Idaho, and southwest Montana, Ed was appointed at home in Twin Bridges Montana State Geologist and Director of the Montana on June 27, 2014. Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, from Ed’s life work focused on which positions he retired in 1991. the geology of the mountain In addition to his many maps and other ranges of Montana and professional publications, Ed wrote two popular Idaho. Ed graduated from geologic guides: “The Gold Mines of the Virginia the University of Montana, City Mining District, Madison County, Montana,” Missoula, in 1948, from the and “Along The Great Divide: The Rocks and University of Wyoming Their History Along the Continental Divide Trail in 1950, and from Yale in between Montana and Idaho.” 1958, for his PhD Thesis “Geology of the Basin Quadrangle, Montana.”

RETIREMENT

Elisabeth Vrba Retires, August 2014

Elisabeth Vrba came Her research on the Pliocene fauna of Africa to Yale in 1986. She has showed that long periods of stability followed by been a trailblazer in every major environmental disruption resulted in rapid sense of the word. One faunal replacement effected by both extinction of the first women to be and speciation. Changes to drier conditions tenured in the Physical provided an explanation for the diversification of Sciences at Yale, she was hominids on the African savannas 2.5 to 3 million trained in Mathematics and years ago, and has informed our understanding of Statistics at the University the origin of Homo. of Capetown and says that She constructed the turnover-pulse hypothesis she always knew she was to gauge the rate of survival and adaptations going to be some kind of scientist, but her career within species. Together, she and the late has evolved to be one of considerable breadth. Stephen Gould coined the now widely used term One of her theories proposes that species that “exaptation” for features that evolved for one are considered “generalists” are more likely to function and were later adapted for another, survive a mass than “specialist” a classic example of which is the evolution of species because they are able to adapt and survive feathers for insulation and their later use for in the rapidly changing environment. Perhaps flight. Indeed Stephen Jay Gould’s magnum this helps explain the success of her own career, opus on The Structure of Evolutionary Theory is where through time and change she refused to dedicated jointly to Elisabeth and Niles Eldredge be categorized, and where her boundary crossing in recognition and homage of Elisabeth’s major work has spanned paleontology, ecology, geology research contribution on the role of physical and , and the environmental influences on environment in speciation. . Elisabeth asked questions such as: How do new species originate? How does new organismal form and function evolve? How do the evolutionary changes relate to climatic changes? Her famous turnover-pulse hypothesis, based on her work on antelopes, has informed debates about changes in biodiversity and the evolution of our own species.

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RECENT AWARDS, HONORS & PROMOTIONS: FACULTY

Dave Bercovici (david. [email protected]) has been asked to deliver a prestigious talk at the AGU Fall meeting in San Francisco, December Congratulations to 2014. Dave, who plans to Kanani Lee (kanani. speak about the origins of [email protected]) on her plate tectonics, will join a promotion to Associate distinguished line of scientists Professor. who have delivered the AGU’s Birch Lecture, part of a series Dave Bercovici known as the Bowie lectures. The Birch lecture is the core talk in the AGU’s Tectonophysics section. Kanani Lee

Shun-ichiro Karato (shun- Trude Storelvmo (trude. [email protected]) [email protected]) and received the 2014 Augustus Mary-Louise Timmermans Love Medal from the EGU (mary-louise.timmermans@ for outstanding wide- yale.edu) have both ranging contributions to received NSF CAREER geodynamics, epitomised awards for their research. by novel syntheses of theory Trude will be working on: with laboratory, geophysical The Role of Mineral Dust in and field data, and noted Atmospheric Ice Formation, especially for pioneering and its Impacts on Past, studies of the anisotropy of Shun Karato Present and Future Climate. Mary-Louise Timmermans Earth materials. Mary-Louise’s project is: Shun has also been elected as a Fellow of the Evolution and dynamics of Geoscience Union. the deep waters in the Arctic Geophysical Research Letters selected Shun’s paper Ocean. The Career program Importance of anelasticity in the interpretation is one of the “National of seismic tomography as one of the 40 most Science Foundation’s influential papers published in GRL during its 40 most prestigious awards year history. in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of Jun Korenaga (jun.korenaga teacher-scholars through @yale.edu) has been awarded outstanding research, a 2014 Guggenheim excellent education and the Trude Storelvmo Fellowship. Guggenheim integration of education and Fellows are appointed on research within the context of the mission of their the basis of impressive organizations.” achievement in the past and exceptional promise for future accomplishment. This is a tremendous honor for Jun. Jun Korenaga

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Graduate Students

Ross Anderson (ross. [email protected]), a third-year graduate student, is the recipient of a NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship in Planetary Science for his proposal: The rise of eukaryotes: Environmental controls during the Neoproterozoic- Cambrian transition. The Ross Anderson fellowship, worth $30,000 per year, is awarded by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate Planetary Science Division with a purpose to “ensure the continued training of a highly qualified workforce in disciplines needed to achieve NASA’s scientific goals”. It is highly competitive and selection is a “real mark of distinction” — only 31 awards were made this year. Ross was also selected as a 2014 Lewis and Clark Field Scholar in Astrobiology by the NASA Astrobiology Institute and the American Philosophical Society for his research: Preservational controls on Neoproterozoic- Cambrian (1000-485 Ma) eukaryotic fossil diversity explored in the Zavkhan terrane of David Auerbach examining a tuff in the Altiplano of Bolivia, at about 14,000 feet. Southwestern Mongolia. The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology Dave Auerbach ([email protected]), promotes “the continued exploration of the world a third-year graduate student, received the around us through a program of research grants in Geological Society of America (GSA) Graduate support of astrobiological field studies undertaken Student Research Grant for his proposal: Tracking by graduate students, postdocs, and early-career the rise of the Patagonian Andes using a multi- scientists and scholars”. Three such awards were stable isotope approach. In addition, made to two Yale graduate students (Ross and David also received the R.E. McAdams Memorial Eric Bellefroid) and a postdoc (Lidya Tarhan) they Grant from the American Association of Petroleum comprise three of only nine made in 2014! Geologists (AAPG) for his proposal: Using stable In addition, Ross was the recipient of an isotopes of precipitation to understand the ExxonMobil/Geological Society of America Student evolution of the climate of Patagonia and the uplift Geoscience Grant. He was also recognized with the of the Andes; and the Society for Sedimentary Robert D. Hatcher Research Award for field based Geology (SEPM) Foundation Award for his research, the GSA Geophysics Division Research proposal: Evolution of the Patagonian rain shadow Award, and the GSA Structural Geology and as revealed by stable isotopes of leaf waxes and Tectonics Division Research Award. soil carbonates.

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Eric Bellefroid (eric. this event and better understand the distribution [email protected]) a of terrestrial plant biomarkers both close to and second-year graduate farther away from their source. student, was selected as a 2014 Lewis and Clark Field Scholar in Astrobiology by the NASA Astrobiology Institute and the American Philosophical Society for his research on: Effects of tectonic change on the Eric Bellefroid marine paleoenvironment and biogeochemical cycles during the Mesoproterozoic, Borden Basin, Northern . The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology promotes “the continued exploration of the world around us through a program of research grants in support of astrobiological field studies undertaken by graduate students, postdocs, and early-career Simon Darroch at Anticosti Island, Canada. scientists and scholars”. Simon Darroch G ’14 ([email protected]) received a GSA Student research grant. Simon investigated changing patterns of over the Ordovician-Silurian mass extinction; the funds provided by GSA paid for a trip to northeast Canada, where he studied brachiopod assemblages with the goal of deciphering how the distribution of species changed in response to extinction stress.

Graduate student Daniel Field (daniel.field@yale. edu) won a prestigious “best student paper” prize at the annual Society for the Study of Integrated and Comparative Biology Robin Canavan at Loch Assynt in Scotland. meeting in Austin TX. The Robin Canavan ([email protected]), a third- award is named for Marvalee year graduate student, received a GSA Graduate and Dave Wake, who also Student Research Grant and a Peter W. Gester happened to be the judges Memorial Grant from the American Association of Daniel Field for this year’s competition! Petroleum Geologists. The Title of her proposal The title of the paper is: Reanalysis of microRNAs was The Record of Terrestrial Organic Matter in the reveals an archosaur rather than a lepidosaur Western Interior Seaway Across the Cenomanian- affinity for turtles. Turonian Ocean . She is looking at Daniel was awarded the Cas Lindsey Prize for the preservation and types of terrestrial plant the best student paper in ethology, ecology or biomarkers in marine and coastal sediments evolution at the annual meeting of the Canadian across a period in the late associated Society of Zoologists in Montréal. The talk was entitled Emerging Consensus in Reptile Phylogeny. with CO2 sequestration, ocean anoxia and marine extinctions. The goal of the project is to see if there Daniel also received the W.D. Hamilton Award by is an effect on terrestrial plant communities across the Society for the Study of Evolution. The award

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recognizes the best student talk at the annual student talk” and “the best student poster Evolution meeting; 28 finalists competed for the presentation” respectively at the North American award from a pool of 250 applicants. Paleontological Convention. The Convention took place in Gainesville, , February 15-18, 2014. Emma’s talk was titled Experimental of . Victoria’s poster was titled Distribution of fossiliferous concretions at Mazon Creek. Emma was also awarded the 2014 Winifred Goldring Award by the Association for Women Geoscientists. The award is named after Winifred Goldring, a pioneering woman paleontologist with a special interest in , who became State Paleontologist of State in 1939 and the first female president of the Paleontological Shineng Hu Ivy Tan Society in 1949. It is awarded to an outstanding Graduate students Shineng Hu (shineng.hu@yale. female student pursuing a degree in paleontology. edu) and Ivy Tan ([email protected]) are recipients of NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowships Woosok Moon G ’14 in Earth Science. Ivy Tan works with Trude (W.Moon@damtp) has Storelvmo and Shineng Hu works with Alexey been chosen as the AGU’s Fedorov. Ivy’s project was titled Improving Cloud 2014 Turcotte awardee in Phase Predictions Through the Use of CALIOP nonlinear geophysics. The Retrievals while Shineng’s was titled The Impact Donald L. Turcotte Award of Westerly Wind Bursts and Ocean State on the is given annually to one Development and Diversity of El Niño Events: honoree in recognition of Insights from Satellite-Based Observations and outstanding dissertation Numerical Experiments. The fellowships, worth research that contributes $30,000 per year, are awarded by NASA’s Science directly to nonlinear Mission Directorate Earth Science Division with Woosok Moon with his geophysics. The Turcotte daughter. a purpose to “ensure the continued training of a awardee presents an highly qualified workforce in disciplines needed invited talk on his/her dissertation topic at the to achieve NASA’s scientific goals”. It is highly AGU Fall Meeting. competitive and selection is a “real mark of distinction” — only 54 awards were made this year. Holger Peterman (Holger. [email protected]) a third-year graduate student, received a YIBS Doctoral Pilot Grant for a project titled: Sexual dimorphism in growth rates of the teiid lizard Aspidoscelis tigris (Baird and Girard, 1852): Implications for assessment of growth and age in extinct Holger Peterman squamates.

Emma Locatelli Victoria McCoy

Emma Locatelli ([email protected]) a fourth-year graduate student and Victoria McCoy ([email protected]) a fifth-year graduate student received “the best graduate

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Graduate student Erin particularly as it relates to the oceans. My proposal Wirth, ([email protected]) is to visit existing ocean farms and aquaculture received an Outstanding operations along the coast of Piemonte and Student Paper Award other regions of Italy to investigate their existing from the Tectonophysics infrastructure and markets. I am interested in the section at the 2013 AGU potential of integrating kelp into small ocean farms Fall Meeting. The OSPA because of its ability to sequester carbon and program recognizes the top buffer , therefore providing an 3-5% of student presenters element of ecosystem restoration, as well as its at the conference. Erin’s potential as a food source and a . So I hope presentation was titled to explore potential markets for kelp in the region Erin Wirth Anisotropic properties of and to bring what I learn back to the US. the mid-lithospheric discontinuity beneath central .

Undergraduate Students

Sarah Dunn Ditchek ’14, (sarahditchen@gmail. com) a G&G Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate major, was recently awarded a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship. This fall, Sarah will be pursuing a

Ph.D in Atmospheric Science Parker Liautaud sets world records on South Pole expedition. at the State University Sarah Ditchek of New York at Albany. G&G major Parker Liautaud ’16 (parker.liautaud@ where she will be working with Professor John yale.edu) reached the South Pole by skis on Molinari and researching topics involving hurricane December 24, 2013. He is the youngest person intensification and genesis. to reach both poles. Moreover, he also achieved the fastest Antarctic coast-to-pole trek, taking Congratulations to Emily just over 18 days. His expedition, named “Willis Farr ’14 (emilyfarr92@ Resilience” after its principal corporate sponsor, gmail.com) on her Fulbright Willis Group Holdings, seeks to increase public Fellowship. She writes: I will awareness of climate change. Parker collected be studying from March snow profiles from previously unsampled regions 2015 — March 2016 at the of the continent, ultimately to measure the spatial University of Gastronomic and temporal variability in isotopic ratios of Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy, hydrogen and oxygen through the past decades which was founded by the to centuries in those areas. international non-profit Slow Food. I will get a Emily Farr degree in Food Culture and Communications, focusing on food systems and policies and the relationship between food and place. Part of the degree is a study project, which I developed based on my interest in the connection between food systems and climate change,

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RECENT AWARDS & HONORS: ALUMNI

Robert Q. Oaks, Jr. Matt Jackson with his wife Anna Maria and their daughter Katla. Robert Q. Oaks, Jr, G ’65 ([email protected]) Matt Jackson ’01 (matthewgerardjackson@gmail. is the recipient of the 2013 Lehi Hintze Award for com) was awarded the Geochemical Society’s Outstanding Contributions to the Geology of Utah Clarke Medal. After he graduated from Yale, Matt given by the Utah Geological Association and the spent nine months backpacking through Asia and Utah Geological Survey. Bob was honored at the Africa. He then moved to Iceland for one year on November 2013 UGA meeting, where he gave a a Fulbright Grant, where he studied the talk about his work in Cache Valley titled “Delving eruptive history of the volcano Katla. Matt started into the geology of the Cache Valley area, north- graduate school in the MIT-WHOI Joint Program, central Utah and southeastern Idaho: an update where he studied the geochemistry of hotspot and retrospective.” volcanoes with Stan Hart. After earning his PhD in 2008, Matt was a postdoc at the Department Neil Williams G ’76 of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of (williamsgeoscience@ Washington, with Rick Carlson, Steve Shirey and grapevine.com.au) has been Erik Hauri. Matt was an Assistant Professor at awarded the Haddon Boston University for several years, and is now an Forrester King Medal by Associate Professor at the University of California, the Australian Academy Santa Barbara. He lives in Santa Barbara with his of Science for his original wife, Anna Maria (who he met in Iceland), and their and sustained contributions daughter, Katla. to mineral exploration, The Clarke Medal is “presented annually at the including his leadership of V. M. Goldschmidt Conference to an early-career Geoscience Australia and scientist for a single outstanding contribution to Neil Williams the achievements of the geochemistry or cosmochemistry, published either agency during his tenure as CEO, from 1995 to as a single paper or a series of papers on a single 2010. Neil also served as President of the Society topic.” of Economic Geologists in 2008 and is currently the Thayer Lindsley Lecturer for the Society. Neil is an Honorary Professorial Fellow at the University of Wollongong in New South Wales, Australia.

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STUDENT NEWS

Seniors who graduated in the class of 2014 in the forest and hopes for its future. They hope to find common ground and, using their research Max Andersen (Advisor: Mark Pagani) covering the past 300-400 years of the forest “Paleotempestology: Exploring methods to landscape, create a successful management plan develop tropical storm records in response to for the future of the Deschutes National Forest. theoretical interactions between changing climates and hurricane intensity” Emily Farr (Advisor: Peter Raymond) Max spent his summer teaching English and “Gas Transfer Velocities in Small Forested Ponds” developing a curriculum on energy in Ningbo and Emily is currently apprenticing at Big Picture Taizhou . Farm, which is a goat dairy/confectionary that makes goat-milk caramels and cheese, until Stella Cao (Advisor: Michael Oristaglio) October. In October she will return to New Haven “Natural Gas Flare Reduction: Case Studies in to work with Thimble Island Company to , Nigeria and the ” do some work relating to ocean farms. Both are Starting this August Stella will be an energy funded by Yale CIPE’s Gordon Grand fellowship. analyst for PA consulting in Denver. She will contribute to projects covering energy policy, Frieda Fein (Advisor: Ruth Blake) renewable and thermal generation, and industry ‘Temperature Dependence of Phosphate Content in acquisitions. Her work will include researching Thermus thermophiles” key inputs and creating models to quantitatively Frieda will be teaching high school math in analyze projects. Lesotho as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Wendy DeWolf (Advisor: Mark Brandon) Beata Fiszer (Advisor: Mark Brandon) “Investigating the glacial and topographic history “Modeling the Relationship between Stable of the Central Patagonian Andes using (U-Th)/He Isotopes in Precipitation and Mountain Elevation” Thermochronolgy” Beata will be doing the Sitka Service Fellowship Wendy is working as a project engineer/ in Sitka for the year working with the Alaska assistant for Energy Management, Inc., an energy Longline Fishermen’s Association. After that, development firm in Boston most well known for she’ll be back at Yale FES to get a Master’s in the Cape Wind Project. Environmental Management.

Sarah Ditchek (Advisor: William Boos) William Gearty (Advisor: Jacques Gauthier) “A Genesis Potential Index for Asian-Australian “Resolving the Relationships of the Squamate Tree Low Pressure Systems” of Life: An Assessment of New Approaches and Sarah is currently a NDSEG Fellow at the Problems” University at Albany, SUNY working towards Wlliam will be attending the Ph.D program in her Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science under the working with Jonathan Payne at the advisement of Professor John Molinari. She will Stanford School of Earth Sciences. be researching genesis and intensification. Allegra Gordon (Advisor: Mary-Louise Timmermans) “An analysis of Satellite skin temperatures in the Abigail Eurich (Advisor: Zhengrong Wang) Beaufort Sea Region in Conjunction with In-situ Air “Evaluating the Boron Isotope-pH Proxy: the Temperature Measurements” Role of Vital Effects on δ11B of Porites and After studying climate change in the Arctic, Implications for Proxy Use” Allegra decided to spend some time in the Maldives Abigail is currently in the Deschutes National studying the potential impact of rising oceans. She’s Forest near Bend, Oregon, working for Oregon taking a “gap summer” to realize her dream of an State University and the Nature Conservancy Endless Summer Surf Trip. She is currently in the on a landscape assessment of fire history in the Maldives, then heading to Sri Lanka and Indonesia. area. They are working with a collaborative of She plans to start working in October at a San over 100 stakeholders, all with different interests Francisco based technology company.

12 GEOLOGY & GEOPHYSICS NEWS Fall 2014

STUDENT NEWS

Jenna Hessert (Advisor: David Evans) Woosok Moon “Paleomagnetic Baked-Contact Tests in the Advisor: John Wettlaufer Mesoproterozoic Sinclair Region of Namibia” “Arctic Sea Ice: Trends, Stability and Variability” Jenna worked as a geology intern at Occidental Woosok is a Herchel-Smith Postdoctoral Petroleum for the summer. She will start her Fellow, Institute of Theoretical Geophysics, masters of geoscience at Tech University in University of Cambridge. the fall. Rachael Racicot Ryan Laemel (Advisor: Mark Brandon) Advisor: Jacques Gauthier “Late Cenozoic Glacial Erosion and Relief “What goes on inside the heads of porpoises? Change of Cordón Los Ñadis and Fjord Steffen Investigations of porpoise (Cetacea: in the Patagonian Andes from apatite (U-Th)/ Phocoenidae) skull anatomy using CT data” He Thermochronometry and Age-Elevation Rachels is actively applying for postdoc Relationship Interpretation” positions. Ryan will be working as a Woodbridge Fellow at Yale’s Office of Sustainability. Duayne Rieger Advisor: Jeffrey Park Wells Thorne (Advisor: Derek Briggs) “Love to Rayleigh Conversions and Seismic “ and Preservation of Faunal Anisotropy in Cascadia” Assemblages in Phosphatic Nodules from the Duayne is an Assistant Professor of Geology Pennsylvanian Midcontinent” and Oceanography, Community College of . Robert Young (Advisor: Derek Briggs) “Laboratory Testing of the Influence of Substrate Shikma Zaarur on Decay Inhibition and Exceptional Preservation” Advisor: Hagit Affek Robert will be working in Arlington, Virginia for “Clumped isotope thermometry as a tool for Clark Energy Group, which retrofits buildings to reconstructing terrestrial environments: case make them more energy efficient. studies from the Levant and East Africa” Shikma is a Postdoctoral Associate, EAPS PhD Degrees awarded in 2014 (Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences), Institute of Technology. May December Peter Douglas Advisor: Mark Pagani Simon Darroch “Plant-wax Isotopes in Neotropical Lake Sediments Advisor: Derek Briggs and Insights into the Ancient Maya Civilization” “Diversity gradients in the fossil record — Peter is a Postdoctoral Scholar in Geochemistry developing predictive models for biodiversity at Caltech working with John Eiler and Alex loss” Sessions, where he’s studying the abundance Simon received a Peter Buck postdoctoral and environmental significance of methane with fellowship at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural multiple rare isotopes. History. Following that, in September 2015, he’ll be joining the faculty at Vanderbilt University Bradford Foley (department of Earth and Environmental Advisor: David Bercovici Sciences) as an Assistant Professor in “Generation and Initiation of Plate Tectonics on Paleobiology in September 2015. Terrestrial Planets” Brad is Carnegie Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington.

13 GEOLOGY & GEOPHYSICS NEWS Fall 2014 STUDENT NEWS

Srinath Krishnan VON DAMM FELLOWSHIPS: endowed by the late Advisor: Mark Pagani Karen Von Damm ’77, to support undergraduate “Changes in the hydrological cycle during early field research and field trips. Eocene hyperthermals” Christian Brown Srinath has been appointed as a Yale Climate Tierney Larson and Energy Institute postdoc. Regional climate Tess Maggio estimates produced in this study will be tailored Jane Smyth to drive infectious disease models, such as Christine Tsai a lyme disease model, to evaluate potential Matt Goldklang changes in distribution and propagation of Marjorie Hirs disease vectors with global warming. Yusu Liu Megan Mikenas Georgy Manucharyan Philippa Stoddard Advisor: Alexey Federov XinXin Xu “The Role of Upper-Ocean Mixing in Large-Scale Ocean and Climate Dynamics” GRADUATE PRIZES Georgy is a postdoctoral scholar in Physical Oceanography at Woods Hole Oceanographic HAMMER PRIZE • “given to an outstanding geology Institution. graduate student.” Colton Lynner 2014 Department of Geology & Ross Andersen Geophysics Prize Recipients ELIAS LOOMIS PRIZE • “for excellence in studies UNDERGRADUATE PRIZES of physics of the earth, usually manifested in outstanding effort on thesis research.” HAMMER PRIZE • “for excellence in the oral Caroline Eakin presentation of the Senior Thesis” Shineng Hu Sarah Ditchek Allegra Gordon PHILLIP M. ORVILLE PRIZE • “in recognition of Emily Farr outstanding research and scholarship in the Earth Sciences” BELKNAP PRIZE • “to a Senior for excellence in Simon Darroch geological studies” Georgy Manucharyan Wendy DeWolf William Gearty FORD PRIZE • “is given for excellence in mineralogical studies” SAMUEL LEWIS PENFIELD PRIZE • “for Peter Douglas proficiency in mineralogy” Rain Tsong KARL K. TUREKIAN PRIZE • “is awarded for excellence in geochemical or cosmochemical PAT WILDE PRIZE • “for excellence in marine studies.” geology and oceanography” Yige Zhang Sarah Ditchek Shikma Zaarur Emily Farr

14 GEOLOGY & GEOPHYSICS NEWS Fall 2014 DANA CLUB BEARD-A-THON 2014

This spring, the department launched a “Beard-A-Thon” to raise funds for the Dana Club. Holger Peterman, Simon Darroch, and Joe Panzik paid homage to the historical roots of Yale Geology by growing beards in the styles of past notable department geologists. The students agreed to grow the beard of a certain scientist from the hallway or tea room portraits once a certain amount of money was raised. Thanks to the generosity of the faculty, staff, and students and a matching gift from G&G, we are pleased to say that we raised over $1000 for the Dana Club. Hopefully you had a chance to see Holger Petermann sporting the stylish moustache of Dr. Edward S. Dana. Simon Darroch achieved the fetching sideburns of Colonel George Gibbs. Joe Panzik is in the process of growing the legendary beard of O. C. Marsh. Thanks once again to the three participants and everyone who donated on behalf of the Dana Club!

Holger Peterman

Joe Panzik Simon Darroch

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POSTDOC NEWS

Congratulations to postdoc Andong He (andong.he@ Lidya Tarhan (lidya.tarhan yale.edu) will be heading @yale.edu) who was to the University of Hawaii selected as a 2014 Lewis at West Oahu to be an and Clark Field Scholars in Assistant Professor in Astrobiology by the NASA Mathematics. Andong was Astrobiology Institute and a postdoc in G&G working the American Philosophical with John Wettlaufer. Society for her research on: The silicification of soft- bodied biotas: A model for Lidya Tarhan exceptional ‘Ediacara-style’ Andong He preservation, Flinders Range, South Australia. Tingting Gu, a postdoc who The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and was working with Kanani Lee Field Research in Astrobiology promotes “the is now a postdoc at HPSTAR, continued exploration of the world around us a synchrotron facility in through a program of research grants in support Shaghai, China. of astrobiological field studies undertaken by graduate students, postdocs, and early-career scientists and scholars”. The awards made to Yale graduate students and postdocs comprise three of only nine made in 2014! Lidya is currently working with Derek Briggs. Tingting Gu Natalie Burls (natalie.burls@ Helen King (Helen.king@ yale.edu) has accepted an yale.edu) a Marie Curie Assistant Professor position International postdoctoral at George Mason University fellow working with Ruth beginning in January 2015. Blake and Catherine It is a joint position between Skinner, will be moving GMU’s Atmosphere Ocean to the Netherlands for an and Earth Sciences department Assistant Professor position and the Center for Ocean- in the Department of Land-Atmosphere Studies Earth Sciences at Utrecht (COLA). Natalie is a postdoc Natalie Burls University. working with Alexey Fedorov. Helen King

Cecilia Cadio (cecilia.cagio@ Rob Style, (rob.style@ yale.edu) has accepted a yale.edu) who was a postdoctoral fellowship Bateman Interdepartmental from the French space Post doc (working with agency CNES (Centre John Wettlaufer and Eric National d’Etudes Spatiales). Dufrense in the School of She will be in Montpellier Engineering and Applied in the South of France Science) will start this fall working on the Deformation as a junior faculty member Partitioning and the at the University of Oxford Lithosphere Dynamics of Mathematical Institute. Cecilia Cadio Continental Orogens. Cecilia Rob Style is a postdoc working with Jun Korenaga.

16 GEOLOGY & GEOPHYSICS NEWS Fall 2014 ALUMNI NEWS

Bruce Clark ’63 (bruce.clark@ Ocean Drilling Program has finally gmail.com) has been elected approved SloMo, a two-phase Treasurer of the Geological drilling program to drill through Society of America for the next lower ocean crust to Moho at year, and will become a member Atlantis Bank in the of the Society’s Executive (57°35’E, 32°42’S). Phase 1 of the Committee. program will use two legs of the JOIDES Resolution (110 days at sea) to drill a deep penetration in the Atlantis Bank Oceanic Core Complex to three kilometers. The first Phase 1 drilling leg is scheduled for Austral summer Greg and Mike Blanpied, November 2013, after Greg completed his final review for the 2014-2015 with objective of Boy Scout Eagle badge. drilling down to 1500-m below Mike Blanpied ’83 (Michael. seafloor. It will start in an exposed [email protected]) writes: I section of the base of the received the BS from G&G in 1983. dike-gabbro transition on the From Yale I proceeded to Brown wave-cut platform at the crest University where I reaceived a of Atlantis Bank (700-m water PhD in Geology and Geophysics depth) in the rift mountains of in 1989 under Professor Terry the Southwest Indian Ridge. Henry Dick Tullis, studying frictional sliding Pending a successful Leg 1, Leg properties of rocks with Henry Dick G ’78 (hdick@whoi. 2 will return to the Indian Ocean application to earthquake edu), writes: I am still at Woods nucleation. I joined the U.S. Hole Oceanographic Institution Geological Survey that year, in the Department of Geology studying earthquake processes and Geophysics. Currently and hazards for 14 years at the working on mantle dynamics USGS campus in Menlo Park and the formation of oceanic south of San Francisco. In 2003 I core complexes at 16°30’N relocated to USGS headquarters on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in Reston, Virginia, and serve and in a cooperative Chinese- as Associate Coordinator of American research project on the USGS Earthquake Hazards the composition and evolution of Program. My son, Greg, is 18 years the Southwest Indian Ridge. For old and graduating from South the latter, I have been spending 6 Lakes High School this spring, weeks a year at Tongji University and is looking forward to starting in Shanghai to work with my at Colorado University at Boulder Chinese Colleagues. At the same this fall, where he plans to major time, my kids are all leaving, the in engineering. next, daughter Helene having just graduated from Rice University, to which her younger sister Lydia is matriculating in the fall, and son Spencer testing the waters as a geology major at Ohio Wesleyan

University. The Southwest Indian Ridge from 56° to 59°E, The big news though, is that overlain by the geologic map of Atlantis Bank after 17 years of writing proposals showing the position of the proposed SloMo drill site. Exposed peridotite–green, Gabbro– and lobbying, the International yellow, dike-gabbro transition–orange, lavas– Bruce Clark brown.

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in two to three years to deepen in middle- and secondary-level the hole to 3-km. As the igneous science teaching, and try to crust-mantle boundary is exposed incorporate more Earth science along the transform wall flanking into their already packed the west side of Atlantis Bank, it is curricula. I have ongoing work expected that this transition may in development of materials for occur at ~2.5 km below seafloor teaching geoscience, and am beneath the drill site. As the currently a co-PI on NSF’s STEP Moho has been directly measured Center for the geosciences, at ~5.5 km below the drill site, called InTeGrate (http://serc. we anticipate that Moho at this carleton.edu/intergrate). location is a serpentinization front InTeGrate supports integrated – much as Harry Hess originally interdisciplinary learning about proposed. Phase II of SloMo will resource and environmental Anne Egger use the Chikyu, the Japanese issues across the undergraduate riser drill ship, to deepen the hole Anne Egger ’95 (annegger@ curriculum to create a sustainable to ~6-km through the seismic Geology.cwu.edu) reports: I’m and just civilization. We call it discontinuity. SloMo is designed finishing my third year as an a “save the world” project – it’s to obtain the first full section of assistant professor at Central meant to be transformative, the lower ocean crust at a slow Washington University, where and transformation necessarily spreading ridge using a tectonic I have a joint appointment involves an entire community, so window to bypass the sheeted in Geological Sciences and please take a look and see how dikes and pillow lavas of the Science Education. My move to you can get involved. upper crust, which have proved Washington came after almost to be difficult to drill due to ten years at Stanford University, hole stability. Now that scientific where I did my graduate work drilling has reached the dike- and also worked for seven years gabbro transition at Hole 1256D as the undergraduate program in the Pacific, SloMo is the next coordinator for the School of major step forward in a staged Earth Sciences. My current joint approach to a total penetration of appointment reflects my research the ocean crust in the Pacific. It and teaching interests. In the will demonstrate that deep drilling geology department, I primarily in the lower ocean crust can be teach structural geology and Marta & Ian at Fox , Westland, New Zealand, January 2013. done successfully, and provide field courses and advise grad critical experience for engineering students. I have ongoing research Ian S. Evans G ’66 (i.s.evans@ the total penetration of the ocean in the northwestern Basin and durham.ac.uk), “Whatever crust. SloMo if successful will not Range mapping active faults that Happened to Ian and Marta only be a major scientific success, influence geothermal systems Evans?” Ian writes: Every time I but will provide the foundation – that work has taken me from read a Yale GG Newsletter, with for completing Project Mohole my roots in field mapping to welcome news of old friends and the ambitious attempt to drill geophysics, including using an update on developments in the through the Earth’s crust through unmanned aerial systems to Department, I resolve to report on the Mohorovicic discontinuity map magnetic anomalies (see our news. On the other hand, we first proposed by the American the blog of that project here have been at Durham University Miscellaneous Society some 60 http://www.usgs.gov/blogs/ since 1970, so it is not difficult for years ago that fell far short of its surprisevalley/2012/09/01/ anyone who wants to, to catch up objectives, but laid the foundation introduction-mapping- with us! Anyway, here goes. for scientific ocean drilling. underground-faults-and- I studied geomorphology and fractures-in-surprise-valley/. glacial geology from 1964 with In Science Education, I teach Dick Flint and Linc Washburn, courses for students majoring taking courses also from John

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Rodgers, Dick Sheldon and scale-specificity of landforms, and and travel widely, trying to fill in Chester Bliss (Statistics for the use of derivatives of the land gaps in our acquaintance with Biologists). Marta (Luklinska) surface. the World – most recently in New and I met only after her High Retirement brought Honorary Zealand, China and the Alps, Pressure group moved into Memberships of the Japanese and earlier in Patagonia, Peru, Kline Geology Lab in 1965. We Geomorphological Union and the Nepal, Spitsbergen, California married in New Haven on leaving Quaternary Research Association. and Ukraine. If I mention my Yale with Master’s degrees in I have collaborated with acquaintance with Afghanistan to 1966 and honeymooned on the geomorphologists in Romania, Americans, I hasten to add that ‘Queen Mary’, from New York Slovakia and the Czech Republic, it was in 1963 – for my Bachelor’s to Southampton. Sea transport and in 2012 was made a Doctor dissertation. was necessary for our luggage Honoris Causa of the University of 7 trunks (a couple donated of Suceava (Romania). This year I by Linc Washburn), largely received a handsome Silver Medal containing many duplicates from the University of Isfahan, discarded in the merger of the and a Life Achievement Award Geology, Mineralogy and Peabody from the International Society for Libraries. The trunks were driven Geomorphometry. I am a former in a U-haul trailer to Pier 92 by my Chair of the latter, and of the roommate Radomir Petrovic G ‘71, BGRG (now the British Society for on the wettest day for years. Geomorphology). At Cambridge, Marta gained Moving to Durham reduced George Devries Klein a PhD in radiochemistry, and Marta’s opportunities and she I eventually (1974) obtained a moved into Biochemistry and George Devries Klein G ’60 Geography PhD, but only after Molecular Biology of plants. ([email protected]), two years as a Research Fellow Her 30 years as a post-doc is retired to Guam in April, 2014. in the Experimental Cartography a Durham record. Marta has 55 George writes: After a 54-year Unit in Oxford and several years publications, and two patents postdoctoral career in geology, lecturing in Durham. I lectured that have yet to produce I decided to retire (I turned 81 in on geomorphology, data analysis financial reward. Life as British January). My wife and I sold our and various other aspects of academics has been interesting house in Mid-March. We moved to geography from 1970 until my and intellectually if not financially, Guam within a month or less. Yes, retirement in 2008, since when I rewarding. We are a long way you read that correctly – Guam. continue to write, and to review from the Yale alumni action Let me share the reasons. about 16 papers a year (for 43 in London, but are active in First, as we are getting older the different journals so far – from Trevelyan College (Durham) question came who could help Geology to GIS!). In 1965 and and the northeast branch of St look after us if necessary? My two 1966 I drove west and started Catharine’s (Cambridge) alumni. sons from an earlier marriage are work on the glaciation of the We were saddened to hear of either out of the country or on the southern Coast Mountains of the death of Karl Turekian, who road anywhere from 70 to 90% of British Columbia, which keep (with mutual surprise) recognized the time. calling me back – for 13 summers Marta when they met on the However, Suyon (my wife) so far and a long sabbatical streets of Paris in 1969. We are has lots of family and relatives at UBC in 1980. Publications still in touch with Ian’s room- in Korea and they are all willing have focussed especially on mates at HGS: Radomir Petrovic to help us if needed (They are cirque morphometry, glacier (of Bartlesville, Oklahoma) already planning to visit us in distribution and the analysis and Larry Rychener G’66 (of Guam). When we went to Korea of Digital Elevation Models Prunedale, Salinas, California) in 1995 after our remarriage to by general geomorphometry. – both of whom had careers meet her family, the buffet lunch Notable contributions concern in the oil industry. Fortunately where I was introduced had 200 the asymmetry of local glaciation, enjoying good health, Marta and family members. the allometric development and I still enjoy mountain walking Guam is a three-to-four hour

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flight from Seoul, Korea, and is developed a remote sensing the westernmost outpost of the imaging system (Remots) for US Medical system. After a site rapid mapping of sediments, visit last September, we made biology, and chemical gradients the decision to go. Medically, it on the seafloor. There was (and is a bit difficult for civilian health is) a great demand for this cost- care, but a new private hospital effective technology in applied and medical center is being built oceanography. Joseph Germano and will open in five months So, (PhD 83), Dr. Larry Boyer (a we remain optimistic about our post-doc), and I started Marine future there. Surveys, Inc. off campus to launch In closing, naturally it is a Melissa Paly this new technology. This required hard to leave geology, the that I take an early retirement Houston geological community, NH. Melissa segued from the Houston area, and the US a career in environmental Mainland. In western parlance, I management and hydrogeology enjoyed the ride as a geologist at USEPA into environmental and I feel blessed that you rode communications in early 1990s, with me part or most the way. and has been running her own However, in life there is a time business since 1993. Drawing on to come and a time to leave. My her environmental background time to leave geology and the US and personal passions, many of the company’s clients are non- mainland has come. Donald and Christobel Rhoads with their 1952 profits, universities, agencies and Mercedes 300. businesses focused on issues related to energy, natural resource from Yale to spend full time on management and sustainability. this new enterprise. In 1986, Melissa serves on the boards Science Applications International of the Kittery Land Trust, Maine SAI (now SAIC) acquired our Coast Heritage Trust, Maine company and I moved to Woods Island Trail Association, and the Hole MA to open another SAI office. Yale School of Forestry Alumni Board. She lives in Kittery Point The post Yale days have been Maine and has three children, equally exciting and rewarding. the oldest of whom attends As Senior Scientist at SAIC, I Deb Liptzin Colby College where she’s continued my geological- Deb Liptzin ’01 (dliptzin@yahoo. contemplating a double major biological research and received com) is entering her final year of in environmental science and the first SAIC Excellence in pediatric pulmonology fellowship geology. What could be better? Science and Technology Award in Denver, Colorado. She is excited in 1994 for “creating the and fearful about finally searching Donald Rhoads, Professor, multidisciplinary field of for a “real” job! Department of G&G 1965– organism-sediment-fluid 1986. ([email protected]) interactions”. Remots technology Melissa Paly ’82 and writes: I taught Paleoecology, was a finalist in the 1995 MFS ’87 (melissa@ Sedimentology, Marine Ecology, Computerworld Smithsonian crosscurrentcommunications. and an undergraduate course Award competition; one of 50 com), runs CrossCurrent on Sound. Those world finalists in a field of 450 Communications (www. 21 years in academia were very nominations. I also obtained crosscurrentcommunications. rewarding. However, I had always SAIC R & D funds to build a com), a messaging, marketing, wanted to work in the interface multispectral REMOTS system PR and media production between academic and applied for in situ false color digital company based in Portsmouth science. Our Yale laboratory had imaging of sediment chemistry.

20 GEOLOGY & GEOPHYSICS NEWS Fall 2014 ALUMNI NEWS

I obtained a patent for this the terrorist hazards to traditional technology in 1994. SAIC also field surveys. funded my bioengineering The plan is for the U. S. project to develop an in situ Geological Survey to include the Hall effect sensor for predicting 18 RSE reports in a data package future bottom water hypoxia for the Afghan Geological Survey by remotely measuring vertical which will make the data available migrations of magnetotactic to the exploration community. The bacteria in organically enriched objective is to provide an inventory sediments. This work was done of exploration targets for follow-on with Dr. Sandor Mulsow of Boston evaluation. Because of uncertain University. We received a patent conditions in Afghanistan we do in 1993. not know when the data package I was appointed Adjunct will be available.” Professor of Geology at Boston

Univ. while at SAIC and taught Figure 1 is a sample interpretation/target map a summer course for several derived from HyMap hyperspectral images of years at the Marine Biological the Balkhab copper prospect and surrounding terrane in north-central Afghanistan. The Laboratory in Woods Hole. deposit is hosted in volcanigenic massive During my 16-year tenure at sulfide rocks exposed in the gorge of the SAIC I did international projects northeast-flowing Balkhab River. The digital data for 124 spectral bands were acquired in Canada, Ireland, France, by a NASA aircraft and provided courtesy Italy, Hong Kong, and . of the U. S. Geological Survey Spectroscopy Jill Schneiderman at the famous geological Laboratory. We used the known Balkhab unconformity at Siccar Point, Scotland. Anticipating retirement (again) copper prospect as a “training site” (BE 1) in 2000 I was honored by an to define spectral signatures of the copper- Jill Schneiderman ’81 (jill. international symposium in 1998 bearing host rocks which are characterized [email protected]) the alteration minerals phengite and muscovite/ at the Belle Baruch Institute phengite. We then identified 7 other outcrops write: I led a study trip for Vassar resulting in a “Festschrift”. I still with similar signatures and labeled them as students for two weeks during Exploration Targets BE 2 to BE 8. live in Falmouth MA with Christy spring break to and the (a surrogate mother to many an array of satellite and airborne West Bank. We focussed on the G&G Yale graduate students). I systems (Landsat TM, ASTER, Jordan River watershed and enjoy working on my classic car Shuttle Radar Topographic shared resources. The geology of collection. Mission, HyMap Hyperspectral the region was spectacular and Scanner, WorldView 2). The I am hoping it might cultivate Floyd F Sabins G ’55, (ffsabins@ systems and digital processing some new majors for our geology roadrunner.com) writes: After methods are described in department at Vassar. leaving Yale I spent 37 years at my book, “Remote Sensing – Chevron’s geologic research Principles and Interpretation” Alistair Stewart G ’70 (astewart@ facility where I introduced 3rd Edition. Our 18 DoD Reports pcug.org.au), reports: I left Yale remote sensing and digital image cover 21 sites and define several in October 1970, returned to processing for oil and mineral hundred exploration targets for Australia, and rejoined the Bureau exploration. Upon retirement gold, copper, chromite, lithium, of Mineral Resources, which is I continued remote sensing and coal. The targets are shown equivalent to the USGS and now research and exploration with on detailed maps with charts called Geoscience Australia. my company, Remote Sensing that list lat/long coordinates and There I did regional geological Enterprises, Inc. (RSE). Beginning brief descriptions. Afghanistan mapping and structural geology in 2010 the U. S. Department is known for its mineral potential in Proterozoic and Archean rocks of Defense tasked RSE to that is largely undeveloped due of the outback until retiring in identify mineral exploration to accessibility and terrorist November 1999. The total area I targets in Afghanistan. We activity. The arid climate and mapped is about the size of South digitally processed and visually well-exposed bedrock are ideal Carolina. After that I continued at interpreted images acquired by for remote sensing, which avoids GA on contract until mid-2013,

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finishing my PhD with Bob Berner and Elisabeth Vrba, I did a postdoc at Arizona State University and so my wife, Mandy, and I are happy to be able to stay in Arizona. For those of you who may remember them as small children, my son Ian turns 13 this summer and AJ is 9. I’m glad to say they were able to survive their years growing up in the Geology Department unscathed and both of them are John Vidale doing well and continuing “The John Vidale ’81 (seismoguy@mac. Experience” tradition by playing com), writes: I remain gainfully baseball, football, and basketball. employed with the University We were saddened to hear of the of Washington, where I’ve been passing of Dolf, Karl, and Leo. They for nearly a decade after a initially as part of the group were part of a great tradition and decade at UCLA. Here, I watch that compiled a new Geological will be greatly missed. the earthquakes and volcanoes Map of Australia in digital form, in the Pacific Northwest, and and then compiled a Provinces research great earthquakes, slow Database, being the outlines earthquakes, and how to warn of Australia’s 180 hard-rock the public of incoming strong provinces and basins showing earthquake shaking. their extent under cover (from aeromagnetics) and a summary of their geological data. Imaging fossils at Argonne National Labs. In 2006 I began writing my I’m spending most of my geological memoirs, Somersaults research time still examining in the Sand: Adventures in the the effects of oxygen-levels Geological Mapping of Australia, on animal development and which recounts the many evolution. This has included curious, fascinating, sometimes exposing insects to hyperoxia dangerous, and occasionally leading to the development of tragic incidents that happened larger than normal dragonflies during those years of field and beetles, as well as working on Chelsea Willet hiking in Fanconia Notch, New Hampshire. work, including a one-sided creating cyborg insects. We have grizzly encounter in Idaho in also been looking at the fossil Chelsea Willett ’11 (chelsea.d. my summer’s field work in 1966. record during times of varying [email protected]) writes: After The book is due for release in atmospheric oxygen levels and working at an environmental June 2014, and can be ordered utilizing the x-ray synchrotron at consulting firm in Boston for three through my website www. Argonne National labs to image years, I’ll be moving to California to somersaultsinthesand.com. insects preserved in fossilized start my graduate studies with Dr. amber to visualize their internal David Shuster at UC Berkeley this John VandenBrooks G ’07 respiratory system as possible fall. Over the summer, I’ll be traveling (jvandenbrooks@midwestern. proxy for paleo-oxygen levels. to Asheville, NC with friends, and edu) writes: This January I started Overall, things are good and to Croatia with family. Before as a tenure-track Assistant I’ve been glad to be able to stay leaving New England, I was sure to Professor in Physiology at in touch with many of my co- get in some good hikes, including Midwestern University in Glendale, conspirators from my years in Franconia Notch in the White Arizona to help establish a brand KGL and I hope to see many of Mountains, NH. I hope to see many new Veterinary School. After you in the future! Yale folks at AGU this December!

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Look for us at the annual meetings of AGU and GSA: GSA Yale/Harvard Joint Alumni Reception Monday, October 20, 2014 Alumni Please Note: 7:00 – 9:30 pm ☛ Fairmont Hotel Vancouver 900 West Street We would especially like Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to hear from you. Please AGU send your news to rebecca. Yale University Reception [email protected]. Tuesday, December 16, 2014 7:00 – 11:00 pm Jillians (at the Metreon) 175 Fourth Street GEOLOGY & San Francisco, CA http://www.jillianssf.com/ GEOPHYSICS NEWS

Yale Department of Geology & Geophysics

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