BEG 4th International Symposium on Submarine Mass Movements and Their Consequences, Nov. 8-11, 2009

The 4th International Symposium on Submarine Mass Movements and Their Consequences will be hosted by the Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences in Austin, Texas on November 8-11, 2009.

This symposium is part of an initiative of the International Geoscience Programme (project 511), a joint endeavor of UNESCO and the International Union of Geological Sciences.

The main objective of this event is to bring a world perspective of submarine mass movements and their consequences by assembling excellent contributions from active international researchers, academic institutions and the oil and gas industry thus providing full coverage of the many scientific and engineering aspects of this type of marine and coastal geo-hazard.

Please go to the following link for more information: http://www.beg.utexas.edu/indassoc/dm2/Conference2009/home.htm

AGS mourns death of member, Todd Housh, senior research scientist

As posted on University of Texas webpage:

June 1, 2009

AUSTIN, Texas—The Jackson School community mourns the loss of senior research scientist Todd Berton Housh and extend their condolences to his family. Housh died Saturday, May 30 at his home in Round Rock at the age of 47. He is survived by his wife Cara and children.

A memorial service was held at High Point Fellowship at 600 W. New Hope Drive in Cedar Park, Texas on Thursday, June 4 at 10:00 am.

Dr. Housh's research centered on the evolution of magmatic systems and their interaction with continental crust. His research focused on sites in Mexico and New Guinea. He received his Ph.D. in earth sciences from Washington University in 1989. He came to the University of Texas at Austin as a research associate in 1992. He was a Jackson School of Geosciences Scientist Fellow in 2006 and 2007. He was a member of the American Geophysical Union, the Geochemical Society and the Austin Geological Society.

AGS mourns the passing of Dr. Todd Housh

Todd died Saturday, May 30, 2009 at his home in Round Rock at the age of 47. He is survived by his wife Cara and 12 children.

















Todd, an active member of AGS, contributed his time and expertise to the geologic community. In 2006 Todd was one of the leaders of an AGS fieldtrip guidebook #26 titled: "Volcanic Features of the Austin Area, Travis County, Texas. "

In addition, Todd recently (2007) published a map titled, "Bedrock Geology of Round Rock and Surrounding Areas, Williamson and Travis Counties, Texas " click here for a link to the map.


AGS extends our sincerest condolences to his family--he will be missed by the Austin Geological Community as well.

AGS awards scholarships!

AGS awarded two outstanding University of Texas students with scholarships at the May meeting. 

AGS President Shane Valentine is shown congratulating Travis Kloss (top photo) and David Dagian (below).

2009 GCAGS Schedule and Fees

Press%20Release_GCAGS.pdf

2009 BRGS Oil and Gas Symposium Announcement

2009_BRGS_Oil_and_Gas_Symposium_Announcement.pdf

new AGS officers elected!

Congratulations to the 2009-2010 AGS officers!

President - Ann Molineux
Vice President - Pat Dickerson
Secretary - Angela Ludolph
Treasurer - Doug Wierman
President Elect - Dallas Dunlap

JOB OPENING

Texas State University is looking for an Adjunct Professor to teach Physical Geology and possibly Historical Ggeology next year. Interested parties should contact Rene De Hon at dhon@txstate.edu

TBPG Statuatory Issues Announcements

The TBPG has mailed out the attached letter to all Texas PGs summarizing proposed changes to legislation that would affect Texas PGs. In case you didn't receive the letter, you can check it out by clicking on this link: Statutory_Issues_Announcement_03-20-09.doc

AGS defends Texas science curriculum against Young Earth Creationists

As many of you know, the Texas State Board of Education (TSBOE) is nearing a vote on various provisions to the Approved Science Curriculum in the state. The proposed curriculum standards will dictate what is taught in science classes in elementary and secondary schools and provide the material for state tests and textbooks. The standards will remain in place for a decade after their approval by the state board.

Unfortunately, subtle language changes to the curriculum are being proposed as amendments by the Young Earth Creationists that would open the door for their agenda. The AGS Executive Committee and Chairs sent a letter to the TSBOE members asking for their support of unbiased and credible science education in Texas. Specifically, AGS is are asking them to resist changes to the Biology and Earth and Space Science curriculum as written by Working Groups (December 2008). See letter below.

AGS members can submit their own individual comments via email or letters, or show up at the TSBOE meeting on March 25th (12-6) here in Austin. Click here to find out more.

Additional information can be found at:
21st Century Coalition, click here

Texas Citizens for Science, click here








Click link below for a PDF copy of the letter

TX%20SBOE%20Letter.pdf

"Time on Earth" a new podcast from the BEG

Time on Earth is the podcast of the Bureau of Economic Geology.

Click here for a link to the show.

The aims of our show are:

1) To increase public understanding of geosciences.
2) To demonstrate how geoscience is interwoven into the most important issues in our world.
3) To highlight cutting-edge research in all branches of geoscience that may provide solutions to our most pressing earth resource problems.

The latest (and second) episode is on "Water and Sustainability in Texas." Featuring our own AGS members Dr. Bridget Scanlon (BEG) and Dr. Robert Mace (TWDB).

Time on Earth is produced, edited and hosted by Paul E Murray, Research Scientist Associate, Bureau of Economic Geology, in association with BEG Publications Council with permission of the Director of the Bureau of Economic Geology.

AEG Geology Scholarship Fundraiser (Dallas)

The Texas Association of Engineering Geologists is having a golf tournament in Dallas, Texas on April 3, 2009 to benefit the AEG Geology Scholarship fund which we created last year. The golf tournament is planned in conjunction with our Spring meeting at the Ellison Miles Geotechnical Institute. Our first fundraiser for the Scholarship fund was a personal tour of the Lucy exhibit, with Dr. Johanson in Houston last year.

We are looking for sponsors and players for our tournament and if you can think of anyone that may be interested, we would appreciate the help. I wasn't sure how to get this information to the BEG, and thought I would send it to you for your thoughts and/or distribution if possible. If your policies don't allow distribution, please disregard this request. Thanks.


Jerry McCalip, P.G.
McCalip & Company Inc.
3010 LBJ Fwy., Suite 1212
Dallas, Texas 75234
972-919-6186 (office)
972-919-6173 (fax)
(214) 354-2634 (cell)
www.mccalipandcompany.com

Geologic Maps in Schools

AGS member Dr. Brian A. Smith presented the USGS Tapestry of Time and Terrain map to two eighth-grade science teachers at Baliey Middle School. Mrs. Tipps (left) and Mrs. Bakshi (right), are shown with the geologic map donated by AGS.

Fall AGS Fieldtrip

The AGS Field Trip on Saturday, October 25, 2008, to view the Canyon Dam gorge was a
splendid success. On a stunningly beautiful day, we traversed the gorge that was created by an
enormous cascade of water (circa 70,000 cubic feet per second) when the dam’s spillway
overtopped in July, 2002. An analysis of the hydrology of the flood event was presented by
Raymond Slade. The walk through the gorge focused on detailed stratigraphy, lithofacies
analyses, and paleontology of the Glen Rose Limestone as presented by Bill Ward, Ann
Molineux, and Pat Abbott. Structural geology of the Hidden Valley Fault was presented by
Kevin Smart. In addition, Jim Sansom provided a historical summary and engineering attributes
of Canyon Dam. A road log for the route that included travel to the dam via IH-35 and a return
via scenic back roads of the Hill Country was prepared by Chock Woodruff and Eddie Collins.
The field trip guidebook (AGS # 30) was dedicated to the memory of Professor James Lee
Wilson, who was a preeminent expert on carbonate rocks (Shell Oil, Rice University, and The
University of Michigan). Final layout of the guidebook was done by Shane Valentine.

ACC offers Continuing Education Course

Austin Community College will offer "Introduction to Economic Geology" in the Continuing Education Dept. this fall. The schedule has not been assigned yet, but it would be one night per week for half a semester.

The contact at ACC is Ed Ardizoni, Coordinator, Continuing Education - Business and Industry Institute. He can be reached at Highland Business Center near Highland Mall (ph. 512-223-7525), and at email address: eardizon@austincc.edu

AGS Presents Tapestry of Terrain and Time to 50 Area Teachers

At an educators workshop (May 25, 2008) called "Groundwater to Gulf" AGS Education Chair John Mikels, assisted by outgoing AGS President Brian B. Hunt, discussed the maps with about 50 teachers. At the end of the conference each teacher was presented a map to take back to their school courtesy of AGS.



















Additionally, John Mikels demonstrated to all 50 teachers surface and groundwater processes using his aquifer model.

New AGS Officers 2008-2009

Congratulations to the new AGS officers!

President: Shane Valentine
President-Elect: Ann Molineux
Vice-President: Gay Gutierrez
Secretary: Angela Ludolph
Treasurer: Dallas Dunlap

AGS Awards

AGS is a such a great success because of its wonderful volunteer members. There are many folks that contribute to the success of the society and periodically we like to acknowledge some of the people that make it all happen. This year AGS recognized three folks for their outstanding contributions.

For their continued efforts in outreach and education at all levels of the public Sigrid Clift and John Mikels were given the AGS Public Service Award. We can't thank them enough for their efforts to realize one of the purposes of the society--educating the public about the geosciences.


From left to right, Brian Hunt (AGS President), Sigrid Clift, and John Mikels.










AGS publishes field guidebooks that are maintained and sold at the Bureau of Economic Geology. Those publications serve as a wealth of geologic knowledge and a source of revenue for the society. Steve Ruppel has managed these numerous publications for many years now. Thanks Steve for all your work!

Pictured here Steve Ruppel (on right) receives his AGS Distinguished Service Award.

AGS Awards Scholarships

AGS awarded three scholarships in the amount of $500 to University of Texas at Austin undergraduates Sephanie Cox and Natasha Gerke for their outstanding academic and departmental involvement.

Also, Julie Mitchell received the first AGS Field Camp Scholarship for her "outstanding" field skills.

Congratulations to all three students--keep up the great work!



Pictured left is Natasha Gerke receiving a certificate from AGS President Brian Hunt at the April AGS meeting.

Pat Bobeck to give lecture on Darcy in California, May 2008

Pat Bobeck will give a talk titled: "Public Fountains of Dijon: Henry Darcy's Legacy" at the California Environmental Protection Agency's GeoSymposium 2008 on May 29-30 in Sacramento. She will talk about Darcy, the water supply system he built in Dijon in 1840 and his ideas on water, which are remarkably relevant to the water challenges faced almost 200 years later.

AGS Guidebook 28

The Guidebook to Westcave Preserve and Reimers Ranch is now available at the BEG for $20.

GCAGS Call for Papers

Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies & Gulf Coast Section of SEPM

58th Annual Convention
October 6th – 7th, 2008
Houston, Texas

The Houston Geological Society is proud to host the 2008 Joint Annual Meeting for GSA/SSSA/ASA/CSSA/GSAGC/GCSSEPM. This joint meeting, which will run from October 5^th-9^th, 2008, will include GCAGS sessions on Monday October 6^th and Tuesday October 7^th. GCAGSS needs your assistance to continue our long tradition of presenting the best in geoscience from the Gulf Coast and then publishing these materials in the “GCAGS Transactions”. We want you to be part of this tradition by submitting a contribution to our technical program and the “2008 GCAGS Transactions”

TECHNICAL SESSIONS (Oral & Poster)

1. Energy Budgets & the Global Markets
2. Applied Micropaleontology
3. Shale Gas
4. Hydrates and Shallow Gas
5. Integrated Pore Pressure Predictions: Case Studies
6. Geology of the Gulf Coastal Plain: Insights into Offshore Exploration
7. Faults: Friend and Foe
8. Allochthonous Salt: Impact from Exploration to Production
9. Visualization of Depositional Systems
10. Predictive Models for Deep-Water Reservoir Distributions: The Subsalt Challenge
11. Old Fields-New Life: How New Technologies or New Ideas Have Made a Difference
12. Advances in Seismic Imaging-Impact on Exploration through Production: Case Studies
13. Depositional Systems: Insights from Outcrops, Shallow Seismic, or Coastal Studies
14. Uncertainty Assessment & Its Impact on Decision Making
15. Gulf of Mexico Coastal Plain Paleontology
16. Environmental Geology & Hydrology

HOW AND WHEN TO SUBMIT:

Abstracts for oral and poster presentations should be submitted by June 3rd, 2008 to www.acsmeetings.org/2008. The required accompanying paper, which will be published in the “2008 GCAGS Transactions”, is due by June 24th. Contact information for the technical session chairs, as well as “2008 GCAGS Transactions” instructions for authors, can be found at the GCAGS website www.gcags2008.org. Due to the compressed time lines for this year’s joint meeting, we ask you to submit abstracts ASAP, as well as contact the individual session chairs listed on the GCAGS website to notify them of your interest and reserve a spot in the technical program. Manuscript submissions prior to the June 24th deadline would be much appreciated by the “2008 GCAGS Transactions” editors. For general questions on the technical program please contact Dr. Art Donovan, the 2008 GCAGS Technical Program Chair. He can be contacted via e-mail at: art.donovan@bp.com.

USGS: household dust study participants needed

GOT DUST?

LET US VACUUM YOUR LIVING ROOM AND HELP SCIENCE TOO!

The U.S. Geological Survey needs your help for a HOUSEHOLD DUST STUDY. Volunteer to have your household visited one time and a section of the living room vacuumed. The dust collected will be analyzed for some common chemicals.

To participate in this study, please contact:

Barbara Mahler bjmahler@usgs.gov

512-927-3566

Jennifer Wilson jenwilso@usgs.gov

512-927-3527

AGS Poster Session a success!

We had more than a dozen posters from AGS folks and 4 students invited from the recent science fair. Thanks go to John Mikels, Scott Tiller, Eric Radjef, Linda McCall, Shirley Wade, & Andrew Donnelly for being judges of Earth Science and representing AGS. Also thanks to Sarah Davidson and Dr. Jack Sharp for bringing in the UT contingent for the poster session.

The room was pretty packed with folks talking shop and just catching up.

Brian Smith (BSEACD) discusses the recently installed Westbay (multiport) monitor well completed within the Edwards and Trinity Aquifers.

Al Broun and Eddie Collins discuss the stratigraphy of the Wimberley Valley Area.







UT undergraduate Girish Tembe presents his poster discussing the applications of CT scanning in paleontology and geology.








John Mikels hands out certificates of accomplishment from AGS to the 4 science fair students invited to present their work.

Pat Bobeck discusses the work of one of the science fair students.








Student presenters include:

Willow Howard, 8th Grade, Dripping Springs Middle School (Dripping
Springs ISD): "It's Raining, It's Pouring...Are Pollutant Levels
Soaring (A Study of the Effects of Rainfall on the Water Quality of
Barton Creek)"

Zach Noah, 9th Grade, Bowie High School (Austin ISD): "Marina Impact
on the Environment"

Cassie O'Connor, 12th Grade, Vista Ridge High School (Leander ISD):
"The Relationship Between Weather Patterns and the Spread of West Nile
Virus in the US" (NOTE: Cassie will be entering UT's Jackson School of
Geosciences this Fall and has been invited to be an AGS student member!)

Arvind Bala, 6th Grade, Harmony Middle School (Austin charter school):
"Wetland Purification for Potable Water"

3D model of Devil's Sinkhole to air on KLRU

Bellian's Devil's Sinkhole Imaging Featured by TPW

Texas Parks and Wildlife teamed up with the Jackson School of Geosciences and the Texas Cave Management Association to construct a 3D digital model of Devil’s Sinkhole State Natural Area in Rocksprings, Texas This impressive collapsed sinkhole is over 300 feet deep and is home to a large seasonal population of Brazilian freetail bats, as well as an endemic amphipod and a rare aquatic isopod. It is also a window into the

Edwards aquifer, with ongoing research by Geary Schindel at the Edwards Aquifer Authority Texas Parks and Wildlife will air show #1620 on February 15th, 2008, at 5:30 a.m., and on February 17 at 9:00 a.m. on PBS Channel 18 (KLRU). On Channel 20 (KLRU2), it will air February 12 at 11 p.m. It's called “New Wave Cave” and was filmed and produced by Don Cash. The Bureau’s Jerry Bellian, Dallas Dunlap, and Reuben Reyes are involved in the project.

taken from the BEG website

West Texas Geological Society Call for Papers

"The Permian Basin: Geologic Models to the World"

This year is the 20^th anniversary of the West Texas Geological Society Fall Symposium. We are not resting on our laurels, but continuing to ensure we offer the most up to date information available. We are seeking papers for oral and poster presentations covering topics on resource plays, techniques, field studies, and general and regional geology in and around the Permian Basin that will demonstrate the basin continues to be an industry leader in reservoir and geologic models.

ABSTRACT Deadline June 15, 2008

For more information contact

Rick Doehne, General Chairman 432.686.4716 rdoehne@utsystem.edu

Daphne Lampman, Technical Chairman 432.682.5241 dlampman@gwdc.com

or the WTGS Office: wtgs@basinLink.com 432.683.1573

New Multiport Well in Central Texas

Brian Hunt (left) and Dr. Brian Smith (right) of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District are shown installing a Westbay multiport sampling system at a monitoring well west of Buda. The well will provide data on water quality and heads in hydrogeologic units ranging from the Hammett Shale (between the Lower and Middle Trinity Aquifers) to the Edwards. (photo and text modified from Dr. Jack Sharp)

Note: this is the first Westbay system installed in Central Texas and likely the deepest in Texas at 1,100 feet!

AGS ball caps available

Will Boettner will be selling AGS ball caps for $10 to members.

AGS Member Hovorka in Texas Monthly

Bureau scientist and AGS member Sue Hovorka is featured in the February 2008 issue of Texas Monthly as one of the "Top 35 People Who Will Shape Our Future" because of being in the forefront of sequestration of CO2 in Texas. Get the whole story, which includes an interview with Sue, by clicking here.

AGS appoints two new AAPG Delegates

Laura Zahm (Conoco/Phillips) and Mark Edwards (Cypress E&P Corp) have volunteered to represent AGS at the Annual AAPG Convention in San Antonio in April.

AGS has a total of 4 delegates--Laura and Mark join Scott Tinker and Eric Potter and will represent AGS in the upcoming AAPG Conference in San Antonio in April.

Many thanks for the willingness of these folks to serve and for the others that volunteered.

Note that all 4 of these seats will come up for election in July 2008 (3 yr terms). All AGS and AAPG members will be allowed to vote on the delegates.

Out-of-print AGS guidebooks available online

The Walter Geology Library of the University of Texas at Austin has graciously posted out-of-print AGS Guidebooks on their website.

There are nine guidebooks available!

Click here for more information.

New Austin Area USGS Scientific Investigations Report

Geophysical Delineation of the Freshwater/Saline-Water Transition Zone in the Barton Springs Segment of the Edwards Aquifer, Travis and Hays Counties, Texas, September 2006




Click here for more information.

AGS Executive Officer & Chair Meeting

Officers and Chairs will meet at Scholtz Beer Garden on Monday January 14th at 6 pm (note it was moved up one day). Please contact one of the officers or stop by if you have an AGS item you want addressed.

Maps in Schools

AGS is in the process of buying and framing geologic maps produced by the USGS titled "Tapestry of Time and Terrain" to donate to area schools. The idea, put forth by the Corpus Christi Geological Society, is to get these beautiful maps permanently on the walls in schools to promote geoscience education. GCAGS is sending us some seed money for the program. John Mikels, AGS Education Chair, is heading up the program. Please let us know of schools or teachers that may be interested in the maps.

AGS member Al Broun receives research award

Al Broun received a 2007 Stewardship Award from the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District for his research on the geology of the Trinity Aquifer in Hays County. His work was recently published in the AGS Fieldtrip Guidebook (Oct-07) and presented as a poster at the GCAGS conference in Corpus. Congratulations Al!

AGS members present at Elementary School

Yes, they let AGS Education Chair John Mikels and President Brian Hunt spend the morning talking about geology to 80 4th graders at Clayton Elementary in Southwest Austin. John is seen here with a captive audience demonstrating the water cycle with his aquifer model.

Release of AGS Bulletin 2006-2007

The annual AGS Bulletin was revealed at the November meeting by editor Dr. Robert Mace. Go to the publications page to download the PDF.

Website Launched November 5, 2007

AGS members Craig Caldwell and Brian Hunt work with local web developer Webii.net / WebXess, Inc. to develop a new look and tools for the website. Thanks go to fellow AGSers Ann Molineux and Al Cherepon for their initial work on the subcommittee.

AGS Fieldtrip to Westcave Preserve & Reimers Ranch

AGS conducted a fieldtrip to Westcave Preserve and Reimers Ranch on Saturday October 20, 2007. The picture here shows half of the participants at Hammetts Crossing looking at the lower Cretaceous Sycamore Sand. This stop was led by Eddie Collins. A guidebook is available for purchase at the BEG.

NASA Awards Dickerson Exceptional Public Service Medal

July 19, 2007

AUSTIN, Texas—Meet Patricia Dickerson for the first time at her workspace in the Walter Geology Library and you would never suspect that this affable and unassuming geologist has taught and inspired world famous test pilots and astronauts, including John Glenn.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has awarded her its Exceptional Public Service Medal, granted to non-government employees for contributions to the mission of NASA. Dickerson, a research fellow working in the Walter Geology Library at The University of Texas at Austin’s Jackson School of Geosciences, was honored for her “outstanding contributions to astronaut training in geology and geophysical sciences disciplines.”

Dickerson has trained more than 20 field teams of astronaut candidates, or ASCANs as they are known at NASA, since 1996. The groups travel to northern New Mexico to study geological features and processes similar to those on Earth's moon and Mars. Dickerson teaches them to use magnetometers, gravimeters and other geophysical instruments to image buried features such as faults. The most recent crews collected data to help assess groundwater resources for the Taos Indian Pueblo.

In addition to field instruction, Dickerson has briefed shuttle and space station astronauts (STS missions 89-117 and ISS Expeditions 1-5) on rifting and mountain-building, including earthquake and volcanic hazards. Understanding Earth processes results in informed photographs from space of scientifically significant features on Earth. A bonus for Dickerson is the opportunity to look through all the images captured during a mission.

Dickerson (right) helped John Glenn (center) prepare for his historic return to space in 1998.

“When reviewing all the film and electronic images, there is always the element of surprise. You may have passed over the middle of Australia 77 times, but then you see something you’ve never seen, because of some quirk of the light or a break in the clouds,” said Dickerson. “It’s just delicious!”

She has also helped select images and provide commentary for astronauts to use as they tour the world following a mission, visiting classrooms and giving public lectures

“One of my goals is to seize upon their enthusiasm and their access, particularly to kids and teachers, to excite people about the earth sciences,” said Dickerson.

Dickerson trains astronauts to take scientifically useful photographs while in orbit, such as this one of the Red Sea.

She began training astronauts in 1996 soon after completing her Ph.D. in geology at The University of Texas at Austin. Bill Muehlberger, a professor emeritus still active at the University, had trained astronauts in geology since the Apollo moon missions. Believing that NASA needed someone to brief shuttle and space station crews on tectonic processes and aid in interpreting Earth images taken from orbit, he recommended Dickerson. She was soon training astronauts with Muehlberger and in 1999 initiated geophysical field exercises in collaboration with colleagues at the New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources.

“A comment that we often get from astronaut candidates at the end of a field session is that we’ve forever changed their way of looking at the Earth,” said Dickerson. “That’s immensely gratifying!”

In a ceremony at Johnson Space Center in Houston on June 5, 2007, Dickerson and four others were awarded NASA’s Exceptional Public Service Medal.

ASCANs learn how to use geophysical instruments in northern New Mexico to study geological processes and formations similar to those on Mars and the Moon.

“For me, one of the joys of instructing these folks is the gusto with which they seize ideas that are new to them,” said Dickerson. “Most astronaut candidates have little to no earth science background. Yet they’re already well versed in using instruments of all kinds, so there’s nothing intimidating about the technology. When someone pitches them something entirely out of their experience, they reach for it and they swiftly master it.”

In addition to training astronauts, and serving as study leader for Smithsonian natural history tours, Dickerson conducts her own field research on the tectonic evolution of Texas and adjacent Mexico from the Precambrian to the present. She also works for the American Geological Institute contributing references to GeoRef, the most comprehensive database of geoscience literature in the world.

By Marc Airhart (from UT Austin Webpage)