GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES ALUMNI NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2016 1 ALUMNI NEWSLETTER 2016 Roster From Our Department Chair 2 Assistant Professors Noel Bartlow (Stanford University 2013) Faculty Geophysics and tectonics News 4 John W. Huntley (Virginia Tech, 2007) Research Grants 5 Paleontology and Paleoecology James D. Schiffbauer (Virginia Tech, 2009) Visiting scientists/staff recognition 13 Paleontology and geochemistry Visiting Speakers 14 Associate Professors Martin S. Appold (Johns Hopkins University, 1998) Conference 15 Hydrogeology Francisco G. Gomez (Cornell University, 1999) Field Camp 16 Paleoseismology and neotectonics Research Professors Selly 18 Cheryl A. Kelley (University of North Carolina, 1993) Undergraduate Program 19 Aquatic geochemistry Mian Liu (University of Arizona, 1989) Study Abroad Program 20 Geophysics Kenneth G. MacLeod (University of Washington, 1992) Photo Gallery Paleontology and biogeochemistry Field Trips 23 Field Camp 24 Peter I. Nabelek (SUNY, Stony Brook, 1983) Outreach 25 Trace-element geochemistry Alumni Reunion 26 Eric A. Sandvol (New Mexico State University, 1995) Undergraduate Presentations 27 Seismotectonics Kevin L. Shelton (Yale University, 1982) Students Economic geology La Reunion 28 Alan G. Whittington (Open University, 1997) Soldati Award 29 Crustal petrology and volcanology Geology Club 30 Student Chapter of AEG-AAPG 31 Director of Field Studies MU Geology Graduate Society 32 Miriam Barquero-Molina (University of Texas, 2009) Undergraduate 33 Awards 34 Field methods Graduate 35 Publications 37 Professors Emeriti Presentation 38 Robert L. Bauer (University of Minnesota, 1982) Precambrian geology Development Activities Raymond L. Ethington (University of Iowa, 1958) Activities 40 Conodont biostratigraphy Contributions 41 Thomas J. Freeman (University of Texas, 1962) Endowmenta 43 Carbonate petrology Faculty Awards 45 Glen R. Himmelberg (University of Minnesota, 1965) Board Members 46 From Our Board Chair 47 Chemical petrology Michael B. Underwood (Cornell University, 1983) Sedimentology Alumni News 48 In Memoriam 51 Staff Tammy Bedford, office support assistant IV Edited by: Alan Whittington, Tammy Bedford and Marsha Huckabey Marsha Huckabey, business support specialist II On the cover: Faculty and students at the Pineta Overlook in the Carol Nabelek, research chemist Pyrenee, a part of the Spain Study Abroad trip. Stephen Stanton, library information specialist II 2 From Our Department Chair . Pyrenees, for a once-in-a-lifetime field experience. You can enjoy their photos in the expanded color It has been a busy year in the department and we section in the middle of the newsletter. are improving our physical facilities for research and teaching in some fairly spectacular ways. But let me Back on campus, our undergraduate and graduate start with our greatest asset, which is our people. We students continue to succeed after graduation, just returned from the Geological Society of America with several undergraduates headed to graduate meeting in Denver, where almost 20 students and programs, and master’s students hired in a range faculty gave presentations. Highlights included of industries (engineering and environmental, undergraduate Clarke Delisle talking about his senior minerals, oil and gas) and academic positions. thesis research in Wyoming (undergrads almost never Page Quinton (PhD ’16) is now an assistant give talks at national meetings!) and Dr. Miriam professor at SUNY Potsdam. We welcomed new Barquero-Molina giving an invited talk about the faculty member Dr. Noel Bartlow in January, evolution of her Sed-Strat class to a problem-based who has already recruited two graduate students learning approach. We had an alumni reception at and obtained National Science Foundation a nearby hotel one evening (thanks to Buddy and (NSF) funding for her research on “slow-slip” Amy Schweig for the suggestion!), which was very earthquakes. Dr. Jim Schiffbauer is getting a new well attended. Most of our Denver area alumni are Scanning Electron Microscope funded by the NSF in geotechnical or environmental fields, and these Instrumentation and Facilities program (a grant are the fields that our current students are finding totaling $867k). Jim designed the instrument, to jobs in, so this provided some great networking be housed in our building, which will be a great opportunities, especially with the appointment of asset for students and faculty working on a wide Aaron Johnson (PhD ’03) as the new Executive range of geological topics. Following this success, Director of the American Institute of Professional the Office of Research and many departments and Geologists (AIPG), based in Denver. The most programs across campus all combined to buy a popular storyteller micro-Computer of the evening was Tomography (µCT) William “Ace” Caneer instrument, also (FC ’49, BS ’52, MS to be housed in ’56) who reminisced our building, that about campus life will be used to more than 60 years look inside fossils ago – our current and other museum students were specimens, as well fascinated to see how as bone and other things have changed! rock samples. Room 1 Geological Another highlight Sciences will be the of the year also took premier microscopic place off campus imaging facility in - the study abroad the region, and one field trip to Spain of the best in the in late July to early nation. Meanwhile August. This mixed we are using lab fees undergraduate – to convert room graduate class on “Variscan to Alpine to Neogene 109 into a computer classroom so that our majors geology in Gondwanaland” was led by Miriam can learn to use state of the art technology a wide Barquero-Molina, in collaboration with John Mies at range of courses. Both renovations should be the University of Tennessee – Chattanooga, who also complete by Fall 2017. teaches at Camp Branson every summer. Eighteen undergraduates and four graduate students from MU The photo inset is of Alan Whittington attempting spent nearly three weeks exploring the geology of the work-life balance near the summit of Mt. Etna, Sicily. 3 Over the summer, Dean Mike O’Brien departed At the end of September, Marsha Huckabey MU to become the Provost and Vice President celebrated her 30th year at Mizzou, and celebrated for academic affairs at Texas A&M–San Antonio. with pie in the department and a weekend at the Mike has been a great friend and supporter of the Roots’n’Blues’n’BBQ festival. Marsha and Tammy’s Department of Geological Sciences for more than hard work and attention to detail is reflected in this 30 years. He was instrumental in providing support expanded newsletter, which I hope you enjoy. We to faculty, students and numerous departmental are all grateful to the alumni and friends who have endeavors (especially field camp). With his leadership, provided the support to make the department’s we were able to modify the tuition structure for continued success possible. Please keep us informed Camp Branson, which allows us to successfully of your activities, and “like” us on Facebook at attract outstanding students from across America. “MU Geology” and “MU Geology Field Camp” to Mike joined the University of Missouri in 1980 as get more frequent updates on our activities. an assistant professor of anthropology and director of the American Archaeology Division, then became director of the Museum of Anthropology, and joined Sincerely, the College of Arts and Science dean’s office as associate dean for research. In 2006, he became dean of the College of Arts and Science. We wish Mike and Gloria all the best in San Antonio! The Interim Dean is Pat Okker, formerly chair of the English Alan G. Whittington Department and then Senior Associate Provost, and a Chair and E.B. Branson Professor national search will be held to find a permanent Dean. Alan Whittington with development board members Scott Raymond (center) and Buddy Schweig (right) at the alumni reunion in Denver. 4 FACULTY NEWS oel Bartlow is excited to be the newest addition Faculty News Nto the Geological Sciences faculty. Noel is in (In their own words) the midst of getting her new lab set up and recently received a 3-year research grant funded by the National artin Appold spent the 2015-16 academic Science Foundation GeoPRISMS program. She has Myear on research leave. The break from teach- also recruited two masters students who started this ing provided time both to wrap up and begin new fall: Ryan Yohler and Nick Benz. Ryan comes to Miz- research, and for extra travel to conferences and zou from Indiana University–Bloomington. He’s leap- research facilities. Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) ing immediately into research, working on improving deposits remained an important focus of research. models of slow earthquakes and inter-plate locking in Doctoral student Joshua Field continued his study of the Cascadia subduction zone offshore Oregon and fluid inclusions and the isotopic composition of trace Washington. Nick Benz comes to Mizzou from the occurrences of MVT mineralization in the U.S. mid- University of Texas–Austin where he did geophysi- continent. Stuart Kenderes completed his master’s cal research at the University of Texas Institute for degree study of fluorine concentrations in the ore Geophysics. Nick is considering multiple options fluids of the Illinois-Kentucky district through analy- for his master’s research. Noel is also advising an sis of fluid inclusions. Master’s student Sarah Smith undergraduate physics major, Amrit Bal, who is work- continued a theoretical geochemical study of the Zn ing