Geological
Society of Washington
Minutes for the
1549th meeting
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
John Wesley Powell Auditorium,
Cosmos Club, Washington, D.C.
President
Ester Sztein called the meeting to order at 20:05 EDT.
Attendance
There
were 52 attendees.
Minutes
The
meeting began with the approval of the minutes from the previous meeting (1548th). The minutes of the 1548th meeting
had been posted online and a Minute’s Minute was read aloud at the 1549th
meeting. No corrections were noted, and the minutes were accepted.
Guests
and New Members
Nine
guests were introduced at the meeting and an additional five guests signed the
guestbook:
Michelle
Muth (U Oregon), Emma Belayer, (Luxembourg Embassy), Christina Martinez (AGU),
Andrew Everett (USGS), Perri Silverhart (AGU), Joshua Cooper (NVCC), Alex
Baldwin (Army Geospatial Center), Christian Haller (U South Florida), Elizabeth
Brown (DOE), Sally Tracy (Carnegie
Institution), Phil Kong (Advanced
Resources International), Matt
Graham, William Craddock (USGS), Paul Betka (GMU).
No
new members were announced.
Announcements
Three announcements were made:
1. Kori Newman requested judges for
special awards at regional science fairs.
2. Liz
Cottrell announced NMNH’s “After Hours” program: Natural History on the Big
Screen. This free-of-charge film and discussion on Polar Extremes is Wednesday,
January 29, 2020 at 6:45 p.m.
3. Perri
Silverhart and Christina Martinez announced a free AGU sponsored workshop-
Speaking Up: How Bystanders can change the conversation in STEM set for
Wednesday, March 4, 2020 starting at 10 a.m.
Informal
Communications: There
were no informal communications.
Formal
Program
The
formal program commenced at 20:20 EDT and consisted of three speakers: Sally
June Tracy (Carnegie Institution for Science), Steven Whitmeyer (James Madison
University) and Ryan Sincavage (Radford University).
Sally
June Tracy presented “Experimental shockwave studies of geological
materials.” Tracy
walked us through shock-wave experiment set-ups where high-powered lasers are
used to shoot a supersonic-pressure wave through a mineral sample. These
ultrafast experiments, lasting no more than ten of billionths of a second can
shed light on meteoric impact effects and planetary structure. Tracy shared the
results of her recent experiments using high-intensity pulsed x-rays to examine
the crystal structure of shock-compressed minerals.
Questions were asked by: Barbara Cohen (NASA-Goddard), Callan
Bentley (NVCC), Mike Purucker (NASA) and Carl-Henry
Geschwind (Independent Researcher).
Steven
Whitmeyer presented “Geoscience Field Education in the 21st Century: Accessible
and Multidisciplinary.” Whitmeyer focused on recent
technological advances that support multidisciplinary field education. He gave
examples of mobile technologies that enable real-time collaboration between
students in the field, improving field accessibility for less mobile students and
stressed that virtual globes (e.g. Google Earth) and
high-resolution, publicly available imagery facilitate student-centered
exploration of virtual field environments.
Questions were asked by: Bill Burton (USGS), Carl-Henry Geschwind (Independent
Researcher), Jamie Allan (NSF), Dick Smith (USGS), Mike Walter (Carnegie
Institution), Paul Betka (GMU) and Andrew Everett (USGS).
Ryan Sincavage presented “The
geologist’s sandbox: Surface process and climate signals in the sediments of an
alpine basin on the Northern Patagonian Ice Field, Chile.” Sincavage took us to the Cachet Basin, an outlet valley of
the Northern Patagonian Ice Field (NPI) where the relatively low latitude and
altitude make for climate perturbations. Downcutting from a recent 10-year glacial
lake outburst flood cycle has exposed sediments, revealing oscillations between
lacustrine and fluvial conditions in the basin throughout the Holocene. Drone
footage and arresting images of a newly formed 100-meter-wide supra-glacial
channel above the drainage hole suggest unprecedented glacier deterioration
near the southern limit. Sincavage concluded his presentation by noting that
climate change and glacier conditions control the depositional environment of
the NPI, hence sedimentary records of alpine basins are potential climate
proxies of this region over long (103-104 year) timescales.
Questions were asked by: Victor
Zabielski (NVCC), Carl-Henry Geschwind
(Independent Researcher), Mike Purucker (NASA) and Bill Burton (USGS).
President
Ester Sztein adjourned the 1549th meeting at 21:46 EDT.
Respectfully
submitted,
Beth
Doyle
Geological
Society of Washington
Minutes for the
1550th meeting
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
John Wesley Powell Auditorium,
Cosmos Club, Washington, D.C.
President
Ester Sztein called the meeting to order at 20:04EDT.
Attendance
There
were 37 attendees.
Minutes
The
meeting began with the approval of the minutes from the previous meeting (1549th). The minutes of the 1549th meeting
had been posted online and a Minute’s Minute was read aloud at the 1550th
meeting. No corrections were noted, and the minutes were accepted.
Guests
and New Members
Seven
guests were introduced at the meeting and an additional two guests signed the
guestbook:
Jerusalem
Bekele (D.C. Department of Energy and Environment), Maribel Coro (NVCC), Sidey
Timmins (NASA Goddard), Richard Cosentino (NASA Goddard), Al Khayat (NASA
Goddard), Monique Nasrallah (GAO), Frank Lemoine (NASA Goddard), Christian Haller
(Student) and Mary Hingst (U of Delaware).
Two
new members were announced: Sally Tracy (Carnegie Institution for Science) and
Jacob Margolis (Private Energy Consultant).
Announcements
Two announcements were made:
1. Kori
Newman requested judges for special awards at regional science fairs and
encouraged all to donate leftover AGU or similar “swag” for the awardees.
2. President
Ester Sztein read the obituary of geophysicist, Frank Press who died on January
29th, 2020 and a moment of silence was
observed.
Informal
Communications:
There were no informal communications.
Formal
Program
The formal program commenced at 20:16
EDT and consisted of three speakers: Yasmina Martos
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center), Chelsea Peters (University of Delaware) and
Kate Burgess (U.S. Naval Research Laboratory).
Yasmina Martos presented “Revealing geothermal heat flux in Earth’s
polar regions – geodynamic evolution and impact on ice sheet dynamics.” Martos shared her magnetically derived, polar
models for
Earth’s escaping heat, aka geothermal heat flux. Dr. Martos pointed out that heat flux
controls subglacial freezing and melting and ultimately impacts sea-level
changes. She then contrasted the geology and tectonic history of Antarctica and
Greenland inferred from this flux parameter.
Questions were asked by: George
Helz (UMD), Mong-Han Huang (UMD), Jamie Allan (NSF), Carl-Henry Geschwind
(Independent Researcher) and Mike Purucker (NASA)
Chelsea Peters
presented “Groundwater pumping and salinization risks in
coastal aquifers.” Peters introduced us to the “wicked” management challenges
of sustainable water use in coastal regions. Her case study of the Delaware
freshwater-seawater interface highlighted the tension between hydrologic
processes and behavioral economics and featured the models she uses to analyze
feedback from this interplay.
Questions were asked by: Mong-Han Huang (UMD), Dick Smith (USGS), Frank Lemoine (NASA Goddard), Carl-Henry Geschwind (Independent Researcher), Jamie Allan (NSF), Mark McBride (Retired), Mike Purucker (NASA) and Jerusalem Bekele (D.C. Department of Environmental Energy).
Kate Burgess presented “Bits of the
sun in my microscope: Finding preserved solar wind in space weathered lunar
soil.” Burgess shared images of altered vesicle surfaces on lunar
rock samples collected nearly half a century ago but only recently released.
State-of-the-art scanning transmission electron microscopy and associated
techniques focused on individual grains have measured trapped gases, most
notably helium. Dr. Burgess posited that solar wind is the source of this gas
because helium is a major component.
Questions were
asked by: George Helz (UMD), Steve Mackwell (American Institute of
Physics) and Mong-Han Huang (UMD)
President
Ester Sztein adjourned the 1550th meeting at 21:44 EDT.
Respectfully
submitted,
Beth
Doyle
Geological
Society of Washington
Minutes for the
1551st meeting
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
John Wesley Powell Auditorium,
Cosmos Club, Washington, D.C.
President
Ester Sztein called the meeting to order at 20:04 EDT.
Attendance
There
were 65 attendees.
Minutes
The
meeting began with the approval of the minutes from the previous meeting (1550th). The minutes of the 1550th meeting
had been posted online and a Minute’s Minute was read aloud at the 1551st
meeting. No corrections were noted, and the minutes were accepted.
Guests
and New Members
Eleven
guests were introduced at the meeting and an additional six guests signed the
guestbook:
Theresa
Moulder (NVCC), Camryn Lindsay (NVCC), Julia Altman ( ___), Matthew Miller (Unaffiliated), Nicholas
Hayman (NSF), Emily Mellicant (NSF), Kristie McComb (American Cancer Society),
Lindsay Davis (USGS), Abby Ackerman (Consortium for Ocean Leadership), Nico Küter
(Carnegie Institution for Science), Edgar Steemetre (Carnegie Institution for
Science), Elizabeth Brown (DOE), Christian Haller (USGS), Paul Betka (GMU),
Bill Craddock (USGS), Michael Kelley (NASA-HQ), Zachary Morse (NASA Goddard)
No
new members were announced.
Announcements
1. President Ester Sztein announced that the next GSW meeting on March 11, 2020 will be at AGU headquarters, 2000 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009. Sign-ups for a 7 p.m. tour of these headquarters are on the GSW website (gswweb.org). President Sztein also noted that a post-meeting survey of this event will be provided.
2. Kori Newman requested judges for special awards at regional science fairs, especially the March 7, 2020 fair in Manassas. She also encouraged all to donate leftover AGU or similar “swag” for the awardees.
3. President Sztein announced that the National Academy of Sciences is holding a workshop entitled: “Opportunities for Accelerating Scientific Discovery: Realizing the Potential of Advanced and Automated Workflows.” This public workshop will be held at the Academy on March 16th and 17th, 2020.
Obituaries
1. Abe Padilla read an appreciation of influential petrologist Alfred “Fred” Anderson, who died January 15, 2020. In his study of glasses and minerals in volcanic rocks, Fred pioneered unconventional yet highly effective methods. These included the use of a baseball bat to crush pumice and silly putty to encase samples for density measurements as well as dangling polished crystals from paperclips in order to gauge melt inclusion size.
2. President Sztein summarized the career of engineer and climate scientist Rajendra Pachauri who died February 13, 2020. Pachauri led the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for more than a decade, championing climate science and leading the panel when it was awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.
3. Priestly Toolman gave an appreciation of x-ray diffraction specialist Daphne Ross who died this February. Toolman noted that Ross made sizeable contributions to analytical mineralogy in her work at the USGS and Department of Mineralogy, NMNH.
A moment of silence was observed in tribute to the lives of these scientists.
Informal Communications:
1. Liz Cottrell was excited to announce that after a one-week closure for cleaning, the now glistening and nearly germ-free Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals at NMNH is open once again.
2. Erik Hankin announced that the Sentinel-6A satellite will now be named ‘Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich’ in honor of the former director of NASA’s Earth Science Division. Parker showed a brief video on Freilich’s outstanding contribution to Earth science and Earth observation.
Formal
Program
The formal program commenced at 20:38 EDT and consisted of three speakers:
Advait Jukar (Smithsonian Institution: National
Museum of Natural History), Jonathan Tucker (Carnegie Institution of Science)
and Beverly Walker (National Science Foundation).
Advait Jukar presented “Nineteenth century fossil hunting in the Indian
Subcontinent.” Jukar unraveled the history of fossil collecting in this
region which happens to have one of the world’s longest records of fossil
mammals including giraffes with antlers and a gargantuan rhino. Jukar noted
that this extensive record allowed him to document the extinction of a
three-toed horse lineage and trace species change forced by the transition from
forest to grassland.
Questions
were asked by: Carl-Henry Geschwind (Independent Researcher), Lindsay Davis
(USGS), Mike Purucker (NASA), Dick Smith (USGS) and Ryan Haupt (GSA).
Jonathan
Tucker presented “The carbon footprint of oceanic volcanoes.” Tucker
noted that while the combined carbon flux from all tectonic environments is
hundreds of times lower than the human contribution, carbon flux from volcanoes
drives Earth’s long-term climate stability and is a major constraint on deep
mantle volatile cycles. He shared his recent results using a new methodology
connecting carbon with noble gases and discussed how they show that carbon flux
from mid-ocean ridges is comparable to that of arc volcanoes. In laying out his
microanalytical methods, Tucker stated that while ocean islands emit 20 times less
carbon than mid-ocean ridges, the deep mantle sampled by ocean islands is much
more carbon-rich than the shallow mantle sampled by mid-ocean ridges.
Questions
were asked by: Ved Lekic (UMD), Mong-Han Huang (UMD), Callan Bentley (NVCC),
Carl-Henry Geschwind (Independent Researcher), Ari Hartmann (Unaffiliated) and
Victor Zabielski (NVCC).
Beverly
Walker presented “Funding geoscience in Antarctica: the coldest, highest,
driest, windiest continent on Earth.” In her lively overview of the NSF managed
U.S. Antarctic Program, Walker wove video shorts of nearly 200 mile-per hour
Antarctic winds and Mt. Erebus lava spews. She also delivered the lowdown on
the Treaty System, notable scientific discoveries and dealing with A-factor
challenges like getting there, living there and not freezing.
Questions
were asked by: Mong-Han Huang (UMD), Lindsay Davis (USGS), Bill Craddock (USGS)
and Carl-Henry Geschwind (Independent Researcher).
President Sztein adjourned the 1551st meeting at 22:08 EDT.
Respectfully submitted,
Beth Doyle
Geological
Society of Washington
Minutes for the
1552nd meeting
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
American
Geophysical Union, 2000 Florida Ave NW, Washington,
D.C.
President Ester Sztein called the
meeting to order at 20:05 EDT.
Attendance
There were 51 attendees.
Minutes
The meeting began with the approval
of the minutes from the previous meeting (1551st). The minutes of the 1551st meeting had been
posted online and a Minute’s Minute was read aloud at the 1552nd meeting. No
corrections were noted, and the minutes were accepted.
Guests and New Members
Seven guests were introduced at the
meeting and the same guests signed the guestbook:
Elizabeth Brown (University of South
Florida), Christian Haller (University of South Florida), Tim Oleson (AGU), Joe
Indvik (RE Tech Advisors), Danielle Garfinkel (Population Services
International), Rah Pandya (AGU), and Jesse Reimink (Penn State).
Four new members were announced:
Alex Baldwin (Army Geospatial Center), Ian
Gammarino (no affiliation), Nico de Toledo (no affiliation/recent college
graduate), and Euan Mutch (University of Maryland).
Announcements
1.
Kori
Newman requested additional volunteers for the upcoming science fair judging,
including for NOVA on March 21, Prince George County Science Fair March 21st
and Loudoun County which is moving to a virtual platform.
2.
Ester
Sztein announced that due to the coronavirus the next meeting on March 25th
will be hosted on a virtual platform and asked for input from the members
present. It was noted that this could be an opportunity to engage corresponding
members. Ryan Haupt explained additional information about the virtual platform
and how to use it will be communicated via the ListServ, Flyers, Facebook page,
and Twitter. Ester Sztein stated a survey will be sent out to better understand
members' views on having the meeting at AGU’s building.
There were no informal
communications.
Formal Program
The formal program
commenced at 20:28 EDT
and consisted of three speakers:
Alexander
Morgan (SI National Air and Space Museum), Kei
Shimizu (Carnegie Institution for Science), and Daniel
Rassmussen (Smithsonian Institute National Museum of Natural History)
Alexander Morgan presented “Large
alluvial fans on Mars: insights from remote sensing observations and field
analogue studies.” Alexander compared and contrasted Earth and Mars and why
analogs on Earth can help to decipher the geologic history of Mars. High
resolution imagery from HiRISE, allows for the comparative study on Earth. Specifically, what the gigantic alluvial fans
mean for the dry and cold period in Mars’ history.
Questions were asked by:
Graham Lederer (USGS), Mong-Han Huand (UMD), Jamie
Allan (NSF), Brooks Hanson (AGU), Ryan Haupt (GSA), Joe Canny (NRC), and Bill
Burton (USGS).
Kei Shimizu presented “Water in
meteorites: a snapshot of water in the early Solar System.” Kei
explained previous work on the deuterium/hydrogen (D/H) ratios in chondrites.
Carbonaceous Chondrites likely brought the Earth’s water. This was explored
through testing the Grand-tack model to better understand different formation
scenarios. He also shared new NanoSIMS analyses on chondrules, which are
beautiful under the microscope, yet their formation is highly debated. The
NanoSIMS results show that chondrule glasses are enormously deuterium enriched
which adds boundaries to our understanding of how they form. Kei stated
chondrules could not have come from comets, but either accreted in molecular
ice clouds or lost their hydrogen concentration through Rayleigh’s distillation
process.
Questions were asked by:
Liz Cottrell (Smithsonian), Daniel Rassmussen
(Smithsonian), Megan Lindamen (UMD), Bill Burton (USGS), Jesse Reimink (Penn
State), and Joe Canny (NRC)
Daniel Rassmussen presented “The
run-up to volcanic eruptions unveiled by forensic petrology.” Daniel showed how
a large volcanic eruption can usually be seen in satellite data. The 1999
eruption of Shishaldin, did not show in the satellite record, which based on
the amount of material ejected does not fit with current understanding of
volcanic eruptions. Using the powerful Forensic petrology tools, Daniel was
able to dig into his three hypotheses about why it was not seen: no
deformation, the data missed the timing, or the data missed the spatial
resolution needed to “see it.” Working with Olivine crystals and seismic data
Daniel was able to determine that there were both spatial and temporal
limitations to what the satellite imagery could show. His work demonstrates the
vast array of volcanic questions that can be answered using forensic petrology.
Questions were asked by:
Mong-Han Huang (UMD), Bill Burton (USGS), Ved Lekie (UMD),
and Brooks Hanson (AGU)
President Ester Sztein adjourned the
1552nd meeting at 21:53 EDT.
Respectfully submitted,
Beth Doyle with major assistance
from Bev Walker.
Geological
Society of Washington
Minutes for the
1553rd meeting
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Video
Conference via ZOOM
President Ester Sztein called the
meeting to order at 20:03 EDT.
Attendance
There were 58 attendees.
Minutes
The meeting began with the approval
of the minutes from the previous meeting (1552nd). The minutes of the 1552nd meeting
had been posted online and a Minute’s Minute was read aloud at the 1553rd
meeting. No corrections were noted and the minutes
were accepted.
Guests and New Members
Sixteen guests introduced themselves
and the same guests signed in through the Chat window.
Thomas Stanley (USRA), Aida Awad (American
Intercontinental University), Laura Tewksbury (La Brea Tar
Pits), Cornelia Clarke (La Brea Tar Pits), Richard Cosentino (NASA GSFC),
Jessie George (UCLA), David Chu (Los Alamos
National Laboratory), Carrie Howard (La
Brea Tar Pits), Kim Harrison (La Brea
Tar Pits), Lorance Lisle (U.S. Army, Retired), Aisling Farrell (La Brea Tar
Pits), Nita Patel (Los Alamos National Laboratory),
David Boehnlein (physicist, retired), Deb Glickson (National
Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine),
Lee Mitchell (NRL DC) and Mark McBride (Nuclear
Regulatory Commission).
Announcements
1.
Ester
Sztein reminded members to fill out the short survey about the March 11, GSW
meeting held at AGU. She noted that this survey was sent out the day before and
members’ input is important as it will help to guide GSW’s decision on
relocating to AGU’s building.
There were no informal
communications.
Formal Program
The formal program commenced at
20:17 EDT and consisted of three speakers:
Graham Andrews (West Virginia University), David Chu (Los Alamos National Lab)
and Alexis Mychajliw (La Brea Tar Pits and Museum).
Graham Andrews presented
“The Fold Illusion.” He shared new field and lab data used to
reinterpret how obsidian and other highly silicic lavas are emplaced and how
the upper surfaces deform. Andrews also addressed the use and misuse of aerial
and satellite images to interpret lava composition and viscosity, especially on
the seafloor and other planets.
Questions were asked by: Maryann Malinconico ( Lafayette College), Steven Shirey (Carnegie Institution), Joseph Kanney (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission),
Graham Lederer (USGS) and Tim Baker (Applied
Environmental, Inc.).
David Chu presented “DOE
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program: the
MOSAiC Expedition.” Chu chronicled the
progress and challenges of the largest ever Arctic expedition. This
multi-national, year-long collaboration based on a shipborne observatory is
studying the rapidly evolving conditions in the central Arctic.
Questions were asked by: Steven Shirey (Carnegie Institution), Maryann Malinconico (Lafayette College), (Ryan Haupt (GSA), Aida
Awad (American Intercontinental University) and Abraham Padilla (USGS)
Alexis
Mychajliw presented “Tar
pit time capsules: reconstructing Trinidad’s Late Pleistocene ecosystems with
fossils trapped in asphalt.” Mychajliw
noted that asphalt preserves a range of biological tissue which allows for
ecosystem-level reconstruction. She shared recent discoveries preserved in
Trinidad’s asphalt seeps, including giant ground sloths and tiny rice rats. Her
team’s surveys of fossilization processes as well as current and past ecology provide the first pre-human baseline of Trinidad's
Quaternary biodiversity.
Questions were asked by:
Steven Shirey (Carnegie Institution), Callan Bentley (NVCC), Hannah Rabinowitz (AAAS), Brittney
Campbell, Mark Tyra (NIST) and Abraham Padilla (USGS).
President Ester Sztein adjourned the
1551st meeting at 22:02 EDT.
Respectfully submitted,
Beth Doyle
Geological
Society of Washington
Minutes for the
1554th meeting
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Video
Conference via ZOOM
President Ester Sztein called the
meeting to order at 20:01 EDT.
Attendance
There were 60 attendees.
Minutes
The meeting began with the approval
of the minutes from the previous meeting (1553rd). The minutes of the 1553rd meeting
had been posted online and a Minute’s Minute was read aloud at the 1554th
meeting. No corrections were noted and the minutes were
accepted.
Guests and New Members
Eight guests introduced themselves
and signed in through the Chat window.
Tim Quinn (USGS CIO), Alvin Argueta
(NVCC), Charlie Mandeville (USGS Volcano Hazards Program), Ivan Perrett
(NVCC), Everett Johnson (The Mineralogical Society of America), Bill Mikalik
(Applied Environmental Inc.), Ryan Accardo and Natalie Accardo (NewGen).
Announcements
1. Ester Sztein said that the next GSW
meeting on May 13th will be virtual.
There were no informal
communications.
Formal Program
The formal program commenced at
20:11 EDT and consisted of three speakers:
Stephanie Spera (University of Richmond), Aaron Velasco (The University of Texas at El Paso) and Charles Bacon (U.S. Geological Survey (Emeritus)).
Stephanie
Spera presented “Sacrifice Zone or Sustainable Agricultural Powerhouse: The
Brazilian Cerrado.” Spera discussed how land-use change is mapped across the Cerrado, an area
bigger than Alaska. She also presented the drivers and consequences
of these changes and concluded by considering the essential factors that
Brazil needs to become a model for sustainable agricultural development in the
21st century.
Questions were asked by: Ester Sztein (National
Academy of Sciences), Linda Rowan (UNAVCO), Mark McBride (Nuclear Regulatory
Commission), Abraham Padilla (USGS),
Joseph Kanney (Nuclear Regulatory Commission)
and Ryan Haupt (GSA).
Aaron
Velasco presented “Developing Strong International Partnerships for Geoscience
Advances and Capacity Building.” Velasco
stressed the need for sustained, mutually beneficial international
collaboration in order to address natural hazards and resource development. He
highlighted success stories and challenges of U.S. partnerships with Colombia,
Bhutan, Kenya, Nepal, Mexico, El Salvador, and Costa Rica developed through mutual respect and an ongoing
idea exchange with international students who formerly attended U.S.
institutions and now hold scientific positions in their countries of origin.
Questions were asked by:
Callan Bentley (NVCC), Joseph
Kanney (NRC), Beverly Walker (NSF), Keith McLaughlin (formerly SAIC) and Ryan
Haupt (GSA).
Charles
Bacon presented “U.S. Geological Survey Lidar Imaging of Mazama
Eruption Deposits and Postglacial Fault Scarps at Crater Lake National Park,
Oregon.”
Bacon shared 2010 lidar
images of well-preserved pyroclastic-flow deposits from the catastrophic Mazama
eruption and caldera collapse. The lidar survey also detected fault scarps
that potentially link multiple M≥7 earthquakes with the eruption, and
specifically with the collapse of the caldera.
Questions were asked
by: Mark Tyra (NIST), Keith McLaughlin (formerly
SAIC), Joseph Kanney (NRC) and Liz Cottrell (NMNH).
President Ester Sztein adjourned the
1554th meeting at 21:47 EDT.
Respectfully submitted,
Beth Doyle
Geological
Society of Washington
Minutes for the
1555th meeting
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Video
Conference via ZOOM
President Ester Sztein called the
meeting to order at 20:02 EDT.
Attendance
There were 59 attendees.
Minutes
The meeting began with the approval
of the minutes from the previous meeting (1554th). The minutes of the 1554th meeting had been
posted online and a Minute’s Minute was read aloud at the 1555th
meeting. No corrections were noted and the minutes
were accepted.
Guests and New Members
Seven guests introduced themselves
and signed in through the Chat window.
Asmeret Asefaw Berhe (University of
California, Merced), Jennie Brennan (GWU), Robert Mahon (University of New
Orleans), Bill Mikalik (Applied Environmental Inc.), Shawn DeNarie (GWU), Josef
Stiegler (GWU) and Michael Hudgins (University of Alberta).
Announcements
1. Ester Sztein reminded members to
complete two short surveys sent out this week. Each survey should take no more
than a few minutes to complete and will provide useful feedback on the March 11th
meeting held at AGU headquarters and on GSW’s virtual meeting on April 29th.
There were no informal
communications.
Formal Program
The formal program commenced at 20:14
EDT and consisted of three speakers:
James
Clark (The George Washington University), Robert Mahon (The University of New
Orleans) and Asmeret Asefaw Berhe (University of California, Merced).
James
Clark presented “Dinosaur Hunting in China.” Clark shared the results of his expeditions to the Xinjiang
territory of northwest China. "Death traps" of mud made sticky by a
high volcanic ash content preserved a growth series of Limusaurus inextricabilis.
Limusaurus, the only non-avian theropod dinosaur with a reduced first
digit of the hand represents an early step in the transition to both smaller
first and fifth digits, as seen in later theropods and birds. On the basis of morphology, microstructure and stable isotopic
composition of the fossil bones, Clark concluded that Limusaurus began life as a toothed omnivore and grew to
become a beaked herbivore. This unusually dramatic change in diet from
adolescence to adulthood could
shed light on bird evolution.
Questions were asked by: Jurate
Landwehr (The Sumanim Group),
David Vanko, Victor Zabielski (NVCC), Maryann Malinconico (Lafayette College), Callan
Bentley (NVCC), Ryan Haupt (GSA), Michael Hudgins (University of Alberta), and Bill
Burton, (USGS).
Robert
Mahon presented “Orleans Universality of Delta Channel Bifurcation
Angles.” Mahon
addressed geomorphologic features of sedimentary systems preserved in the
stratigraphic record. Citing seismic data as well as Martian stratigraphic data
he proposed how these features become preserved in terrestrial strata.
Questions were asked by: Jurate Landwehr (The Sumanim Group), Victor Zabielski (NVCC), Peter Warwick (USGS),
Graham Lederer (USGS), and John Jens (Army Corps of Engineers).
Asmeret
Asefaw Berhe presented “What’s Soil Got to Do with Climate Change?” Asefaw Berhe noted that earth’s
climate is largely controlled by the exchange of greenhouse gases between the
soil and the atmosphere because the soil system stores two times more carbon
than the atmosphere and the world’s vegetation combined. She presented the
mechanisms by which soil systems control the climate and discussed potential
climate-smart soil management practices.
Questions were asked by:
Bill Burton (USGS),
Victor Zabielski (NVCC), John Jens (Army Corps of
Engineers), Tim Baker (Applied Environmental?), Alan Munro (GMU), Bev
Walker (NSF) and Ryan Haupt (GSA).
President Ester Sztein adjourned the
1555th meeting at 21:55 EDT.
Respectfully submitted,
Beth Doyle
Geological
Society of Washington
Minutes for the
1556th meeting
Wednesday, September 9, 2020
Video
Conference via ZOOM
President Ester Sztein called the
meeting to order at 20:02 EDT.
Attendance
There were 51 attendees.
Minutes
The meeting began with the approval
of the minutes from the previous meeting (1555th). The minutes of the 1555th meeting had been
posted online and a Minute’s Minute was read aloud at the 1556th
meeting. No corrections were noted, and the minutes were accepted.
Guests and New Members
Two guests introduced themselves:
Nico De Toledo (Pomona College, recent graduate) and Erica Jawin (NMNH).
Announcements
1. Kori Newman announced
the “Cosmos Scholar Grant Program” that rewards eligible area graduate students
up to $5000. The application deadline is November 1, 2020. Details can be found
on the Cosmos Club website and in a follow-up GSW email.
2.
Ester Sztein announced the Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
Medicine’s Fall 2020 Distinguished Speaker Webinar Series on “America’s Geoheritage II: Identifying, Developing, and Preserving
America's Natural Legacy.” These events are free and open to everyone interested in using
Geoheritage sites to promote research, education, public outreach, community
planning, and geotourism. Details can be found on the follow-up GSW email.
3. Dan Doctor announced
that the 2020 Virginia
Geological Field Conference will be held as a self-guided virtual field trip through the
spectacular highway road cuts of Paleozoic strata exposed along
Corridor H in West Virginia. A live chat session with the trip leaders
will take place on Saturday, October 3, 2020.
Details can be found on the follow-up GSW email.
Obituary
Dan Doctor announced the passing of
USGS geoscientist Jack Epstein in May 2020.
Epstein’s fieldwork centered in Pennsylvania and New
Jersey and he was the co-developer of the CAI or Color Alteration Index for conodonts, a groundbreaking tool
in hydrocarbon exploration. A moment of silence was observed.
Informal Communication
Arthur Merschat reported details of
the magnitude 5.1 Sparta, North Carolina earthquake that occurred on August 9,
2020.
Formal Program
The formal program commenced at
20:32 EDT and consisted of three speakers:
Samantha
Tramontano (The City University of New York), Nora Noffke (Old Dominion
University) and Lindsey Yann (Waco Mammoth National Monument).
Samantha Tramontano presented “Assembling
and Mobilizing Mushy Magma at Momotombo Volcano, Nicaragua and the 2015-2016
Eruption. Tramontano first noted
that constraining the pre-eruptive conditions
of magma reservoirs at arc volcanoes is challenging yet critical to volcanic
hazard assessment. As magma reservoir evolution is often non-linear and
influenced by several open-system processes, the ability to decipher processes
associated with melt accumulation just prior to eruption is key to
understanding changes in the magmatic-volcanic system that enable eruption. She
presented petrologic analyses of erupted materials that were used to determine
the structure and evolution of the underlying magmatic system of Momotombo
Volcano, Nicaragua. Here, the wide range of textures and plagioclase compositions
(An58 -An96) indicate that primary crystals and an older
crystal cargo simultaneously evacuated during eruption. Tramontano’s
thermodynamic modelling showed that a variety of melt compositions are required
to produce this composition range. Under Momotombo, low magmatic volatile
contents suggest that, despite different generations of melt accumulation and
crystallization, assembling eruptible magma takes place in the shallow crust
(less than three kilometers). She presented chemical zoning in pyroxene
crystals as evidence that the 2015-2016 eruption at Momotombo occured just days
after a critical injection of magma.
Questions were asked by:
Jane Hammarstrom (USGS), Victor Zabielski (NVCC), Larry Meinart (USGS), Daniel
Rasmussen (Columbia U), John Jens (Army Geospatial Center) and Mark Tyra
(NIST).
A question was asked by: Victor Zabielski
(NVCC). To keep within the meeting time window, President Sztein encouraged
others to submit questions that could be answered by Noffke through email.
Lindsey Yann began her presentation of
“Geologic History and Discovery of America's Columbian Mammoth Nursery Herd.”
Technical difficulties prevented her from fully sharing her research. President
Sztein announced that Yann would have the opportunity to present at a future
time.
President Ester Sztein adjourned the
1556th meeting at 21:52 EDT.
Respectfully submitted,
Beth Doyle
Geological
Society of Washington
Minutes for the
1557th meeting
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Video
Conference via ZOOM
President Ester Sztein called the
meeting to order at 20:02 EDT.
Attendance
There were 52 attendees.
Minutes
The meeting began with the approval
of the minutes from the previous meeting (1556th). The minutes of the 1556th meeting had been
posted online and a Minute’s Minute was read aloud at the 1557th
meeting. No corrections were noted, and the minutes were accepted.
Guests and New Members
Three guests were introduced: Rick
Cosentino (NASA Goddard), Avishek Rudra
(University of Minnesota) and Bob
Kieckhefer (Retired, Now in Thailand).
Announcements
1. Ester Sztein reminded
attendees of the Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Fall 2020
Distinguished Speaker Webinar Series on “America’s
Geoheritage II: Identifying, Developing, and Preserving America's Natural
Legacy.” These
events are free and open to everyone interested in using Geoheritage sites to
promote research, education, public outreach, community planning, and
geotourism. Sztein posted the link in the Chat.
Obituary
No obituaries were announced.
Informal Communication
There was no informal communication.
Formal Program
The formal program commenced at 20:12
EDT and consisted of three speakers:
Megan
Newcombe (University of
Maryland), Erica Jawin, (National Museum of Natural History) and Kathleen Benison (West Virginia University).
Megan
Newcombe presented “The Final
Countdown to Eruptions: Short-timescale Diffusion Clocks for Studying Conduit
Processes.” Newcombe addressed the question “What controls volcano
explosivity?” Syneruptive
pressure-temperature-time (P-T-t) paths of magma in volcanic conduits exert a
strong influence on eruptive style via feedbacks between degassing,
decompression, and crystallization that trigger rapid changes in magma rheology
and ascent rate. She described short-timescale diffusion “clocks” that exploit
chemical gradients in fast-diffusing species (e.g., the diffusion of H in
olivine and the diffusion of MgO in olivine-hosted melt inclusions) to
constrain P-T-t paths of basaltic magmas during the final seconds to hours of
their ascent and eruption. Newcombe noted that application of these diffusion
clocks to magmas erupted at Seguam and Fuego reveals less cooling in the
conduit than predictions of isentropic conduit models and that this may reflect
the importance of open-system degassing and/or degassing-driven crystallization
in the minutes to hours preceding eruptions.
Questions were asked by:
Liz Cottrell (NMNH),
Larry Meinert (USGS) and Daniel Rasmussen (Columbia University).
Erica Jawin presented “OSIRIS-REx, NASA’s Asteroid Sample Return Mission to (101955) Bennu.”
Jawin shared the
objectives, highlights, and challenges faced by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission
studying the near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu, as well as some of the exciting
discoveries. Jawin spoke about Bennu’s origin, evolution, and potential risk to
life on Earth. She also gave details on the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft’s plans to
travel to Bennu, collect a sample of surface material next month and return it
to Earth in 2023.
Questions were asked by:
Liz Cottrell (NMNH),
Carl-Henry Geschwind (Independent Researcher), Larry Meinert (USGS) and Beverly
Walker (NSF).
Kathleen
Benison presented “Salt on Mars: Astrobiological Tombs?” Though chemical sediments, including chlorides and sulfates have been
identified on Mars, they have not been analyzed petrographically. On Earth,
halite and gypsum precipitate in modern and ancient acid saline lakes may be excellent analogs for some martian strata. Benison
shared her analyses by microscopy and laser Raman spectroscopy of terrestrial
acid saline lake halite and gypsum. They show preserved microorganisms and
organic compounds, especially within primary fluid inclusions. Benison
concluded that any salt minerals found by Mars rovers should be returned to
Earth for examination for potential biosignatures.
Questions were asked by: Carl-Henry
Geschwind (Independent Researcher), Mark Tyra (NIST) and Beverly Walker (NSF).
President Ester Sztein adjourned the
1557th meeting at 21:47 EDT.
Respectfully submitted,
Beth Doyle
Geological
Society of Washington
Minutes for the
1558th meeting
Wednesday, October 7, 2020
Video
Conference via ZOOM
President
Ester Sztein called the meeting to order at 20:06 EDT.
Attendance
There were 57
attendees.
Minutes
The meeting
began with the approval of the minutes from the previous meeting (1557th). The minutes
of the 1557th meeting had been posted online and a Minute’s Minute was read
aloud at the 1558th meeting. No corrections were noted, and the minutes were
accepted.
Guests and
New Members
Four guests were introduced:
Gabriela Farfan (NMNH), John Counts (USGS),
Nico Kueter (Carnegie
Institution) and Juliana Troch (NMNH).
Announcements
1. Ryan Haupt reminded the
audience to mute microphones during the presentations and to type questions in
the chat along with name and affiliation. Haupt asked speakers to consider
leaving their camera on while presenting as many listeners like to see the speaker.
2. Callan Bentley announced that
the virtual Virginia Geological Field Conference premiered last week.
Bentley (PVCC) along with Dan Doctor (USGS) and Alan Pitts (William and Mary)
introduced viewers to the geology along Corridor H in West Virginia. Bentley
posted the link to this virtual field experience in the chat.
3.
Ester Sztein announced
the ongoing webinar series hosted by the Academies of Sciences, Engineering,
and Medicine on the topic of “America’s Geoheritage II: Identifying,
Developing, and Preserving America's Natural Legacy.” These one-hour events are
free and open to everyone interested in using Geoheritage sites to promote
research, education, public outreach, community planning, and geotourism.
Registration links can be found online.
Obituaries
No obituaries
were announced.
Informal Communication
Mike Purucker introduced the slate of GSW officers for 2021.
Formal
Program
The formal
program commenced at 20:18 EDT and consisted of three speakers:
Jeremy Hoffman
(Science Museum of Virginia), Sarah C. Penniston-Dorland (University of
Maryland) and Carol Frost (University of Wyoming).
Jeremy Hoffman
presented “The Enduring Legacy of Inequitable Exposure to Urban Heat and Other
Tales.” Studies of urban heat exposure in US cities regularly identify
low-income Black and Brown communities living in the hottest areas. Few,
however, have asked what the historical context of this exposure might be.
Hoffman explored how housing policy in the 1930s and 1940s likely codified
present-day racial disparity in exposure to urban heat, as well as several
other climate-related stressors. His results suggest significant disparity in
exposure to these stressors leads to significantly poorer health outcomes in
these same areas.
Questions were asked by Carl-Henry Geschwind (Independent
Researcher), Victor Zabielski (NVCC), Ryan Haupt (U Wyoming) and Joseph
Kanney (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission).
Sarah C.
Penniston-Dorland presented “Applying Crystal Clocks to Metamorphic Processes:
Using Li Isotopes in Garnet to Constrain the Duration of Fluid Flow During
Subduction Metamorphism” Penniston-Dorland noted that very little is understood
about processes of fluid transport within subduction zones and the chemistry of
the fluids. Bulk-rock variations in Li isotopic compositions are observed in
fluid-related features at the centimeter-scale in subduction-related
metamorphic rocks suggesting short duration fluid infiltration events – months
to centuries. These measurements record a time-integrated record, while in situ
measurements in porphyroblasts can record individual events experienced by the
rock. She presented Li isotopes data from traverses across garnet crystals in Franciscan
eclogite and amphibolite. Observed variations in d7Li occur within crystals
over a scale of a few hundred microns, including troughs of low d7Li
measurements in the mantle regions of the garnets. Garnet rims have lower d18O
values, previously interpreted as a product of the infiltration of
serpentinite-derived fluids. Penniston-Dorland said that these results combined
suggest a role for fluids fluxing through the slab, and the unusual trough
pattern suggests a role for intracrystalline diffusion. The low d7Li troughs
are observed only in garnet from one of two localities. Similarities in garnet
composition from the two localities suggests that some aspect of the chemistry
of the fluids may be responsible for the differences between the two localities;
likely candidates are either pH or Eh of the fluid.
Questions were
asked by Victor Zabielski (NVCC), Carl-Henry Geschwind (Independent
Researcher), John Jens (US Army Corps of
Engineers), Graham Lederer (USGS) and Rebecca Morris (University of Victoria).
Carol Frost
presented “Born Strong is Not Enough: The Making and Breaking of Cratons.”
Stable regions commonly referred to as cratons are defined and studied
differently by geologists, geodynamicists, and geophysicists. Frost presented a
geodynamic framework in which to evaluate craton stability, the characteristics
of strong, long-lived cratons, and the processes that modify them. Using case
studies incorporating geologic and geophysical data, she evaluated whether the
original formation of the craton or the subsequent events they experience is
the more important control. Frost presented stability regime diagrams to
examine parameters of buoyancy and yield strength that drive craton stability
and reminded us that conditions change as the Earth cools over geologic time.
She suggested that tectonic processes that modify cratons may set cratons on
the path to destruction, but whether and when the cratonic root is destroyed is
a function both of time and the extent of modification.
Questions were
asked by Mike Ackerson (Smithsonian), Yasmina Martos (NASA Goddard), Dan Doctor
(USGS) and Keith [UNKNOWN] (UNKNOWN AFFILIATION).
President
Ester Sztein adjourned the 1558th meeting at 21:47 EDT.
Respectfully
submitted,
Beth Doyle
Geological
Society of Washington
Minutes for the
1559th meeting
Wednesday, November 4, 2020
Video
Conference via ZOOM
President
Ester Sztein called the meeting to order at 20:01EST.
Attendance
There were 52 attendees.
Minutes
The meeting
began with the approval of the minutes from the previous meeting (1558th). The
minutes of the 1558th meeting had been posted online and a Minute’s Minute was
read aloud at the 1559th meeting. No corrections were noted, and the minutes
were accepted.
Guests and
New Members
Seven guests
were introduced: Dori Farthing (SUNY Geneseo), Deb Glickson (NAS), Kent
Ratajeski (U Kentucky), Brittani McNamee (UNC Asheville), Will Hoover (UMD), Craig
Dietsch (U Cincinnati) and Darrell Henry (LSU).
Announcements
1.
Beverly Walker,
president of the DMV AWG (District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia chapter
of the Association for Women Geoscientists), announced a virtual tour led by
three women geoscientists on Saturday, November 14, 2020. They will discuss how
climate geography and geology affect the wine that we drink. Bev posted the
link in the chat for those interested in registering and finding out more about
DMV AWG events.
2.
Kori Newman announced
that fellow GSW member Laura Dwyer was given the AWG Professional Excellence
Award in the Government/Regulatory division. Dwyer made valuable contributions
as a geoscientist outside of an academic career as well as in volunteer work.
Newman noted that in addition to Dwyer’s many commitments she could always be
counted on to judge science fairs and devotedly mentor students.
3.
Ester Sztein deployed
the first ever GSW Zoom poll for members in attendance. The purpose of this
nonbinding poll was to gauge member preference for the number of Spring 2021
meetings. The options were to keep to the usual seven meetings or to drop to
five, given that all will be held virtually. Sztein reported that the results
will be passed on to the incoming GSW officers to help them in their planning.
Brewing rumors of fraud in yesterday’s U.S. presidential election stoked
deadpan-delivered concern about the absence of observers at this GSW vote.
President Sztein gamely invited grumblers to “take us to the cleaners for
whatever we have, which is not much.”
4.
Ester Sztein reminded
members of the ongoing webinar series hosted by the Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine on the topic of “America’s Geoheritage II:
Identifying, Developing, and Preserving America's Natural Legacy.” The
remaining three webinars are set for November 10th and 17th
and December 1st. These one-hour events are free and open to
everyone interested in using Geoheritage sites to promote research, education,
public outreach, community planning, and geotourism. She posted the link in the
chat.
Obituaries
Ester Sztein
announced the passing of GSW member Michael Max in May 2020 and USGS research
geophysicist Vic Labson in November 2020. Max was a geologist and geophysicist
for the Geological Survey of Ireland, the Naval
Research Laboratory, and the NATO Undersea Research Center. He authored
three textbooks and launched over 40 patents. Labson’s 43-year career began as
a research scientist and continued as a research group manager where he was
known to nurture interdisciplinary collaboration among scientists.
A moment of silence was observed in honor of the lives of these
scientists.
Informal Communication
There were no informal communications.
Formal
Program
The formal
program commenced at 20:22 EST with the Bradley Lecture delivered by David Mogk
(Montana State University).
David Mogk presented “Geoethics in an Uncertain World.” Mogk
pointed out that geoscientists may encounter ethical dilemmas at many points in
their careers, yet few have had formal training. He introduced fundamental principles of geoethics that are not often
addressed in geoscience professional training including power, trust, respect,
responsibility, and justice. Mogk also addressed how the field of geoethics
encompasses dimensions of professional life including community, Earth and
self. The audience was presented with professional ethical dilemmas and voted
via Zoom poll on the best course of action for each. Mogk concluded his talk
with recommendations for making geosciences a fully welcoming, safe, and
inclusive profession.
Questions were asked by Mark Tyra (NIST), Beth Doyle (NVCC), Jane
Hammarstrom (USGS), Brittani McNamee (UNC Asheville) and Bill Burton (USGS).
President
Ester Sztein adjourned the 1559th meeting at 21:46 EST.
Respectfully
submitted,
Beth Doyle
Geological Society of Washington
Minutes for the 1560th meeting
Wednesday, December 2, 2020
Video Conference via Zoom
President Ester Sztein
called the meeting to order at 20:01EST.
Attendance
There were 48 attendees.
Minutes
The meeting began with
the approval of the minutes from the previous meeting (1559th). The minutes of
the 1559th meeting had been posted online and a Minute’s Minute was read aloud
at the 1560th meeting. No corrections were noted, and the minutes were
accepted.
Guests and New Members
Eight guests were introduced: Priscilla Grew (U Nebraska), John
Faber, Gabriela Sztein, Todd Cooke (UMD), Tom Casadevall (USGS), Sophie
Baremberg, Celia Switacz and Rolfe Mandel (Kansas State Geological
Survey).
Three new members were introduced: Lisa Berrios (EPA), Keith
Conrad (retired) and Gabriela Farfan (Smithsonian).
Announcements
1.
Ester Sztein reminded all members, current
and lapsed, to be on the lookout for a GSW 2021 renewal notice email. Renewals
can be done through this email or on the website, GSWweb.org.
2.
Ester Sztein also informed members to
please complete an emailed survey on a pilot GSW mentor-mentee program which
will be sent early in the new year.
Obituaries
There were no obituaries.
Informal Communication
There were no informal
communications.
Formal Program
The 1st Vice
President Liz Cottrell introduced President Ester Sztein, whose talk commenced
at 8:08 pm.
President Sztein shared
her background and shed light on her path towards international scientific
collaboration in the geosciences. A
childhood fascination with features of the plants on her Buenos Aires balcony
planted the seed of scientific wonder. Armed with a doctorate in plant biology
from the University of Maryland, Dr. Sztein pursued her interest in
multidisciplinary inquiry and applied her multilingual skills as a member of
the Amazon Conservation Team. While working in the Brazilian Amazon, Ester saw
the indigenous peoples’ strong attachment to the land and
gained an appreciation that knowledge comes from many sources and appears in
many forms. She also witnessed early developments in geoheritage, a field that
she still embraces.
Intent on strengthening
her focus on science, Dr. Sztein transitioned to a position in international
scientific collaboration at the National Academy of Sciences. She talked about
her work with the four U.S. National Committees for geosciences housed at the
NAS, and described activities she co-organized, such as workshops, technical
sessions, and programs for early career scientists. Technical sessions and
talks encompass a wide variety of topics, from the application of Quaternary
science to societal problems, to geoheritage, science diplomacy, and to the
vital link between soil and human security.
Ester emphasized the
far-reaching value of science diplomacy at all levels of collaboration. She
elucidated best practices including demonstrating a respect for cultures,
patiently building relationships and spelling out implied agreements. Sztein
concluded by voicing appreciation for her academic preparation, which trained her to
constantly seek answers, and for the professional
connections and friendships that she forges in the U.S. and across the world.
As per GSW tradition, no
questions were asked after this Presidential address.
President Ester Sztein
adjourned the 1560th meeting at 21:01 EST.
Respectfully submitted,
Beth Doyle
Geological Society of Washington
Minutes for the 128th Annual Meeting
Wednesday, December 2, 2020
The 128th Annual Meeting
of the Society was called to order at 9:01 p.m. by President Ester Sztein
following her presidential address, A path to international scientific
collaborations in the geosciences. The minutes of the 2019 meeting were read
and approved.
Reports
MEETING SECRETARY
Beth Doyle reported the
following statistics of the eleven meetings of the Society in
2020:
|
|
min. |
mean |
max. |
|
attendees |
37 |
54 |
65 |
|
guests |
2 |
8 |
17 |
|
announcements |
1 |
2 |
4 |
|
informal comm. |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
questions |
5 |
14 |
20 |
|
length (min.) |
100 |
108 |
124 |
Note that only the first
four meetings of 2020 were held in person; the rest were
held virtually because of
the COVID-19 pandemic. (March 11th was the last in-person
meeting.) Carl-Henry
Geschwind took the honors for most questions asked with twelve;
Victor Zabielski was a
distant second.
COUNCIL SECRETARY
Patrick Carr reported
that the Council held meetings on May 13th and October 7th; both
were held virtually. At
the spring meeting, the council approved resolutions to extend a
one-year membership for
virtual presenters, to develop a one-step application process,
and to ratify the
decision to hold Regular Meetings virtually. At the fall meeting, dues
were kept steady and the
slate was approved. Recruitment and retention remain topics
of discussion;
status of our affiliation with AAPG was also discussed.
Treasurer
Carl-Henry Geschwind
reported the finances of the Society for the fiscal year ending
June 30th, 2020, as
follows:
|
receipts |
|
|
dues |
$7,685 |
|
contributions |
4,028 |
|
disbursement from funds |
2,724 |
|
|
$14,437 |
|
|
|
|
disbursements |
|
|
hall rental |
$5,120 |
|
drinks |
2,824 |
|
speakers |
2,444 |
|
miscellaneous |
4,004 |
|
|
$14,392 |
As with everything, the
finances were greatly affected by the pandemic, particularly
the hall rental and
drinks are down considerably because of the virtual meetings.
AUDIT COMMITTEE
Mark Fuhrmann reported
that he and Joe Kanney audited the treasurer’s report and
it was found to be
correct. Roz Helz moved that the auditor’s report be adopted; this
passed without objection.
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
Erik Hankin reported that
there are 237 paid members for 2020 as of December 2nd.
The renewal rate for this
year was 82 percent, down 2 percent from 2019 and down 11
percent from 2015. As of
December 3rd, 21 new members were accepted and 13 of those
have paid membership
dues. Student applications are down—not surprising given the
pandemic—but non-DC
memberships are up. This is the largest drop in membership
since 1997.
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE
Kori Newman reported that
because of the pandemic, most regional science fairs were canceled. There was
one in-person fair and two virtual ones. Because the GSW meetings were also
virtual, we were unable to invite the winners to present their posters. Thanks
to Jane Hammarstrom and Bev Walker, who judged, and the numerous volunteers who
didn’t get a chance. The full list of winners and judges was received and placed
on file.
AWARDS COMMITTEE
Victor Zabielski reported
the following awards:
The Bradley Prize for the
best formal scientific talk was to Kathleen C. Benison of
West Virginia University
for her talk of September 23rd, Salt on Mars: Astrobiological
tombs?
The prize for second-best
formal talk was to Advait M. Jukar of the Smithsonian Mu-
seum of Natural History
for his talk of February 26th, Nineteenth century fossil hunting in the Indian
subcontinent.
The Great Dane Award for
the best informal communication to the Society of timely
or newsworthy events was
to Arthur Merschat of the U.S. Geological Survey for his
talk of September 9th
presenting details of the magnitude 5.1 Sparta, North Carolina,
earthquake that occurred
on August 9, 2020.
Bev Walker presented the
Sleeping Bear award for genuine good humor at meetings
to Erica Jawin of the
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
Business of the Day
Mike Purucker as chair of
the Nominations Committee presented the following slate of
officers as approved by
the Council on October 7th:
- First
Vice-President: Larry Meinert (Economic Geology)
- Second
Vice-President: Kori Newman (Systems & Technology Research)
- Meeting
Secretary: Beth Doyle (Northern Virginia Community College)
- Council
Secretary: Patrick Carr (Department of Defense)
- Treasurer:
Carl-Henry Geschwind (independent)
- Councilor:
Ryan Haupt (University of Wyoming)
- Councilor:
George Helz (University of Maryland)
- Councilor:
Yasmina Martos (NASA Goddard).
There were no nominations
from the floor, and the slate was elected by acclamation.
The President for 2021
will be Liz Cottrell (Smithsonian), elected last year as the first vice-president.
Ester Sztein (National Academies) is on the Council as the past president, and
continuing councillors are Pranoti Asher (American Geophysical Union), Bill Craddock
(U.S. Geological Survey), and Julia Nord (George Mason University).
The gavel was passed to
President Cottrell, who closed the meeting at 10:04 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Patrick M. Carr, Council
Secretary