2012 News Archives
Dec 17, 2012
G&G Research featured at the California Academy of Science
LSU Geology & Geophysics Assistant Professor Dr. Sophie Warny and her student Kate Griener are currently having their research featured at the Earthquake! exhibit at the California Academy of Science Kimball Natural History Musuem. The exhibit takes an in-depth look at the science of earthquakes and how tectonic movements have shaped the earth's landscape. Dr. Warny and Ms. Griener are featured for a photo of fossilized Antarctic red beech pollen found in that prove a connection between Antarctica and New Zealand existed long ago.
View more information on the Earthquake! exhibit and the California Academy of Science.
Dec 03, 2012
Forensic Expert visits Palynology students
Students in GEOL 4012 Introduction to Micropaleontology were recently treated to two guests who are applying Palynology concepts in forensic science. Andy Lawrence, a PhD student studying at Texas A&M, began the class discussions with his work with the Department of Homeland Security. To end the class, Mr. Edward W. Wallace Jr. discussed his work with the New York Police Department's crime scene investigations unit. Throughout his 20 years of experience Mr. Wallace became an expert on DNA/biological evidence recovery, latent fingerprint recovery, along with Haz-Mat, arson, post-blast, and crime scene investigations.
Thanks go to the LSU Stephenson Nation Center for Security Research and Training for flying Mr. Wallace to Baton Rouge.
Nov 29, 2012
2011-12 Alumni Magazine
See for yourself what the department has been up to the last year in the latest installment of the G&G Alumni Magazine. You'll find updates from student organizations such as the Geology Club and the AAPG Student Chapter, scholarship winners, faculty research spotlights, and many other interesting stories. We hope you enjoy!
Nov 07, 2012
Huiming Bao wins EPA Award
The Department of Geology & Geophysics would like to congratulate Dr. Huiming Bao on winning the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2011 Scientific and Technological Achievement Award. Dr. Bao co-authored the winning publication "Massive Volcanic SO2 Oxidation and Sulphate Aerosol Deposition in Cenozoic North America" which was evaluated and recommended for Level II recognition by the EPA Science Advisory Board.
Dr. Bao's research was conducted in regions of Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming. They utilized the oxidation of SO2 into sulphate to gain insight on past volcanic eruptions and the atmospheric conditions surrounding them. The authors found that atmospheric conditions in the Cenozoic era could have been frequently alkaline leading them to conclude that the atmospheric secondary sulphate in the continental deposits can be further investigated to link volcanism and the atmospheric conditions of the past.
Read Dr. Bao's publication in the journal Nature, volume 465.
Oct 29, 2012
2012 Rock Star Poster Competition
The Department of Geology & Geophysics in conjunction with the LSU Geology Club hosted the 4th annual Rock Star Poster Competition Friday October 26, 2012. Over 20 participants submitted posters detailing research on a subject of their choosing which was then evaluated based on the content and appearance of the poster. Judges included Lia O'Black from Schlumberger, Angela Thomas from Shell, Art Saller from Cobalt International, and faculty judge Dr. Sam Bentley.
Scholarships were awarded to the winners of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places for the undergraduate and graduate student categories.
Undergraduate Winners:
1st-Shane Cone, 2nd-Lindsay Prothro, 3rd-Ian Cannon
Graduate Winners:
1st-Jillian Bambrick Banks, 2nd-Kate Griener, 3rd-Ashley Howell
Catering for this year's event and scholarships for each winner were provided by Marathon Oil.
Congratulations to our winners and thank you to all our participants, judges, and Marathon Oil!
Sep 13, 2012
G&G Students Recieve NOGS Scholarship Awards
Four LSU Geology & Geophysics students have been selected as 2012-2013 New Orleans Geological Society (NOGS) Scholarship Award winners.
Logan Kirst received the Lee H. Meltzer Graduate Award valued at $3000
Thomas Schramm received the NOGS Memorial Foundation Scholarship valued at $2500
Sara Ates received the Jules & Olga Braunstein Junior Award valued at $2000
Lindsay Prothro received the Jules & Olga Braunstein Senior Award valued at $2500
Each student has been invited to attend the NOGS awards luncheon to have their achievements formally recognized. Congratulations to each of these hard working students!
View more information about the New Orleans Geological Society.
Aug 24, 2012
Field Trip: Bayou Corne Sinkhole
Dr. Juan Lorenzo is planning a research field trip to examine the Bayou Corne Sinkhole in Assumption Parish. The hole lies on the edge of salt dome near Pierre Part, LA and has grown to roughly 476 x 640 feet. Dr. Lorenzo's group has proposed mapping the sinkhole using a seismic noise test aimed at finding gas-bearing aquifer sands. Their tests could help locate future wells for venting natural accumulations of gas.
View more information about the Bayou Corne Sinkhole.
More to come from Dr. Lorenzo and his team.
Aug 06, 2012
Congratulations Summer Graduates
On Friday August 3rd, LSU celebrated its 278th Commencement Exercises. The Summer semester brought with it three Master of Science graduates: Austin Cardneaux, Elizabeth Chamberlain, and Scott Tipple. Eight students received their Bachelor of Science degree including: Kolawole Bello, John Craig, Jacob Dantin, Trevor Fanning, Christopher Garcia, Todd Landry, Michael Ruiz, and Austin White.
Congratulations to all of our graduates!! Best of luck on your future endeavors.
Jul 30, 2012
Kate Griener wins L.R. Wilson Best Student Paper Award
Geology & Geophysics PhD student Kate Griener was recently awarded the L. R. Wilson Best Student Paper Award by AASP – The Palynological Society. Kate presented her paper titled, “Carbon isotopic analysis of Southern beech (Nothofagus) pollen reveals shifts in Antarctic hydrology during the late Eocene“ at the AASP Annual Meeting in Lexington, Kentucky.
View more information about AASP and the L.R. Wilson Award.
Apr 18, 2012
Kathryn Denommee Awarded the AAPG Foundation Edward B. Picou, Jr., Named Grant
The LSU Department of Geology & Geophysics is pleased to welcome Dr. Peter Clift, the Charles T. McCord Chair in Petroleum Geology. Dr. Clift joined the Department this January and is already settling in. He is teaching Basin Analysis to a roomful of eager LSU graduate students and is busy setting up his research laboratory. Before joining LSU, Dr. Clift was at the University of Aberdeen working on the geology of continental margin basins.
Clift has previously worked with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the Ocean
Drilling Program at Texas A&M, and was a research fellow at the University of Edinburgh
where he was sponsored by BP. He obtained his bachelor’s degree at Oxford and completed
his PhD at University of Edinburgh.
The McCord Chair is named in honor of Charles T. McCord, Jr. who was a 1933 LSU geology
graduate and who had a long and distinguished career in industry.