Announcements and News: summer research, field camp, alumni events, new staff....  (click here to jump to news)

Welcome to the Albion Geo department! 

Albion geology students and faculty have wide-ranging interests in the Earth, from ultra-high pressure rocks formed in intensely deformed mountains to the evolution of vertebrate fossils to recent and modern climate and environmental change.   In the past year, we have been doing field research in California, Wyoming, South Dakota, Svalbard, and Antarctica.   In May 2008, our regional geology class went on a 10-day field trip to eastern California (left).

Our program provides students with hands-on experiences that prepare them for the next step in their lives whether it is to be a professional geologist, a teacher, or a graduate student.   Our comprehensive curriculum, small class sizes, and involved faculty provide our students a well-rounded education and a real advantage in their future pursuits. 

-Thom Wilch, Chair of the Geology Department

Career Opportunities in Geology

Albion Geology News

Students/Faculty present research at GSA
Meagan Bosket '09 presented her senior thesis research at the GSA meeting in Houston.  The title of Meagan's poster was:   "Explosively erupted hydrovolcanic deposits at Minna Saddle, Antarctica:  evidence for limited ice-magma interaction"  Professor Thom Wilch was a co-author and is Meagan's thesis advisor.   Her trip to the meeting was supported by funds from the National Science Foundation, by Albion's Foundation for Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (FURSCA), and by the LD Taylor Undergraduate Geology Research Fund.   

Assistant Professor Carrie Menold gave a talk at the meeting on "Paleozoic Tectonic Evolution of the North Qaidam UHP metamorphic terrane, Western China."  Carrie was first-author on the paper.   Visiting Assistant Professor Mick McRivette presented a poster at the meeting titled, "Cenozoic Basin Evolution in the Central and Northern Tibetan Plateau as Constrained by Sandstone Petrology, U-Pb Detrital Zircon Geochronology, and Fission-Track Thermochronology."

Professor Bill Bartels gave the commendation speech for the Strimple Award at the Paleontological Society banquet in honor of Thomas C. Witherspoon.    The Stripmple Award is the highest honor in the society for a non-professional paleontologist.  Mr. Witherspoon is a retired teacher, an amateur paleontologist, and a philanthropist.   He has collected 100,000s of fossil specimens and given them to Geology Departments across the U.S.  The Albion College Geology Department has had a close relationship with Mr. Witherspoon since 1986 and has benefited greatly from Witherspoon's generosity.  

Thom Wilch awarded Dow Professorship
On September 9 at the 2008 Albion College Opening Convocation, Professor Thom Wilch received the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Trustees’ Professorship in the Sciences.  (see story)

Student researchers on the road
Current student researchers have been working in Antarctica, Svalbard, Wyoming, New Mexico, California and Michigan to complete field and lab studies.  Read Albion College News article about Kristen Mitchell's summer research in Svalbard (click here). 

California Regional Geology Field Trip
In May,  18 Albion students and faculty went to eastern California on the Geology 210, Regional Field Geology article by AC Communications Office

Field Camp
Twenty-four students, including 7 Albion students, from across the country are attending Albion's field camp in June and July, 2008.   For the schedule, go to link Geology Field Camp Summer 2008. 

New Staff Member
Michael (Mick) McRivette (B.S., University of California, San Diego; Ph.D.,UCLA) will be joining the department for 2008-9 as a visiting assistant professor..  Mick taught at our field camp last summer and is doing so again this summer. At Albion next year, Mick will be teaching additional sections of 100-level geology courses including Geology101 and Earth Resources and the Environment.   Not surprisingly, Mick’s research interests are in Himalayan-Tibetan tectonic history. 

Albion Geology Announcements for Alumni

2008 Annual Geology Homecoming Reunion
The annual Geology homecoming reunion was held at  Larry and Jean Taylor's home at 1111 River Bend Dr. in Albion on September 27, 3:30 to 6 pm.   Group photo below is courtesy of Bill and Virginia Dunn.  

Alumni Reception At GSA Meeting, 10/5/08, at Hilton Americas-Houston
We had a great Geology Alumni Reception from 6-8 pm, Sunday October 5, 2008 in Room 327 of the Hilton Americas-Houston hotel in downtown Houston.  This event coincided with the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in Houston.   About 30 guests attended including current and former faculty, current students and alumni who were presenting at the meeting,  and alumni and guests from the area.   About 20 of us went out for dinner after the reception. 

2008 Alumni Newsletter
The 2008 newsletter has been sent to all alums.  If you would like a pdf copy please email Carol Caswell, ccaswell@albion.edu. 

Online Alumni Questionnaire  - let us know what you have been up to...