GEOScapeDepartment of Geosciences Alumni and Friends Annual Newsletter Fall 2019 Ph.D. students Juli Scamardo (foreground) Message from the Department Head and Celeste Weiting (background) in a RICK ASTER Cottonwood gallery forest along the Green River in Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

2 | GEOScape Fall 2019 Message from the Department Head RICK ASTER

2019 marked five years serving as CSU Geosciences department head, a milestone that invited even more In This Issue than the usual level of reflection on where we’ve been, the state of today’s department, and the exciting and impactful directions that we realize in a 21st-century CSU 4 Message from the Dean Department of Geosciences department. 7 Alumni News As with the majority of our U.S. peers, the popularity of geology as an academic major has waned since the ener- 11 Student Highlights gy industry jobs boom that peaked around January 2014. 19 Faculty and Staff This has predictably trimmed our undergraduate numbers (112 undergraduates this semester, down from around 33 Departmental News 180 in 2014). We’ve weathered this scenario before – our department history shows that we had around 300 majors at one point during 40 Departmental Honors the early ‘80s oil boom. Interestingly, essentially all of this recent undergraduate numbers decline has occurred in our “traditional” geology concentration, while 42 Development Focus Areas we have been holding our own in our geophysics, hydrogeology, and environ- mental geology concentrations. 46 Thanks to Our Supporters

On the positive side, our graduate student accomplishments and numbers show consistent strength thanks to strong external funding and dedicated faculty ad- vising. Our on-campus introductory courses also continue to hit enrollment caps. These courses now serve about 2,000 students each year, including 900-plus undergraduates in our intensive hands-on introductory geology laboratories. Our expertly delivered 100-level courses are a demanding operation – kudos to our superb introductory teaching faculty who coordinate the large lectures, extensive grading, and long hours (Sean Bryan, Dan McGrath, Lisa Stright, Sean Gallen, and Mike Ronayne), and to our graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants who contribute so importantly while honing their own teaching skills. These courses are of course, fertile ground for recruiting geosciences majors. To continue to attract and retain talented undergraduates to geosciences, we will also be expanding our recruiting efforts on and off campus to continue to raise awareness of geosciences and our profession’s diverse and satisfying professional opportunities.

A particular joy in assembling GEOScape is seeing anew how the department as a whole exceeds the sum of its impressive individual and group contributions – our research and teaching substantially span the applied and fundamental geo- sciences, including where and when our interests interact with the atmosphere and oceans. This is reflected in outstanding education, research, and engage- ment in geomorphology; sedimentology; petroleum, structural, and, economic On the cover geology; hydrogeology; geodynamics; geochemistry; tectonics; geophysics and Department graduate students install seismology; and glaciology, increasingly pursued in innovative and multidisci- geophysical equipment on Lake Agnes plinary ways. Our annual newsletter provides a unique (certainly non-exhaustive, rock glacier to image subsurface but valuably representative) snapshot of department excellence while showcas- properties, including ice thickness. ing a formidable breadth and depth. After reading, I hope that you feel the same way. Photo by Dan McGrath

Finally, it’s once again a pleasure to recognize our alumni and other friends who critically enrich our students’ success and our department culture. Your engage- GEOScape is the annual newsletter ment this year continued to span substantial and critical student philanthropy, produced for alumni and friends of the service on our Geosciences Advisory Council, participation in the classroom, Department of Geosciences at Colorado field trip leadership, department seminars, and a solid offering of evening (typ- State University. We appreciate your ically pizza-enhanced) mentorship talks. Should any of you wish to be involved continued support and welcome your (or more involved) in these sorts of fostering pivotal experiences and support thoughts. opportunities for future CSU geoscientists, please contact me. Sincere thanks to our far-flung CSU Geosciences community!

Rick Aster, Ph.D. Geosciences Department Head

GEOScape Fall 2019 | 3 A Note from the Dean JOHN P. HAYES

Greetings from Fort Collins! It’s also an exciting for the University. This year marks our 150th anniversary as Colorado’s land-grant institution, a What an exciting year for Warner proud tradition that has long included the fields of geosci- College and the Department of ence. We’ve also welcomed our 15th University President, Geosciences! Each year, I look Joyce McConnell. forward to digging into anoth- er exciting issue of GEOScape President McConnell arrived this past summer and has and learning more about all the already made great strides in stewarding the University’s tremendous work being accom- success for its next 150 years. Of particular note, and pride plished by our geosciences’ fac- for our College, President McConnell holds her tenure home ulty, staff, alumni, and students. in Warner College, and so she, like many of you, is a proud Warner Ram! As a College, we’ve continued making strides in a number of important areas this past year. Our program to strengthen Every time I get the chance to wander through the depart- teaching and research at CSU’s Mountain Campus has really ment’s halls, I’m astounded by the breadth not only among taken off. the faculty’s work, but also in the posters the students proudly display. Geosciences truly is a forward-thinking, in- We will be breaking ground on a new donor-funded Re- novative, department that cares deeply about educating the search and Education Center there this spring, which will of- next generation of geoscientists and making an impact on fer state-of-the-art facilities for both teaching and research. the world. I’m proud to be a part of a college that is home to With the help of a number of the Geosciences faculty such a great program. members, we’ve continued to deploy research infrastructure throughout the campus as well, including a new seismome- As always, if you’re in the area, we hope you’ll stop by and ter, multiple groundwater wells, and stream instrumentation. say hello!

These tools will not only add to our basic understanding of John P. Hayes Ph.D. the area’s physical environment but are also contributing to international datasets. I’ve delighted in checking in to find that the seismometer is picking up seismic events from all over the world. You can see some of these data displayed at datavis.warnercnr.colostate.edu.

Dean, Warner College of Natural Resources

M.S. student Stewart Williams doing fieldwork in the Coastal Cordillera of northern Chile with the Pacific Ocean and the town of Taltal in the background.

4 | GEOScape Fall 2019 Torres del Paine National Park, Chile, GEOScapePhoto by FallEllen 2019 Wohl | 5 Coastal Cordillera in northern Chile. Photo by John Singleton

6 | GEOScape Fall 2019 ALUMNI NEWS

Our alumni are contributing to geosciences work and research all over the world.

GEOScape Fall 2019 | 7 ALUMNI NEWS Respect, Responsibility, A lifelong relationship and Gratitude with hydrogeology

Robert L. Stollar, M.S., geology Saturday nights; loading and unloading trailer trucks for a trucking company; and being technical director of Theatre with a specialty in hydrogeology, ’69 Workshop at Hunter College. In my senior year, I asked this professor what I needed to do to make geology a career As a kid, I was always interested in science and went to and he informed me that graduate school was necessary. a special engineering and science high school, Brooklyn I also missed some of the analytical approaches of engi- Technical. In my senior year, I was informed that I needed neering and he gave me some textbooks on geophysics to go to college to pursue a science career. In those days, and hydrogeology. I couldn’t afford to go to a private college, so I chose Hunter College of the City University of New York. It cost It didn’t take long to realize that hydrogeology seemed $25 a semester! The problem was that I lived in Brooklyn to fit exactly with what I wanted to do. In 1966, very few and the campus was in the Bronx, one-and-one-half hours schools offered a specialty in hydrogeology, so it was a each way on the New York City D train. Long commutes choice between Arizona and Colorado State University. are not conducive to success in college and it took a toll Whoa ... CSU, the Rocky Mountains ... are you kidding? on my study habits. I started as an engineering student, This was a dream come true for an East Coast big-city boy taking math, physics, and chemistry. Not at all fun. One who couldn’t afford even summer camp. My grades were day, a subway friend of mine suggested I take a geology a disaster and I doubted I would be accepted; but thanks class. I had no idea what geology was, but he enlight- to recommendation letters from my Hunter professors I ened me and added that it was a fun, easy A. Sign me up. was. So, in July 1966, I bought a beat-up 1956 Plymouth My Geology 101 professor was from Rutgers, and it was and drove to Fort Collins with $250 in my pocket. I was on obvious that he loved teaching that course. It was fun and Highway 14 in Sterling when I first saw the sign “Welcome interesting; therefore, in my junior year I changed my major to Colorful Colorado.” I stopped, got out of the car, and to geology. I was still commuting to school; taking field took a deep breath ... it was the stockyards. classes in the summer; driving an NYC cab on Friday and

8 | GEOScape Fall 2019 ALUMNI NEWS

My years at CSU were wonderful. During my second year, I chose the thesis topic “Measuring Aquifer Geometry with Seismic Refraction and Earth Resistivity Methods.” Some of you may actually remember the 1960s – it was a time of unrest and the Vietnam War. With the seismic method, I used dynamite and blasting caps (can you imagine, no per- mits were required!). The first day the department autho- rized an undergrad to work with me. He drilled the hole for the dynamite and helped lay out the geophones. I placed the dynamite in the ground and very officiously yelled, “fire in the hole” and hit the toggle switch. As the Polaroid film started to flow, the undergrad tapped me on the shoulder and asked, “Hey, Bob. When you blow up dynamite, is Wildflowers at Rocky Mountain National Park. water supposed to be shooting out of the ground 15 feet in Photo by Rick Aster the air?” I had blown up a Fort Collins water main. groundwater consulting firm specializing in groundwa- There are many other funny anecdotes of my years in Fort ter contamination and resources. As president and chief Collins. But more importantly, CSU was about the profes- technical officer, I grew the firm to 65 people, with offices sors and my professional relationships with them. They in Santa Ana and Palo Alto, California, and Denver. I was made me feel that my contributions as a student, as a firmly in the mentoring seat now. An aerospace company, young professional, and as a human being had real value. and one of my biggest clients, bought R.L. Stollar & Associ- Drs. Robert Johnson, Jim Waltz, and Dan Sunada, as well ates in 1989. Since that time, I have been an expert witness as countless others, changed my life. I cannot overempha- in groundwater contamination cases. Recently, I was an ex- size this; and because of it I want to give back to CSU with pert for Orange County Water District that was suing many my time; with scholarships; with employment and consult- of the major petroleum companies to clean up an MTBE ing opportunities for staff and students; and with student plume that was estimated to be a few miles long and had a mentoring. potential to contaminate the Orange County water supply wells. I am always proud to share my work experience with stu- dents and young professionals. My first job upon leaving And, just as I was contemplating total retirement, Kevin CSU was on the East Coast with Geraghty & Miller, one of France who was a water broker in Denver at the time, sug- the few groundwater firms in the country back then. Dur- gested getting involved with helping farmers better man- ing my first few years with them, I worked all over the U.S. age their water. Along with Kevin, Ed Warner (B.S., ’68), and and Pakistan, supervising drilling of production wells and private equity funds, we established SWIIM (Sustainable carrying out aquifer tests. With my CSU background, I was Water and Innovative Irrigation Management) and soon able to bring geophysics and groundwater modeling into started a research farm in the Greeley area, hiring faculty the workflow, and after a few years I became manager of in geoscience, engineering, and agriculture to carry out geophysics and modeling. Geraghty & Miller had a great experiments to better understand the relationship between philosophy – if you cannot figure out a problem, find the water use and evapotranspiration from crops in agricultural person in the country who is an expert and have him/her areas under prior appropriation systems. We also hired teach you. Once again, mentoring relationships played a researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to very key role in my career development. run the experimental farm. We have since received three patents and have grown to about 40 technical and sales By the mid-1970s, groundwater contamination had become staff throughout Colorado and California. The SWIIM pro- a critical issue and the newly formed EPA had very little cess aids growers in managing and measuring their water experience with it. Geraghty & Miller began to work with use, crop water use, and water balances. The goal is to the EPA and the work poured in. I was now a manager in increase profit for the farmer by saving water, increasing charge of diverse projects such as groundwater investiga- yield, and automating the process. Most of the data can tions involving nerve gas derivatives at Rocky Mountain be accessed on the “dashboard” of a tablet or desktop Arsenal; elemental phosphorous which would burst into computer. flames when exposed to the air, and solvents and gasoline byproducts. In 1981, I accepted the position of manager of My relationship with CSU continues as I serve on the War- the Hazardous Waste Group for Earth Technology Com- ner College Dean’s Advisory Council and the Geosciences pany and once again moved west, this time to Southern Advisory Council. It is a lifelong relationship; one based on California. In 1983, I founded R.L. Stollar & Associates, a respect, responsibility, and gratitude.

GEOScape Fall 2019 | 9 Tommy in his element with Geosciences students at the Henderson Mine, Clear Creek County, Colorado, this fall.

Emeritus News The department welcomes back and thanks Tommy Thompson (CSU faculty, ‘73-’95). Tommy returned to campus as a special guest professor and participated centrally in the teaching of our GEOL 447 Mineral Deposits course and also helped open many doors for our student SEG chapter spring break field trip to Nevada. It is great to have you back, Tommy!

ALUMNUS HIGHLIGHT – WAYNE CAMP

Sincere Geosciences department congratulations to Wayne Camp (M.S., ’79), Distinguished Geological Adviser, Occidental Petroleum Corporation (L), here being honored as a GSA Fellow by President Donald L. Siegel at the 2019 GSA annual meeting. Wayne has contributed significantly to geoscience through his many publications and the editing of multiple proceedings from the conferences he has organized or helped organize. He has additionally been noted for work with scanning electron microscopy of shale oil and gas reservoirs, including the concept that he proposed in describing observed void-filling organic matter as a “cement,” and the diagenetic evolution of organic matter to form secondary porosity. This work has led to a proposed new method to estimate organic matter porosity in shale reservoirs constrained by petrographic observations and published in a new AAPG Memoir Mudstone Diagenesis: Implications for Shale Hydrocarbon Reservoirs, Seals, and Source Rocks. Wayne further notes: “My wife, Joanne, and I still live in Montgomery, Texas, on Lake Conroe, north of where I work in The Woodlands, now for Occidental Petroleum which acquired Anadarko in August this year. I have two daughters and four granddaughters whom I love to spoil.”

10 | GEOScape Fall 2019 STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS Our students experience a comprehensive learning environment of research, outreach, and career mentoring.

GEOScape Fall 2019 | 11 STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

Juli Scamardo Park field site. I also compared predictions of beaver pres- M.S. and Ph.D. Programs ence along rivers throughout Colorado using the software program BRAT (Beaver Restoration Assessment Tool) to I am a native of Texas who finished a B.S. in environmental on-the-ground evaluations of beaver restoration potential science at University of Texas at Austin before coming to and geomorphic evidence of past beaver occupation. CSU as an M.S. student. My M.S. thesis work focused on beaver-related river restoration in Colorado. Beaver were My work has generated a great deal of interest among city, historically much more abundant throughout forested por- county, and state resources managers and nongovern- tions of the U.S., including Colorado. Where beaver build mental organizations interested in beaver restoration. This low dams and dig canals across a floodplain, the valley is very gratifying, but the big excitement came in Spring bottom gradually becomes a much more diverse environ- 2019, when I received an email from the National Science ment capable of storing more surface and subsurface wa- Foundation notifying me that I had been awarded an NSF ter and retaining nitrogen and carbon, as well as hosting Graduate Research Fellowship. To put this in perspec- a greater abundance and diversity of plants and animals. tive, the program has 12,000 applicants, and fewer than Consequently, beaver restoration is now accelerating in 2,000 fellowships were awarded. Of these, only 95 were Colorado and elsewhere in the U.S. and Europe. in geosciences, and only five in geomorphology (including me!). I began my NSF-supported Ph.D. work this fall. I will Working in the North Fork Poudre River watershed and in be examining floodplain sediment dynamics in ephemeral the Big Thompson River watershed in Estes Park, I moni- rivers of the southwestern U.S., including sites in western tored the hydrologic and geomorphic effects of recently Colorado. Although I may not have much opportunity to installed beaver dam analogs. These human-built low use my canoeing expertise in this fieldwork (or my newly wooden dams are designed to mimic the effects of beaver acquired downhill skiing skills), I will undoubtedly gain new dams by storing sediment, creating pools, fostering a high- scientific insights and awareness of Colorado’s lands and er floodplain water table, and increasing the habitat com- water. I plan to seek a career in academia after finishing plexity of streams. In some cases, the beaver dam analogs my Ph.D. working with adviser Ellen Wohl. are modified by actual beavers, as I witnessed at the Estes

Ph.D. student, Juli Scamardo, after surveying streams in Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Ariz.

12 | GEOScape Fall 2019 STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

John Kemper inspection. Together, these techniques should quantify the Ph.D. Program timing of erosion in the headwaters, the origin of flood- plain sediments, and the amount of channel change along During the latter years the larger rivers in the basin. of the 19th century, stream channels across Research findings have the potential to inform local land the Colorado River management practices within the Yampa River Basin. More Basin experienced broadly, study results have important ramifications for man- extreme erosion due agement of public and private lands and considerations of to a combination of future development throughout the Colorado River Basin. climate alterations These results will provide insight into the response of our and human-induced Western rivers to future changes in climate and land use. change. My adviser Sara Rathburn, and I are working with collaborators Jonathan Friedman at the USGS and Erich Mueller at Southern Utah University – along with local landowners John Kemper receiving the Stanley and stakeholders – to A. Schumm Research Grant Award understand how past with adviser Sara Rathburn at the erosion in tributaries Annual GSA meeting in Phoenix of the Yampa River this September. As many readers influences the remember, Stan was a pivotal establishment of the figure in founding our department’s geomorphology program. cottonwood forests Cristophe Simbo found along the river’s Ph.D. Program banks. I am a native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Large increases in sediment loads, such as those that and became interested in geology at a young age, thanks occurred during the time period that extreme erosion to the geologically diverse nature of my surroundings in was underway, generally increase river channel migration the African Great Lakes region near Goma, a seismically when combined with large flood events. Floodplain cot- and volcanically active region that hosts critical mineral tonwood forests are disturbance-driven ecosystems that commodities. After completion of my bachelor’s degree in are dependent on these sediment-laden floods and the hydrogeology and geotechnical engineering at the Univer- associated movement of the river channel, which together sity of Lubumbashi, I worked as an exploration geologist create the moist, bare sandy surfaces that are well suited in the Congolese Copperbelt before earning a research to cottonwood establishment. In the Yampa River Basin, fellowship in economic geology through a UNESCO- which spans much of northwestern Colorado and south- Poland Co-Sponsored Program to spend half a year at western Wyoming, this process can be understood as AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, a linked sequence of events that begins with erosion in Poland. I subsequently was awarded a Fulbright scholar- the tributaries and culminates with forest establishment ship to pursue M.S. studies at the University of Arkansas downstream. with more focus on economic geology and geochemistry. My current research interests center on the geochemical Overall, the hypothesized connections between tributary water-rock interactions and their immediate or long-term erosion and downstream floodplain forest establishment repercussions, which include water contamination, forma- suggests that cottonwood forests along the Yampa may be tion of sedimentary ore deposits, and geothermal energy the result of past sediment-charged floods, and that forest resources. Working with my adviser Sally Sutton, I will be establishment has declined as sediment loads have more pursuing a Ph.D. project in the geochemical evaluation of recently declined. To investigate these connections, Sarah, aquifer storage and recovery for subsurface management collaborators, and I will use a combination of field data col- of water resources. In my leisure time, I enjoy playing soc- lection, laboratory sample analysis, and aerial photograph cer and watching documentaries on natural science and historical events.

GEOScape Fall 2019 | 13 STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

its power and importance. As soon as I could, I declared Meggie Olsen and a major in watershed science in the Department of brown trout on the Ecosystem Science and Sustainability and was soon taking upper Colorado River. a full course load. Throughout the semester, I began to feel that the degree was too narrow of a path for me. However, I was still interested in water, so I did some digging to see if there might be a better fit somewhere else. That’s when I discovered the Geoscience department and the geology major with a hydrogeology concentration. This program has a broader spectrum for careers and gives me the wiggle room to explore other fascinations.

Since joining Geosciences, a lot has fallen into place for me. I have enjoyed the geology courses, challenged myself, had a lot of laughs, made a lot of friends, and found my sense of belonging. The relatively small numbers in this department make for a very tightknit and collaborative community. I am working in the Warner College Student Success Center, where I serve as the Geoscience Ambassador for recruitment and engagement. My work includes an array of activities that regularly include face- to-face interactions with prospective students, with whom I share my own student experience and discuss selecting Meggie Olsen a major that aligns with their values, skills, and career Undergraduate Geology Program with interests. Hydrogeology Concentration The Ambassador team and I also engage in engagement In my early years, I was never someone who had a rock efforts for the college during CSU’s various prospective collection or was otherwise especially enthralled by the student events, such as Choose CSU and Discover CSU, processes of the Earth. In fact, I thought Earth science where we showcase how Warner College integrates was frankly, quite boring. So how I ended up in the unique and exciting fieldwork into its programs, including Geosciences department has been an unexpected but taking tour groups to the Sherwood Forest to participate pleasant turn of events. Like many students, I came into in fun activities that highlight natural resources, as well as college lacking a sense of direction and was stumbling what our college has to offer more broadly. For my part, I along trying to discover what my academic interests were. have created a mineral and fossil show-and-tell segment. I was one of many CSU undeclared students smothered Currently, the Ambassador group is especially working by the pressure of declaring a major to avoid extra years on expanding Warner’s watershed science, restoration in school, but I was eager to find my identity and start ecology, and geology majors. completing the courses of a degree track.

I had my first breakthrough during my second semester. I was taking notes in my introductory biology course on the unique properties of H2O and that’s when it hit me – I wanted to work with water. I had spent a ton of time rafting the Colorado rivers with my dad, who is an avid fly fisher and well-versed in river navigation. He would announce the discharge and the water temp and what was hatching that day and at what times. He would explain to me where the fish were hanging out and why. He even taught me about the water rights associated with the river as we floated past ranches and properties. The more time we spent on the river, the more water demonstrated

14 | GEOScape Fall 2019 STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

American Association of Petroleum Occidental (Jason Mailloux and Jon Robbins, B.S., ‘05), and Corsair Petrophysics (Robert Lieber); organized a data Geologists Chapter science workshop led by retired ExxonMobil geologist David Advocate; and attended an Anadarko-led field trip for the Lisa Stright Niobrara Formation around the Denver area (with Jarrad Faculty Adviser Berg, M.S., ‘04, and Tom Bergstresser). The 2019-2020 academic year is shaping up to be just as busy. The chapter The Colorado State University chapter of The American will again be host hosting our dedicated local alumni Association of Petroleum Geologists provides information speakers Ernie Brown and Greg Cudney, in addition to and opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students Steven Crews (M.S., ‘85) from Apache, and is planning field studying geology, especially as it relates to petroleum and trips to the Arches National Park area as well as to a wellsite natural gas, and provides exciting co-curricular opportunities in the Powder River Basin. This spring, our students will also for students pursuing energy careers. CSU AAPG was very be participating in the prestigious Imperial Barrel Award active during the 2018-2019 academic year. The student competition. The chapter extends a warm invitation to our chapter hosted industry speakers from Schlumberger (Ernie many geoscience alumni to engage with our club. Brown, B.S., ‘78 and Greg Cudney, B.S., ‘78), Anadarko/

Jarrad Berg (M.S. ’04) leading an Anadarko-sponsored chapter field trip to the Niobrara Formation.

GEOScape Fall 2019 | 15 SEG Club members in the Emigrant Springs open pit, Carlin Trend, Nevada.

16 | GEOScape Fall 2019 STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

Student Club Chapter News Society of Economic Geologists Chapter Josh Elkington Undergraduate Geology Program 2019 has been another fun and ambitious year for the department’s SEG student chapter. We held semimonthly meetings, where members presented talks on topics that included ore deposit geochronology, mining techniques, and the history of mining. We hosted several external speakers, including Alexander Gysi, Nicole C. Hurtig, Maddison Lylte, and Brandon Bzdok. These speakers covered a wide range of topics including rare earth elements, uranium mineralization, and transitioning into careers in the mining industry. Our final meeting in 2019, as I write this, will host alum Erik Ovens (Red Dog Mine, B.S., ’18). For the spring semester we also will welcome an external speaker, Chris Holm-Denoma from USGS, to Above: SEG club members with mentor and field trip leader the department to speak on geochronology of ore-related Tommy Thompson at Long Canyon Gold Mine, Nevada. minerals. We arranged a major field trip to visit Carlin-style Below: SEG club members touring the Phoenix Mill. Photos by gold deposits in Nevada during our annual spring break Josh Elkington field trip. This was conducted in collaboration with Tommy Thompson (CSU professor emeritus), who opened many doors for the chapter. During our time in Nevada, we had excellent visits to the Long Canyon, Emigrant, and Phoenix mines, and got a special look at a developing prospect site with alumnus Roger Steininger (Ph.D., ’86). We also attended an SEG conference in Elko, Nevada, during the trip, which benefited students with opportunities to meet and network with a number of industry professionals. Guidebooks for our SEG field trip are available to anyone who would like one; please just contact the department!

We also held a fundraising event to support the spring break trip – a trivia night at a local restaurant and were also awarded critical funding from the SEG Stewart R. Wallace Fund. During 2020, we plan to continue our commitment to field-based activities and networking to provide our members with the best possible background and opportunities for careers in the mining industry. This fall, student members joined the GEOL 447 Mineral Deposits class (co-taught this year by senior Ph.D. student Nikki Seymour and Tommy Thompson while John Ridley was on sabbatical) on two field trips, where we visited the Cripple Creek and Henderson mines. We are currently planning our 2020 spring break field trip and would welcome further connections and support from our department alumni and other friends.

GEOScape Fall 2019 | 17 Mount Alice at Rocky Mountain National Park. Photo18 | GEOScape by Rick Fall Aster 2019 OUR FACULTY and STAFF

Our faculty and staff explore the wide world of geosciences.

GEOScape Fall 2019 | 19 FACULTY AND STAFF BRIEFS

establish a volcano observatory on the (for which I serve on the Government active Erebus Volcano on Ross Island. Relations Committee and will be Ken Sims (University of Wyoming) and co-chairing the 2020 Albuquerque I are also working on a review article meeting); and Incorporated Research describing this remarkable intraplate Institutions for Seismology (where I volcano for the Geological Society currently serve on the board). I also of London. I also continued to work continue to serve on USGS Federal on the remarkable seismic data that Advisory Committees for the Advanced Michael Baker, myself, and colleagues National Seismic System and from four other institutions collected Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory between 2017 and 2018 on the Ross Committee. This was an especially Ice Shelf. The ice shelf continues to exciting year in earthquake science amaze us with a diversity of wave with the rollout of an early warning phenomena induced by icequake, system (based on P-wave detection earthquake, atmospheric, and oceanic before damaging waves reach large excitation. These data will clearly keep populations) and the unexpected fault- us busy as we probe and listen to the jumping July Ridgecrest earthquakes Rick Aster ice shelf to understand its structure, (magnitude 7.1 and 6.4). These I was pleased to once again offer the dynamics, and stability. Hank Cole earthquakes were a wake-up call for course in Solid Earth Inverse Methods (M.S. program) is making excellent California’s urban population – the this spring, using the 2018 (Aster, progress studying tidally triggered mainshock was the largest earthquake Borchers, and Thurber) third edition icequakes that occur every day near in Southern California in 20 years. textbook for the first time. I continued the ice shelf edges. Michael Baker to participate in research in Northern also first-authored a paper in the Canada (notably with Derek Schutt) Journal of Glaciology that provides and in Antarctica (with a large number the most comprehensive view to date DEPARTMENT of students and colleagues). In the of how various processes create the Mackenzie Mountains, we and our seismic spectrum of the ice shelf. The PUBLICATIONS students are getting exciting results POLENET group, where I am one of Our department continues from our multiyear deployment of several co-PIs, continued to build on to publish across the seismometers extending from near a decade of intense fieldwork and the plate boundary to the craton in seismic/geodetic data collection spectrum of geosciences Yukon and Northwest Territories. across much of the continent. We peer-reviewed literature. In the Mackenzie Mountains, the published several papers describing You can keep abreast of Canadian Cordillera has “invaded” and interpreting the seismically the craton, so that the arcuate thrust constrained structure of the Antarctic our publications, as well belt and its geophysical signatures Plate and underlying mantle. This work as download earlier issues extend hundreds of kilometers is producing an increasingly well- of GEOScape and see our farther to the east than elsewhere. resolved imaging and geophysical Seismic tomography suggests that understanding of Antarctica that is (at department history on the this excursion is “guided” on its north last) approaching that of Earth’s other department Google Scholar and south edges by cold and stiff continents. These data and models page (https://warnercnr. cratonic fragments, including a newly also inform our understanding of the named and entirely buried “Mackenzie solid Earth heat flow and viscous colostate.edu/geosciences/ Craton” to the north, but that hot and contributions to the evolution and geo-publications/). low-strength lithosphere underlies the stability of the Antarctic ice sheet, and thrust belt. Ph.D. student Michael Baker thus are important for glaciological and first-authored a definitive overview sea-level studies. paper on this project for Seismological Research Letters. In Antarctica, In community activities, I continue to colleagues Ronni Graphenthin be active in the business of GSA (keep (University of Alaska), Julien Chaput an eye out for the CSU-hosted 2021 (University of Texas at El Paso), and Rocky Mountain Section meeting); I received late 2019 NSF funding to Seismological Society of America

20 | GEOScape Fall 2019 FACULTY AND STAFF BRIEFS

detic data and quantitative skills into from ExxonMobil. However, the low oil the classroom and creating virtual and prices have not helped in our ability to augmented reality learning experi- obtain support for students because of ences. It’s great to see more and more an ongoing dearth of funds for re- examples of technology being thought- search activities by industry. Joel is cur- fully and purposefully incorporated rently working to get a Williston Basin into the classroom to improve the consortium going because of continu- learning experience for students. One ing interest from industry in those final highlight was to see some long- North Dakota units. Research-wise, I term research published in geophysi- am considering spreading out to follow cal research Letters this spring. Along my curiosity in aquifer sedimentology, with colleagues from the Woods Hole teaming up with Mike Ronayne. To sup- Oceanographic Institution and the Uni- port new efforts in this arena, I plan to versity of Colorado, we reconstructed use Ethridge Funds to partially support South Asian Monsoon strength and a Ph.D. student studying in Denver and variability over the last few hundred Front Range aquifer sedimentology years from coral geochemistry. with a focus on aquifer and aquitard Sean Bryan geometries. Following my traditional I continue to teach our general educa- interests, I am continuing to work on tion Introduction to Physical Geology the Bakken and overlying associ- course (GEOL 120) and coordinate the ated Lodgepole Formation (ironically Introduction to Geology Laboratories referred to as the “False Bakken”) to (GEOL 121). Interest in our introduc- look at a siliciclastic mudstone succes- tory geology courses continues to be sion there. I published a paper on the very strong; during the 2018-19 school middle Bakken this year in Marine and year, 1,091 students completed GEOL Petroleum Geology on synsedimentary 120 and 901 students completed the deformation structures and am cur- GEOL 121 lab. These courses benefit rently working on this topic in the Front tremendously from the outstanding Range with an undergraduate student geology majors and graduate students in collaboration with John Singleton, who served as teaching assistants concentrating on the clastic dikes at in GEOL 121 (Darrick Roanhaus, Pe- the top of the Fountain Formation. I ter Carlson, Connor Kounnas, Gabe also taught two short courses this year Vazquez, Alex Lae, Micah Hernandez, for industry, one with the Rocky Moun- Manny Guerzon, Emily Iskin, Andrew tain Association of Geologists in Den- Bolton, Eyal Marder, James Van Hook, ver and Golden, and one organized by and Joel Spansel) and learning assis- Sven Egenhoff the North Dakota Geological Survey in Grand Forks, North Dakota. tants in GEOL 120 (Micah Hernandez, I am looking forward to my second Natalie Crozier, Trigg Skoe, Amanda sabbatical during the spring of 2020. Greenwalt, Ethan Andrews, Cody Hub- However, this semester is completely bard, and Aren Roybal) over the past booked to work on my textbook Mud- year. Our efforts to spread geoscience stone Sedimentology (although I am literacy across such a large group of thinking about sneaking in two other students at CSU would not be possible papers that I am currently working without their hard work. on; one for Sedimentology, and one potentially for Basin Research. Both During the summer, I had the oppor- of these papers will be on the Bak- tunity to attend the Earth Educators ken Formation. (How could it possibly Rendezvous, a conference focused on be different?) This year, I made some geoscience education. I presented on progress in getting students out the our experience piloting a new cloud- door, and graduated Aleksandra Novak based “iClicker” platform in GEOL 120 (Ph.D.), who started work at Exxon- and was able to attend workshops Mobil in November, as well as Joel focused on incorporating more geo- Spansel (M.S.), who also has a job offer

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Perman, in partnership with John James Winter. They are joined by four Singleton. Another exciting part of my other talented mappers and writ- year was co-convening a conference ers from other reputable institutions: in Nepal on natural hazards (see Katie KellerLynn, Ron Karpilo, Georgia article on Page 34), featuring our own Hybels, and Michael Barthelmes. This Sara Rathburn as a keynote speaker “awesome” (favorite team word) group and also attended by Dan McGrath has earned kudos from Washington and Johanna Eidmann to present their and parks across the country. The exciting research. Perhaps the most third hat is my AIRIE cap – the Re-Os rewarding achievement this year is geochronology program that Holly the graduation of my very first Ph.D. Stein leads. That still has me working student, now Dr. Richard Ott, from my half-time at University of Oslo, where previous institution, ETH-Zurich, who we can interface with the Norwegian successfully defended his dissertation petroleum industry, our strongest in October. I look forward to another supporters. We’re also diversifying exciting and productive year here our tool kit, exploring a range of metal at CSU! stable isotopes to further constrain Sean Gallen processes of anoxia, organic-matter It’s been another busy year here at accumulation, and the generation of CSU, with most of my time being split hydrocarbons. Along the way, we find among proposal writing, research, evidence of climatic swings, warming teaching, and advising. Highlights or cooling, periods of ocean anoxia include significant renovations and acidity – not unlike the changes to the Critical Zone Science and we are witnessing in the Anthropo- Tectonic Geomorphology Laboratory, cene. Two of our postdocs are moving generously jointly funded by the on to top academic positions. Nicole Office of the Vice President for Hurtig is temporarily at Colorado Research and the Warner College of School of Mines but will shortly move Natural Resources. These renovations to a tenure-track position at New Mex- include a new fume hood and ducting ico Institute of Technology in Socorro system that will allow for the chemical next year. Vineet Goswami is heading purification of rock and sediment east, as I write this, to take a leader- samples, a necessary step in isolating ship role at the Physical Research Lab pure quartz. Quartz purification is an in Ahmedabad, Gujarat in India. So, essential step to isolate and measure it is with particular pleasure that we cosmogenic radionuclides, such as welcome Ph.D. student Juni Park, who beryllium-10, that I plan to use to Judy Hannah comes to us from South Korea and will measure Earth surface process rates Through the past, year I’ve contin- be working on our new project explor- on a range of timescales. My graduate ued to wear three hats. As always, ing mercury in petroleum systems. students and I conducted fieldwork I teach my first true love – Igneous in Puerto Rico, southern Colorado, and Metamorphic Petrology; crashing and Italy this year in topics ranging tectonic plates, growing crystals and from rainfall-triggered landslides to bubbling vapors, enormous explod- subduction zone dynamics. Teaching ing volcanoes ... what’s not to love? highlights included a topical seminar Meanwhile, the National Park Service on the co-evolution of landscape Geologic Resources Inventory (see and species, Field Camp in Cañon the article on Page 31). passes its City, and teaching the Introductory second decade this year, with a staff Geology course for our majors. In of nine and two student interns. I addition to continuing to advise think it is worth naming the five CSU my graduate students Katie Schide alumni who work with the group – in (ETH-Zurich), Johanna Eidmann order of appearance – as you (dear (Ph.D. program), and Eyal Marder reader) could be a classmate: Stepha- (Ph.D. program), I am happy to be nie O’Meara, John Graham, Trista Separating volatile mercury for isotopic analysis. co-advising a new M.S. student, Emily Thornberry-Ehrlich, Jim Chappell, and

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to map the subsidence history. Another I am currently teaching two sections new graduate student, Micah Mayle of the online intro course, along with (Ph.D.), has taken the lead on my re- Optical Mineralogy and Mineralogy. In search funded by the National Science Mineralogy, enrollment is back down to Foundation into relationships between what it was around 2011. For the ump- rifting and magmatism. We made a teenth year in a row, the Mineralogy breakthrough this past summer, adapt- students attended the Denver Gem ing our computer modeling code that and Mineral show, which has grown simulates rifting to include melting and to the point where it could easily take melt transport processes. Micah will be a week to see everything. I currently reporting on the computational meth- have four students doing independent ods and our preliminary geodynamic study projects; two working on clas- findings at an AGU Chapman Confer- sifying recently discovered meteorites; ence in Iceland and at the AGU Fall one attempting a computer model of a meeting in 2019. Plans for next year microstructure I discovered and named are to complete our seismic mapping a few years back; and one working on Dennis Harry on the southwestern Australian margin, microstructures in the famous (fluores- and to apply our new computer model- cent) Franklin Marble of New Jersey. This has been a year of transition for ing tools to test various hypotheses for Speaking of the Franklin Marble, over my research and graduate teaching the sources of melts produced during the past year or two, I have assembled programs, as former students finished continental rifting. a good collection of fluorescent miner- and wrapped up old projects and new als and showed them off at the Denver students made great strides on new show in September. Research-wise, I projects. Ph.D. student Sumant Jha Jerry Magloughlin finished a study on unusual extremely- successfully defended his dissertation, low-oxygen fugacity serpentine veins, representing the last of a group of my Hello all, and happy new decade and am wrapping up two more stud- students who were working on rifting as 2020 rapidly approaches. 2019 ies, one on amphibolites from the and subsidence in the Victoria Land has gone quickly, even though I had Cascades and one on a computer Basin of West Antarctica. Our initial re- fewer trips than usual this year. Spring model for atom-by-atom modeling of Geosphere sults were reported in and semester, I taught my graduate-level rare earth element movement during in presentations at the 2018 Geological GEOL 535 Microtectonics course, metamorphism. I am also working on Society of America Annual Meeting along with the introductory GEOL ultramafic rocks now with new gradu- and AGU Fall Meeting. I continue to 110 geology online course (which I’m ate student Demi Girot. I always enjoy work on data collected during Inter- teaching every semester now). I trav- hearing from graduates; send an email national Ocean Discovery Program eled to Portland for the GSA Cordil- and let us know how things are going. Expedition 369, where we drilled leran session meeting, and gave a talk through the breakup unconformity on recent dating of a pluton in the Cas- on the southwestern Australian rifted cades. On the 39th anniversary of the continental margin. Preliminary results May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erup- were published in IODP Proceedings tion, I participated in a field trip looking and our first paper, reporting the nature at the story and impacts of the eruption of the late syn-rift and early post-rift – and how much has changed (erosion, strata on the western Australian mar- reforestation) since 1980. Also in May, I gin, appeared in the Australian Journal took a CSU-sponsored course in drone of Earth Sciences (where we describe piloting. Although I’ve flown for about the dinosaur footprint that we drilled five years now, passing the FAA exam through!). Further papers are in prepa- (I hadn’t studied for an exam in a long ration, discussing the nature of volca- time!), made me an official commercial nism on the margin during breakup drone pilot. This summer, I did a quick and the general tectonic evolution of research trip to the Cascades, and it the margin and its relation to open- was lovely as always. Had a nice visit ing of the Indian Ocean. M.S. student from Justin Hufford, who was on his Manny Guerzon began working on the way to start a Ph.D. in Zurich. Things seismic reflection data on the Austra- got really busy fall semester (as usual). lian margin in Fall 2018, with intentions

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our understanding of how glacial lake John Kemper and USGS colleagues in outburst flood hazards will change in the Yampa Basin collecting tree cores the future. In an additional aspect of and surveying arroyos. I also helped her research, we’re using a range of John Singleton and one of his former geodetic (lidar, drone-based structure M.S. students complete geologic map- from motion) and geophysical tools ping and worked with Mike Ronayne to (seismic refraction, electrical resistivity, install surface and groundwater moni- ground-penetrating radar) to quantify toring equipment at the Mountain Cam- the ice content and flow dynamics pus to expand teaching and research of the Lake Agnes rock glacier in the opportunities. I also worked with CSU’s Never Summer mountains; one of the Drone Center to acquire images of hundreds of rock glaciers in Colorado! the South Fork Valley at the Mountain Lastly, I welcomed two new students Campus to develop a high-resolution to my research group this fall: Lucas digital elevation model for Christoph’s Zeller, who will be pursuing an M.S. research. On the teaching front, I project related to glacier dynamics in taught GEOL 154 Historical Geology Dan McGrath Alaska, and Christoph Suhr, who I am last spring and hosted various guest I’ve had an exciting and rewarding co-advising with Dr. Sara Rathburn. speakers, borrowed the NASA lunar academic year with advances in ongo- Christoph will be conducting surficial samples, and helped students com- ing research projects, the development mapping and geophysical surveys plete a group poster project that they of a new graduate-level class, “Remote at CSU’s Mountain Campus to better presented in a symposium format. This Sensing for Geoscientists,” and new understand the evolution of this glacial fall has been busy with a sophomore- projects within my research group. I trough in the Holocene and help build level GEOL 201 Field Geology of the continue to work closely with USGS our expanding knowledge base for Colorado Front Range class (with John scientists studying the Benchmark Gla- future research and teaching there. Singleton), and my graduate-level GEOL ciers of the Western U.S. and Alaska, 662 Field Geomorphology class. I was which resulted in two publications this elected as a Fellow of GSA this year year; the first quantifying interannual Sara Rathburn and received the award at the meeting spatial variability in snow accumula- Highlights of the 2018-2019 academic in Phoenix. I also gave an invited talk tion on glaciers, and the second on year include accolades for Ph.D. in Nepal at the Galileo Symposium on the ubiquitous mass losses from these advisees Annette Patton and John Perturbations to Earth Surface Dynam- glaciers since the 1960s. I continue to Kemper. Annette published a paper on ics, an amazing opportunity to see be heavily involved in NASA’s SnowEx permafrost degradation and landslides the stunning Himalaya landscape and mission, which seeks to develop and in Geomorphology, defended her dis- interact with a vibrant international com- test algorithms to measure snow water sertation, and started a postdoc at the munity studying disturbance response equivalent at global scales using University of Oregon; John received and recovery (noted on Page 34). I’ll be space-based sensors. My M.S. student, the Stanley A. Schumm Research Grant on sabbatical next year with plans to go Randall Bonnell, is focused on under- award (how appropriate for one of our to Iceland. standing the impact of liquid water own graduate students!) from GSA content on L-band radar propagation, for his research proposal on arroyo a promising methodology being tested incision and floodplain forest establish- by this mission. This coming winter, I’ll ment in the Yampa River Basin (see be working with a group of students John’s student highlight on Page 13). to make weekly snow measurements I also welcomed new Ph.D. student (snow pits and ground-penetrating Celeste Wieting and new M.S. student radar surveys) at Cameron Pass, Christoph Suhr (co-advising with Dan which will be one of 13 field sites in McGrath) this fall. Celeste is research- the Western U.S. participating in the ing channel morphological changes coordinated SnowEx 2020 ground/ after invasive vegetation removal on airborne campaign. My Ph.D. student, southwest U.S. rivers, and Christoph Bri Rick, and I have been using his- is investigating glacial valley evolution toric and modern satellite imagery to through geologic mapping and geo- quantify changes in glacial lakes in physical surveys. During the summer, Alaska, with important implications for I enjoyed two weeks of fieldwork with

24 | GEOScape Fall 2019 EGU Galileo Conference attendees examine a landslide scarp near Hindi, Nepal. Numerous coseismic landslide scars from the 2015 M 7.8 Gorkha earthquake are visible across the valley. Photo: Dan McGrath

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to expand hydrologic instrumentation and related research at CSU Mountain Campus. In June, our Geosciences team, including Ph.D. graduate students Kristen Cognac and Johanna Eidmann and undergraduates Josh Elkington and Ethan Andrews, worked with a drilling contractor to install two monitoring wells that will enable long- term sampling of deeper groundwater. These data will contribute to an improved understanding of groundwater recharge, seasonal groundwater storage, and groundwater-surface water interaction within the mountain watershed. On John Ridley the teaching front, my graduate-level Bill Sanford geostatistics class was approved as I am on sabbatical leave this fall a regular course and is being taught Highlights for this year included semester but am neither traveling to again this fall semester. This is a fun Marissa Fichera’s M.S. defense on anywhere exotic and interesting nor class that brings together students research modeling seawater intrusion fully escaping responsibilities in the de- with diverse research interests. This in the Todos Santos aquifer, Baja partment. I am staying in Fort Collins to semester, we are applying spatial California Sur Mexico. She used write a second edition of my book “Ore statistical techniques to analyze geochemical data and stable isotopes Deposit Geology,” which will hopefully heterogeneity in a variety of data to examine current and potential be published within two years. One in- sets, including snowpack thickness, seawater intrusion due to increased teresting new M.S. student project this soil and groundwater contaminant water extraction and future sea level year is on the Yogo sapphire deposit concentrations, and subsurface rise near CSU’s Baja Campus site. in Montana. This is unusual for known porosity/permeability data. Active Army Major John Boyle used sapphire occurrences in that the gems electrical resistivity tomography to are hosted in an ultramafic lampro- characterize a small groundwater phyre dyke. It is easy to find sapphires basin in Joshua Tree National Park by eye underground or on the mine for his M.S. thesis, helping to improve dumps, it is just a shame that most of water resource management in the them are thin plates rather than cut- park. John is now an instructor at table stones! West Point. I presented an invited talk at the Society of Exploration Geophysicists annual meeting in San Mike Ronayne Antonio summarizing our work with temporal microgravity surveys to I was appointed a Colorado Water determine hydrogeologic parameters Center faculty fellow for the 2019- of unconfined aquifers during pumping 2020 academic year. My fellowship tests (my co-authors were Mike project involves the use of historical Ronayne, Dennis Harry, and Ph.D. well data and numerical modeling to student Matt Sturdivant). I continued investigate changing groundwater my longstanding interaction with recharge dynamics in multi-aquifer Larry Cathles of Cornell University systems. With specific application to develop and implement a field to the Denver Basin aquifers, this demonstration of multicomponent research investigates the influence of tracer methods (including heat, He, long-term pumping and the conditions and nanoparticles) for constraining that produce aquifer disconnection, fracture flow volume, surface area, which can significantly alter aquifer and spacing. This proposal, if funded, water budgets. During Summer 2019, I would develop a well field on the joined my Warner College colleagues

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CSU Foothills Campus near College Mackenzie Mountains. We are happy Lake. I also continued teaching my to report that, after tremendous efforts week of field camp in northern New by CSU graduate students Michael Mexico, working with water quality and Baker, David Heath, and Derek Witt chemistry of springs in the Rio Grande (and many others), the field component Gorge and in a natural drainage that of the project has been completed has been hydrothermally altered and successfully, and we are now happily highly weathered and examining its examining lots of data. potential impacts on the Red River. This study area is also located near an As the Mackenzie Mountains project inactive molybdenite mine in Questa, is nearing completion, I have another New Mexico. Finally, I am working with project ramping up. This multimillion- M.S. student Amber Lidell to improve dollar NSF project is a collaboration the use of inexpensive sensors for with several different institutions, specific conductance measurements including work with CSU mathematics in headwater streams near Steamboat (and geosciences joint) Professor Springs, Colorado. If this pilot effort is Wolfgang Bangerth. The goal of my John Singleton successful, these low-cost sensors will portion of the project will be to take be usable in many streams to collect various geophysical and seismological 2019 started off with a fantastic January data to determine the contribution of observations and infer the temperature field season in the Atacama Desert groundwater to stream baseflow. and composition of Earth’s mantle near Taltal, Chile. Altogether, a group as a key constraint for geodynamic of nine collaborators (including four computer simulations. Chilean geologists, three CSU graduate students, and a CSU undergraduate) From a teaching standpoint it has also participated in this fieldwork. We been a busy year. In the spring of 2019, completed our geologic mapping of I taught GEOL 250 Solid Earth and a 70 km-long stretch of the Atacama GEOL 574 Geodynamics. This fall, I am fault system, ending where it enters the teaching GEOL 578 Global Seismology, Pacific Ocean. In addition, we finished which consists of both a theoretical fieldwork on a shear zone associated class and a hands-on laboratory, along with skarn mineralization and started with running a seminar on the tectonics a new project investigating the and geophysics of northwestern development of the Mesozoic Andean Canada. Of particular note is that Global margin using the stratigraphic record Seismology is testing content that and detrital zircon geochronology. was developed during my teaching Following fieldwork, we presented sabbatical last fall for a flipped learning our findings to Chilean collaborators format that brings more group activity at Pontificia Universidad Católica in to the classroom. Santiago. Our Atacama research group is now focused on publishing our Derek Schutt results, with a manuscript by former M.S. student Rachel Ruthven recently I welcomed new M.S. student David accepted and two manuscripts by Cammack to my research group – graduate students Nikki Seymour this makes for five M.S. students, (Ph.D.) and Skyler Mavor (M.S.) currently with two intending to graduate this in review. In Spring 2019, a group semester. The students have all of six CSU graduate students and I focused on using geophysics and published a paper in Rocky Mountain seismology to investigate the tectonics Geology on Laramide shortening in in northwestern Canada, an enigmatic the Black Hills, which arose from a and until recently, a poorly sampled graduate seminar class. Additional part of the world. As part of this interest, 2019 highlights include student Stewart Rick Aster and I have been co-PIs on Williams successfully completing a large five-year project to deploy and defending his M.S. research on seismographs in and study the remote

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John Singleton continued also continue to teach a number of our petroleum-related courses the Potosí uplift in the Sierra Madre (Well Logging and Petrophysics; Oriental (northeast Mexico). At the Reservoir Characterization and September GSA annual meeting in Modeling; Petroleum Geosciences). Phoenix, Stewart Williams and Nikki We kicked off phase 3 of Chile Seymour both gave outstanding oral Slope Systems this summer with six presentations of their research, and industry sponsors. We will be doing CSU undergraduate Micah Hernandez fieldwork in both Patagonia and presented an excellent poster of his British Columbia this year, along with Atacama research project. I have affiliate field trips to both locations. (mostly) completed research on west I currently have three M.S. students Arizona projects, and at the moment, who are all working on projects my research is focused on a process- associated with characterization oriented investigation of quartzite that and modeling of deep-water has undergone significant crystal plastic depositional systems. Noah Vento, strain at relatively low temperatures Lisa Stright a second-year M.S., is working (<280°C). In 2020, I am planning to start on a machine learning problem This year has provided some new research projects in the Sangre in predicting deep-water channel exciting changes in both teaching de Cristo Mountains and in southern stacking patterns at well locations and research for me, along with Arizona. In addition, I am excited to start from core data. Andrew Ruetten, continued progress on existing a new collaboration on a neotectonics also a second-year M.S. student, is projects. This fall, we resurrected project in northern Chile with Sean building an outcrop model that will Geology of Natural Resources Gallen and M.S. student Emily Perman. serve to elucidate characteristic, (GEOL 124). This class quickly filled I thoroughly enjoyed teaching summer seismic-scale fluid flow patterns with an eager group of 80 non- field camp near Silverton this summer and test the predictability of geology students, most of whom (the “Lime Creek project”). We had stochastic geocellular modeling are undergraduates. The plan for a really great group of students and to accurately predict these flow now is that I will continue to teach perfect weather. Fall semester has patterns. Finally, new M.S. student this class every fall. In this class, been busy with field trips in Advanced Teresa Langenkamp is working we focus on the basics of geology Structural Geology (GEOL 572) and in on using seismic modeling to and build in the importance of Field Geology of the Colorado Front better understand the information understanding and stewarding Range (GEOL 201), which I co-teach with content in inverted seismic data for our geologic natural resources Sara Rathburn. predicting facies rock properties. (water, minerals, and energy). I

Geology 401 Field Trip to the glacier at Rocky Mountain National Park.

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Noah will be joining ExxonMobil full graduates Daniel Collazo and Adam time in the fall of 2020, Andrew is Adam, along with Mike Ronayne’s Department History doing an internship with Occidental Ph.D. student Kristin Cognac, laid Reuben C. Coffin this summer, and Teresa is doing the groundwork by characterizing – one-man Geol- an internship with ExxonMobil hydrologic properties of local ogy Department, this summer. I am also completing aquifers and identifying several 1922-1946. photogrammetry work with an sandstones that may be good undergraduate researcher, Cesar targets for ASR. A question in any Please check Quiroz, a student in the geophysics proposed ASR operation is whether out the latest concentration who is also working interaction of oxidizing injected edition of your department history by clicking on a minor in computer science and water with a less oxidizing aquifer on our department home page mathematics. Finally, I was honored could result in the mobilization of https://warnercnr.colostate.edu/ to be named an AAPG Distinguished metals such as arsenic or uranium. geosciences/ Lecturer this past year and used We are beginning to address this the opportunity to summarize with a combination of geochemical A few notable dates … the modeling work that we have analyses and geochemical modeling. 1922: Fire guts CSU’s old Chemistry accomplished in phases 1 and 2 of M.S. student Amanda Doherty Building and a collection of rocks and CSS. In a new format for the AAPG, recently defended her thesis on minerals stored in the attic plum- the DLS talks were taped for virtual applying geochemical modeling to mets into the debris of the basement. President Charles Lory, pondering viewing. The talk, “The Impact of predict mineral stability during ASR the blackened detritus, asks Major Bed- to Geobody-Architecture on in some of these local aquifers. New Reuben C. Coffin (Department of Reservoir Prediction: Hypothesis- Ph.D. student Christophe Simbo Chemistry and noted uranium mineral Based Modeling in a Deep-Water (highlighted on Page 13) has begun specialist) to teach geology. Depositional Environment,” can work on geochemical modeling of 1957: Geology becomes a major and be found at the AAPG website rock-water interactions during ASR department (with six faculty (https://warnercnr.colostate.edu/ and aims to develop a protocol for members); first degree awarded. geosciences/) along with a short the application of ASR to sandstone 1964: First M.S. awarded. interview. The DLS season was aquifers. In addition to continuing capped off with a special session at ASR-related work, new M.S. student 1966: First B.S. awarded to a woman GSA in Phoenix organized by none Alex Marr is planning to follow up (Robbie Gries – who goes on to other than Robbie Gries, CSU alumna on a project of John Ridley’s M.S. become a highly successful and pioneering petroleum geologist (B.S., ‘66), and GSA president, “At the student Anne Ji examining the and President of Geological Society Forefront of Exploration and Critical mineralogy of arsenic contamination of America). Thinking: American Association of floodplain sediment downstream Petroleum Geologists 2019. from the Homestake gold mine in 1973-76: Geology migrates from the College of Natural Sciences to South Dakota. the College of Forestry and Natural Resources, and into the (then-new) Sally Sutton Natural Resources building; the de- partment becomes Earth Resources. My students and I continue to focus on understanding geochemical 1982: 300 (!) undergraduates during the early ‘80s “oil boom”. rock-water interactions, particularly related to aquifer storage and 1999-2003: Foundational philan- recovery and diagenesis. ASR, which thropic gifts to the department by has seen increased use elsewhere Ed Warner (B.S., ‘68), including two endowed faculty positions. in Colorado in recent years, utilizes aquifers to store surplus water that 2003: College reorganization and can then be recovered by pumping creation of the Department of when needed. The seasonality of Geosciences snowmelt-derived water makes 2006: Our College becomes the many Colorado communities Edward M. Warner College of potential candidates for ASR. M.S. Natural Resources 2018: Dedication of the Warner College Michael Smith Natural Resources Building

GEOScape Fall 2019 | 29 FACULTY AND STAFF BRIEFS

geography of artificial levees in the Collins is quite a bit closer to these continental U.S. (Ph.D. student Richard field sites than Germany, I’m looking Knox); and (9) wood loads on differ- forward to continuing this work and ent geomorphic surfaces and under having the opportunity to visit them different disturbance regimes along more frequently. However, I also hope the Upper Merced River in Yosemite to take advantage of my remaining National Park (M.S. student Emily Iskin). months in Europe – I will be travel- M.S. students Juli Scamardo (high- ing to Serbia next year to kick-start a lighted on Page 12), Sarah Hinshaw, project with a Serbian colleague on and Ethan Ader finished in May 2019. unraveling the tectonic and climate Ethan is now with Otak Consulting in history of the Dinaride region, and Denver. Sarah and Juli decided that have been traveling frequently within one graduate degree was just not Europe to cement longer-term collabo- enough and are now continuing in the rations with institutions here. Though Ph.D. program here. We also welcomed my position doesn’t commence until new students Anna Marshall (M.S.) and next summer, I’ve already joined the Richard Knox (Ph.D.) to the fluvial geo- Geosciences department as an affiliate Ellen Wohl morphology group. Geomorph alums faculty member and have started work My highlights for the past year include may be interested to learn that Chewy on several collaborative NSF propos- receiving an honorary doctorate from now has a friend (Beverly). The serious als (both within and outside CSU). My the University of Lausanne in Switzer- and goofy group photos continue. family and I are excited to move to Fort land. Current projects in our research Collins and to join the department and group include: (1) large wood and the greater CSU community. associated carbon fluxes to the Arctic Ocean in Canada’s Mackenzie River catchment (postdocs Alicia Sendrowski Incoming Faculty and Natalie Kramer Anderson); (2) Jeremy Caves Rugenstein field and flume experiments on the I will be starting as an assistant profes- influence of downstream spacing of sor in the Geosciences department in channel-spanning logjams on hypo- August 2020. In the meantime, I am a rheic exchange in Little Beaver Creek, joint Alexander von Humboldt postdoc- a tributary of the South Fork Poudre toral fellow at the Max Planck Institute River (M.S. student Anna Marshall); (3) for Meteorology in Hamburg, Germany floodplain carbon stock in relation to and at the Senckenberg Biodiversity time since deglaciation in the Stehekin and Climate Research Center in Frank- River valley (Washington) and the furt, Germany. My research focuses on Rio Exploradores (Chilean Patagonia; understanding the drivers of long-term (Ph.D. student Sarah Hinshaw); (4) the (i.e., multimillion-year) climate change spatial distribution and persistence of and on quantifying how terrestrial channel-spanning logjams in Rocky landscapes and ecosystems respond Mountain National Park (eastwest); (5) to these changes in climate. As part sediment dynamics in river beds along of my postdoctoral work, I have been ephemeral channels in the southwest collecting samples in the Rio Grande U.S. (Ph.D. student Juli Scamardo); (6) Rift and on the High Plains to under- assessing river corridor condition and stand how hydrology and climate in the potential for restoration on the Old North America has changed since the Elk Ranch properties along the Colo- middle Miocene. Concurrently, I have rado-Wyoming border (M.S. student been working to utilize climate model Zach Kornse); (7) channel responses to simulations of warmer worlds to test excess sand loading on North and East whether global climate models can Sand Creeks in North Park, Colorado capture the response that I observe (M.S. student Julia Grabowski); (8) the from these samples. Given that Fort

30 | GEOScape Fall 2019 FACULTY AND STAFF BRIEFS

Geological Resources Inventory Group

Stephanie O’Meara and Jim Chappell In 2019, the GRI completed or updated 47 digital geologic- GIS maps for 16 parks, including maps for Acadia National The Geologic Resources Inventory is a cooperative Park, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, and program between Geosciences (with Judy Hannah as Joshua Tree National Park. The program also completed the faculty lead) and the National Park Service. The GRI or updated 32 layouts, including for Colorado National currently employs nine CSU research associates, five of Monument and Fort Vancouver National Historic Site whom are departmental alumni, and two geology student Lastly, the GRI produced reports for eight parks including interns. CSU GRI team members work with their NPS for Bering Land Bridge National Preserve and Cuyahoga GRI counterparts to provide park service units (parks) Valley National Park, and made significant progress on with the following GRI products: (1) digital geologic-GIS reports for an additional 15 parks including Grand Canyon map(s) including Google Earth (KML) derivative data, for National Park. use with GIS software, (2) cartographic layouts displaying a park geologic map(s) with prominent park features In 2019, several CSU GRI team members also produced a and (3) geologic reports that present a park’s geologic poster titled “Exploring the Geology of Arizona National significance, geologic history, and discusses prominent Parks with Geologic Resources Inventory Products.” This geologic features, processes, and issues, and presents poster was presented at this year’s Geological Society of this information in a format directed at park resource America Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, at this year’s managers. All GRI products are fundamentally produced Digital Mapping Techniques Workshop, the ESRI User’s to assist park managers in protection and broader Conference, and can be found at: https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/ management. Additional information on the GRI, as well as Info/dmt/docs/DMT19_Karpilo.pdf completed products, can be found at https://www.nps.gov/ subjects/geology/gri.htm.

Some recent GRI products: (A) Portion of the GRI Digital-GIS Map of Black Canyon of the Gunnison showing jointing of Precambrian bedrock, numerous pegmatite intrusives, younger Jurassic-age sedimentary units and Quaternary surficial deposits in the canyon area just north of Vernal Mesa. The National Geographic US Topo Maps map service is used as the base layer (US Topo Maps - Copyright: © 2013 National Geographic Society, i-cubed). (B) Figure of cross section of wetlands types found in Cuyahoga Valley from the GRI Report for Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Graphic was adapted from figure 3 in Bingham et al. (2016) by Trista Thornberry- Ehrlich (Colorado State University). (C) GRI Cartographic Layout for Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.

GEOScape Fall 2019 | 31 Approaching Ganjala Pass, Nepal. Photo by Dan McGrath

32 | GEOScape Fall 2019 Departmental News

Galileo Conference, Field Camp, and the Mountain Campus

GEOScape Fall 2019 | 33 DEPARTMENTAL NEWS

Langtang Himal, a subrange of the Nepalese Himalayas. Photo by Dan McGrath Geosciences Taking it to new heights

Nepal Field Conference – October 2019 and a day-and-a-half-long field trip to an area affected by the 2015 magnitude 7.8 Gorkha earthquake and by a 2016 Three CSU professors (Sara Rathburn, Dan McGrath, and glacial lake outburst flood. CSU was tied for second place Sean Gallen) and Ph.D. student Johanna Eidmann trav- (along with ETH-Zürich) as the most represented institution eled to Nepal this October to participate in an exciting at the meeting, beat out only by the group from the GFZ, weeklong Nepalese/European Geosciences Union Galileo and Sara was one of seven keynote speakers, highlight- Conference titled “Perturbation to Earth Surface Dynam- ing recent research in her group to improve understand- ics caused by Extreme Events.” The conference hosted 60 ing of the role of wildfires and extreme rainfall events on participants from Nepal and around the world and focused geomorphology and sediment and carbon transport in the on the impacts of rare or catastrophic events, such as large Colorado Front Range. Johanna presented research con- earthquakes, extreme storms, tsunamis, floods, wildfires, ducted during her M.S. with Sara on post-flood recovery in or volcanic eruptions, on Earth surface processes and North St. Vrain Creek, Colorado. Dan also presented his re- biogeochemical cycles, and that can potentially domi- search on GLOFs in Chile, and Sean presented his study of nate system dynamics over long time scales. The goal of drainage basin response to a catastrophic rockfall in Crete, the meeting was to bring together leaders in the field to Greece. To facilitate fruitful dialogue, the meeting included discuss the state-of-the-art in science, the morality of con- a series of breakout sessions for participants to consider ducting science in disaster zones, and commonalities and the challenges, key research needs, and grand challenges scales of different events, and to identify grand challenges that face the growing field of extreme event-based geosci- to the most pressing scientific questions. Sean was a ence. The discussions were lively and informative and will meeting organizer along with Christoff Andermann, Kristen ultimately form the foundation of a white paper that will Cook, and Christian Mohr from the Helmholtz Centre Pots- outline best practices for the field, articulate data needs, dam – GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, and and highlight key research questions needed to advance Maarten Lupker, Katherine Schide, and Lena Märki from science and public safety. Sean is leading the efforts on the Department of Earth Sciences at ETH-Zürich. The five- the white paper. day meeting involved several days of talks and discussion,

34 | GEOScape Fall 2019 DEPARTMENTAL NEWS

Top: A landslide field lecture in Nepal during the conference. Bottom Left: Dan McGrath, Sara Rathburn, Sean Gallen, and Johanna Eidmann in Nepal. Bottom Right: Damage to structures in the Bhoti Khoshi valley from 2015 Gorkha Earthquake co-seismic landslides and a 2016 glacial outburst flood.

GEOScape Fall 2019 | 35 DEPARTMENTAL NEWS

Top: Our 2019 Summer Field Class group. Bottom: One of many avalanches near Silverton from the exceptional 2018-19 snow year. Photo by Stewart Williams

36 | GEOScape Fall 2019 DEPARTMENTAL NEWS Field Camp June to July 2019

Sven Egenhoff, lead Field Camp faculty Field Camp 2019 began on May 29th this year, led by me, Bill Sanford, John Singleton, John Ridley, and Sean Gallen. As usual, Field Camp ran until early July, when the students returned, tired but all in one piece from Silverton, Colorado. We had just 26 attendees this year (which made booking accommodations and arranging for travels easier than in some of the previous years). Teaching in the field is a wonderful experience for everybody involved, and we had an incredible time. The first two sessions involved camping in New Mexico, and the last three were conducted out of houses and hostels in Silverton (as before, in collaboration with our partners at the Mountain Studies Institute). Camping went well except for a rattlesnake bite (!), fortunately “dry,” during the first week, which sent one of our students to the hospital in Cañon City. No major Students and faculty member Bill Sanford at an outcrop at the incidents occurred during the remaining four weeks, Wild Rivers Recreation Area, NM, looking at basalt overlying though, which we took as a good sign (and the students siliciclastic sedimentary strata. Photo by Stewart Williams were really on alert for snakes!).

The geologic focus was on mapping surface deposits during the first week and exploring how landscapes form. The students managed to find an anomalous local basalt getting to the old field sites. They also examined the many intrusion in the mapping that puzzled everybody, including avalanches from the past winter in the San Juan Mountains the instructor. The geomorphology focus was followed by as analogs for sedimentary and volcanic mass-flow a week concentrating on hydrogeology, collecting water deposits. The final week of Field Camp was focused on samples from springs along the bottom of the Rio Grande structural geology and mapping with four days along Lime Gorge near Taos, New Mexico. The purpose of this project Creek and one day near Molas Pass. The weather was was to relate the water chemistry back to the geology nearly perfect the entire week, which made working in the – basalts, plutons and related hydrothermal alteration field pleasant (in contrast to the previous week where it zones. Field Camp then switched to the western side of had rained or snowed nearly every day!). Even the moose the Continental Divide. The southern San Juan Mountains were out, and the group immediately spotted one in the and also Silverton had gotten a lot of snow this year (in middle of their field area. stark contrast to the year previously, when dry conditions led to forest fires). During sedimentology week, we had to The student cohort was extremely good this year with a find a better access to the field areas, as the normal routes very strong work ethic. This resulted in us giving out two were, in many areas, inaccessible due to snow! The focus well-deserved Field Camp awards for this summer (to Will of this week was again the Pennsylvanian coarse-grained Gnesda and Charlie Gruenberg). Nominations of our Field delta succession, and an only slightly older carbonate unit Camp students for the USGS-NAGT award have recently in the Hermosa Group close to Molas Pass. A one-day been submitted, and if any of our students win this honor exercise also looked closely at the Hermosa Group, this it would be very well-deserved. A special thanks once time at Coal Mine Canyon a few miles south of Molas Pass more to all of our friends and alumni who contributed to toward Durango. During the second Silverton week, the the department’s Field Camp Scholarships – these annual students worked at lower altitudes because of the lingering awards continue to make a tremendous difference to our large snowpack at Red Mountain Pass that inhibited students as they complete their geology degrees!

GEOScape Fall 2019 | 37 DEPARTMENTAL NEWS Geosciences at the CSU Mountain Campus

Momentum continues to build around Geosciences and Warner College research and teaching at CSU’s Mountain Campus, located in the headwaters of the South Fork of the Cache la Poudre River at over 9,000 feet, and on the northern boundary of Rocky Mountain National Park. During the past year, the department has helped lead a number of developments there, including the installation of a second stream and groundwater transect (measuring river discharge and groundwater stage) at an upstream site on the South Fork; a water quality instrument (mea- suring dissolved oxygen and dissolved organic matter); a new weather station located in a more protected, forested location (with an array of meteorological instruments), and two ~10 m-deep groundwater monitoring wells (measuring groundwater level, temperature and electrical conductiv- ity). In addition, a broadband continuously telemetered seismograph was installed in partnership with the Colo- rado Geological Survey, adding a key site to the statewide seismic network in Colorado and contributing to global seismology as well. (The instrument recorded a sizeable earthquake in Chile just days after being installed.) This real-time Mountain Campus data can be accessed at https://datavis.warnercnr.colostate.edu/instrumentation/ and https://www.iris.edu/app/station_monitor/#2019-10- 01T05:16:38/C0-MCSU/webicorder). All of this new data from the Mountain Campus will be archived to ensure access by the public and other stakeholders, and for future use in classroom and on-site field teaching and research. Other department-associated activities included a drone- based photogrammetry survey of the valley led by Sara Rathburn and the CSU Drone Center, and early surficial mapping. This effort is providing insights into the hydrol- ogy of this watershed and will contribute to understanding Top: Department grad students Andrew Bolton, David Heath, of the geologic and geomorphic history of this beautiful and Michael Baker installing the MCSU seismometer. glacial valley. Much more is planned for coming years, so Above: A recent webcam view of the CSU Mountain Campus. stay tuned!

38 | GEOScape Fall 2019 DEPARTMENTAL NEWS

Graduate student Johanna Eidman and undergraduate student Ethan Andrews at the Mountain Campus during sediment logging during the 2019 hydrologic monitoringGEOScape well Fall installation. 2019 | 39 DEPARTMENT HONORS

Department and College Scholarships and Awards With sincere thanks to the generous donors who have made these scholarships and awards possible.

Undergraduate Students Nicholas Andujo: Geology Field Camp Scholarship Jacob Switek: Bruno and Ouida Fritschi Scholarship and Undergraduate Explorationist Scholarship Kaitlyn Berckmann: Steve and Gail Kloppel Scholarship in Geosciences Gabriel Vasquez: Katharine E. Compton Field Experience Scholarship Lisa Burgess: Philip A. Connolly Memorial Scholarship, Chris Lidstone and Kate Laudon Scholarship in Marguerite Watson: Michael Smith Scholars in Geosciences, and John and Dolores Goodier Scholarship Geosciences in the College of Natural Resources Candace Whitten: Chris Lidstone and Kate Laudon Cody Delgado: Myron Brown Ludlow Scholarship, Michael Scholarship in Geoscience Smith Scholars in Geosciences, and Geology Field Camp Noah Williams: Charles E. Beverly Memorial Scholarship Scholarship and Geology Field Camp Scholarship Fallaye Diallo: Treckles Scholarship in Geosciences and Geology Field Camp Scholarship Graduate Students Lab Ducote: Roy G. and Ruth K. Coffin Memorial Andrew Bolton: McCallum Mineralogy and Petrology Scholarship Graduate Scholarship Joshua Elkington: Chris Lidstone and Kate Laudon Alexander Brooks: Ware Geosciences Fellowship Scholarship in Geosciences Kristen Cognac: Evelyn I. Clark Scholarship William Fabrocini: Students First Scholarship Hank Cole: McCallum Mineralogy and Petrology Graduate William Gnesda: Geology Field Camp Scholarship Scholarship Amanda Greenwalt: Geology Field Camp Scholarship Johanna Eidmann: Edward M. Warner Graduate Research Micah Hernandez: Outstanding Geosciences Student Assistant Fund Nathan Hollars: Michael Smith Scholars in Geosciences Julia Grabowski: Hill Memorial Fellowship Andrew Klotz: Geology Field Camp Scholarship Sarah Hinshaw: J.W. Powell Graduate Fellowship and Alexander Lae: Geology Field Camp Scholarship Schumm Graduate Scholarship Sarah Lowe: David V. Harris Scholarship Emily Iskin: Marie Morisawa Graduate Fellowship and Warner College of Natural Resources Student Success Cielo Martos: Thomas A. and Anne L. Shepherd Diversity Graduate Fellowship Scholarship and Salonee Kharkar Memorial Scholarship John Kemper: Thomas A. Jones Graduate Fellowship Sara Newman: Ernest and Bernice Dice Scholarship and the Charles E. Beverly Memorial Scholarship Zachary Kornse: Oscar and Isabel Anderson Graduate Fellowship Sara Pharazyn: Geology Field Camp Scholarship Teresa Langenkamp: Edward M. Warner Graduate Gabriela Sanchez Ortiz: Michael Smith Scholars in Research Assistant Fund Geosciences Eyal Marder: Joby Adams Geosciences Graduate Dylan Rolley: Geology Field Camp Scholarship and Scholarship and the Lary Kent Burns Memorial Scholarship Outstanding Geosciences Student Emily Perman: Edward M. Warner Graduate Research Aren Roybal: Michael Smith Scholars in Geosciences Assistant Fund Laishla Seda Mercado: Michael Smith Scholars in Anna Pfohl: Hill Memorial Fellowship Geosciences Juilianne Scamardo: Oscar and Isabel Anderson Graduate David Sispera: Michael Smith Scholars in Geosciences Fellowship Julie Spawn: Chris Lidstone and Kate Laudon Scholarship Nikki Seymour: Roger and LuAnne Steininger Fellowship in Geosciences and WCNR Student Success Graduate Fellowship Matthew Swarr: Undergraduate Explorationist Scholarship

40 | GEOScape Fall 2019 DEPARTMENT HONORS

Department and College Scholarships and Awards With thanks to all of our donors who have made these scholarships and awards possible.

External Student Awards Nikki Seymour: Outstanding Student Award from the Laramide Chapter of the Association for Women John Kemper: Stanley A. Schumm Award from the Geoscientists Geological Society of America Nikki Seymour: October Researcher of the Month by the Juli Scamardo, Emily Iskin, and Sarah Hinshaw: poster CSU Graduate Student Council presentation awards at the 50th annual Binghamton Will Gnesda & Charles Gruenberg: Field Camp Geomorphology Symposium Hammer Award Juli Scamardo: Graduate Research Fellowship from the Will Gnesda: Neal J. Harr Memorial Award National Science Foundation Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists Johanna Eidmann: The AGeS2 (Awards for Geochronology Student Research2) award from the Faculty and Staff Awards Geological Society of America Jill Putman: Warner College of Natural Resources Team Johanna Eidmann: Best Poster Award the Rocky Mountain Award (as a member of the Warner College Academic Rendezvous Success Collaborative) Eyal Marder: John T. and Carol G. McGill Research Award Sara Rathburn: Fellow, Geological Society of America from the Geological Society of America John Singleton: Dean’s Award for Excellence to an Early Eyal Marder: On To the Future Award from the Geological Career Faculty Member Society of America Holly Stein: 2019 Ingerson Lecturer, Geochemical Society Brianna Rick: Research Award from the Geological Society of America Lisa Stright: AAPG Distinguished Lecturer Ellen Wohl: Honorary Doctorate, University of Lausanne, Switzerland Derek Schutt: Geosciences Outstanding Share your thoughts with us Publication Award in our Alumni Survey

We invite you, as a member of the worldwide CSU geosciences community, to share your interests with us in a brief (just three pages) online friends and alumni survey and to please consider engag- SPECIAL THANKS ing further with CSU Geosciences. Opportuni- ties for engagement may include guest lectures, Thanks to our 2019 Geosciences Advisory Council: student field trips, supporting and advising our Roger Steininger (chair), Ed Warner, Harold Pranger, AAPG, SEG, or other club activities, and becoming Matt Morgan, Bob Stoller, Scott Larson, Jon Robbins, a mentor to enhance our students’ preparation for Tara Tafi, Chris Lidstone, and Landry Griffin. geosciences careers. The survey helps us better Thank you to the many visiting speakers at our align your, and the department’s collaborative op- student club events this year – we truly appreciate portunities and interests – experience shows that your inspirational mentoring of the next generation partnerships with our friends and alumni advance of CSU geoscientists. the academic and professional prospects of CSU graduates. Kindly access the survey department Club speakers this year included: Karthik Srinivasan, web page at warnercnr.colostate.edu/geosci- Ernie Brown, Greg Cudney, Jason Mailloux, Jon Rob- ences, go to the Alumni tab and click Geosciences bins, Robert Lieber, David Advocate, Jarrad Berg, Friends and Alumni Survey. Tom Bergstresser, and Steven Crews.

GEOScape Fall 2019 | 41 The Hangay Mountains in central Mongolia. Photo by Jeremy Caves Rugenstein

2019-2020 Development Focus Areas

Ethridge Sedimentology Endowment fund Geosciences Speaker Series Endowment fund The Ethridge Sedimentology Endowment honors Profes- With your help, we have established a strong yearlong de- sor Emeritus, Frank Ethridge, and helps sustain the depart- partment seminar series (ably coordinated this year by Mike ment’s exceptional legacy in sedimentology and petroleum Ronayne). Speakers and other visitors expand our students’ geology. This fund supports department research efforts. professional networking, educational breadth, and research. Please consider contributing to honor Frank’s legacy and to Perhaps you would like to visit the department to speak, or support future generations of CSU geologists. would like to support a special speaker from industry or in partnership with a professional society, such as AAPG, SEG For more information, please contact Rick Aster (rick.aster@ or GSA? Thank you for your contributions to our speakers colostate.edu) or alumna supporter Lesli Wood (lwood@ and visitors fund that keep these activities vibrant across the mines.edu). Direct contributions to the fund can also be department. made online at www.advancing.colostate.edu/ETHRIDGE. Tommy B. Thompson Economic Geology Field Camp Scholarship fund Geology Legacy fund This year, the Field Camp Scholarship fund – thanks to more Dr. Tommy B. Thompson’s remarkable tenure as an econom- than 40 individual donations from friends and alumni and an ic geology teacher and mentor spanned nearly 50 years, endowed fund from Ted Eckles and Trinna Tressler to with more than two decades spent at CSU. His students in establish the Treckles Scholarship in Geosciences – the Warner College of Natural Resources benefited from provided substantial scholarship support to 13 of our five- Tommy’s exceptional mentorship, leading to many satisfying week summer Field Camp students. Please consider a careers in the geosciences. 2019-20 donation to this fund to help sustain critical support In recognition of Tommy’s outstanding legacy, Warner for future geology major undergraduate students as they College is initiating a campaign to raise funds necessary to enter the wider world as professional geoscientists. create a permanent faculty position focused on practical and applied elements of economic geology. Experiential Learning and Field Studies fund Jeff Edwards, a “Tommy” student who spent his career with Newmont Mining, and later, GoldCorp, Inc., has initiated the A major strength of our department and college is our campaign with a leadership gift to establish the Tommy B. strong field programs. Please contribute to this fund to Thompson Economic Geology Legacy fund. specifically support our classes and student clubs in field education and research. To learn more about the initiative to enrich the future for economic geology at CSU, please contact Rick Aster, Geo- sciences Department head, at [email protected] or (970) 491-7606.

42 | GEOScape Fall 2019 Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina. Photo by Ellen Wohl

Your Gift’s Impact

Amanda Greenwalt Andrew Klotz

“By awarding me the Field Camp “The generosity of your scholarship Scholarship, you are helping in making support is inspiring and is not taken for funding for field camp less stressful. I granted. Your donation helps financially was already thinking about making do- struggling students like me to be able to nations to the Colorado State University attend field camp with less burden.” Geology Department and Field Camp Scholarship fund in later years, but you have solidified my decision in someday helping future students fund their education. Words cannot express how thankful I am for your generosity.”

Fallaye Diallo Gabriel Vazquez “Coming back to school with an im- “To have your support and that of our migrant background has been both department’s faculty means that I did academically and financially challeng- choose the right school. This institu- ing. After moving from Africa in 2012 tion believes in their students, that is to the United States, a college degree clear. Your generosity will enable me appeared to be a luxury I could not af- to stay on schedule for graduation and ford. Except with the help of generous facilitates my next goal to continue to donors like you, I have had the oppor- graduate school.” tunity to come this far and accomplish the biggest achieve- ment of my life. These scholarships are the bridge that connects my achievements to my future goals, which are to eventually get a master’s degree and be able to contribute in science and society.”

GEOScape Fall 2019 | 43 The Geosciences Department

Faculty John Singleton, assistant professor Melinda Laituri, professor ecosystem science and Rick Aster, professor and Lisa Stright, assistant professor sustainability, Colorado State department head University, joint professor with Sally Sutton, associate professor geosciences Sean Bryan, senior instructor Ellen Wohl, professor Lee MacDonald, professor Sven Egenhoff, professor emeritus, ecosystem science and sustainability, Colorado State Jeremy Caves Rugenstein, Joint Appointment Faculty University, joint professor with assistant professor starting Fall geosciences 2020 Wolfgang Bangerth, professor, Department of Mathematics, Holly Stein, Director, AIRIE Sean Gallen, assistant professor Colorado State University, joint professor with geosciences Program, senior research scientist and joint appointment professor, Judy Hannah, professor Tim Covino, assistant professor Department of Geosciences, Colorado State University, joint Dennis Harry, professor ecosystem science and sustainability, Colorado State professor with geosciences Jerry Magloughlin, associate University joint assistant professor professor with geosciences Staff Steven Fassnacht, professor Daniel McGrath, assistant Jill Putman, academic support ecosystem science and professor coordinator sustainability, Colorado State University, joint professor with Sara Rathburn, associate professor Patti Uman, administrative geosciences assistant III and graduate John Ridley, associate professor coordinator Svetoslav Georgiev, AIRIE Program,research associate IV, Michael Ronayne, associate Lisa Zineddin, administrative joint affiliate with geosciences professor assistant II

Bill Sanford, associate professor Stephanie Kampf, associate professor ecosystem science Derek Schutt, associate professor and sustainability, Colorado State University, joint associate professor with geosciences

Staff Highlight Welcome to Lisa Zineddin! Lisa joined us in the department office this fall as our administrative assistant. Lisa works extensively with faculty, students, staff, and visitors to the department to keep us moving on an even keel. Lisa was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and has an associate’s degree as an administrative assistant, a certificate in early childhood education, and a certificate as a dental assistant. She has held various positions during her career (including helping to manage a hotel at Penn State University!) but has spent the majority of her time raising her children and taking care of her family while her husband worked overseas. She moved to Colorado in 2006 with her family when her husband received a position teaching at the Air Force Academy and has been a state resident ever since.

44 | GEOScape Fall 2019 Thank You to Our Department of Geosciences Affiliates

Harley Benz, scientist in charge, Eric Harmsen, professor, University U.S. Geological Survey National of Puerto Rico Department of Earthquake Center Agricultural Engineering” Eric Bilderback, geomorphologist, Ed Harvey, supervisory hydrologist Geologic Hazards & Disturbed and chief of the U.S. National Park Lands, Geologic Resources Service Water Resources Division Division, Natural Resource Christopher Hiemstra, research Stewardship and Science, National physical scientist, U.S. Army Park Service Corps of Engineers, Cold Regions Jeremy Caves Rugenstein, post Research and Engineering doc Fellow, Max Planck Institute Laboratory for Meteorology (Hamburg) and Kenneth S Hughes, Department of Senckenberg Institute (Frankfurt) Geology, University of Puerto Rico Joel Cubley, instructor and Antun Husinec, associate Geological Technology Program professor, Department of Geology, coordinator, Yukon College, Current Ph.D. student, Juli Scamardo, St. Lawrence University, Canton, Canada removing rebar and tape used to New York measure sediment depth in a pool Kenneth Dueker, associate upstream of a beaver dam analog in Scott Johnston, assistant professor professor, University of Wyoming- Campbell Creek near Livermore, Colo. of geology, Cal Poly State Laramie Geochronology, metamorphic David Dust, civil and petrology and structural geology environmental engineering alum, Daniel Scott, postdoc, University of Yvette Kuiper, associate professor currently serving as research Washington Structural Geology, Field Geology, assistant and program aide Geochronology; Department Joe Sertich, curator of vertebrate Neil Fishman, senior geologic of Geology and Geological paleontology, Department of Earth adviser, Hess Corporation, Engineering Colorado School of Sciences, Denver Museum of Houston Mines Nature and Science Jonathan Friedman, hydrologist, Chris Lidstone, geologist, Lidstone Graham Sexstone, USGS Denver U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins and Associates Inc. Roger Steininger, NuLegacy Gold Science Center Scott McCoy, associate professor, Corp, CSU Geosciences Advisory Vineet Gosswami, Physical Department of Geological Council Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, Sciences and Engineering, Robert Stollar, Stollar & Associates; India, AIRIE Group University of Nevada, Reno SWIIM; CSU Geosciences Advisory Ethan Greene, director, Colorado Frank J. Pazzaglia, professor, Council Avalanche Information Center Department of Earth and Ghana Tripathy, AIRIE Group Environmental Sciences, Lehigh James Hagadorn, Denver Museum University David Wald, US Geological Survey of Nature and Science National Earthquake Information Robert Porritt, geophysicist, Øyvind Hammer, associate Center University of Texas Institute for professor, Natural History Museum, Geophysics Edward Warner, geologist and University of Oslo, Norway philanthropist; CSU Geosciences Mike Prior, postdoc researcher Dario Harazim, technical geologist, Advisory Council ETC Seal and Trap Team, Chevron Sandra Ryan-Burkett, research Energy Technology Company geomorphologist, USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station

GEOScape Fall 2019 | 45 Special Thanks to Our Supporters Your gifts and support provide critical resources to our students and programs and elevate the department’s teaching, research, and outreach.

Harold A. and Jacquelin Backer Chuck Mabarak HighPoint Resources R. Michael Beathard and Margarita Timothy J. Maloney IHS Markit Ltd. Padilla Murray R. and Joan F. McComas Incorporated Research Institutes Sage M. Betts for Seismology Katheryne H. McGee Bruce J. Bilodeau and Deborah J. Marietta Materials Shunji and Nobuko Ouchi Wechsler NASA James D. Reeder Ernie Brown National Park Service Mark A. Robinson and Marsha M. Jon Carlson Hilmes-Robinson National Science Foundation Steven F. and Brenda A. Carr Ethel R. Schumm River Restoration Northwest Steven K. and Caroline B. Logan Shelton Saskatchewan Research Council- Compton Geoanalytical Laboratories Robert Stollar Howard and Cindy Coopersmith Schwab Charitable Fund Cynthia M. Smidt Steven Crews Schlumberger Michael S. Smith Greg V. and Laurel B. Cudney Seismological Society of America Roger C. and LuAnne Steininger Jeremy Dento Society of Economic Geologists Michael C. and Maria L. Steppe Ralph M. and Sharon J. Dickman UNAVCO Ibrahim G. Zallum Ted Eckles and Trinna Tressler University Press of Kansas Frank G. and Sylvia G. Ethridge U.S. Geological Survey Organizations and Agencies Robert H. and Kay A. Filson Aggregate Industries Frances L. Fryberger American Association of Douglas S. and Ncheteka Gratwick Petroleum Geologists IN MEMORIAM Jason L. and Landry M. Griffin American Chemical Society The department is greatly David J. Herzog and Linda M. saddened by the sudden American Geophysical Union Bendock passing of our dear friends and Climax Molybdenum Company alumni Sarah (Andrews) and David J. and Mary T. Hodge Damon Brown, and their son Colorado Stone Quarries, Inc. Ryan L. Hoff Duncan, this July. A memorial Cripple Creek and Victor Mine, web page dedicated to Sarah, Scott M. and Rebecca Larson Newmont Mining Corporation Damon, and Duncan has been Robert W. Lichty posted at https://damonsarah Dominion Diamond Mines Christopher D. Lidstone and Kate duncanbrownmemorial.com. ExxonMobil Foundation J. Laudon Geological Society of America Robert and William Lowe

A special thank-you to Ed Warner and Jackie Erickson for broad and continued support to the geosciences department and the Warner College.

46 | GEOScape Fall 2019 Thank you for supporting the Geosciences Department.

To add your support to Colorado State University geosciences, please mail this form, or contribute online at https:// advancing.colostate.edu/GEOSCIENCES.

My/Our Gift to the Geosciences Department Enclosed is my/our contribution to the Colorado State University Foundation for a gift of:

$50 $250 $500 Other $

Name ______Spouse’s/Partner’s Full Name ______Year(s) graduated ______Degree(s)/Major(s)______Employer ______Job Title______Address ______City, State, ZIP ______Home Phone ( _____) ______E-mail ______Method of Payment • Charge this gift of $ ______to my/our • VISA • MasterCard • American Express • Discover Card Number ______Card Security Code ______Expires ___/_____ Name on Card ______Cardholder Signature ______• I/we prefer to pledge in the amount of $______, to be paid: • monthly • quarterly • semiannually • annually • First payment of $ ______($10 minimum/per month) • is enclosed ______will be sent: ______/_____/______(mm/dd/yyyy)

Signature ______

Please apply my gift to: $____ Geosciences fund (14253). Supports seminar series, curricular and department improvements, and much more. $____ Experiential Learning and Field Studies fund (59903). Specifically supports field trip efforts and instruction across the curriculum. $____ Geology Field Camp Scholarship fund (72363). Supports students attending summer Field Camp. $____ Geosciences Speaker Series Endowment (70785). Supports speaker series for students in the Geosciences department. $____ Ethridge Sedimentology Endowment (57165). Supports sedimentology programs. $____ Tommy B. Thompson Economic Geology fund (77523). Supports economic geology programs.

Thank you. Please mail this form with your gift/pledge to: Colorado State University Foundation, P.O. Box 1870, Fort Collins, CO 80522-1870 Want to further explore giving opportunities in the Department of Geosciences and at Warner College of Natural Resources? Contact Scott Webb, [email protected] | (970) 491-3594

R2000/14253 GEOScape Fall 2019 | 47 The Department of GeoSciences 1482 Campus Delivery Fort Collins, CO 80523

The Geosciences Department is CONTACT housed within the Warner College Rick Aster, Department Head, [email protected] of Natural Resources. Scott Webb, Development, [email protected] warnercnr.colostate.edu

CSU is an equal access and equal opportunity University.

2 | GEOScape Fall 2019