Alaska's Bob Swenson appointed Dep. Commissioner of Natural Resources

Bob Swenson, who has led the Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys for nearly a decade, has been appointed Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Natural Resources, filling the vacancy created when Joe Balash was appointed Commissioner on Nov. 13.   [Right, Bob Swenson. Credit, ADGGS]

“Bob’s significant leadership experience and his breadth of knowledge of Alaska energy and geology-related issues make him an excellent fit for this important post at DNR,” Commissioner Balash said. 

Swenson will begin work in his new job in Anchorage on Nov. 25. He will be responsible for overseeing the divisions of Oil and Gas and Geological and Geophysical Surveys, the Mental Health Trust Land Office, the State Pipeline Coordinator's Office and the Gas Pipeline Project Office. DNR’s other divisions and offices remain under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner Ed Fogels. 

Swenson comes to the Commissioner’s Office with 22 years of experience in natural resource assessment and management in Alaska. He received degrees in geology from the University of Montana and the University of Wyoming and he began his geologic pursuits in Alaska in 1991, analyzing oil and gas resource potential in frontier areas, Cook Inlet, and the North Slope for ARCO and ConocoPhillips. 

Swenson left the private sector in 2004 to become deputy director of geologic research for the Department of Natural Resources, and in 2005, he became the Alaska State Geologist and DGGS Director. In that capacity, Bob led DNR’s geological research effort and served on federal and state advisory boards that deal with energy and mineral resources and geologic hazards. 

[Alaska DNR news release]

Florida State Geologist to brief NRC panel on sinkhole characterization

Florida State Geologist Jon Arthur will brief the National Research Council's Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering on the issue of sinkholes, on November 14, in Washington DC.  The Committee agenda follows:

Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering

Board on Earth Sciences and Resources

National Research Council of the National Academies

Meeting, November 13-14, 2013

AGENDA

The Keck Center of the National Academies, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, D.C.                       

To join the meeting remotely, go to https://nationalacademies.webex.com/nationalacademies/j.php?ED=226759667&UID=500007207&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D

Provide your phone number when you join the meeting to receive a call back.

November 14, 2013

OPEN SESSION

Geotechnical and Policy Issues Related to Sinkhole Characterization and Remediation

9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (ROOM 103)

9:00 a.m.           Welcome, introductions

Edward Kavazanjian, Ph.D., COGGE Chair

9:10                  Opening Presentations

Jonathon Arthur, Ph.D., Florida State Geologist

Robert Brinkmann, Ph.D., Hofstra University, Department of Geology, Environment and Sustainability

Dennis Hiltunen, Ph.D., University of Florida, Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment

Robert K. Denton, Jr., GeoConcepts Engineering, Inc.

10:50                Break

11:00                Discussion—Is there a role for the National Research Council?

Noon                Lunch served in room—Continued Discussion

2:00                  Break

Tinker to brief Congress on energy issues

Scott Tinker, State Geologist of Texas, will brief Congressional members and staff on how geoscience underpins key energy issues.  The briefing is sponsored by a number of agencies and professional organizations, including AASG.

"Energy from the Earth: Practical Geoscience to Inform Energy Legislation" is scheduled for Thursday, 21 November 2013  1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

1324 Longworth House Office Building, in Washington DC.

Energy production and consumption support modern life in the United States, and are integral to the economy, individual communities, and the environment. The briefing series will provide the geoscience underpinning that is essential for effective energy and environmental policy making. This first briefing will provide an overview of the range of energy options available in the United States and the geoscience that underpins those options. The session will be moderated by Gene Whitney, Independent Consultant, Washington, DC., and feature leading experts:

Brenda Pierce, Energy Resources Program Coordinator, U.S. Geological Survey

Scott W. Tinker, Professor and State Geologist of Texas, The University of Texas at Austin

Please RSVP to Abby Seadler (aseadler@agiweb.org) by 18 November 2013.

This briefing is presented by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, American Geophysical Union, American Geosciences Institute, Association of American State Geologists, Geological Society of America, National Science Foundation—Directorate for Geosciences, and U.S. Geological Survey and sponsored by Representative Doc Hastings, Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources.

[Taken from the announcement from Kasey White, Director for Geoscience Policy, Geological Society of America.  Thanks to Brian Wee for forwarding.]

Yellich appointed Director of Michigan Geological Survey

John Yellich has been appointed Director of the Michigan Geological Survey at Western Michigan University.    MGS was transferred out of the Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality, where Hal Fitch retains the title of State Geologist.   [Photo credit, WMU]

The WMU announcement follows:

KALAMAZOO—A geologist with more than 40 years of experience in mineral exploration, mineral development, environmental consulting, business operations and safety compliance has been appointed director of the Michigan Geological Survey at Western Michigan University.
Effective Oct. 2, John A. Yellich became head of the survey, which is housed in WMU's Department of Geosciences.

Yellich has worked in more than 30 states as well as conducted mineral assessments in Canada and Australia and both mineral and petroleum assessments in China. He also has worked extensively on the development of mineral exploration models and the testing, confirmation and successful validation of potential targets in Michigan, Minnesota and Canada.

As director, Yellich supervises the activities of the survey's various operational geological resource centers, which include: surface mapping, subsurface geology, energy, mineral resources, geologic hazards, research and education outreach, and water resources.

Other major duties include leading and collaborating with internal and external constituents on various research projects and serving as a liaison with local, state and national entities involved or interested in the survey's research, geologic repository and outreach initiatives. He will also develop new programs and funding initiatives for the survey, supervise its field work, and write research proposals and reports.

John A. Yellich

A Michigan native, Yellich is an exploration, mineral development and environmental geologist. He has experience in selective mineral resource areas in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan; all of the western states; selective areas of Canada's Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta provinces; the northern and southeastern Australian Territories; and selective Chinese oil and mineral provinces.

He has more than 25 years of consulting experience and has authored several feasibility reports for selective projects. In addition, he guided and reviewed surface water and ground water investigations and evaluations and negotiated regulatory agreements on many sites during the conduct of environmental liability assessments for Union Pacific.

Yellich developed a business model for assessing corporate environmental liabilities associated with that Fortune 50 company's leased properties in 21 states and the process for the expedited abatement of those liabilities. This process minimized expenditures and increased the sales prices of many of the properties.

Previously, Yellich had been environmental and safety manager for the Western United States at Beazer Homes USA since 2005. As part of that role, he conducted internal audits and training programs regarding stormwater and OSHA regulations in nine states. He also conducted environmental liability assessments of properties for future residential construction.

His background also includes roles as vice president and chief executive officer of the International Precious Metals Corp., vice president and director of a consulting and analytical services firm, and vice president of development at the Marline Uranium Corp.

Yellich earned a bachelor's and master's degree in geology from WMU and is a Certified Professional Geologist through the American Institute of Professional Geologists. He was chair of the WMU Geosciences Advisory Council for 30 years and president of the WMU Alumni Association in 1993-94.

About the geological survey

The survey is Michigan's designated geoscience agency, with responsibility for mapping and assessing the state's minerals, soils, groundwater and other geological resources. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed legislation Oct. 11, 2011, that transferred those survey functions from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to WMU.

That move made the survey part of the University's acclaimed Department of Geosciences. The department already was home to the Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education, which is now part of the survey. In addition to its mapping, assessments and water resource functions, the survey will work through the repository to build awareness among citizens for the importance and value of the natural resources in Michigan.

Winners of Student Geologic Map Contest at GSA Annual Meeting

AASG, USGS, AGI, GSA, and AIPG are happy to announce the winners of the first-ever Student Geologic Map Contest held in conjunction with the 2013 GSA Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado last month.  Seventeen students entered maps that qualified for the competition.  The maps covered all areas and geologic research of the US and the students were from a wide spectrum of colleges and universities. The contest was open to graduate and undergraduate students. GSA sponsored the third place winner, Jens-Erik Lund Snee, Stanford University.  AIPG sponsored the second place winner, Kent Walters, University of Cincinnati.  AASG sponsored the first place winner, Robert Mahon from the University of Wyoming, posing here by his winning poster and holding the Brunton Compass prize.

[submitted by Vicki McConnell, Oregon State Geologist]