2003 Medals & Awards Rip Rapp Archaeological Geology
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2003 MEDALS & AWARDS RIP RAPP fluvial response to Holocene bioclimatic Under his editorship Gearchaeology: change in the world. Rolfe has masterfully An International Journal has emerged ARCHAEOLOGICAL blended archaeological geology studies as the premiere professional journal of GEOLOGY AWARD from a large number of cultural resource geoarchaeology. Rolfe’s untiring work with management investigations to develop a authors and lobbying for special issues Presented to Rolfe D. Mandel framework for understanding the impact focusing on topics in the forefront of the of geologic and pedologic processes on the discipline sets him apart as one of the best preservation and visibility of the central editors of today’s professional geoscience Great Plains archaeological record. In the and archaeology journals. In addition to course of this endeavor he has formed strong the journal, his editorial skills are evident interdisciplinary ties with archaeologists, in Geoarchaeology in the Great Plains, a paleoecologists, soil scientists, geographers, historical and theoretical perspective on and geologists across the region. geoarchaeological research that has been Rolfe’s long-lasting and tireless effort widely acclaimed by both archaeologists and to forge a formal relationship between GSA geologists. and the Society for American Archaeology Rolfe has been on the cutting edge and has brought about a major increase in the continues to push the frontier in his research. interest in archaeological geology and His present focus on Quaternary geology and geoarchaeology in both societies. He founded first Americans in the Great Plains promises the Geoarchaeology Interest Group of SAA, many significant discoveries and several new which now boasts 562 members and regularly chapters in the story of people’s presence sponsors symposia and field trips at the on the Plains. Rolfe is an inspiration to his Rolfe D. Mandel annual SAA meeting. Rolfe has served the colleagues, an outstanding mentor and role Kansas Geological Survey Archaeological Geology Division of the GSA model, and an ambassador for the world’s in several capacities, including chairing the archaeological geology and geoarchaeology division and as the newsletter editor. He also community. His efforts and accomplishments chairs the division’s educational committee reflect the spirit and standards of the award Citation by E. Arthur Bettis III and maintains the Directory of Graduate he is receiving and GSA should be honored to Programs in Archaeological Geology and count a person of his professional and personal It is a great pleasure and honor to Geoarchaeology, an invaluable resource caliber in its membership. introduce my friend and colleague, Rolfe for students. Few individuals have been as Mandel, for the presentation of the 2003 active in promotion and participation of their GSA Rip Rapp Award. Few have influenced professional society as Rolfe has been in Response by Rolfe D. Mandel geoarchaeology through research and both GSA and SAA. I am honored to receive this award, and service as much as Rolfe, and I am pleased Rolfe’s expertise and contributions thank you, Art, for your kind, over-generous that GSA has recognized the level of his are not limited to the Great Plains. He has words. I also thank the Archaeological accomplishments with this award. undertaken geoarchaeological investigations Geology Division Awards Committee for its Rolfe has been involved in archaeological at a number of localities east of the Rocky support and Rip Rapp for helping establish this geology for over twenty years. He has served Mountains, including Watson Breaks, the division and for endowing the award. the discipline in government, academic, oldest mound complex in North America, People often ask me how and why I consulting, and editorial positions, and has Big Eddy, where a record of human became a geoarchaeologist. The answer been a driving force in forging a closer habitation spanning the last 12,000 years to the first part of this question is difficult alliance between archaeology and geology. is preserved, and Big Bend National Park. because in reflecting on my career, I see so Geoarchaeology is Rolfe’s calling, his research As a geomorphologist with a thorough many twists and turns along the path, with is impeccable, his field trips are legendary, and understanding of archaeological processes many individuals influencing my direction. he is one of those rare people that walks the and sites, Rolfe has contributed immensely to My parents, both scientists, stand at the walk and talks the talk of Quaternary geology, several Near Eastern archaeological projects. beginning of that path. As a child growing pedology, and archaeology. His work at sites in Egypt and Jordan helped up in San Antonio, my idea of a good time Rolfe’s contributions to archaeological to explain how people living in sites located was looking for fossils in road cuts in the geology are many, but two are truly in arid environments were able to extract Texas hill country, and my parents spent outstanding in their scope and impact. His the maximum amount of resources from a numerous Sundays escorting me on those decades of research on the geoarchaeology and harsh surrounding. His research also aided adventures. They fostered my interest in alluvial landscape history of the central Great in understanding occupational sequences at natural history, and encouraged me to explore Plains of the United States have revolutionized “mega-sites” such as Ain Ghazal in Jordan. In the environment. I am very grateful for their our understanding of the region’s Holocene addition, Rolfe’s research was instrumental guidance and support. landscape history and fostered landscape in establishing a cultural link with extinct Although I started out majoring in evolution-based approaches to evaluating the pygmy hippopotamus at the controversial biology at San Antonio College, Millard Brent, history of human habitation. As a result of early Holocene site of Akrotiri Aetokremnos a physical geographer on the faculty, took extensive investigations in Kansas, Nebraska in Cyprus. me under his wing and steered me towards and Oklahoma he has formulated the most the geosciences. In 1971, I transferred to the well-dated regional history of basin-wide THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2003 MEDALS & AWARDS University of Texas (UT) and majored in My teaching career started in the So, why did I become a geoarchaeologist? geography. Again, an individual, in this case department of geography and geology at the I could provide a long, philosophical Curt Sorenson, played a significant role in University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO). After answer, but I will cut to the chase. Practicing shaping my career. Curt got me fired up about four years at UNO, I returned to Kansas and geoarchaeology is a lot of fun, and I am geomorphology and soils, an interest that has spent the next 10 years working in two worlds: looking forward to continuing down that path. never waned. He also instilled in me a passion the world of a private consultant practicing Many friends and colleagues have been for field work and, perhaps most important of geoarchaeology in the Central Plains and a source of enthusiasm and support. I thank all, he was (and remains) an endless source of Midwest, and the world of an adjunct Art Bettis, Paul Goldberg, Vance Holliday, encouragement. Curt left UT for the University professor in the geography department at KU. Ed Hajic, Reid Ferring, Julie Stein, Jack of Kansas (KU) in 1975, and talked me into My role in academia involved serving on Hofman, Alan Simmons, Joe Saunders, Alston entering the geography graduate program thesis and dissertation committees, conducting Thoms, Chris Hill, and Chris Caran, to name at KU the following year. I told friends and geoarchaeological research in the U.S. and a few. A special thanks goes to my mentors, family my absence from Texas would be brief, eastern Mediterranean, serving as Editor- Curt Sorenson and Wakefield Dort, for their perhaps three or four years. Little did I know in-Chief of Geoarchaeology, occasionally guidance and patience. Last, but not least, I that I would become a resident of the Central teaching field school, and a variety of service- am grateful to my wife, Sharon, and my son, Great Plains for the next 27 years. related tasks. The point I want to make is that Daniel, for enduring my frequent departures During my early years at KU, I took this was a very rewarding experience and it to places often far from home. Their tolerance geomorphology courses from Wakefield allowed me to interact with many people, and encouragement, and the support of Dort, a geologist. He introduced me to especially archaeologists. However, I must add my friends and colleagues, have been my geoarchaeology, describing his own research that it was an exhausting period of my life. inspiration. Thank you, all of you, for helping experience at sites such as Owl Cave and Paul Goldberg and many of my other close me achieve this award. Shriver. Although it sounded very interesting, colleagues often listened to me kvetch about my involvement in geoarchaeology was yet to “the journal” and other things that consumed come. my time. I thank them for not hanging up the Upon completing my M.A., I became phone. a Research Associate at KU’s Institute for In April of this year, my career path Social and Environmental Studies (ISES). For became more focused. With the establishment several years, my research at ISES focused on of an endowed geoarchaeological research mined-land reclamation and various land-use program at the Kansas Geological Survey, issues. However, that changed in 1981 when I was placed in charge of searching for Alan Simmons, an archaeologist, became the Paleoindian and pre-Clovis cultural deposits director of the cultural resources management in the Central Plains and Midwest. Or, as my program at KU’s Museum of Anthropology.