N.H. Winchell School of Earth Sciences · 2016. 4. 12. · Dear alumni and friends, As most of you know, this year we lost a giant in the ... house most of the School of Earth Sciences

N.H. Winchell School of Earth Sciences

2016 Newsletter

Page 2 Earth Sciences

Greetings from the HeadDear alumni and friends,

As most of you know, this year we lost a giant in the field of Earth Sciences – Professor Emeritus Herb Wright, who died at age 98 in November 2015. Herb maintained his strong connection with the Department, the Limnological Research Center, and the University during the decades of his retirement, and until quite recently was still a familiar sight in Pillsbury Hall. His contributions to Quaternary geol-ogy, paleoecology, glacial geology, and many other fields are legion, and his research expeditions to remote and forbidding field sites are legendary. With input from Herb, the department worked with the university archivist and librarians to preserve items of historic and scientific importance from Herb’s office, including his field notebooks.

In the 3.7 years that I have been department head, I have been impressed by the many ‘Herb stories’ I have heard from former students. My department colleagues and I now realize that if we want to be remembered by our students, we should provide them with less food and shelter during field work. You can read more information about Herb on page 23.

The Department continues to value its mission to provide an excellent educational experience for undergraduate and graduate students: in the classrooms and laboratories, in the field, and in other experiences that help our students explore the wide variety of career opportunities available in the Earth Sciences. As part of this effort, we are working on improv-ing undergraduate involvement in research, and reducing the financial burden of field experiences such as the required summer field courses and the annual student-organized field trip in May. Many thanks to all of you who donate to the Field Experiences Fund.

If you have read the last few newsletters, it will not surprise you to know that we here in Earth Sciences at the University of Minnesota are still spending a lot of time planning for our move to our ‘new’ building in summer 2017. Tate Lab, on beautiful Northrop Mall, is being thoroughly renovated to house most of the School of Earth Sciences and part of the

School of Physics and Astronomy. This renovation project has provided us with the exceptional opportunity to partici-pate in planning our new teaching and research labs. Photos of the renovation and images of some of the new plans are on page 20. You can also watch the (partial) demolition and renovation in process via a webcam (https://cse.umn.edu/r/tatewebcam/).

As of this writing, it is not yet clear what will happen to Pillsbury Hall. The plan is for it to house the English depart-ment, but funds have not yet been approved by the state for the renovation (although this may change in the near future).

In other news, all of our recently hired faculty members are now in residence (and the average age of the department’s faculty has plummeted). For the first time in decades, we have 6 assistant professors. On pages 4-6 of this newsletter, you can read a brief description of the research of 4 of our new faculty members. In the next year, we will conduct a new search for a Gibson Professor in hydrogeology.

As always, we here in the Department like to hear news of your careers, families, and adventures, so please stay in touch by e-mail ([email protected]) or via our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/groups/81943157076/). You can also keep up with the latest news and happenings on the de-partment’s webpage (http://www.esci.umn.edu/). Thank you for reading and for your support of the Earth Sciences at the University of Minnesota.

The southern margin of the beautiful Niğde Massif, Turkey: a metamorphic core complex that formed in a strike-slip fault corridor in the Anatolian plate. This field site is part of the NSF-funded CD-CAT (Continental Dynamics-Central Anatolian Tectonics) project (UMN PI: Donna Whitney; co-PI: Christian Teyssier). The white rocks of the massif are marble, here exhumed below a low-angle normal fault.

Page 32016 Newsletter

The Department wishes to thank the five professionals who took time out of their busy schedules to participate in a career event held in spring 2015. Both graduate and undergraduate students attended the event and learned about opportunities for geoscientists in the private and public sectors. The event was organized by alumnus Nathan Gruman (BS 2004), Peter Hudleston, and Josh Feinberg. Four of the five people on the panel are department alumni: Dan Holte, BS 1985 Bruce Johnson, BA 1985 Shanna Schmitt, BS 2003 Catherine Stott, BS 2000You can read the bios of all the panelists, the above four and Laura Scheid, at:https://www.esci.umn.edu/workshops/2015-Career-Panel

All the panelists stressed the importance of networking and developing contacts when setting out on a career. In this regard, the Minnesota section of the American Institute of Professional Geologists plays an important role within the state. Jake Dalbec, president of AIPG in 2015, attended the event and gave some welcoming remarks. One of our panelists, Shanna Schmitt, is president of AIPG this year.

If you wish to participate in future career events, please contact the department at [email protected].

The Department wishes to thank the MGS staff for their dedication to our teaching mission, including courses such as General Hydrogeology, the Hydrogeology summer field course, Principles of Exploration Geophysics, and a popular freshman seminar on the Geology of Minnesota. Left to right: Tony Runkel, Bob Tipping, Val Chandler, who retired from teaching in 2015, and Harvey Thorleifson. Thank you!


From the New Faculty Members

Advancing our Understanding of Subduction through

Better Imaging

For decades now, seismic tomog-raphy has been a very valuable tool in characterizing subduction processes. By providing images of the geometry of subduction zones, it has allowed us to peek into the upper mantle to see these processes in action. Tomog-raphy techniques have continuously improved over the years and data avail-

ability has also increased substantially, leading to better and better resolution. As a result, we have expanded our interpretations of tomography models beyond slab geometry to include smaller (typi-cally slow) anomalies that we associate with processes such as the migration of melts and other fluids.

One problem with this generally positive trend is that the finer details of the models may not be as robust as common resolution tests suggest. This is partly due to the fact that the tomography pro-cedure in most cases assumes that mantle velocities are isotropic. The isotropic assumption persists even though we know very well that the mantle is not isotropic, as evidenced most prominently by shear-wave splitting observations. Anisotropy is especially prevalent around subduction zones, were mantle flow patterns are complex and strain rates can be high, leading to the formation of anisotropic fabric. Anisotropic structure can thus produce delays in seismic travel times (the raw materials of seismic tomography) that most algorithms currently in use would interpret as coming from isotropic velocity variations. The end result is that, in order to fit the anisotropic data, the algorithm produces artificial anomalies that are not a good representation of the subsurface velocity structure and can lead to errone-ous interpretations.

To investigate the potential magnitude of this problem, I teamed up with geody-namic modeler Manuele Faccenda from the University of Padova, Italy. Manuele can numerically model a subduction zone and simulate the development of aniso-tropic fabric. In this way, we generate a

synthetic volume of mantle that we can interrogate seismically in different ways. I used this model to carry out a synthetic tomogra-phy experiment and found that, indeed, when the anisotropic travel time delays were inverted under the assumption of isotropy several artificial anomalies popped out of the inversion (see figure 1). While the geometry of the subducting slab is recovered fairly well, the abundant artificial anomalies would significantly interfere with the subtle anomalies that can be produced around the slab by excess temperatures or the presence of fluids.

Solving this problem is not an easy task. In particular, it is hard enough to deduce the isotropic subsurface velocity structure from the seismic data collected on the surface. If we tried to also infer the direction and magnitude of anisotropy at every point in our model the number of unknowns would quadruple, making the problem intractable. The path that we are exploring is using the anisotropy predictions from geodynamic modeling to put constraints on the anisotropy structure, such that the tomography algorithm doesn’t have to figure it all out from scratch. I recently received an NSF grant to carry out this work and to move beyond playing with syn-thetic data and into real-data applications. The grant will fund the work of Hwaju Lee, a Ph.D. student who joined the department last Fall. We will be refining our methodology and applying it to data from the western Mediterranean, where shear-wave splitting observations demonstrate the existence of significant anisotropy around the Alboran slab, and where there are good indications that this anisotropy may be showing up as artificial slow anomalies in the tomography models. This work has the potential to change the way we view our tomography models and of producing more ac-curate models of the subsurface. By reducing the obfuscating effect of anisotropy we will be able to get a better idea of what the real anomalies from excess temperature or fluids look like, which will help us gain a better understanding of subduction processes.

Figure 1: Anisotropic velocity model used to generate synthetic data for isotropic tomography (left) and isotropic velocity model resulting from inversion of anisotropic data (right). In both cases the subducted slab is seen as the light blue surface. On the left, the anisotropy field is shown by the bars. The orientation of the bar reflects the fast axis, the length and color of the bar show the magnitude of anisotropy. On the right, the travel time delays caused by the anisotropy structure produce a series of artificial slow velocity anomalies (orange surfaces).

Max Bezada


I joined the Department of Earth Sciences as an Assistant Professor of Geodynamics in Summer 2015, and I am thrilled to be part of this department and the university.

I completed my PhD jointly at the University of Victoria, Canada, and the Pacific Geoscience Centre, Geological Survey of Canada, in 2009. I then spent the following three years as a postdoctoral researcher at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the US. Before arriving in Minnesota, I was as an Assistant Professor at the International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Japan.

Geodynamics is the study of the evolution of Earth’s interior and surface. My research focuses on addressing geodynamic problems associated with plate subduction. For example, what happens to a tectonic plate as it subducts? We can easily imagine that as the plate sinks into the hot upper mantle, it becomes warmer and undergoes a series of metamorphic reactions, but how do we quantify such sub-surface thermo-chemical processes that are on a large scale both in time and space?

The primary tools that I use to solve geodynamic problems are numerical models and a range of available geological and geophysi-cal observations (e.g., on exhumed rocks, arc formation, seismic wave structures) and geochemical, petrological, and rock deformation experimental data (e.g., on arc lavas composition, mantle melting temperature, and rock rheology). The numerical models are built based on laws of continuum mechanics and thermodynamics, and observations and data are used to deduce model parameters (material proper-ties and boundary conditions). In the study of the thermo-chemical evolution of subducting plates, my numerical models, after a series of calculations, can provide estimates of the present-day temperature distributions and petrological structures of subducting plates and their surroundings. These estimates then help us understand the physical conditions that cause important geophysical and geochemical processes in subduction zones, such as earthquakes, arc volcanism, and chemical recycling.

There are many other aspects of geodynamics that are waiting to be explored, and I am excited to realize the path to new discoveries in Earth science at the University of Minnesota.

Cara Santelli

Ikuko Wada

I joined the faculty of the Department of Earth Sciences as an Assistant Professor of Geo-microbiology in September, 2015. My research examines the impact of microbial activity on geological processes such as: mineral formation and alteration, metal redox transforma-tions, weathering processes, environmental geochemistry, and remediation of contaminated environments. I utilize multidisciplinary approaches and techniques, ranging from nano-scale geochemical analyses of minerals to metagenomics of microbial communities, to understand molecular mechanisms and environmental ramifications of mineral-microbe and metal-microbe interactions. I am interested in answering basic scientific questions that also have real-world applications. For example, I have been examining the mechanisms and products of fungi-induced Mn oxidation and found that these fungi play an integral role in the remediation of metals in coal mine drainage and other anthropogenically-polluted environments. Now, my colleagues and I are now applying this knowledge to improve bioremediation strategies and technologies.

I received my B.S. in Geology and Geophysics from the University of Wisconsin and my Ph.D. from the MIT/WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography. My dissertation examined the microbial communities living in ocean crust and their impact on basalt alteration. As much as I love the oceans, I decided to transition my research to more stable ground and transitioned to studying the mechanisms of Mn oxidation and biomineralization of Mn oxide minerals by fungi at Harvard University. Prior to my arrival at the University of Minnesota, I worked as a research geologist and associate curator of the National Gem and Mineral Collection at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. At the museum, I gained a new appreciation for the importance of science education and communication and hope to bring some of the unique experiences with me here to the U of M. I am also thrilled to be bringing my family (husband and 2 year old son) with me to the great state of Minnesota – I am a Minnesota native, born and raised on the Iron Range.


Andy Wickert

I returned to Minnesota in late summer 2015 to start a position as the new Earth-surface process faculty member. My research revolves around questions of past and present climate, landscape form and process, and how water and ice drive processes around the globe. In particular, I am currently focusing my efforts in three main areas:

1. I am working to reconstruct the history of the Laurentide Ice Sheet using a combination of data and models for the history of sea-level and glacial-isostatic adjustment, ice-sheet geometry, and meltwater discharge to the ocean.

2. Changes in climate impact sediment and water supply to river systems, and how this affects the morphology of these rivers, causes aggradation or incision, and – over long time-scales – produces river terraces. I am working with colleagues in Germany and Minnesota to understand the mechanisms of fluvial response to climate change.

3. As environments change around the globe, it becomes increasingly important to monitor them. This need has inspired me to develop inexpensive and open-source field data loggers and the software to connect them to a variety of off-the-shelf and custom-built sensors.

I arrived from the Universität Potsdam, and (before that) received my Ph.D. from the Univeristy of Colorado-Boulder and my S.B. from MIT. Minnesota is a fantastic place to be for many questions glacial and geomorphic, and I am looking forward to exploring current and new research directions here and farther afield.

Extracting organics for radiocarbon dating from debris-flow fan deposits in Argentina. Your new faculty member the human stool.

Current faculty: on ‘stoop’ Left to right: Andy Wickert, Bruce Moskowitz, Kent Kirkby, Donna Whitney, Emi Ito. Front row: Marc Hirschmann, Bill Seyfried, Max Bezada, Kastumi Matsumoto, David Yuen. Second row: Peter Hudleston, David Fox, Larry Edwards. Third row: Harvey Thorleifson, Ikuko Wada. Last row: Jake Bailey, Karen Kleinspehn, Justin Revenaugh, Cara Santelli, Crystal Ng. Missing: Josh Feinberg, David Kohlstedt, Chris Paola, Christian Teyssier.


not to be won from volumes of reading.”2 He and the Board of Regents recognized that tactile and experiential learning was already a component in higher education in the sciences in the East and anticipated that the soon-to-be designated land grant institution would incorporate such techniques into its agricultural and industrial education even as it rooted the cur-riculum in a broad liberal base. When Folwell hired the recently appointed head of the state’s Natural History Survey, Newton Horace Winchell, to be the first professor of Natural History at the university, he in turn brought high ambitions for educating Minnesotans about the importance of understanding general principles of geology and other natural sciences as well as the particular natu-ral character-istics of their own state. Winchell h a d s t u d -ied geology with his old-er brother, A l e x a n d e r Winchell, a faculty mem-ber a t the U n i v e r s i t y of Michigan. During his intermittent studies while earning B.S. and M.S. degrees at Michigan, Newton had worked on state surveys in Michigan and Ohio and

joined several new hires under Folwell in 1872. Winchell was attuned to the ambitions of the growing number of state universities and well-established eastern universities as they developed science programs and increasingly used labora-tory and demonstration techniques, often creating natural history museums for teaching and for public outreach in their local communities. Among the most well-known was the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard under Louis Agassiz, but during the last half of the nineteenth century most aspiring liberal arts colleges as well as larger universities invested in such collections.3 Following the example of other research universities, Winchell intended to use the state survey as a kind of training ground for future geologists even as he acquired specimens that would build shared research and study collections to educate students in other fields as well. The survey was to be supported by the sale of “salt lands” but their income proved somewhat ephemeral. As a result, budgets would remain tight and largely dependent

Pillsbury Hall: The Museum as Classroom1

by Sally Kohlstedt, Professor, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine, Department of Earth Sciences

When you have noticed the casts of fossils on Pillsbury Hall’s walls or stopped to look at rocks and minerals in older wooden cases, you are viewing the remnants of the museum initiated by Newton Horace Winchell and housed in Old Main (near the current site of Shevlin Hall) in the 1870s. The mu-seum, originally with holdings in geology, mineralogy, and zoology, subsequently moved into Pillsbury Hall, which was, in a significant way, designed for holding and displaying natural history. In the twentieth century, as the campus rapidly grew, some collections moved along with specialized departments to new buildings on the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses while others went to storage or were otherwise discarded. We are fortunate to still have these historical elements still in place, and, with our pending move to Tate, it seemed an appropriate time to look back on the efforts that went into acquiring them and the museum that early defined Pillsbury Hall. Establishing a museum ranked high among essential items mentioned in William Folwell’s inaugural address as he became President of the University of Minnesota in 1868. His vision was quite explicit: “We are too easily misled into thinking of the museum as a mere ‘curiosity shop.’ The museum is the perfection and climax of object teaching. One glance at a fossil skeleton, the sight of a piece of coral, a trilobite, or a fern from the coal-beds gives to the young geologist an insight

Photo courtesty of University of Minnesota Archives, taken from a page in the 1893 yearbook The Gopher. Photo labeled: “Professor Winchell and Office”

The geology and mineralogy musuem in Pillsbury Hall, what is currently known as rooms 125A&B. Photo courtesy of University of Minnesota Archives, taken from a page in the 1897 yearbook, The Gopher. continued on page 16


Alumni Spotlight: University of Minnesota Geologists in Antarctica, 1957-1985...

... an Exploration of West Antarctica by John Splettstoesser (EM 1965) and Robert Rutford (PhD

1969)

John Splettstoesser, best known as Spletts, died in his hometown of Waconia, Minnesota, on January 25 at the age of 83. He is sur-vived by his two daughters, Edith and Brenda, and their husbands.

At the time of his passing the final version of this article was in the hands of the editor. John has been the lead author and he and I have had many discussions about what should be included in the space available. This is much briefer than the original draft.

Spletts was a very special friend and colleague for over 50 years. He possessed and shared a wealth of knowledge about the Antarctic, and his sense of humor was known and admired by us all. He will be missed by the entire Antarctic community.

-Bob Rutford

IntroductionThe history of geology students and faculty from the University

of Minnesota involved in Antarctic research is rich with major dis-coveries that involved field work in mainly the interior of the con-tinent, little known until the start of the third Polar Year (PY), also known as the International Geophysical Year (IGY), an 18-month period from 1 July 1957 to 31 December 1958. The objectives of polar years included international collaboration in studies of physi-cal and life sciences in the polar regions for the benefit of science rather than national prestige and territorial gains.

The IGY focused on 11 disciplines, but geology was not one of them. As the IGY and field projects were funded and developed, however, grants from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. agency responsible for funding science in Antarctica, included awards for university and other organizations that led to field work in remote areas, discovery of new mountain ranges, and collections of significant rock and fossil specimens that related to the relatively new concept of plate tectonics and the position of Antarctica in the jigsaw puzzle known as Gondwanaland.

University of Minnesota, Department of GeologyThe University of Minnesota and its Department of Geology

became involved in IGY as a result of a number of awards from NSF’s Office of Antarctic Programs (later to become Office of Polar Programs; in 2015 the Division of Polar Programs) upon the visit of Dr. Thomas O. Jones, senior official of NSF’s U.S. Antarctic Research Program. Dr. Jones, an American chemist, canvassed the U.S. and several of its universities to determine whether interest ex-isted among faculty to submit proposals for research in Antarctica, explaining that budgets were in hand at NSF for that purpose. The timing for the visit by Dr. Jones was fortuitous for the University and also for Campbell Craddock, a relative newcomer to the Department of Geology faculty, who discussed the opportunities of research in

Antarctica with Jones and, as a result, the next decade and more illustrated the beginning of annual expeditions in the little-known area of West Antarctica by the University of Minnesota. Prior to Craddock’s involvement in Antarctic research, James H. Zumberge, a Ph.D. graduate in 1950 at the University of Minnesota and the De-partment of Geology, directed field projects in the IGY in Antarctica while a faculty member at the University of Michigan. The map of Antarctica below shows two stages of the study of West Antarctica that Cam Craddock initiated starting in 1959.

A compilation of geologists who received degrees from the De-partment of Geology and were employed on projects in Antarctica under the direction of Cam Craddock is in a lengthy article posted on the American Polar Society website (americanpolar.org).

Following is a summary of the years involving Craddock’s term as Principal Investigator while at the University of Minnesota, starting in 1959 until 1967 when he moved to the University of Wisconsin, and is given in the Preface (p. xi-xii) of a major geologic publication that resulted from the years of research by Craddock, Webers, and others in West Antarctica (Webers, Craddock and Splettstoesser, editors, 1992).

Campbell Craddock (1930-2006), Ph.D. 1954 Columbia Uni-versity, was a Professor of Geology at the University of Minnesota when he began the first of many expeditions to Antarctica employ-ing graduate students in the Department of Geology. He selected two students for the 1959-60 austral summer in Antarctica -- John

No. 1 - Map of the area that Craddock focused on, beginning offshore with a visit to Peter I Island (68ᵒ 45’S, 90ᵒ 40’W) when he was on the icebreaker USS Burton Island in a cruise in the Bellingshausen Sea. The island is shown as the black dot at the extension of the arcuate figure that extends from left of the South Pole (S.P.) and includes the solitary outcrops of the Hart Hills, Pagano Nunatak, and Whit-more Mountains, and further to the left to include the Ellsworth Mountains, Jones Mountains and offshore to Peter I Island, located about 240 nautical miles from the nearest coast (Eights Coast).

Craddock Massif and Mount Craddock in the Ellsworth Mountains are named for Cam.


J. Anderson, who would later earn a Master’s degree (1962), and Robert H. Rutford, who completed a Ph.D. degree in 1969. At the same time, Craddock advised Ralph O. Kehle (Ph.D. 1961), whose Ph.D. thesis was on Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf. During that season, Anderson and Rutford were both privileged to experience the field in Antarctica, which became valuable in succeeding seasons when they led field programs with other University of Minnesota students.

In that same season, Craddock was on an airborne exploration flight that concentrated on the 90th meridian of West Antarctica

continued on page 18

This photo shows the makeup of the 1960-61 field party in front of the aircraft (R4D Dakota DC-3) that transported them to and from the field areas. Back row: Dr. Ray Bonnabeau, M.D., expedition physician from the University of Minnesota School of Medicine; Paul Schmidt; Thomas Miller; John Splettstoesser; Joe Anderson, U.S. Geological Survey. Front row: Robert Rutford; Cam Craddock; Gerald Webers; Thomas Bastien. (Photo by U.S. Navy.)

and included a brief stop at Pipe Peak in the northwestern Heri-tage Range to collect rock samples, then onward to the north and the discovery of the mountains later named Jones Mountains. He also was on the icebreaker USS Burton Island on its cruise in the Bellingshausen Sea when he visited Peter I Island on 29 February 1960 and collected samples of the volcanic rocks.

Rutford continued his research in Antarctica the following sea-son, 1960-61, when he and Craddock co-led an expedition in the newly discovered Jones Mountains.

John Splettstoesser participated in two expeditions to Antarctica under the direction of Cam Craddock, 1960-61 and 1961-62, and later seasons while at other universities an additional six expeditions during the time period of 1969 to 1986.

Mount Rutford and Rutford Ice Stream in the Ellsworth Mountains are named for Bob.

Splettstoesser Glacier (Ellsworth Mountains) and Splettstoesser Pass (northern Victoria Land) are named for John.

Tent camp on Minnesota Glacier, 1961-62 season, Anderson Massif in background. This location was also the base camp for the 1962-63 season, and called Camp Minnesota. Photo by Thomas Bastien.

Anderson Massif is named for John Anderson

Pioneering Geology in Antarctica by University of Minnesota Students and Faculty The combination of the timing of U.S. research in Ant-

arctica, the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, the need for exploration of a continent poorly known in most respects, and the initiative of a young geology professor at the University of Minnesota provided the basis for a series of expeditions that allowed students in the Department of Geology to acquire the experience of field work with hardships that prepared them for challenges to come in their professional lives. Graduate degrees were achieved in various subjects of earth sciences, including glaciology and glacial geol-ogy, paleontology, structural geology and others. Several students went on for advanced degrees and continued in educational and research positions at other academic institutions in both research and advisory capacities that allowed them to continue their interests in Antarctic geology. Zumberge and Rutford, in particular, achieved appointments on committees such as SCAR (Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, both as President) and Polar Research Board (PRB) the latter of which Craddock was also a committee member.

The careers of James Zumberge and Robert Rutford contin-ued with a variety of academic achievements including that of president as several colleges and universities and major roles in Antarctic policy-making positions for U.S. and international sci-ence programs. Rutford also held an advisory position on Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings related to a minerals resolution for Antarctica. International Programs in Antarctica and Greenland were initiated under the direction of Zumberge and Rutford and allowed the continued studies of the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica, and ice-drilling programs there and in Greenland.


*multiple donations

We wish to express our gratitude to alumni and friends who continue supporting the department with generous donations. Your financial support provides scholarships and fellowships enabling students to carry out their studies, conduct field and analytical research, and present papers at professional meetings. Listed on these pages are gifts received during 2015. Many of those listed here have given multiple donations.

Gifts to the Department

Department of Earth Sciences General FundGeorge S. AustinHenry & Alice BaskiGlynn E. Behmen*Carl. S. BensonMichael BerndtMarcia G. Bjornerud*Bill BonnischsenJoy M. BranlundWilliam & Marlee BriceKeith BruggerThomas W. Carlson*Jon A. Carlson*Martin W. ConnollyJacqueline Couillard JaegerJoseph T. CropseyJeffrey Winchell DaytonDenis & Karol EricksonHenry T. ErringerJohn & Carol Freeburg, Jr.Gary J. McKay*Laura J. GislasonJeffrey & Mary GorskiLisa L. Hansen*Milo I. HarpsteadJeffrey HislopJohn W. HjerpeRyan & Catherine Hoffman*David R. JaneckyRobert G. JohnsonRurik J. JohnsonKathryn J. KleiterJames A. KnoxKenneth P. KodamaJoseph J. KowalikSteven L. & Lauren N. LevineJohn A. LevorsenTom Loretto & Najwa BukhairSeth E. Matters*John R. MoegerJere Mohr & Leah Gruhn*Susan & Michael MullinDavid & Laure NemetzSarah K. NobleDean Peterson & Deborah RauschNancy Radle & Rodney CameronRobert H. RutfordConstance J. Sansome*Ted Scott & Bree Norlander

*Linda & Orrin ShaneDonald R. SprowlJulie Stein & Stan ChernicoffEric StevensSusan & Michael MullinRichard E. Thill & Judy Smith-ThillEdward C. ThorntonLeif TokleJohn C. VinjeBrian J. WagstromJames Walker & Randi NordstromShannon WeiherRobert F. WernerDonna L. WhitneyLowell E. WilleRobert E. Yost, Jr.*Michael A. Young*Karl N. Zenk

Banerjee Fellowship FundSubir Banerjee & Manju Parikh*Robert & Karen Bauer

Robert R. and Josephine F. Berg ScholarshipJosephine F. Berg

Donath Honors Scholarship Fund*Fred A. and Mavis DonathLuther & Emily Strayer

Field Experiences FundJennifer & Jeremy Anderson*Robert & Karen BauerPaul K. Buchanan*Jon A. CarlsonDyanna M. Czeck*Donald & Pamela JakesDale R. SetterholmJohn C. TacinelliEdward C. Thornton

Gibson HydrogeologyRichard E. Cribbs

Samuel Goldich Fellowship Fund*Robert & Karen Bauer*Carl S. BensonCarolyn F. CorwinBruce Doe

John W. Gruner Fellowship FundCarl S. BensonTerence T. Quirke, Jr.Robert L. Sundeen

Harold M. Mooney Fellowship FundMohammed & Samar Kanawati BadriMuawia Barazangi*Carl S. BensonDouglas A. CarlsonSusan B. FordJane G. IversonLane R. JohnsonMorris & Judy KaufmanJohn E. KossCharles & Terryl Mosher*James J. OlsonScott G. Schulz*Nigel WattrusCraig A. Williams

Rita Paquette Memorial Scholarship FundRene M. AverettMichael W. Block*Caroline & James ChinquistMichael & Lynn ConveryBarry Goldstein & Marian Schwartz*Donald & Pamela JakesElizabeth KilanowskiMarguerite M. & Robert J. McCarron*Scott L. MurchieMary E. Wilkosz


*multiple donations

CSE External Relations

Shannon WeiherCSE External Relations

612.624.5543 [email protected]

Those wishing to donate to the Tate project, such as for moving and installinga portion of the Pillsbury rock garden (featuring the Ely Greenstone, the “Winchell Pothole”, and a boulder of Morton Gneiss) near Tate, can donate to the Department of Earth Sciences General Fund and include amemo designating its use toward the Tate Project.

Postal donations can be mailed directly to the Department c/o Sharon Kressler. The online donation system can be found via the “Make a Gift” link on the Department’s main web page: esci.umn.edu.

Thank you!

Circa 194075 years later, the 2015 recreation: Emily Falksen and An An Hua

Frederick Swain Fellowship FundBeltman-Miller Foundation Richard N. BensonLarry J. Nutter Michael Paisner & Sarah Charnes *Kenneth & Marilyn Quarfoth

H. E. Wright Footsteps FundJohn & Hilary BirksMaryse C. FanCindy Korsell-BrownCalvin Alexander*Carl S. BensonRichard B. DarlingMichael Jackson & Betsy LeachDeborah Bearman JewettDennis & Paula OlanderAllan & Betty SchneiderBill & Carol Seyfried*Linda & Orrin ShaneLaura TriplettRichard & Patty Jo WatsonCraig ZumBrunnen

Zoltai Fellowship FundThomas C. Sutton

Corporate DonationsConoco Phillips Co., matching gift with

Charles C. Mosher*Microsoft Corportation, matching gift

with Ted ScottLake Shore CryotonicsUnited Technologies Corporation, match-

ing gift with Steven LevineSchlumberger Company

We are grateful to our donors who are giving of their time and using their philanthropic dollars to help students obtain an education. The volume of students receiving scholarships and fellowships listed on the following pages is a testament to the years of continuous alumni giving. Because of endowed fund support, the depart-ment is able to recruit and reward the best and brightest. Also appreciated are our alumni and corporate partners who support the ground-breaking research going on in the department. We look forward to complementing our top notch research with a state of the art facility in Tate Science and Teaching building when it opens in 2017. And to the hundreds of alumni who give to the Earth Sciences’ unrestricted fund, your support allows the department to take advantage of opportunities to enhance the curriculum and learning environment.

When you receive a letter or a call from one of our students asking for your support, please consider do-ing so. Your support is instrumental to the department. If you have questions or need assistance in making a gift to the department, please contact me. Thank you.


Awards & Other Noteworthy Events Calvin Alexander was named Fellow of the Geological Society of America.

MnDRIVE Environment Post-Doctoral Fellowships were awarded to:• Dr. Jake Bailey (PI) and Dr. Dan

Jones (Co-PI) for their proposal to leverage biological sulfur produc-tion for the sustainable removal of sulfate from Minnesota mine waters.Received MN Futures Grant to study bacterial polyphosphate metabolism. This was only 1 of 2 grants awarded (out of 85 proposals submitted), and represents a new and interesting col-laboration between the Bailey lab and colleagues in the School of Dentistry

• Dr. Cara Santelli for her proposal for the bioremediation of selenium in industrial wastewaters using a passive aerobic bioreactor.

• Dr. Josh Feinberg and Dr. Dan Jones for their proposal to assess microbial contributions to sulfide min-eral oxidation in ores of the Midconti-nent Rift in northeast Minnesota.

Jake Bailey was the recipient of a 2015 Simons Early Career Investigator in Marine Microbial Ecology and Evolution Award which is intended to help launch and support the careers of outstanding young investigators who use quantitative approaches to advance our understanding of marine microbial ecology and evolu-tion. In addion, Jake was presented with The Guillermo E. Borja Award which is given to promising young faculty members of the College of Science and Engineer-ing in recognition of their research and scholarly accomplishments during their probationary period as assistant professors.

Emeritus Professor Subir Banerjee was invited to teach a short course in May at the Institute for Physics of the Earth and Planets (IPGP) in Paris. The title of the course was ‘Magnetism and the Chemi-cal Bond’. It was part of the Memo of Understanding that our department has with IPGP in which Chris Paola played an instrumental role. After the course Subir attended in June the quadrennial meeting

of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics in Prague, Czech Republic.

PhD candidate Chris Crosby received the 2015 Goldschmidt Conference prize for the best poster abstract for her submitted abstract Fossil Iron-Oxidizing Lithotrophs Preserved in Paleoproterozoic Phospho-rites: Implications for Early Phosphogen-esis; advisor: Jake Bailey

Larry Edwards was named University of Minnesota Regents Professor in June 2015. This is the highest recognition at the University of Minnesota for faculty. Larry is the first Regents Professor in our depart-ment since Herb Wright (1974).In addition, Larry was Elected Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Sci-ences. He was among 12 newly elected foreign members across all scientific disciplines, along with 2 Nobel Laureates. Larry is the only member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences from the University. Membership in the Chinese Academy of Sciences is the highest academic honor in scientific and technology fields, in China. Membership is highly selective. With the new members, the total number of Foreign Members is 82 across all scientific disci-plines. More than a quarter of the Foreign Members are Nobel Laureates and more than 10% have been awarded the U.S. Na-tional Medal of Science. Larry will attend an induction ceremony in Beijing in June 2016. Larry was also named “Highly Cited Researcher 2015” by Thompson Re-uters (1 of 147 in Geoscience worldwide; top 1% of scientists, engineers, and social scientists worldwide; among 15 at the Uni-versity across all covered fields of science, engineering, and social sciences).

PhD candidate Colleen Hoffman is one of the recipients of the UMN Travel Grants awarded through the UMN Graduate School. It is being used to fund her most recent travels to Advance Light Source in Berkeley, CA where she is analyzing the mineralogy of hydrothermal plume particles from East Pacific Rise 15S. Advisor: Brandy Toner (Department of Soil, Water, & Climate)

Research Associate Professor and IRM Lab Manager Mike Jackson was elected Fellow of the American Geophysical Union and is the 2015 recipient of the Wil-liam Gilbert Award from AGU’s Geomag-netism and Paleomagnetism section.

Sally Kohlstedt won the 2015 Joseph H. Hazen Education Prize for excellence in education from the History of Science Society. The prize committee recognized Kohlstedt as “an advocate for educa-tion” and “a beloved mentor to countless undergraduate and graduate students” who “combines teaching with another area of her outstanding activity: women and sci-ence.” They note that “In addition to her many publications and courses on sci-ence, women, and gender, she is an active supporter of women both in the history of science, and through her outreach activi-ties in the sciences as well.”

PhD candidate Dan Maxbauer was awarded a UMN Stanwood-Johnston Fellowship which is awarded to doctoral students in biochemistry, chemistry, geol-ogy, geophysics, microbiology, or physics. Advisor: David Fox

PhD candidate Cameron Meyers current-ly holds a DOE graduate fellowship and took the DOE essay contest’s top award for his essay, “Silly Putty World”. Advi-sor: David Kohlstedt

Director of the Polar Geospatial Center Paul Morin received an honorary degree from Colorado College in spring 2015.


Departmental Fellowships, Scholarships, and Awards 2015-16Fellowship and scholarship support has grown significantly over the last decade because of our alumni. Your generosity has been the tipping point in many cases, in which better financial packages enable us to attract and retain the best under-graduate and graduate students to the University of Minnesota and to the department.

GRADUATE STUDENTS UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTSSubir Banerjee Fellowship

Mellissa Cross

Dennis Graduate FellowshipsMitchell AwaltDavid BirlenbachMolly Ray

Warren Fisher Memorial FellowshipsPeter ScheuermannTatsuro TaniokaAmanda Yourd

William Emmons FellowshipMegan Korchinski

Forrest FellowshipMichele Stillinger

Francis Gibson FellowshipColleen Hoffman

John Gruner FellowshipAmanda Yourd

Kerry Kelts Travel AwardDavid BirlenbachMichele StillingerAbby Williams

Harold Mooney FellowshipMegan Korchinski

V.R. Murthy/Janice Noruk Fellowship Mellissa Cross

V.R. Murthy/Janice Noruk Fellowship for Women Graduate Students

Mellissa Cross

Fred Swain Fellowship Michele Stillinger

Zoltai Graduate FellowshipMitchell Awalt

Thomas & Margaret Aldrich AwardEmily Falksen

Robert R. Berg ScholarshipElizabeth Witte

Dennis Undergraduate ScholarshipsJacqueline SmaleJohn SwiecichowskiAbigail Yulga

Fred Donath Honors ScholarshipAmy Sullivan

Chris Kraft ScholarshipAmanda Wolff

McMillen Undergraduate ScholarshipsJanine AndrysWilla SamuelsonTroy Zimmerman

Rita Paquette Memorial AwardAubrey Dunshee

Sidney A. Parkans ScholarshipSamuel Braun

Walter andJoyce Rembold ScholarshipEthan Kurak

2015 Field Camp ScholarshipsJanine Andrys Alexi Besser Colton BraunSamuel BraunMatthew ChattertonGarrett DiedrichAubrey Dunshee

Matt EttsenMathew MatkoJudd MowbrayPatrick O’HaraJoe RippkeJacquelyn SmaleAmanda Wolffe


Departmental Student Awardees:Bottom to Top: Tatsuro Tankoka, Michele Stillinger, Peter Scheuermann, Mitchell Awalt, Becky Strauss, David Birlenbach, Amanda Yourd, Willa Samuelson, Janine Andrys, Jacqueline Smale, Johnny Zhang, Samuel Braun, Troy Zimmerman, Molly Ray, Amy Sullivan, Abigail Yulga, Dan Maxbauer, John Swiecichowski, Emily Falksen, Megan Korchinski, Mellissa Cross, Elizabeth Witte, Aubrey Dunshee

Outstanding TA Awards for 2014-2015

Benjamin Heinle Dan Maxbauer Sophie Kasahara Tatsuro Tanioka

Awards continued...

College of Science & Engineering Graduate School Fellowship for 2014-2016 -Gerard Salter, 2014-2016

University of Minnesota Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships for 2015-2016 -Katherine Fornash -Becky Strauss -Brandi Kamermans -Johnny Zhang

Congratulations,Awardees and Graduates!!


Graduate Degrees

Spring 2015Maria A. Davis, MS, Earth Sciences,

Geophysics Track, Plan B, January 2015, Advisor: Martin O. Saar

Cynthia M. Frickle, MS, Earth Sciences, Biogeology Track, May 2015, Cap-ture and Cultivation of Microorgan-isms Using Magnetic, Lipid-Bound Antibodies, Advisor: Jake Bailey

Kathleen A. Wendt, MS, Earth Sciences, May 2015, Heinrich Stadials recorded in Northeast Brazilian Stalagmites, Advisor: R. Lawrence Edwards

Benjamin M. Tutolo, PhD, Geology, May 2015, Carbon Dioxide Sequestration in Sedimentary Reservoirs: Funda-mental and Applied Considerations, Advisors: William E. Seyfried, Jr. and Martin O. Saar

Laura A. Vietti, PhD, Geology, March 2015, Insights into the Microbial Deg-radation of Bones from the Marine Vertebrate Fossil Record: an Experi-mental Approach using Interdisciplin-ary Analyses, Advisors: David L. Fox and Raymond Rogers, (Macalester College)

Chao Qi, PhD, Geophysics, October 2015, Stress-Driven Melt Redistribu-tion in Partially Molten Rocks: from Pressure Shadows to Base-State Seg-regation, Advisor: David L. Kohlstedt

Summer 2015Roxanne N. Renedo, MS, Earth Sciences,

Geology Track, Plan B, July 2015, Advisors: Christian Teyssier and Donna Whitney

Drew D. Syverson, PhD, Geology, July 2015, Experimental Calibration of Iron and Multiple Sulfur Isotope Fractionation Processes Relevant to

Undergraduate Degrees

BS Earth Sciences Spring 2015 William C. Callebert Emily G. Falksen Benjamin C. Heinle An An Hua Adam Kubat Sean P. Linden John C. Munson Ryan S. Panasy Jacob M. ShaySummer 2015 Colton R. Braun Muhamad Danial Kamarul Baharim Matthew M. MatkoFall 2015 Micaela M. Brevig BA Earth Sciences Spring 2015 Jeremiah Hamlin Samir KarimovFall 2015 Matthew J. Ettsen Kathleen L. Henely James A. Reckinger

Mid-ocean Ridge Hydrothermal Systems, Advisor: William E. Seyfried, Jr.

Andrew W. Haveles, PhD, Geology, July 2015, Ecology and Chemistry of Small Mammals and the Implications for Under-standing Their Paleoecology and Environ-ments, Advisor: David L. Fox

Fall 2015Lindsey J. Briscoe, MS, Earth Sciences, Bio-

geology Track, Plan B, November 2015, Advisors: Brandy Toner (Soil, Water, and Climate) and Bruce Moskowitz

Christopher N. Mahr, MS, Earth Sciences, Geology Track, September 2015, Mercury Uptake by Wild Rice Plants in Northern Minnesota, Advisor: Emi Ito

William O. Nachlas, PhD, Earth Sciences, Geology Track, December 2015, Quartz as an Archive of Metamorphism and Deformation of the Continental Crust, Advisors: Donna Whitney and Christian Teyssier

Jacob A. Tielke, PhD, Earth Science, Geo-physics Track, September 2015, The Influ-ence of Hydrogen , Deformation Geom-etry, and Grain Size on the Rheological Properties of Olivine at Upper Mantle Conditions, Advisor: David L. Kohlstedt

Hongluo Zhang, PhD, Earth Sciences, Geol-ogy Track, November 2015, Investiga-tion of Iron Species’ Behavior in Silicate Glasses and its Implication on Magma Oceans, Advisor: Marc Hirschmann

Paul J. McKinney, PhD, Geology, December 2015, Combining Satellite Observations and Modeling to Describe Lake Superior Eddies, Advisor: Katsumi Matsumoto

Yang ‘Will’ Li, PhD, Geophysics, December 2015, “Water” (Hydrogen) in O livine with Implications from Incorporation and Diffusion Processes, Advisor: David L. Kohlstedt

Congratulations,Awardees and Graduates!!

Degrees Granted in 2015


on legislative action and private benefactors.4 The museum anticipated by Folwell and being put in place by Winchell acquired some specimens and publications from the Smithson-ian Institution in Washington, D.C., and several donors had presented miscellaneous items. As state geologist, Winchell

himself went into the field each summer and used student assistants to gather specimens that would be discussed in the annual reports of the survey and then held at the university for teaching purposes.5 While a student at Michigan, the younger Winchell had been part of educational excursions under his older brother that operated in just such a way. Such summer expedi-tions were evidently inspiring and memorable, encouraging Thomas S. Roberts to turn eventually from medicine to natural history, particu-larly ornithology, and later become director of the Bell Museum.6 Annual reports and other related primary sources held in the University Archives and some

available on line through the UMN Archives Conservancy reveal just how the specimens, artifacts, and publications were acquired by gift, by materials collected by Winchell and others who worked for the survey, and by exchange and purchase from other institutions.7 But this process was slow and serendipitous, and so within two years after his appoint-ment Winchell contracted with a museum supplier to move that process along. Henry A. Ward had built a museum at the University of Rochester but then decided to use his extensive collection of duplicate specimens and cases to build essentially a museum supply house, Ward’s Scientific Establishment in Rochester, New York. Ward spent several years travelling to Europe and the Eastern United States where he acquired rocks, minerals, and fossils. For the latter he not only acquired natural specimens but also made casts of “famous fossils” in museums, chosen either because they were type specimens or because they were significantly intact. In the last half of the nineteenth century, the public was becoming increasingly aware of how the stratigraphic record revealed the importance and potential drama of the ancient past and stimulated private and public geological collections. On his return from Europe, Ward produced a detailed pamphlet, Catalogue of the Acad-emy Series of Casts of Fossils, from the Principal Museums of Europe and America (1870), which helped him sell speci-mens to collegiate and some community museums over the

next decades. Ward pointed out that direct teaching “with the eye” and being able to bring many of the light weight casts to class would make teaching more effective. His project was enormously ambitious and did, in fact, result in a permanent business of scientific supplies.8 Winchell and his science colleagues relied on state-of-the art educational materials including maps, diagrams, models and other means of illustration to direct student learning. They had access to Marcy’s Sciopticon lantern projector, along with a cabinet of minerals, classroom blackboards, and the survey collections that, an enthusiastic annual report suggested, were “constantly increasing [and] are in daily use in the class room.”9 The goal was to have materials at hand which could demon-strate the geology, mineralogy, and zoology “with special reference to the continent of North America and the State of Minnesota.” By 1874 the reconstruction of Old Main after a serious fire was underway, and Winchell anticipated having a room specifically designated for a museum. The rudiments of a collection were based on fossils and minerals from the Geological Survey as well as specific items, including fif-teen mammal skins from his Black Hills expedition that could provide attractive mounts for the pub-lic.10 Strategically Winchell waited until mid-winter to send a large moose skin and other items to Ward so that they would remain frozen while travelling by train to the experi-enced taxidermists in Rochester. Money was tight and, when the grasshopper plague dra-matically affected farmers and reduced tax income in the state in the mid-1870s, the legislature did not provide promised funds to the University on schedule. Nonetheless, Winchell persisted in locating additional specimens that could be sent to Ward as an offset to cash even as he promised to pay for the mounting of some skins and skeletons for public display. Regent Paris Gibson was directly responsibility for the allo-cation of funds for these special purchases, which included a series of the casts, and so payment was delayed. When some casts arrived broken and the men who accompanied them were not capable of repairing them to Winchell’s satisfaction, he wrote of his frustration to Ward but continued to do business

Mineralogy lab in the 100 wing of Pillsbury Hall. Photo courtesy of University of Minnesota Archives, taken from a page in the 1893 yearbook, The Gopher.

Pillsbury continued from page 7...


Ichthyosaurus communis, Lyme Regis, England“This specimen is a cast of the original that was found in 1850’s and was purchased and catalogued in 1874-75 by N.H. Winchell”

with him for more than a decade. Only a few of the casts remain, and not all of those on the walls can be directly traced to Ward, although the Ichthyosaurus communis from Lyme Regis in England on display on our first floor is clearly marked as such. The acquisitions were sufficient that, when Pillsbury Hall was opened in 1889, the same year as a new chemical and physical science building, it housed two museums of about 4,000 square feet each. Christopher Webber Hall, who had been teaching geology while Winchell conducted the survey after 1880, became curator of the geological museum that year. Geology occupied the basement and first floor while animal biology and botany were on the second floor, although shared space overlapped and some was occupied by the survey, the design school, and the assay laboratory of the school of mines.11 There were also offices, classrooms and a lecture hall. The museums were intended for both public access and for study purposes with display cases, glass fronted cabinets, and drawers of herbarium specimens serving both functions. At the turn of the century, the university began to rapidly expand. As state botanist hired in 1890 while already teaching botany at the university, Conway Macmillan became part of a new Department of Botany and built its program over the next fifteen or so years, coordinating as well with colleagues in the new College of Agriculture and in the medical program. In 1909, the herbarium would be moved to a sub-basement of a new zoology building. By that time the geological survey had been discontinued (in 1900), and Winchell affiliated more closely with the Minnesota Historical Society where he increas-ingly turned his attention to archaeology. Geological hold-

ings remained in Pillsbury but were la rgely maintained rath-er than signifi-cantly expanded, aside from ma-terials gathered by specific fac-ulty members. Animal Biology continued to de-velop its own museum collec-tion, often com-plaining of being crowded by the herbarium of the Botany Depart-

ment, which eventually got its own building on the St. Paul campus in 1925. Learning from objects had been critical in Winchell’s ideas about education and he also relied on reports and col-lections for the completion of his final six volume report on the geology of Minnesota. Then his interest shifted almost entirely to archaeology, which he pursued at the Minnesota Historical Society until his death in 1914. Here, too, he was involved in the acquisition of materials and their display even as he wrote what became for over a century the most thorough account of pre-historical life in Minnesota in his Aboriginals of Minnesota. Learning through field world and by study of objects on display and in laboratories remains an essential component of teaching in the Department of Earth Sciences and those collected nearly a hundred and fifty years ago can also be instructive to a more general public who visit the department or study in its classrooms.

The Herbarium in Pillsbury Hall, what is now affectionally known as the Winchell Reading Room. Photo courtesy of University of Minnesota Archives, taken from a page in the 1897 yearbook, The Gopher.

1 Thanks to Paul Weiblen, Kent Kirby, and Sharon Kressler for reading and com-menting on an earlier version of this essay.

2 William Watts Folwell, “Inaugural Address,” in University Addresses (Minne-apolis: H. W. Wilson Co., 1909), p. 30.

3 Sally Gregory Kohlstedt, ““Museums on Campus: A Tradition of Inquiry and Teaching,” in Ronald Rainger, Keith Benson, and Jane Maienschein, eds., The American Development of Biology (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1988): 15-47.

4 George B. Morey, “Geological Surveys of Minnesota” (Unannotated manuscript history, acquired 2013) and William E. Lass, “Minnesota’s Salt Lands Saga,” Minnesota History Magazine (Spring, 1992), pp. 9-24.

5 See N. H. Winchell’s own account in “The History of the Geological Surveys in Minnesota,” Bulletin 1 (Minneapolis: The Pioneer Press, 1889).

6 Shotgun and Stethoscope: The Journals of Thomas Sadler Roberts, ed. Penelope Krosch (Minneapolis: Bell Museum, 1991).

7 Annual reports of the president and similar materials are found under Admin-istrative Documents at http://conservancy.umn.edu/ and some papers of Winchell and of the Minnesota Geological Survey are found in the University Archives.

8 Mark V. Barrow, “The Specimen Dealer: Entrepreneurial Natural History in America’s Gilded Age,” Journal of the History of Biology 33 (2000): 493-434.

9 University of Minnesota, Calendar for the Year 1876-1877, pp. 37-38.10 N .H. Winchell to H. A. Ward, November 14, 1874, Ward Family Papers, Uni-

versity of Rochester, Rochester, New York. Subsequent discussion relating to Ward is based on research in these records.

11 Sixth Biennial Report of the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota, 1889 and 1890 (Minneapolis: Harrison and Co., 1891).


At the height of Craddock’s study in West Antarctica, with con-centration on the Ellsworth Mountains, research continued with Dr. Gerald F. Webers (MS 1961, Ph.D. 1964) and his appointment in the Department of Geology at Macalester College. With what may have been one of the largest research grants in the College at that time, NSF funded a large project in the Ellsworth Mountains for the 1979-80 austral summer with Webers as Principal Investigator. Webers assembled experts in paleontology and other branches of earth science including international experts from Japan, Germany, New Zealand, Russia, United Kingdom, and the United States for a major study and to collect field samples for geologic mapping purposes and the production of a Memoir of the Geological Society of America. The wealth of fossil invertebrates of Paleozoic age and also fossil plant material of Permian age included new genera and species, many of them with Latin names for geology graduates from Minnesota and others who worked in the Ellsworth Mountains in the 1960s and 1970s.

Dr. Webers deserves special mention for his role in organizing the 1979-80 expedition while working at Macalester College and also following in the footsteps of Cam Craddock by employing four geology students from the College as field assistants for that expedition. Two of those students went on to achieve Ph.D. degrees and positions at U.S. academic institutions, one of whom is John Craddock, former professor of Geology at Macalester, who has followed in the role that his father played in initiating the original program at the University of Minnesota.

Manhauling field party with Ahkio sleds and gear departing base camp for field work, Jones Mountains, 1960-61. Photo by Robert Rutford.

Eliason toboggan and sled operations, Ellsworth Mountains, 1961-62. Photo by Thomas Bastien.

Discoveries, Logistics, and Significant ResultsFrom the rather arduous beginning of the programs started by

Cam Craddock in the 1959-60 austral summer, the vagaries of logis-tical support ranged from manhauling sleds that restricted mobility and areal coverage in the Jones Mountains in 1960-61, to motorized toboggans in all of the later field seasons, to helicopter support in two seasons in the Ellsworth Mountains (1963-64 and 1979-80). As expected, a number of ‘firsts’ resulted from Antarctic projects initiated by Cam Craddock, several of which are listed in the Ref-erences. The 1961-62 season involved one of the longest traverses by motorized toboggans conducted in the Ellsworth Mountains, then and since, in which nearly all of both ranges (Sentinel and Heritage) were visited and a preliminary report on the geology was published in the journal Science (Anderson et al., 1962). The use of motor toboggan sled trains in Antarctica was published by Soholt and Craddock (1964).

Field work over two seasons resulted in a re-port in Nature on fossil evidence in the Ellsworth Mountains, including names of formations (Craddock and Webers, 1964), and first evidence in West Antarctica of the fossil plant Glossopteris (Permian age), a common component of the stratigra-phy in the Transantarctic Mountains and connecting structures of neighboring landmasses that composed Gondwanaland. This major discovery was also published in Science (Craddock et al., 1965). The discovery of fossils led to the aforementioned major expedition organized by Webers in the 1979-80 season.

Camp Macalester With 40 to 50 geologists spending parts of the summer at the

main base camp in the Ellsworth Mountains in the 1979-80 field season or at remote tent camps which required coordination with senior project investigators, pilots, flying distances, payload, fuel requirements, and so on, John Splettstoesser was the key person who organized these activities in consultation with the Chief Scientist of the camp (Webers) in order to establish priorities and ensure maximum efficiency for use of helicopters and their available time. This was vital support so that all geologists would achieve their objectives in the short time period of an austral summer, normally about 2 months in duration.

The intricacies of the manner in which helicopters are used in field logistics resulted in a publication in Polar Record by Splettstoesser et al. (1982). An earlier publication by Rutford and Smith (1966) discussed the use of turbine helicopters in Antarctica. Splettstoesser (1985) also discussed the concept of remote camps for U.S. field projects in Antarctica.

Publications cited herein related to the Ellsworth Mountains are included in Geological Society of America Memoir 170, 1992, by Webers et al., editors, Appendix II. A colored geologic map of the

Helicopter pickup at Anderson Massif, 1979-80 – Webers waiting for landing. Photo by John Splettstoesser.

Antarctica continued from page 9...


Ellsworth Mountains at the scale 1:250,000 is included in a pocket of the GSA Memoir (GSA Map and Chart Series MC-57). The map is a compilation of field work in the austral summers when the University of Minnesota projects were conducted.

University of Minnesota Department of Geology Students and Others who Participated in Antarctic Expeditions, 1959 – 1985A lengthy report on this subject is posted on the American

Polar Society website (americanpolar.org), in which more than 20 geographic features are named for University students and fac-ulty who participated in expeditions during this time period. In addition, Minnesota Glacier was named following the 1961-62 expedition, a feature separating the Sentinel Range to the north from the Heritage Range to the south, both of which comprise the Ellsworth Mountains.

In addition to the Ellsworth Mountains and the geographic fea-tures listed herein, the geology building on the Minneapolis campus of the University is represented by Pillsbury Tower, a prominent feature named in the Jones Mountains as a result of Craddock’s first field project in West Antarctica.

Gopher Glacier was named for the State of Minnesota, and the home University of investigators. Wright Peak was named for Prof. H.E. Wright, Jr., who visited Antarctica in the 1961-62 austral summer.

Antarctic Projects Continue at the University of MinnesotaFounded in 2007, the Polar Geospatial Center (PGC) lies within

the N.H. Winchell School of Earth Sciences and is an NSF-funded research organization supporting polar science and operations. They solve geospatial problems at both poles by working with research-ers on mapping and remote sensing projects in the most remote locations on Earth, including censusing wildlife populations in Antarctica, as one of many examples of its projects.

ReferencesAnderson, J.J., 1962, Bedrock geology of Antarctica. M.A. Thesis, Minneapolis, University of Minnesota, 234 p.Anderson, J.J., Bastien, T.W., Schmidt, P.G., Splettstoesser, J.F. and C. Craddock, 1962, Antarctica: Geology of the Ellsworth Mountains: Science, v. 138, no. 3542, p. 824-825.Craddock, C. and Webers, G.F., 1964, Fossils from the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica: Nature, v. 201, no. 4915, p. 174-175.Craddock, C., Bastien, T.W., Rutford, R.H., and Anderson, J.J., 1965, Glossopteris discovered in West Antarctica: Science, v. 148, no. 3670, p. 634-637.Gildea, Damien, and Splettstoesser, J., 2007, Craddock Massif and Vinson Massif Remeasured, in Antarctica: A Keystone in a Changing World. Proceedings of the 10th International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007-1047.Kehle, R.O., 1961, Analysis of the deformation of the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica. Ph.D. Dissertation, Minneapolis, University of Minnesota.Rutford, R.H., 1969, The glacial geology and geomorphology of the Ellsworth Mts., West Antarctica. Ph.D. Dissertation, Minneapolis, University of Minnesota, 374 p.Rutford, R.H., and Smith, P.M., 1966, The use of turbine helicopters in

United States Antarctic operations, 1961-66: Polar Record, v. 13, no. 84, p. 299-303.Soholt, D.E., and Craddock, C., 1964, Motor toboggan sled trains in Antarctica: Arctic, v. 17, no. 2, p. 99-104.Splettstoesser, J.F., 1985, Remote camps for U.S. field projects in Antarctica: Antarctic Journal of the U.S., v. 20, no. 2, p. 1-7.Splettstoesser, J.F., Webers, G.F., and Waldrip, D. B., 1982, Logistic aspects of geological studies in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica, 1979-80: Polar Record, v. 21, no. 131, p. 147-159.Splettstoesser, J.F., Webers, G.F., and Craddock, C., 1984, Geologic Studies in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica – A 25-year Journey from the Unknown: Geological Society of America Abstracts With Programs, v. 16, no. 6, p. 665.Webers, G.F., Craddock, C., and Splettstoesser, J., eds., 1992, Geology and Paleontology of the Ellsworth Mountains, West Antarctica. Geological Society of America Memoir 170, 459 pp.____________________________________________________In Memory of our Expedition Companions

Campbell Craddock (1930 – 2006) Gerald F. Webers (1932 – 2008) Thomas W. Bastien (1933 – 2010) Raymond C. Bonnabeau, M.D. (1934 – 2011) – Expedition Physician (University of Minnesota Medical School)Paul G. Schmidt (1934 – 2013) Charles L. Matsch (1930 – 2014) John Splettstoesser (1933-2015)

____________________________________________________About the Authors

John Splettstoesser and Robert H. Rutford are graduates of the University of Minnesota, are natives of Minnesota, and both have extensive experience in Antarctica.

John Splettstoesser received a Bachelor Degree in Geological Engi-neering, Minor in Mining Engineering, in the School of Mines in 1962. John’s polar experience is in management and administration, while at The Ohio State University, University of Nebraska, and University of Minnesota, with eight aus-tral summers (1960 – 1986) in Antarctica as a geologist and in field logistics and coordination of field projects, plus teach-ing geology at College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine.

Robert Rutford received a Ph.D. de-gree (1969) as a student in the Department of Geology, with Prof. H.E. Wright, Jr. as Advisor. Bob’s experience in Antarctica inlcuded field geology as well as man-agement and administration as Director of the Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 1975-77. He received an Outstanding Achievement Award and Medal from the University of Minnesota in 1994. He also has had a lengthy career in

academic positions, both in teaching and as President of the Uni-versity of Texas at Dallas. Bob’s extensive career in later years is posted in the website of the American Polar Society (americanpolar.org), where he is listed as a member of the Board of Governors.


Pillsbury HallEarth Sciences and Materials

Engineering Building

Pillsbury Hall has been our home for over 125 years. As we grew, it was necessary to expand into other facilities on and off campus. Even though we are very pleased to be moving to a modern science teaching and research build-ing, we will miss our beautiful Pillsbury Hall.

We nearly had a new building in the early 1990s- the architectural model is still in the at-tic and will shortly be removed, unless some-one would like to give it a new home?

Because Pillsbury Hall is special to us all, we would like to invite you to share with us your memories and/or photos of your time in Pillsbury. Should we get a sizable response, we will create a lovely, com-memorative book that would be available for pur-chase.Please send your memories/photos via-email to [email protected];-postal mail to the address on the back cover;-or online at http://goo.gl/forms/FU4fhapvWs

Pending approval of funding, the Ely Greenstone and ‘Winchell Pothole’ are coming with us!

Students sitting on the pothole in 1928.

Change is in the air...

Who remembers this?


Tate Science and Teaching

Kolthoff Hall

Civil Engineering

Shepherd Labs

Groundbreaking ceremony in September 2015.

Demolition of the 3rd floor where ESci faculty offices and the new reading room will be located. (February 2016)

Architectural drawing of the glass wall & entrance to the reading room.

Above: architect’s rendering of the Church Street entrance. The white (limestone) new part of the building will house a large seminar room/classroom on each of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors.

Mall entrance.

TATE SCIENCE AND TEACHING RENOVATIONDesign Development Workshop 1January 7-9, 2015


Left to right, front: Brandi Kamermans, Colleen Hoffman, Will Nachlas; back: Will Callebert, Michele Stillinger, Wes Rutelonis, Drew Syverson, Ben Tutolo.

Flyover Country

Did you know that ESci is involved in developing a mobile app? It’s called Flyover Country and it brings data from geoscience databases to your phone no matter where you are, without need for an internet connection. Originally conceived of for use while gazing out of the airplane window, the app is equally interesting on field trips by road or foot.

Flyover Country is funded by NSF and available for free on both Android and iOS. More info and download links at <fc.umn.edu>

In spring 2015, these folks organized and presented the first annual UMN Earth Sciences Graduate Student Symposium - a day dedicated to ESci students (including undergrads!) and their research. The lecture and poster presentations were well attended. The next GSS is slated for April 8, 2016. https://escigss.wordpress.com/

The UMGS (a.k.a. GeoClub) remains very active within the department and college: coffee and cookies at seminar time, soup and chili competitions, Valentine’s bake sale, Paint-the-Bridge, as well as camping and ice climbing. Above, Janine Andrys staffs the UMGS display area at CSE’s annual organizational fair.

Patrick O’Hara at ‘Paint the Bridge’.


In 2015, we offered two sessions of the introductory field camp. There were 38 students in total, 16 of whom were from outside the University of Minnesota. It was reportedly a great success, so we will continue with two sections again this summer. The advanced field camp and hydrogeology field course also continue to do well, with 12 and 33 students, respectively, in 2015. Photo by Morgan Monz

Department of Earth Sciences:https://www.facebook.com/groups/81943157076/

Institute for Rock Magnetism:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Institute-for-Rock-Magne-tism/214991911849169

LacCore:https://www.facebook.com/laccore

Minnesota Geological Survey:https://www.facebook.com/MinnesotaGeologicalSurvey

Polar Geospatial Center:https://www.facebook.com/polargeospatial

St. Anthony Falls Laboratory:https://www.facebook.com/saflumn

College of Science & Engineering:https://www.facebook.com/umn.cse/?fref=ts

UMGS/Geoclub:https://www.facebook.com/groups/364483183631510/

You can find the following components and affiliates of the School of Earth Sciences on Facebook:

Ice climbing. Photo by John Swiecichowski


In Memoriam

John B. Botelho, BS’1946Elmer D. Anderson, BS’1948Herbert I. Harris, BS’1948John E. Boettcher, BA’1949Roy T. Sorenson, EM/1949/MS’1952Robert W. Timm, EM’1949Mary E. Lugsdin, BS’1950Daniel A. DuFresne, BS’1951John H. Goodrich, EM’1951Kenneth H. Johnson, BS’1951Russell A. Nelson, BS’1951Gene M. Olson, EM’1952Orville J. Pardau, BS’1953Howard W. Blakely, BS’1955Bernardo A. Taborda, MS’1955Iwan Tkatchenko, EM’1955Ashiq Ali, MS’1956Roy W. Hillmer, EM’1956Jack D. Arthur, BA’1957Robert H. Barton, MS’1957

Robert C. Kaase, EM’1958Warren C. Miller, BA’1958Arthur E. Anderson, EM’1961John R. Guenther, EM’1961Conrad E. Maher, BS’1961Pundalik Kulkarni, MS’1962Barton D. Gross, MS’1963Naiding Wang, MS’1963Dennis G. Deischl, MS’1964Harold A. Johnson, BS’1964Jacques Becker, MS’1969Robert E. Smith, BS’1969Dale Wikre, BA’1969Chin M. Kim, MS’1970Dominique Rey, MS’1971Richard K. Covill, BS’1972Sally Wright Kendrick, MS’1972Douglas O. Phair, BS’1972John E. Puffer, BS’1972Sudarshan Singh, MS’1972

Mark Markowitz, MS’1973Larry D. Douglas, MS’1974Robert L. Undersander, BS’1975Stephen R. Elkins, MS’1977Richard V. Smith, BA’1977Randall R. Atchinson, BS’1978Michael Bower, BS’1978Kristi M. Hegdahl, BS’1978James Paulson, BS’1980Dong Jin Kim, MS’1982Chongmi Suk, MS’1985Dongwoo Suk, MS’1985Christopher Cunningham, BS’1986Ahmad B. Ibrahim, BS’1986Kevin E. Miller, BS’1987Janice M. Lawhead, Ed’1988R. Jonathan Paetz, MS’1989Jacqueline Black Jiran, BS’1990Kurt S. Pfaff, MS’1991Gabriela S. Pichardo, MS’1991

We continue the search for missing alumni and friends. Your help in locating these people with whom we have lost touch would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Graham ‘Rudy’ Ford, BS 1955, MS 1958 - d. April 16, 2015After earning his BA and MS from the U of M, Rudy was a highly respected geologist for MnDOT for 37 years. Rudy was an active member of the Minnesota Section of AIPG for many years and was well-respected in the industry. Star Tribune

Dr. Thomas W. Holmes, Jr. - d. April 23, 2008Former geology student in the 1940s and supporter of the Gruner Fellow-ship.

Douglas E. Julin, EM 1950 - d. June 11, 2015Julin was a mining engineer at Climax from 1950 to 1967 and then chief engineer at the Henderson Mine from 1967 to 1983. He then became a global mining consultant, which took him to countries around the world including China, South Africa, Chile and more. The Herald Democrat, Leadwood, CO

Wayne H. Kelly, BS 1951 - d. June 1, 2014Wayne served in the South Pacific during WWII and was a combat veteran with the amphibious forces through the invasion of Okinawa. After an honorable discharge in 1946, Wayne studied engineering at Hibbing Junior College then transferred to the University of Minnesota where he graduated in 1951 as a geologist. He later became a registered professional engineer in the State of Wisconsin. Wayne went to work as a geologist with U.S. Steel Co. (He could not survey a portion of land he was assigned to using a compass on a tripod per the usual because the layer of earth below was highly magnetic and, in places, the compass would spin. Surveying was performed using a sundial.) He later went to work for his father’s newly-formed construction company in Hibbing, MN, where he worked in the iron ore mines for ten years. Later, Wayne worked as an engineer at the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs Regional Office in Aberdeen, SD then transferred to Littleton, CO. While working in Littleton, the government sent him to Alaska to teach Eskimo school maintenance workers how to better maintain their school buildings. The school was on an island offshore Sitka, Alaska. Then, Wayne received a request from the U.S. Public Health Service, Division of Indian Health Regional Office in Aberdeen to work for them. He retired as a GS-14 from the government. Boulger Funeral Home, Fargo

Alan Kilimann, BA 1953 - d. June 6, 1991

Richard P. Maley, MS 1953 - d. February 25, 2014Dick was a Korean War veteran and served in the U.S. Army as a front line medic at the age of 19. He earned his B.S. in Earth Science from U of MN where he also participated on the rowing team. Dick earned his Master of Science degree from U.S.C. and worked for the U.S. Geological Survey for over 30 years. He traveled extensively for work and pleasure and developed lifelong friendships along the way. Dick loved sports and was an avid tennis player, skier, runner, and cyclist. He inspired a lot of people with his spirit and generous heart and always endeavored to do the right thing. Star Tribune

Dr. Charles Matsch, MS 1962 - d. April 18, 2014 Three years after graduating high school in 1948, Charlie enlisted in the United States Air Force for a four-year tour of duty during The Korean War. In 1956 he enrolled at the University of Maine, and graduated with a major in geology and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa in 1959. Charlie received his Master of Science degree at the University of Minnesota in 1962 and went on to work as a petroleum geologist in Midland, Texas. He returned to the University of Minnesota where he established himself as a distinguished teacher. Charlie then went to the University of Wisconsin and completed his Ph.D. In 1970 he joined the Geology Department at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Charlie was known as an outstanding teacher and mentor to undergraduate and graduate students, and he de-voted his research interests to the geology of Minnesota, focusing on the Ice Age Legacy of the Midwest. In 1981 Charlie received the University of Minnesota’s Horace T. Morse award for contributions to undergraduate education, the University’s highest award for teaching. He retired from teaching in 2001. Duluth Tribune

Leslie G. McDowell, BS 1958 - d. August 25, 2013

Dr. Deane K. Smith, PhD 1956 - d. November 7, 2001. “He contributed a lot of knowledge for x-ray crystallography and powder diffraction studies. We have fond old memories of UM.” Sincerely, Patricia L. Smith

John Splettstoesser, EM 1962 - d. January 25, 2016John Splettstoesser, best known as Spletts, died in his hometown of Waco-nia, Minnesota, on January 25 at the age of 83. He is survived by his two daughters, Edith and Brenda, and their husbands. Spletts was a very special friend and colleague for over 50 years. He possessed and shared a wealth of knowledge about the Antarctic, and his sense of humor was known and admired by us all. He will be missed by the entire Antarctic community.

-Bob Rutford

Anbin Yu, BS’1992Kriste M. Davenport, BS’1995Scott Rubin, MS’1995Jennifer York, PhD’2000Michelle M DiGirolamo, BS’2001Jason M. Amundson, BS’2003Brian S. Carter, PhD’2003Ross D. McNeil, BS’2003Lily M. Wood, BS’2003Travis Charles Kennebeck, BS’2004Matthew L. Rheinhart, BS’2005Junmin Shi, MS’2009Jenillee A. Pajewski, BS’2010Su Yi Chai, BS’2011James Kenneth Parry, BA’2013Tao Wang, PhD’2013


Herbert E. Wright, Jr. Regents Professor Emeritus of Geology, Ecology, and Botany died at his home the afternoon of Thursday, November 12, 2015. Herb had celebrated his 98th birthday on September 13.

Herb had a very large impact on the Quaternary science, paleoecology, pa-leoclimate modeling, and glacial geology to name just a few. He influenced the careers of many young scientists both in the US and in Europe. Stories about his fieldwork are legendary and many of them were recounted at his 80th and 90th birthday celebrations that were held both at the Department and in Europe.

Herb referred to himself as having had a checkered career[i], beginning with his interest in” arid-region geomorphology to an interest in the global context and in the quest for lakes in exotic parts of the world”. He was motivated by the desire to understand the processes and events that produced the landforms such as the arid regions of New Mexico and Minnesota glacial geology. Since embracing the newly developed chronological tool of radiocarbon, he became interested in working with records that could be more easily placed in a chronological context. Lake sediments[ii] and fossil pollen contained within them that could be made to tell stories about the changing landscapes were added to his focus of studies. Herb established Pollen Laboratory in 1958 and the Limnological Research Station in 1959 (Limnological Research Center in 1962) to promote these studies. Archaeology, “interactions of human societ-ies with the environments”, was another area of his interest. In his later years (1980s onward) he embraced environmental magnetism, diatoms, ostracodes, sediment geochemistry and stable isotopes as tools that can shed light on past climatic changes and environmen-tal dynamics. He also was interested in nurturing early attempts at global climate modeling and was instrumental in establishing a data-model comparison program (COHMAP) in 1977[iii].

The Limnological Research Center has been a home to numer-ous students, post-doctoral associates and visitors (many from Europe) representing diverse academic disciplines, consistent with Herb’s wide-ranging interests. In addition to advising students and post-docs in Geology, Ecology and Botany, he also had students in Center for Ancient Studies (later Interdisciplinary Archaeology). He advised more than 80 PhD and Masters students, 19 of them after his official retirement in 1988.

Herb was born in Malden, MA in 1917. He received BA, MA and PhD (Kirk Bryan, advisor) from Harvard. He earned his PhD in absentia in 1943 while serving as a bomber pilot during WWII. Herb’s first faculty appointment was at Brown University (then Brown College), and he came to the University of Minnesota in

1948. He spent the summer of 1946 in Lebanon, working as a geologist assisting two Jesuit archaeologists studying Paleolithic rock shelter at Ksar Akil. This experience led to his being invited by Robert Braidwood of the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago to join the archaeological expeditions (1950s and 60s) to Kurdistan and Iran as project geologist. Braidwood had access to very early radiocarbon dating because Libby was at Chicago and thus Herb was introduced to this age determination method at its infancy. Sediment cores from Lakes Mirabad and Zeribar (both in Iran) were acquired in 1963 and 1970 and studied in the late 1960s and early 1970s (pollen and diatoms) and again in the 1990s (ostracodes and stable isotopes) by various students and post-docs. A partial list of areas he studied, in addition to numerous lakes in Minnesota and the eastern Dakotas includes St. Elias Mountains in the Yukon, Labrador, south-central Illinois (Pittsburg Basin), lakes and bogs in Ireland, Glacier Bay, Alaska, Sweden, Georgian Caucuses and Siberian Altai, and Bulgaria.

Herb received many honors and awards including honorary degrees from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland (1966), Lund Univer-sity, Sweden (1987), and the University of Minnesota (1996). He was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1977

Herb was preceded in death by his wife Rhea and sons Peter and Rex. He is survived by sons Dick (Vibeke), John (Christa), Andy and Jeffrey (Maria) and grandchildren Patrick, Christopher, Thierry and Theora. For the last 14 years of his life, Herb was lovingly cared for by his dear friend and colleague, Vania Stefanova.

If you wish to honor Herb and his work, a donation may be made to the H.E. Wright, Jr. ‘Footsteps Award’. This award is given each year to a deserving graduate student pursuing research in any of the fields that were touched by him.

By postal mail, please mail to the University of Minnesota Foun-dation c/o Ms. Sharon Kressler, Dept. of Earth Sciences, University of Minnesota, 310 Pillsbury Drive, SE., Minneapolis, MN 55455;

-OR- Online start at www.esci.umn.edu, click on the ‘Make A Gift’

link, then from the Graduate Fellowships drop down menu, click the green Give Now button next to ‘H.E. Wright, Jr. ‘Footsteps Award”. Please mention or include in the memo “in honor of Herb Wright” in your gift. Thank you. __________________________________[i] Quoted from his remarks given after receiving American Qua-ternary Association Distinguished Career Award in 1996.[ii] H.E. Wright (2010) High points in paleolimnological studies as viewed by a convert (remarks given upon receiving Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Paleolimnology As-sociation). Journal of Paleolimnology 44:497-503.[iii] H.E. Wright, Jr. and P.J. Bartlein (1993) Reflections on COHMAP. The Holocene 3:89-92


Alumni Notes

1960sDan Anderson, PhD 1965, has been retired from NASA for over 20 years. He and his wife live in Texas ranch country in the middle of the woods and states, “Life has been good to us.” In addition, Dan donated to the department a USGS Monograph by Van Hise & Leith called “The Geology of the Lake Superior Region” dated 1911. There is a small plate on the inside of the front cover: Ex Libris - Frank Grout.

James H. Schultz, BA 1960, after graduating from the U, James attended graduate school at Washington State University, then taught science and math at Burns High School in Burns, OR where he taught there for 31 years and is now retired.

1980sChuck Anderson, BS 1989, Since 2013 Chuck has been working as the water column sonar data manager at the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (formerly the NOAA Na-tional Geophysical Data Center) through the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), a cooperative agreement between NOAA and the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Jon A. Carlson, BS 1987, for the second year in a row, Jon was chosen as a finalists for Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2015 in the Upper Midwest! Information about this award can be found at http://www.ey.com/US/en/Newsroom/News-releases/news-ey-announces-winners-for-the-ey-eoy-2015-upper-midwest-award

Dwight Gustafson, BS 1982, is starting his fourth year of retirement and periodically attends SEG, AAPG, and GSA meetings. Dwight is looking forward to traveling to Park City, Utah in July to attend the 50th anniversary celebration of the Wasatch-Uinta Field Camp. http://www.fieldcamp.org/Anniversary

Dana Johnston, MS 1978, PhD 1983; After twenty-nine years on the University of Oregon faculty, twelve as Chair of the Department of Geological Sciences and four as Associate Dean of Natural Sci-ences, Dana entered the UO’s phased retirement program in fall, 2014. He will teach during fall terms through 2018-19 before retiring fully and anticipates lots of exotic travel otherwise. He couldn’t be happier to hear that the department will FINALLY be getting a very long-overdue upgrade to its physical plant when it relocates to its refurbished new quarters in fall 2017.

Brian Ross, MS 1985, is a Vice President and Director of Environ-mental Services at Widseth Smith Nolting in Baxter, MN. Brian has been with the firm for 24 years and provides environmental and hydrogeology consulting services for many businesses, communities, MnDNR, MPCA, MnDOT, and several counties in Minnesota and North Dakota. He is also currently the State Chair for Minnesota Ducks Unlimited, a volunteer position providing leadership to the 42,000 DU members in Minnesota.

1990sPaul Cutler, PhD 1996, has been appointed as the new Program Director for the Antarctic Integrated System Science Program within NSF’s Division’s Antarctic Sciences Section. Paul has served for the past five years as Program Director for the Geomorphology and Frontiers in Earth System Dynamics programs in NSF’s Division of Earth Sciences. He has also served in temporary assignments at the agency as Program Director for Antarctic Glaciology and Acting Section Head and Acting Division Director in the Division of Earth Sciences. Prior to his tenure at NSF, he directed work on polar and global-change science at the International Council for Science in Paris and at the Polar Research Board of the U.S. National Acad-emy of Sciences. He has conducted research in Antarctica and the Arctic, and in the mountains of Switzerland, Pakistan, and Canada. Paul’s postdoctoral work at the University of Wisconsin focused on Laurentide Ice Sheet dynamics.

Jim Rustad, PhD 1992, serves as program manager for the DOE Geosciences program. Prior to joining DOE in 2015, Jim worked at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory as a Research/Staff /Chief Scientist (1992-2003); at the University of California, Davis as Associate/Full Professor of Geology (2003-2010); and at Corning Incorporated as a Research Associate (2010-2015). During his ca-reer at the DOE Laboratories, academia, and industry, his research focused on earth materials, interfacial geochemistry, mineral physics, resource scarcity, and earth-abundant energy materials.

2000sKaren Gran, MS 2000, is an associate professor in the Earth and Environmental Sciences at UMN Duluth and has recently joined Barr Engineering as a part-time geomorphologist.

Samantha Heck Hustoft, BA 2004, is the Manager of the Museum of Geology (MOG), South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. She and Justin Hustoft (PhD 2006) will celebrate their 10th year Wedding Anniversary in August. “We met in Pillsbury Hall!”

Benjamin Maas, BS 2008, is an Assistant Professor at Iowa’s Buena Vista University where he teaches Environmental Science and Geology classes.

Jeré Mohr, BS 2000, is the Duluth Branch Office Coordinator for Barr Engineering Company.


Please join us for the University of Minnesota alumni gathering on Monday, September 26, 2016 held during the GSA Annual Meeting in Denver, CO.

Please Send Us Your News and Comments

We need more alumni notes! Please send comments, mem-ories, and/or news of your career or family via • email to <[email protected]>, • Google Form at http://goo.gl/forms/FU4fhapvWs, or• postal mail.

Thank you!

Dana (nee Bishop, BA 2001) and Maik Pertermann (PhD 2002) adopted a baby girl, Ruth, in June 2015. Dana has published a book, co-edited with Holly Norton, called Archaeology of Engagement: Conflict and Resolution in the United States. Dana was also named director of the Southwest Wyoming Federal Artifact Repository, which is housed at Western Wyoming College.

Diego Riveros-Iregui, MS 2004 - After teaching at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for three years, Diego moved to Chapel Hill, NC in June 2013. He is currently an assistant professor in the De-partment of Geography at UNC-Chapel Hill. Diego and wife Julie Bridenstine have a three-year old daughter Luisa. Diego wants to remind all his UMN-Earth Sciences friends that if you are ever in the Chapel Hill area, please show up at his house ‘Colombian style’ -- i.e., unannounced!

Dan Ruscitto, MS 2006, lives in Schenectady New York with his wife Tammy and 3 boys: Frankie, Harry, and Teddy. Dan earned a PhD in Geology from the University of Oregon in 2011 and cur-rently works as a materials scientist in the Materials Characteriza-tion organization for the Global Research HQ of General Electric.

Ted Scott, MS 2000, PhD 2006, recently changed positions within Microsoft so that he could finally “be a scientist again!” Ted is now a Data Scientist in Microsoft Office, analyzing TB and PB of data, which he calls “surprisingly fun.” Otherwise, all is well in the Pacific NW!

Hong Truong Spores, BS 2001, is the Vice President of the Min-nesota section of the American Institute of Professional Geologists.

2010sFred Davis, MS 2011, PhD 2012, joined the faculty at University of Minnesota-Duluth’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences in fall semester 2015 after finishing a postdoctoral position at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History.

Patrick Hastings, MS 2012, works for a company that specializes in vibration monitoring of construction activity, blasting, demolitions, analysis of seismograph data, airblast studies, pre-blast/construction inspection of structures, crack gauge installation and monitoring, and public relations. He is a member of the Association of Environmental Engineering Geologists and the International Society of Explosives Engineers. Patrick and his wife Karen have 4 wonderful children. Xavier is 4 now, Graham is 3, Aiden is 1 and Ariana is 7 months old.

Anna Henderson, PhD 2010, works for the State of Minnesota government on long term environmental planning. One of the proj-ects they are working on is a state water report which includes the issue of tile drainage.

Will Nachlas, PhD 2015, received the GSA Mineralogy-Geochem-istry-Petrology-Volcanology Division Student Research Award at the GSA conference in Baltimore, MD in October 2015.

Christopher Novitsky, BS 2014, is working on a Masters in hydro-geophysics at the University of Wyoming with his advisor is Steve Holbrook. Christopher spent a year in Iceland as a Val Björnsson Ex-change Scholar as part of the Iceland-Minnesota Exchange Program.

Chiji Ochiagha, MS 2011, formerly worked for the Forest Service and Park Service as a wildlife biologist. He is currently working as the executive director of a non-profit providing environmentally benign affordable housing.

Matthew Pendleton, BS 2011, recently finished his MS in geol-ogy with Simon Kattenhorn at the University of Idaho and is now working with Earth Consultants International (President: Eldon Gath, BS 1978) out of Santa Ana, CA. He consults on hydrogeol-ogy, paleoseismic, and minerals exploration projects, and is looking forward to international travel with the company.

Mike Zazzera, BS 2011, is working at Vieau Associates which is a small company doing mostly Phase I and Phase II environmental assessments, but they dabble in a many things. He has been with them for about five months and feels he is fitting in just fine.

This newsletter is available in alternative formats upon request. For additional information or comments contact:

Alumni NewsletterDepartment of Earth SciencesUniversity of Minnesota310 Pillsbury Drive SEMinneapolis, MN 55455phone: 612/624-1333fax: 612/625-3918e-mail: [email protected]

Department of Earth SciencesUniversity of Minnesota310 Pillsbury Dr. SEMinneapolis, MN 55455

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Group photo from the Spring 2015 Picnic, Crosby Park, St. Paul