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| HISTORY OF GEOLOGY | ||
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| Volume 31, Number 1 | http://gsahist.org |
FEBRUARY 2006 |
| Table of
Contents TIME TO THINK OF DENVER
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TIME TO THINK OF DENVER - ABSTRACTS NEEDED DENVER GSA – 2007 ABSTRACT DEADLINE JULY 10, 2007 The time is right to begin putting your abstract together for the Denver meeting. Time slips by, and it will be fall before you know it, so please consider submitting your abstract to one of these sessions: >Special Session – If you’d like to put your interest in biographical studies to work, consider submitting an abstract to the following session, which Julie is organizing. If you’re interested, contact Julie now at < jnewell@spsu.edu >. TITLE: Exemplars and Exceptions: Using Individual and Group Biography to Understand Critical Issues in the History of Geology.
>General Session – If what you have in mind doesn't mesh with the special session, please submit your abstract for the general session, in which we like to have other papers and activities. When you submit your abstract, mark it for the History of Geology. >An Additional Session of Great Interest – Here is something many of us do every day: Innovative Approaches to Injecting Controversial Topics from the History of Geology into Today's Geoscience Education, organized by James H. Wandersee < jwander@lsu.edu > and Renee M. Clary < rclary@geosci.msstate.edu >. Please get your abstract organized and submitted for the 2007 GSA Annual Meeting, which will be held 28-31 October, in Denver. The abstract deadline is July 1. The link for submitting abstracts will be open approximately April 1, 2007, at < http://www.geosociety.org/meetings/2007 >. [TOC] CALL FOR NOMINATIONS The Nominations Committee is seeking nominations (including self-nominations) of people who are willing to serve as History of Geology Division officers/committee members. Please consider serving. To submit your name or that of a colleague, contact the 2007 Nominating Committee: Chair, James Dawson (2007-2009) < james.dawson@plattsburgh.edu >; Will Parcell (2007-2008) < william.parcell@wichita.edu >; and Dan Merriam (2007) < dmerriam@kgs.ku.edu >. [TOC] DIVISION SEEKING A VOLUNTEER Due the increasing complexities of organizing the annual meeting activities at GSA, i.e., doing both the academic sessions and the logistics of setting up for the reception, the meeting rooms, and the booth, the Management Board feels that the duties should be divided. The Division Chair will continue to organize the academic sessions, select topics, organize speakers, etc., while the logistical side of the planning will be done by another person. That person, a Meeting Coordinator, will work closely with the Chair and the Secretary-Treasurer and preferably should be willing to continue in the role for several years, hence not one of the officers. For the Denver meeting, Steve Rowland has volunteered to do that work, but we need someone to assume those duties who is willing to continue for several years. Based upon past experience, it will take at least two meetings to become familiar with all the ins and outs of organizing the catering, getting tables and chairs for the booth, etc. We are seeking a volunteer from our members to assist the Division in this very important role. If you are willing to help, please contact Steve at < steve.rowland@unlv.edu > so you can work with him setting up the Denver meeting. Thanks. [TOC] NOTE TO THE DIVISION MEMBERSHIP - FROM BILL BRICE After much soul searching, I have decided not to continue as Secretary-Treasurer-Editor of the Division beyond the current term, which expires in 2007. I have held this office for ten years now, and I have seen the Division grow stronger and more vibrant, and I am pleased to have been a part of that growth. However now that I have retired from teaching, I wish to turn my attention to some projects that I have had on the back burner for too many years. The Division will still have my support, but from the back benches instead of a front bench. I thank all the members for their wonderful support over these ten years, and I look forward to seeing the Division continue to grow and expand. – Bill [TOC] MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS FOR ELLIS YOCHELSON Ellis Yochelson loved celebrating anniversaries of institutions and organizations. Whether it was the Diamond Jubilee and soon the centennial of the National Museum of Natural History, the sesquicentennials of the U.S. Geological Survey and the Smithsonian Institution, or the upcoming 25th anniversary of the History of Earth Sciences Society, he was always prodding the powers that be to publish a book, hold a symposium, throw a party, and celebrate the rich history of that organization. The Paleontological Society is a non-profit corporation registered under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Your donation is fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Enclosed is my check for __________________________ for the Centennial Fund Named Award for Ellis Yochelson. Name: ________________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Checks should be made payable to The Paleontological Society with a notation of Centennial/Yochelson in the corner. Please mail your contributions to: Dr. Mark E. Patzkowsky, Treasurer, The Paleontological Society, Department of
Geosciences Questions? E-mail Mark Patzkowsky < mep12@psu.edu > or Abby Yochelson < ayochelson@hotmail.com >. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION IN ELLIS’S MEMORY [TOC] UPCOMING MEETINGS >Northeastern Section, GSA – 42nd Annual Meeting 12-14 March 2007 • University of New Hampshire • Durham, New Hampshire The 2007 meeting of the Northeastern Section of the Geological Society of America will be hosted by geoscientists from the University of New Hampshire, Keene State College, Plymouth State University, Dartmouth College, the Geological Society of New Hampshire, the New Hampshire Geological Survey and the U.S. Geological Survey. The meeting will be at the University of New Hampshire's Holloway Commons and adjacent Memorial Union and Huddleston Hall, in downtown Durham. We will meet just upstream from the Great Bay estuary of seacoast New Hampshire and southern Maine. Check the website for registration details. [TOC] >Southeastern Section, GSA – 56th Annual Meeting 29-30 March 2007 • Savannah, Georgia The 56th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Section of the Geological Society of America is shaping up to be an outstanding overview of hot research. We expect geoscientists from the region to come together to share the latest advances and discoveries in their field of expertise. With several symposia, topical sessions, a wide range of discipline sessions, field trips, and workshops, the meeting will have something for everyone who has an interest in the geosciences and geoscience education. The historic district of Savannah is a fabulous location for a meeting, with many restaurants, Irish and English brew pubs, and amazing art, architecture, culture, and history within walking distance of the convention hotel (the Hyatt Regency Savannah on the Historic Riverfront). Come fall in love with the city's hospitality and savor its quirky personality. Let Savannah's mystique capture your spirit and entice your heart. Check the web site for registration details. [TOC] >OIL HISTORY MEETING – Oil Industry History in the Far West An International Symposium and Field Trip Sponsored by The Petroleum History Institute March 29-31, 2007 • Westin Hotel, Long Beach, California General Chair: Stephen M. Testa, California State Mining and Geology Board < stephen.testa@conservation.ca.gov > The Petroleum Institute welcomes submittal of papers pertaining to historical aspects of all facets of the United States and the international petroleum industry. Abstract deadline is March 1, 2007. Tentative Schedule, Oil History Meeting (see page 3 for more information): [TOC] >HESS 25th Anniversary Celebration: Dedicated to the memory of Ellis Yochelson. June 24-26, 2007 • Rensselaer Center of Applied Geology, Troy, NY This meeting celebrates the 25th anniversary of the founding of HESS in 1982 by Gerald
M. and Sue T. Friedman, and Ellis Yochelson. One of the focal points of the meeting will
be to commemorate Ebenezer Emmons, a graduate and professor of Rensselaer and father of
the Taconic System, and professor of James Hall, another famous Rensselaer alumnus. Mark
your calendar now, submit your 500-word abstract, and help celebrate 25 years of HESS.
There will be PowerPoint, 35mm slides, and overhead projection equipment available. So do
not feel intimidated if your "PowerPoint comfort level" isn’t very high; at
this meeting, you can still use your 35 mm slides and overhead transparencies. It is,
after all, a history meeting! [TOC] >INHIGEO The German delegation of INHIGEO is pleased to invite you to the INHIGEO-meeting 2007 in Eichstätt. The conference topic will be: The historical relationship of geology and religion. The meeting will offer a stage to openly discuss, from a historical point of view, this longstanding relationship, which in the past has been sometimes indifferent, sometimes fruitful, and sometimes full of conflict. For more information and to express an interest in receiving additional circulars, please contact: Organization Committee, INHIGEO-meeting 2007; Jura-Museum Eichstätt Willibaldsburg; D-85072 Eichstätt (Germany); fax +49-8421-89609; e-mail: < Koelbl-Ebert@jura-museum.de > [TOC] >BICENTENARY of the GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON The Geological Society, founded 13 November 1807, is the oldest national geological society in the world. The History of Geology Group (HOGG) will hold an international two-day conference to celebrate the Geological Society’s bicentenary. Conference: The conference will focus on the achievements of the Society, the founders, and some of its members and their activities over the past 200 years:
Field Trip: The conference will be preceded by a field trip to the Isle of Wight on 10-11 November 2007 to visit some of the classic geological localities of historic interest. Dinners: On the evening of 12 November 2007 a dinner will be held in the Connaught Rooms, which now incorporates the Free Mason’s Tavern where the Geological Society was founded. A plaque commemorating the founding of the Society will be unveiled. On the evening of the 13 November, 2007, the Geological Society will be holding a dinner in the Natural History Museum. See the HOGG Newsletter (link listed on page 6 of this Newsletter) for a more complete preview of the meeting. [TOC] HISTORY OF GEOLOGY FUND These are the guidelines which the Division will follow with regard to using the income generated by the HoG existing fund and the additional Rabbitt Bequest. These guidelines were presented to the membership at the Philadelphia GSA meeting and published in the December 2006 Newsletter, along with a request for comments. As there were no negative comments submitted, we shall follow these guidelines until the Division members decide to change them. The process for changing them is added as number 5 below. AWARD FUND GUIDELINES Guidelines for use of income generated by the History of Geology Division's Award Fund
(herein referred to as The Fund), which is part of the GSA Foundation.
5. These guidelines can be modified by any Division member presenting a requested change to the Division Management Board. The Board will make the general membership aware of the proposed change via the Division Newsletter and request input from the membership. Once the membership has reviewed the change and made its wishes known, if the membership is in favor of the change, then it will be implemented; if the membership does not agree with the modification requested, then no change will be made. [TOC] ITEMS OF INTEREST >History of Geology Group (HOGG) Great Britain – Newsletter Link: The latest issue of the HOGG Newsletter is now available online at the link < http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/hogg/hogg_n_29.pdf > Best wishes, Anne O. Connor, HOGG Secretary [TOC] >New Book about William Smith: STRATA The remarkable Life Story of William Smith, the ‘Father of English
Geology’ THE STORY OF AN EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY BLACKSMITH’S SON WHO TRANSFORMED THE SCIENCE OF
GEOLOGY John L. Morton has traced Smith’s life as a surveyor, canal builder, land-drainage expert and sea defence constructor, to his provision of adequate fresh water supplies for the summer resort of Scarborough. Only towards the end of his life was his genius fully recognised, when he was dubbed ‘the father of English geology’. 170 pages, 38 illustrations, 8 in colour [TOC] >New Book about Roderick Murchison: KING OF SILURIA: How Roderick Murchison Changed the Face of Geology THE STORY OF ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PIONEERS OF GEOLOGY IN THE 19th CENTURY From joining The Geological Society in 1825, Roderick Impey Murchison became its President only seven years later! He went about his investigation of older rocks in Wales and Eastern Europe with boundless energy and was the first to differentiate and name the Silurian, Devonian and Permian periods of geological time. He was commissioned by Czar Alexander II to report on the mineral wealth of Russia and undertook in one summer a hazardous journey, by various forms of transport, of over 14,000 miles, from St. Petersburg via the Urals to the coalfields in the south. The Czar rewarded him with a Russian knighthood. He later received a baronetcy from Queen Victoria. To these honours were added a further seventeen major awards from governments and scientific societies across Europe. Murchison was the author of more than 350 publications for a wide range of British and foreign journals; his greatest work was the 768-page The Silurian System. He was President of the Royal Geographical Society for many years and was a champion of world exploration, including David Livingstone’s travels in Africa and Sir John Franklin’s search for a North-West Passage. During the 1849 meeting of the British Association in Birmingham, Murchison led an excursion to the Dudley Caverns, inviting members of the public to join the delegates. Nearly 15,000 people took advantage of his invitation to a lecture on the submarine formation of the rock. He wore for the occasion a high-crowned green Tyrolean hat and a shepherd’s plaid scarf. He took them to the top of the Wren’s Nest, where he was enthroned by the Bishop of Oxford, to everyone’s amusement, as ‘King of Siluria’. After extensive research, John L. Morton has presented Murchison’s remarkable life-story in detail on 276 pages, and included forty illustrations, sixteen in colour. ISBN 0-9546829-0-4; UK £12.99 ( + £1.41 p. & p.); USA $22.99 [TOC] >Proposed Cuts in British Library Budget: You may have seen reports concerning the projected 7% cut in the British Library's annual budget which, if put into effect, is likely to lead to charging readers for admission, reductions in opening hours and the closure of the Colindale Newspaper Library. Anyone who has been there recently will know that the BL is already struggling to meet the demands on its resources. It needs extra funding, not further cuts. If you would like to register your opposition to these cuts, there is now a petition on the No.10 website: < http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/library/ >. It is very easy. You just fill in your name, email, the first line of your address and your post code, then submit. In a short while, you will receive an email which you confirm receipt of which acts as your signature. Please make your voice heard and then forward this to anyone you know who likes reading. Thanks, Cherry Lewis, HOGG, Great Britain [TOC] AWARDS FROM THE GSA HISTORY OF GEOLOGY DIVISION Mary C. Rabbitt History of Geology Award. The Mary C. Rabbitt History of Geology Award is presented annually by the Geological Society of America's History of Geology Division to an individual for exceptional scholarly contributions of fundamental importance to our understanding of the history of the geological sciences. Neither the nominator nor the nominee has to be a member of the Division or of GSA. Achievements deserving of the award include, but may not be limited to, publication of papers or books that contribute new and profound insights into the history of geology based on original research or a synthesis of existing knowledge. The award was established by the History of Geology Division in 1981 and renamed in memory of Mary C. Rabbitt in 2005. The award consists of an embossed certificate and a pewter Revere bowl. The deadline for receipt of nominations by the selection committee is February 1 each year. Nominations should be sent to Bill Brice, Secretary-Treasurer, < wbrice@pitt.edu >. FORMER AWARDEES: Please see the Division website < http://gsahist.org/v30n02/vol30n02_jun06.pdf > or the June 2006 Newsletter. The Gerald M. and Sue T. Friedman History of Geology Distinguished Service Award. This award of the Geological Society of America’s History of Geology Division, created in 2005, may be given from time to time to an individual or individuals for exceptional service to the advancement of our knowledge of the history of the geological sciences. Neither the nominator nor the nominee has to be a member of the Division or of GSA. The service to the history of geology may include, but not be limited to, the discovery of and making available rare source materials; comprehensive bibliographic surveys; organizing meetings and symposia in the history of geology; exceptional service to the Division; etc. The deadline for receipt of nominations by the selection committee is February 1 each year. Nominations should be sent to Bill Brice, Secretary-Treasurer, < wbrice@pitt.edu >. FORMER AWARDEES: 2006 Robert Ginsburg History of Geology Student Award. The History of Geology Division is soliciting proposals for a student award for the amount of $500 for a paper to be given at the national GSA meeting. This award, established in 2004, is made possible by a bequest from the estate of Mary C. Rabbitt. Consideration will be given to both undergraduate and graduate students. While both oral and poster presentations are acceptable, oral presentations are preferred. Faculty advisors may be listed as second author, but not as the lead author of the paper. The proposed paper may be: (1) A paper in the history of geology; or (2) A literature review of ideas for a technical work or thesis/dissertation; or (3) Some imaginative aspect of the history of geology we have not thought of before. The award consists of $500 presented at the Division luncheon, and the student will present the winning paper in the History of Geology Division disciplinary session. It is open to all students regardless of discipline, provided the proposed paper is related to the history of a geological idea/person/etc. After the applications have been received and reviewed by the Award Committee, the winner will be notified. The winner should then register for the GSA Annual Meeting and present his or her paper at the History of Geology Division disciplinary session. A ticket to the History of Geology luncheon will be provided. The $500 award will be presented at the time the paper is presented, and the student will also be recognized at the annual luncheon. If there are multiple authors, the cash award will be presented to the senior author, and further distribution is up to that person. Proposal guidelines and application forms are available from the Division website < http://gsahist.org/HoGaward/student_award.htm >. If there are questions, please contact the Division Secretary-Treasurer. All applications and proposed abstracts should be forwarded to Division Secretary-Treasurer Bill Brice at < wbrice@pitt.edu >. Due date for proposals and application is May 1 each year so that the proposal content can be reviewed and the selection made for the award in time to meet the official GSA deadline. Also in this way, the GSA abstract, perhaps, can be refined. The Division award committee will make the selection. FORMER AWARDEES: 2004 Michael C. Rygel; 2005 Lee J. Florea; 2006 Alistair Sponsel [TOC] 2007 GSA HISTORY OF GEOLOGY DIVISION OFFICERS CHAIR: Julie Newell, Southern Polytechnic State University, Social & International Studies, 1100 South Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA 30060-2896; (678) 915-7481; Fax (678) 915-4949; < jnewell@spsu.edu > FIRST VICE-CHAIR: Steve Rowland, University of Nevada, Department of Geoscience, Las Vegas, NV 89154-4010; (702) 895-3625; Fax (702) 895-4064; < steve.rowland@unlv.edu > SECOND VICE-CHAIR: Yildirim Dilek, Miami University, Department of Geology, 116 Shideler Hall, Oxford, Ohio 45056; (513) 529-2212; Fax (513) 529-1542; < dileky@muohio.edu > SECRETARY-TREASURER-EDITOR: William R. Brice, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Geology & Planetary Science, Johnstown, PA 15904; (814) 269-3950; Fax (814) 269-2022; < wbrice@pitt.edu > PAST CHAIR: Gary D. Rosenberg, Indiana University-Purdue University, Department of Geology, 723 W. Michigan Street, SL118, Indianapolis, IN 46202; (317) 274-7468 (Office); (317) 274-7484 (Dept); Fax (317) 274-7966; < grosenbe@iupui.edu > WEBMASTER: Hugh Rance, 4310 Kissena Blvd, 11 H, Flushing, NY 11355; < hughrance@rcn.com > HISTORY OF GEOLOGY DIVISION WEBSITE: <http://gsahist.org/> [TOC]
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