WINTER 2017-18 Colgate Geology Department Newsletter In Memoriam Bruce W. Selleck '71 Thomas A. Bartlett Chair and Professor of Geology September 30, 1949 - July 31, 2017 You are missed !1 Grand Tetons, WY on the O.C. 2016 THIS ISSUE Chair’s Note 2 Bruce Selleck 3 New Faculty 6 Colgate Seismic 8 A note from the Chair: Martin Wong Network By now, I am sure that all of you have heard the sad news that Bruce GEOL 420 Chile trip 10 Selleck (’71) passed away this summer. As those of you who had the pleasure of taking a course with Bruce well know, he was an Faculty/Staff News 12 exceptional geologist and he loved studying the Earth and teasing out The Off-Campus 20 all of its secret histories. But perhaps even more so, he loved sharing his vast knowledge and passion for geology with students in the Student Awards 22 classroom and in the field. Bruce’s enthusiasm for geology and skill in the classroom inspired countless students to continue to study Student Research 24 geology in both academia and industry, so his legacy to our science is Linsley Museum 27 both large and long lasting. Bruce also was among the kindest people one could ever hope to meet and cared for each of his students as if From the Rockpile 30 they were a part of his family. I’m writing this following the on- campus celebration that we held for Bruce on October 14. It was a Geology Gatherings 39 bittersweet event; sad to feel the loss of this wonderful person again, Student Presentations 31 but wonderful to reconnect with so many department alumni and share great stories of how Bruce touched so many of our lives. We Gifts to Geology 33 mourn the loss of this great geologist, teacher, friend, and mentor. Although we cannot hope to fill Bruce’s shoes, we will strive to always Alumni News 35 improve our department, our work with students, and the science that he loved. News of our efforts on these fronts can be found in the newsletter articles that follow. I can think of no better way to honor his memory. He will be missed. !2 A remembrance of Bruce region. His scholarship initially and Sedimentation. Bruce was focused on sedimentary rocks in passionate about getting the area, with a focus on students into the field and understanding what these frequently took students on trips archives revealed about ancient around the country through the marine environments and how Off–Campus (O.C.) program and they had changed over time. As the Geology of America’s Parks his career progressed, Bruce course. Bruce treated his expanded his research areas to students as part of his extended Alaska and Australia, and family, both caring deeply for developed new expertise in their academic and personal geochemistry to help understand development while also the histories of these expecting the best of them. His regions. With longtime dedication to teaching and close colleague and friend James relationships with students McLelland (Charles A. Dana inspired countless Colgate Professor of Geology, Emeritus), graduates to pursue careers in Bruce expanded the scope of his geology in both academia and Bruce W. Selleck, Thomas A. research to include industry over the years, leaving Bartlett Chair and Professor of understanding the tectonic an enduring legacy on the field Geology, passed away development of the Adirondack of geology. Bruce received the unexpectedly but peacefully in Mountains. During the course of Alumni Corporation his sleep on Monday, July 31. his career, Bruce published Distinguished Teaching Award Bruce had deep ties to the dozens of articles in top–tier (1998), the AAUP Teacher of the upstate New York region, where scientific journals including the Year Award (2006) and the he grew up on a small, rural Journal of Sedimentary Felten French Prize (2010) in dairy farm appropriately known Research, Geological Society of recognition of his outstanding as Sellecks Corners near Canton, America Bulletin, American teaching. NY on the western edge of the Journal of Science, and Geology, Adirondacks. Bruce also had to list a few. In recognition of his Bruce was deeply committed to deep ties to Colgate, receiving a research, Bruce held the Geology Department and to BA in Geology in 1971. Bruce appointments as the H.O. Colgate as an institution. Within left Colgate to pursue his MA Whitnall Professor of Geology the department, Bruce was a and PhD degrees at the and was the current Thomas A. generous and inspirational University of Rochester before Bartlett Chair and Professor of mentor to many young faculty returning to his alma mater as a Geology. members as they began their faculty member in 1974, a time teaching careers. Bruce took on span that he frequently referred Bruce’s love of teaching and his many formal leadership roles to as the “inter-Selleckian affection for his students were including as chair of the Geology period”, the only interruption of legendary. Bruce taught a wide Department (1983-1986 and his 50–year association with range of courses including 2003-2006), Associate Dean of Colgate. Environmental Geology, Marine the Faculty (1988-1990), Dean Environments, Hydrology and of the Faculty and Provost Bruce was an expert on the Surficial Geology and his continued on page 4 geology of the upstate New York signature course on Stratigraphy !3 A remembrance of Bruce (1990-1994), and Interim contributing to the broader to join us for the celebration of Dean of the Faculty and Provost community, as shown by his Bruce’s life on October 14th, you (2011-2012). In addition, he service on the Town of Lebanon can view a video of the served as chair of the Promotion planning board as well as the celebration at: and Tenure Committee, Director boards of the Friends of Rogers of the Picker Institute for Environmental Center and the https://www.youtube.com/ Interdisciplinary Science, and Adirondack Research watch? Director of the Upstate Institute, Consortium. v=po4ZAjAVzFw&feature=youtu. to list a few. Bruce was a be significant contributor to Bruce’s wife Nancy Barlow Colgate’s Study Groups, leading Selleck ‘76 and his daughter’s Gifts in memoriam may be sent multiple trips to Wales and Caity and Elizabeth want to to the Institutional Advancement Australia and also served as an thank all those who have been in Office of Colgate University for advisor to a range of sports touch and shared their the Bruce Selleck Memorial teams, clubs, and Greek memories of Bruce. The family Fund or the Rich April-Bruce organizations. In addition to his can be reached at Selleck Endowed Fund for extensive service to Colgate, [email protected]. For Geology Student Travel. Bruce was a strong believer in those of you that were not able !4 BRUCE IN THE FIELD !5 NEW FACULTY SPOTLIGHT geophysics and seismology Researcher, and later as a AUBREYA ADAMS laboratory, where my students Research Associate. At WashU, I and I work to image deep Earth continued to work on African structures and processes (down tectonics (this time in western several hundred kilometers!) Africa) and pursued new using seismic waves. interests in Antarctica and in the Tonga subduction zone. Originally from the Gulf Coast, I first ventured north for graduate I moved to Hamilton in the school at the Pennsylvania State summer of 2015, where I’ve University, specializing in east developed several new courses African tectonics. After my PhD, relating to geophysics. I worked at Chevron as a Environmental and Exploration development geophysicist in the Geophysics introduces Hello alumni and friends. I Gulf of Mexico. While industry geophysical techniques for have been part of the geology provided new and exciting studying the shallow subsurface. faculty for two and half years challenges, I couldn’t stay away These techniques are often used now - boy have they flown by! from the classroom and in industry as well as in During this time, I’ve developed earthquake research. After two environmental consulting. new classes and have years, I transitioned to (continued on pg. 7) established Colgate’s first Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) as a Postdoctoral Titan, to measuring stratigraphy processes could help explain the JOSEPH LEVY in Antarctic paleolake deltas, to biological response to climate making drone-enabled change that the team is seeing topographic maps of field sites in Earth’s southernmost soil for the OC, I’m looking forward ecosystem (spoilers: even a tiny to bringing new tools and splash of briny meltwater can perspectives to the department have a big impact in Antarctica’s gleaned from my winding road largest ice-free desert area). to Colgate. From Portland, I moved to the countryside of Oregon State After a PhD in geomorphology University in Corvallis for two and planetary geology from years to study how landscapes Brown University in 2009, I on Earth and Mars evolve in the spent two years as an NSF Polar near-total absence of surface Regions Research fellow at runoff, which was definitely a Portland State University. I was lesson in contrasts since I was I’m extremely excited to be working with Antarctica’s living in one of the rainiest joining the Geology department McMurdo Dry Valleys Long Term places in the country. Embracing as a new assistant professor! Ecological Research group to see these climate contradictions, I’ve From tumbling ice “rocks” to if a better understanding of spent the last four years in model erosion on Saturn’s moon hydrology and permafrost (continued on pg. 7) !6 NEW FACULTY SPOTLIGHT (ADAMS continued) southeastern Africa. As I am the Alaskan subduction zone.