Earth MRI is underway

Source: The Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI; formerly known as 3DEEP) is planned as a partnership between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Association of American State Geologists (AASG), and other Federal, State, and private-sector organizations. The goal of the effort is to improve our knowledge of the geologic framework in the United States and to identify areas that have the potential to contain undiscovered critical mineral resources. Enhancement of our domestic mineral supply will decrease our reliance on foreign sources of minerals that are fundamental to the Nation’s security and economy.

The intent of Earth MRI is to leverage the USGS’s existing relationships with States and the private sector to conduct state-of-the-art geologic mapping and airborne geophysical and topographic (lidar) surveys. Analyses of these datasets could point to potential buried critical mineral deposits.

Association of American State Geologists 111th Annual Meeting

The AASG 111th Annual Meeting will be held at Fairmont Hot Springs, Montana from June 9-13, 2019. The Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) hosted the Annual Meeting in 2001 and they are looking forward to your joining us to help celebrate their centennial. The four-day meeting includes technical sessions, field trips, and keynote addresses by invited speakers from across the realm of science, energy, environment, and policy.

DMT 2019 - 23rd year!

The Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology is pleased to host the 23rd Annual Digital Mapping Techniques on the Montana Tech campus, located in historic Butte, Montana.

Tom Joiner, State Geologist of Alabama from 1976 to 1991

Thomas Johnson Joiner, State Geologist and Oil and Gas Supervisor at the Geological Survey of Alabama from 1976 to 1981, passed away on March 11, 2019, at age 86.

2019 AASG Pick and Gavel Award recipient, Anthony G. Brown of Maryland

For his superb service, and for his co-sponsorship this year of reauthorization of the National Geologic Mapping Act, AASG presented the 2019 Pick and Gavel Award to Representative Anthony G. Brown of Maryland, on February 26th, 2019. Representative Brown previously served two terms as the eighth Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, from 2007 to 2015. He was elected as lieutenant governor in 2006 on the Democratic ticket with Governor Martin O'Malley, and both were re-elected in 2010. Brown served two four-year terms in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Prince George's County. He is a Colonel in the United States Army Reserve, having served in the U.S. Army for over thirty years. While lieutenant governor, Brown was one of the two highest-ranking elected officials in the nation to have served a tour of duty in Iraq.

Chuck Ratte, State Geologist of Vermont from 1976 to 1991

Charles A. Ratté, State Geologist and Director of the Vermont Geological Survey from 1976 to 1991, passed away on February 20th, 2019, at age 91. Chuck served in the Marine Corps, and received degrees in geology from Middlebury, Dartmouth, and University of Arizona. He was a summer field assistant for USGS in 1953 in Glacier Bay, Alaska, and later served with US Steel. He was a geology professor at Windam College from 1963 until 1976. As State Geologist, Dr. Ratté successfully transferred the responsibilities of the Vermont State Geological Survey from the University of Vermont to the Agency of Natural Resources. He conducted a landmark study of radioactivity, which led to the restriction of nuclear waste siting in Vermont. In 1989, Dr. Ratté got legislation through the State House that redefined the mission and significance of the state geologist. He served as a visiting professor at the University of Kentucky from 1991 to 1993. After retirement in 1994, Chuck and Judith lived in Martha’s Vineyard, before returning to Vermont in 2008.

New Ohio State Geologist, Mike Angle

In February, Mike Angle was named 14th State Geologist of Ohio. Mike had been serving as Assistant Chief since 2012 under Chief Tom Serenko. Upon Tom’s resignation in 2018, Mike was appointed as Interim State Geologist. Mike has a long history of service in the State of Ohio, having worked for 38 years in ODNR’s Division of Geological Survey and Division of Water. He also served as Geologist Supervisor for the Geologic Mapping and Industrial Minerals Group and Mapping Geologist for the Regional Geology Section.  He also held several positions with the ODNR Division of Water and authored more than 20 maps and more than a dozen articles and publications on various aspects of Ohio’s geology and hydrogeology.  Mike earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geology from the University of Akron, with a specialty in glacial geology and hydrogeology. 

Rick Allis retires as State Geologist of Utah

In January, Rick Allis completed 18 years as State Geologist of Utah, having been appointed to the post in 2000. For the Association of American State Geologists (AASG), Rick served superbly as Statistician from 2009 to 2013 and from 2017 to 2018, as well as being Annual Meeting Host in 2009. Rick was Research Professor at the Energy and Geoscience Institute, University of Utah, from 1997 to 2000. Before that, he was with GNS Science and its predecessor organizations in New Zealand. He has broad expertise in energy resources, and has specialized in geothermal energy. He holds a PhD from the University of Toronto. 

New Utah State Geologist, Bill Keach

Utah has named R. William (Bill) Keach II, as the new Utah state geologist and director of the Utah Geological Survey (UGS), following the retirement of Rick Allis, who served as director of UGS and state geologist since 2000.

According to the Utah DNR, Bill has over 30 years’ experience in industry, academia and regulatory state government, most recently as senior engineer at the California Department of Conservation’s Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources. He spent two decades working in the petroleum industry.

Keach is currently a visiting associate professor of geology at Brigham Young University and visiting instructor at the University of Utah’s Department of Chemical Engineering. He received a bachelor’s degree in Geology from BYU and a master’s degree in Geophysics from Cornell University.  

Horace R. “Buzz” Collins, State Geologist of Ohio

Buzz Collins, State Geologist of Ohio from 1968 to 1988, passed away on December 19, 2018 in Canton, Ohio. Buzz received degrees in geology from Ohio and West Virginia Universities, and he served as an Officer and Pilot in the U.S. Army. He began with the Ohio Survey in 1959 as a Coal Geologist, and was appointed State Geologist in 1968. His focus was on serving the people of Ohio, through effective mechanisms such as a Severance Tax to support an aggressive program of County geologic mapping, and mineral production statistics. In the mid-1990s, the Ohio laboratory and core repository was named the Collins Laboratory.

2018 Association of American State Geologists (AASG) Journal

AASG Editor Dave Norman, State Geologist of Washington, working with his highly capable staff, has released the 2018 AASG Journal, which outlines the ongoing, comprehensive role played by state geological surveys across the USA. The Journal illustrates the earlier quantitative report by AASG Statistician Rick Allis, State Geologist of Utah, who reported that funding to state geological surveys in FY17 was stable as a whole at $223 million, and total staffing was at 1869 person-years. A slight increase was projected for FY18. A few years ago, total funding dropped from an all-time high of $237 million in 2012, a value related to the federal stimulus. Gender balance among geoscientists is gradually rising, and is now at 28%. The Journal is available here.

Don Hoskins, former State Geologist of Pennsylvania

Don Hoskins, State Geologist of Pennsylvania from 1986 to 2000, has died of a sudden and unexpected cerebral hemorrhage. Upon his passing, he still had a geologic map in progress. While AASG President in 1994/1995, he played a key role in enhancing the National Geologic Mapping Program. Previous to that, Don was AASG Secretary-Treasurer from 1990 to 1992. Don played a leadership role in the commemoration of the AASG Centennial in 2008. He will be missed.

Scott Tinker receives the Campbell Medal

Scott Tinker has received the 2018 AGI Medal in Memory of Ian Campbell for Superlative Service to the Geosciences, AGI’s highest award.

The AGI citation notes, for example, that Scott has served the geoscience profession admirably at many levels, including as President of AGI (2015-16), AAPG (2008-09), and AASG (2007-08), as well as in various capacities for SEPM and SEG.

The Medal honors Ian Campbell, 1959-1969 State Geologist of California, whose service to the profession touched virtually every facet of the geosciences. Campbell was a most uncommon man of remarkable candor, integrity, accomplishment, and influence as a geologist, educator, administrator, and public servant.

The Campbell Medal holds special significance for AASG, due to the role that Ian Campbell played in AASG, and due to the respect and admiration that the AASG community felt for Ian.

The Medal is presented each year to a nationally recognized, living statesman with a distinguished record of significant achievements in science, education, and administration, in support of the profession of geology and its role in society.

The award is intended to inspire us all to similarly contribute to our science, our profession, and to the public.

Rex Buchanan recognized for service to AGI

AGI has presented their 2018 William B. Heroy Jr. Award for Distinguished Service to AGI to Rex Buchanan, Director Emeritus of the Kansas Geological Survey (KGS). The AGI citation states that Rex’s contributions to AGI span decades and are among the highlights of his career as a geoscientist and science communicator, and as interim director of the KGS from 2010 to 2016.

https://www.americangeosciences.org/awards

David Applegate recognized for contributions to public understanding of geoscience

AGI has awarded their 2018 Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Public Understanding of the Geosciences to Dr. David Applegate, Associate Director for Natural Hazards at USGS. The AGI citation states that throughout, for example, frequent congressional testimony and media interviews, “Dave’s calm demeanor and penchant for explaining complicated information clearly to the general public in these interviews became hallmarks of his communication success.”

https://www.americangeosciences.org/awards