Charles G. Groat, 1940-2025

Chip Groat, who was born in New York State, passed away on March 14th. Charles G. Groat held degrees from Rochester, U Mass Amherst, and UT Austin. He was associate professor and acting director of the Bureau of Economic Geology between 1968 and 1978. He was State Geologist of Louisiana from 1978-1990, in 1992, and 2017-2021. He was executive director for AGI (1990-1992), and executive director (1992–1995) for the LSU Center for Coastal, Energy, and Environmental Resources. In 1995 he moved to UT at El Paso. He was Director of the USGS from 1998 to 2005, and Campbell Medalist in 1998. In 2005, he returned to UT Austin as program and center director and Interim Dean. In 2012, he again moved to Louisiana to lead the Water Institute of the Gulf, and then from 2017-2021, he was acting Director of the Louisiana Geological Survey, before retiring from public service in 2021. He has been an AASG Honorary Member since 1993. He was AASG President in 1987–88. He will be missed. 

Bob Jordan, Delaware State Geologist

Robert R. Jordan, Delaware State Geologist from 1969 to 2003, recently passed away at the age of 87. Bob received an A.B. from Hunter College, and both M.A. and Ph.D. in geology from Bryn Mawr College. He joined the Delaware Geological Survey in 1958. Bob was AASG President in 1983-84, he received the Ian Campbell Award in 1996, and the AASG Distinguished Service Award in 2007. He will be missed.

Senator Shelley Moore Capito, AASG Pick and Gavel Award 2025 recipient

The 2025 AASG Pick and Gavel Award has been presented to WV Senator Shelley Moore Capito by AASG President and West Virginia State Geologist Jessica Moore. The Senator was given a brooch made of silicified Lithostrotionella, a fossil coral that is the WV state gemstone. The award honors people who have made significant contributions to advancing the role of geoscience in public policy and who have supported AASG’s goals in government affairs. Thank-you for your service, Senator!

Lorena Moscardelli, State Geologist of Texas

Dr. Lorena Moscardelli has been named State Geologist of Texas, as successor to Scott Tinker who held the position from 2000 to 2024; Mark Shuster was acting State Geologist for several months. She joined the bureau in 2003 as a doctoral student, and was there for a decade before joining Equinor. She returned in 2021 to lead the STARR program on efficient production and profitability of energy and natural resources in Texas. Moscardelli holds a bachelor’s degree in geological engineering from Central University of Venezuela, a doctoral degree in geology from UT, and executive education at the Wharton. Welcome to AASG, Lorena.

Ned Mamula, USGS Director nominee

Ned Mamula has been nominated to be USGS Director. Recently, Ned has been Chief Geologist at GreenMet. He was with DOE as Critical Minerals Program Director from 2019-23, Cato Institute from 2015-19, the DOI Presidential Transition Team in 2016-17, CIA from 2009-15, USGS in Reston from 2003-09, Anadarko in Houston from 1997-03, DOE in Tulsa from 1993-97, and USGS in Reston as Resource Geologist from 1977-87. He is author of Groundbreaking! America’s New Quest for Mineral Independence. Dr. Mamula holds geology degrees from Slippery Rock, Penn State, and Texas A&M University, and a Master’s in Strategic and Resource Policy, from Johns Hopkins. Great to be working with you yet again, Ned!

Andrea Travnicek, DOI Assistant Secretary for Water and Science nominee

Dr. Andrea Travnicek (Trav-nick) has been nominated to be DOI Assistant Secretary for Water and Science. Since 2021, she has been Director of North Dakota Department of Water Resources, and before that, she was head of the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department. She previously held senior leadership positions with DOI in the late 2010s. Andrea holds a 2008 Ph.D. in Natural Resources Management/Communication from North Dakota State University, and she is an accomplished soccer player. Good to be working with you again, Andrea!

Doug Burgum, DOI Secretary

On January 31st, Doug Burgum was sworn in as the Secretary of the Interior. Secretary Burgum was first elected North Dakota Governor in 2016. Before that, the company he led was acquired by Microsoft, and he was in real estate. He was born in North Dakota, and he holds degrees from North Dakota State University and Stanford University. Best of luck, Secretary Burgum!

Bill Keach to complete his time as Utah State Geologist

In April 2025, Bill Keach will retire as Director of the Utah Geological Survey, a position he has held since 2019. He holds a B.S. in Geology from BYU and an M.S. in geophysics from Cornell. He worked in the Gulf of Mexico offshore and with California Division of Oil and Gas. He worked on 3D visualization for Landmark Graphics, now Halliburton, for 17 years. In 2006, he returned to Utah to take on roles in seismic interpretation and reservoir modeling at the Energy and Geoscience Institute at the University of Utah and BYU. Thanks for your tremendous contributions so far, Bill!

Dwain Veach is State Geologist of North Carolina

Dwain Veach has been appointed State Geologist at the North Carolina Geological Survey, where he has been employed for five years. Previously, he was with Devon Energy and Chaparral Energy in Oklahoma. He has a Masters degree in geology from University of Oklahoma and a Bachelor’s in geology and physics from Southern Utah University. He has specialized in organic chemistry and sedimentary basin characterization. Welcome Dwain!

Simon Jowitt, State Geologist of Nevada

On February 1st, 2025, Dr. Simon Jowitt was appointed State Geologist of Nevada, as successor to Jim Faulds, and Bill Hammond who had been interim Director. He has been with the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology since 2023. He has applied his expertise in geochemistry to mineral systems, igneous petrology, and tectonics. He has undertaken extensive research on mineral economics and supply. Simon also studies the environmental impact of mining and the potential uses of mining and other wastes for metal production and CO2 sequestration. He was awarded the SEG Waldemar Lindgren Award in 2014. He has degrees from the University of Edinburgh, the Camborne School of Mines, and the University of Leicester, all in the UK. For eight years, he was at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia before seven years on the faculty University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Welcome, Simon!

Bill Hammond is interim State Geologist of Nevada

Bill Hammond has been named interim Director of the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology at University of Nevada Reno, as successor to Jim Faulds. Bill had been Associate Director of the Survey since 2022. He is a Professor of Geodesy and Geophysics in the Nevada Geodetic Laboratory. His research has been on use of space geodetic techniques to study topics such as crustal deformation and groundwater. Bill did a postdoc with USGS and has been with UNR since 2004. He holds a PhD in geology form Oregon and a BA in applied mathematics from UC Berkeley. Welcome Bill!

Mankin Award to Oklahoma

The AASG Charles J. Mankin Award is given each year to the best recently-published, nominated state geological survey geological map, compilation, or report on regional, energy, or mineral resource geology. The award honors Charles Mankin (1932-2012), who as Director of the Oklahoma Geological Survey for forty years (1967-2007) was a tireless advocate for geologic mapping. The 2024 AASG Mankin Award has been presented to “Woodford Shale (Upper Devonian to Lower Mississippian): From Hydrocarbon Source   Rock to Reservoir” by Brian Cardott   and John Comer, published as Oklahoma  Geological Survey Bulletin 152 in 2021. Congratulations to Brian and John!

Donald A. Hull, State Geologist of Oregon from 1979 to 1999, 1938 - 2024

Don Hull was born in Wallace, Idaho in 1938 and died on July 13, 2024. He obtained degrees in Geology from the University of Idaho, McGill University, and Mackay School of Mines. He worked in mineral exploration, and in 1974 he moved to Oregon to work on geothermal energy. In 1979 he was appointed State Geologist and Director of the State of Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. Examples of his long and broad leadership were his role in the first natural gas production in the state, a regulatory regime for metal mining, oversight of potential offshore mining, and mapping of tsunami risk. He was AASG President in 93/94, and a member of the Executive Committee of American Geological Institute. For his long service to AASG, he received the AASG Distinguished Service Award. A service will be held at Grace Memorial Episcopal Church, 1535 NE 17th, Oct 5 2024 at 1. 

Bob Tipping, State Geologist of Minnesota

On October 7th, 2024, Bob Tipping will be State Geologist of Minnesota. He is originally from Illinois, and he holds a bachelor’s degree from Carleton College in MN. He first worked for the Minnesota Geological Survey in 1986, and started full time in 1988. He can list many MGS accomplishments in the subsequent years, and has taught in the Department, including its hydrogeology field school, and elsewhere. He completed Master’s and PhD degrees in hydrogeology at UMN. He is a former President of the Minnesota Ground Water Association. In 2019, Bob moved to the Minnesota Department of Health, and he now will return to MGS. Welcome Bob!

Will Jackson, State Geologist of Tennessee

In July 2024, Will Jackson was named State Geologist of Tennessee. Previously, he was at University of Memphis for four years, University of South Alabama for three years, and two years at Geological Survey of Alabama. Will holds a PhD from University of Alabama, an MS from University of Memphis, and a BS from University of Alabama. Will’s research has been on integration of sedimentology, stratigraphy, and structural geology with geochronology and thermochronology to understand sediment provenance and the relationships between deformation and deposition. Will is successor to Ron Zurawski, who held the position from 1996 to this past year. Welcome, Will!

Brian Yellen is the State Geologist of Massachusetts

Brian Yellen has been appointed State Geologist of Massachusetts, as successor to Steve Mabee. He has worked in private sector groundwater cleanup, teaching high school science, and academic research. Since 2012, he has taught professional development workshops to environmental consultants. His research has been on dam removals, sediment transport, coastal change, blue carbon, and fluvial erosion due to extreme floods. Since 2017, Brian has been a research assistant professor in the Department of Earth, Geographic and Climate Sciences at UMass Amherst. He holds a bachelor's degree in geology-biology from Brown University, a master's degree in education from the University of Hawaii Manoa, and a master's degree and Ph.D. in geosciences from UMass Amherst. Welcome, Brian!

David Wunsch is the 2024 Campbell Medalist

Dr. David R. Wunsch, State Geologist and Director of the Delaware Geological Survey, is the 2024 recipient of the AGI Medal in Memory of Ian Campbell for Superlative Service to the Geosciences. From 2011 to the present, David has been State Geologist of Delaware. He was Director of Science & Technology for the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) in 2011. From 2000 to 2010, he was State Geologist of New Hampshire. At the Kentucky Geological Survey, beginning in 1982, he was Coordinator of the Coal-Field Hydrology Program. David was AGI President in 2021-2022, and AGI Executive Secretary in 2002-2004. He currently chairs the AGI Critical Needs Document Committee. He was an NGWA Division Director in 2002-2005, AASG President in 2009-2010, and AGI's first Congressional Science Fellow in 1998-1999. He has served on multiple high level panels, and has been the recipient of several prestigious awards. Congratulations, David!

Michael McGlue, State Geologist of Kentucky

On August 1, 2024, Dr. Michael McGlue will be Director of the Kentucky Geological Survey and State Geologist of Kentucky. He received a B.S. in geology from Washington and Lee University in 2000, an M.S. in earth science from Syracuse University in 2004, and a geoscience Ph.D. in paleolimnology from the University of Arizona in 2011. He was a USGS Mendenhall postdoc fellow from 2011 to 2013. He became a University of Kentucky assistant professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences in 2013. Welcome, Michael!

Ryan Gordon is the State Geologist of Maine

Ryan Gordon has been appointed acting State Geologist of Maine. He succeeds Steve Dickson, who held the post since 2021, upon the retirement of Bob Marvinney. Ryan's expertise is in hydrogeology, groundwater modeling, snow survey, and water wells. He has been with the Maine Geological Survey since 2015. He attended Williams College and Syracuse University. Welcome, Ryan!

Steve Dickson has completed his time as Maine State Geologist

Stephen M. Dickson has completed his time as State Geologist with the Maine Geological Survey. Steve joined the Maine survey in 1986 after graduating from the University of Rhode Island. With MGS, he has served as State Marine Geologist (2000-2021), Marine Geologist (1990-1999), and Senior Geologist (1986-1989). He holds a Ph.D. in Geological Oceanography from the University of Maine, an M.S. in Geological Oceanography from the University of Rhode Island, and a B.A. in Environmental Sciences from Wesleyan University. Stephen co-chairs the Science and Technology Subcommittee of the Maine Climate Council and co-authored the Scientific Assessment of Climate Change and Its Effects in Maine Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge chapter. He was appointed State Geologist in 2021 after Bob Marvinney ’s retirement. Thanks for your superb service, Steve!