Southern Illinois University Carbondale Department of Geology 2010-2011 Calendar Year Dear Alumni and Friends, exact same limestone from an Indiana quarry. They also replaced the front doors with a design that recalls the original It has been about two years since we last communicated and I entry in 1928. The parking garage which ruined the view have much news to report on the Department of Geology. from the front of Parkinson was removed last fall, making way First, we added a new member of the faculty. As you may for a new student services building now under construction. know, the Department has been without a petrologist ever MacAndrew stadium is also gone, replaced by the new Saluki since Dr. Charles Frank retired last century. I am happy to football stadium located just east of a remodeled arena. report that we were allowed to search for a petrologist during the fall, 2010 and we found an outstanding young scientist Tragically, Dr. Russell R. Dutcher passed away on February who joined us in August, 2011. Dr. Justin Filiberto works in 15, 2011. Russ was an internationally renowned scientist and planetary geology, with a focus on Mars and he also has a educator and he provided strong, dignified leadership as Chair strong background in volcanology. Jokes about how he does of the Department, and later as Dean of the College. The his field work notwithstanding, he already has obtained Department grew under his guidance and he was instrumental external funds for his research program, hired a post-doctoral in establishing our Doctoral Program. The Department would researcher, and his new laboratories are taking shape. We not have the prestige it now holds without his efforts. We expect big things from Justin. Watch for a more detailed highlight many of his outstanding accomplishments in this background on him later in the newsletter. newsletter. I am also pleased to report that the Illinois Board of Higher We still have a very active coal geology program and Sue Education has approved our petition to reactivate our Ph.D. Rimmer describes some of the research in organic petrology Program. Four very strong doctoral students joined us last fall that she and her students do later in this newsletter. Although and we have several promising applicants for next year. We technically retired, Jack Crelling continues his work as a still participate in the Environmental Resources and Policy Research Professor in the Department. Ken Anderson is an Program (ER&P), but the Doctoral Program in Geosciences organic geochemist and recently he and his research team gives many of our faculty access to students that do not fit developed a revolutionary technology that can dissolve coal in well with ER&P’s mission. water. The method has been patented and will soon be commercialized. Since we last made contact, enrollment in the Department has increased dramatically. Just two years ago, we had only 35 Homecoming this year is October 13th and we will have our undergraduate majors. In the fall of 2010 we hit 50, and in the annual picnic on Sunday, the 14th. Please try to join us and fall of 2011 we hit 70. The growth in domestic energy and reconnect with the faculty and staff. You might also consider mineral resource production has energized geology programs a visit in the Spring, 2013 when we have our annual banquet. around the country and we expect enrollments to continue to Recently, this event has become very special with the rise. phenomenal efforts of Katheryn Fifarek, Sue Rimmer, Steve Hurst, Anja Meksem, Ken and Lois Anderson, Susan Pinter Dr. John Marzolf suddenly retired in the summer of 2011. and a host of student volunteers. A special thanks go to Unfortunately, because of longstanding severe budget Kelsey Manuele, an undergraduate student that went way problems, the University has not allowed us to search for his beyond the call of duty to make the event a success. More that replacement. We are holding on with temporary instructors, eighty people participated in 2011, with a menu that included but our graduate program suffers without a tenure track steak, roast lamb, and vegetarian lasagna. We now hold the position in stratigraphy and sedimentology. We are hopeful event at Starview Vineyards, a beautiful setting in the hills of that the University will allow us to search for John’s southern Illinois. We are also organizing an Alumni Field replacement during the fall, 2012. Trip to Hawaii over Thanksgiving. Watch for details later in the newsletter. Parkinson has had some rather significant renovations over the past two years. Sue Rimmer was able to remodel two The cost of sending a newsletter to all of our alumni now laboratories in the 201 complex and Justin Filiberto is exceeds $2,200, so this may very well be the last one we send remodeling room 213 as well as a room in the basement of to everyone in print form. That does not mean we will not Parkinson for his laboratories. Ken Anderson secured funds to share news about the Department with you, but that we need do major renovations in the Coal Laboratory a few years back. to find a more cost-effective way. The electronic version of Parkinson also had a facelift around its main entrance. The this newsletter with color photographs is posted on our Web University replaced the very worn front steps, finding the page, (http://www.geology.siu.edu/) and perhaps that would be the best way of sharing news with you in the future. We The trip is open to SIU Geology alumni and family members. will need an email address for each of you to let you know The cost will be $1450 pp, not including airfare from the where and when the newsletter is posted. We would also like mainland. The trip will include: double-occupancy to hear from you regularly, and email provides the most accommodations in Hilo and the Kona area (single option effective way of doing this. I encourage each of you to send available), full guided itinerary with SIU faculty and current an electronic message to [email protected] to us the day students, local transportation, group activities and entrance you receive the newsletter so that we can add your address to fees, and most meals. our files. This is also an opportunity to share your news with us and with other alumni. If you must receive a paper version of future newsletters, let us know and we will print one specially for you. Paper correspondence should be sent to: Katheryn Fifarek Alumni News Department of Geology Southern Illinois University Carbondale Carbondale, IL 62901. My best to everyone. Steven P. Esling Associate Professor and Chair Faculty Ken Anderson, Professor; James Conder, Assistant Professor; Kilauea Crater, Hawaii. John C. Crelling, Research Professor; Joe Devera, Adjunct Instructor; Steven Esling, Associate Professor and Chair; Eric In order to keep costs modest, lodging will be in rental Ferré, Professor; Richard H. Fifarek, Associate Professor; apartments (clean, spacious, and comfortable), with several Justin Filiberto, Assistant Professor; Charles O. Frank, group-cooked meals. The trip will end in Kona, and Emeritus; Stanley Harris, Emeritus; Scott E. Ishman, participants are encouraged to add additional days of beach Professor; Liliana Lefticariu, Assistant Professor; John E. time as their schedules (and wallets) permit. Marzolf, Emeritus; Nicholas Pinter, Professor; Susann Pinter, Lecturer; Sue Rimmer, Professor; Dale Ritter, Emeritus; Paul Participation will be limited, and trip planning depends on D. Robinson, Emeritus; John L. Sexton, Professor; James R. early registration. For more information and to reserve a Staub, Emeritus; Jay Zimmerman, Emeritus. preliminary spot, please contact Susann Pinter at [email protected] or call the Geology office at 618-453- 3351. Staff Mahalo. Richard Black, Office Manager; William Huggett, Researcher; Katheryn Fifarek, Office Systems Specialist, Beth Ellison, GIS Specialist, Paul Giesting, Post-Doctoral Researcher in Petrology; Fredrik Huthoff, Post-Doctoral Researcher in Geomorphology; Anja Meksem, IGERT Office Manager Geology Alumni Field Trip The SIU Geology Department is now organizing its 1st annual Geology Alumni Field Trip during Thanksgiving week of 2012. Entitled "Hawaii: Lava and Lore," this will be a 7-day, 6-night trip to the Big Island of Hawaii. The trip will visit Kilauea, Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, and other geologic (and some touristic) features of the island. If there is an active and accessible lava flow at that time, trip participants will visit the flow. Sea turtle off the coast of Hawaii. Russell R. Dutcher received the Gordon H. Wood Jr. Memorial Award of the Obituary Eastern Section of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists for outstanding contributions to the science of coal By Jack Crelling for the International Journal of Coal geology and in recognition of a long and distinguished Petrology teaching career. Russell R. Dutcher, an outstanding professor, a talented researcher, a wise administrator, and a distinguished editor of The International Journal of Coal Geology, died on the 15th of February 2011 in Carbondale, IL after a short illness. He was born Oct. 28, 1927, in Brooklyn, NY and was raised in Montclair, NJ and in Sheffield, MA where he graduated from Berkshire School in 1945. He earned his B.A. degree in geology in 1951 from University of Connecticut, his M.S. degree in geology in 1953 from University of Massachusetts and his Ph. D. degree in geology from the Pennsylvania State University in 1960. He then became the assistant director of the Coal Research Section at Penn State where he worked closely with William Spackman. He became a faculty member in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at Penn State in 1963.