AWG E-MAIL NEWS 2007-1

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There may be a problem with the e-mail address for applications that has appeared in previous versions of this announcement. If you wish to apply for any of the 2008 GIP positions, or have already tried, please submit or resubmit your application materials directly to the program coordinator at Toscano@si.edu.

Thanks to the generosity of the AWG Foundation, AWG will again be sponsoring Geoscientist-in-Parks projects designed for experienced graduate students or professionals. To apply, send CV or Résumé, cover letter, and the names of three (3) references able to speak to your abilities related to the project, to Toscanom@si.edu. Before applying, please first check the AWG website for more detailed position descriptions and contact information for park personnel. You are encouraged to contact them to discuss your qualifications or ask questions before applying for a position.

Send all application materials via email (Word or PDF formats preferred) by April 30, 2008. Selections will be made as soon as possible by the parks.

Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Idaho Cave Inventory & Mapping

The Craters of the Moon Lava Field is a composite field made up of about 60 lava flows and 25 cones. It is the largest and most complex of the Late Pleistocene and Holocene basaltic lava fields on the eastern Snake River Plain, and is the largest dominantly Holocene basaltic lava field in the lower 48 States. It has nearly every type of feature associated with basaltic volcanism. The Monument covers 1,100 square miles and has more than 400 miles of unpaved roads.

Craters of the Moon National Monument is located 18 miles from Arco, a small town of 1,000 located in high desert (approx 6,000 ft). Idaho Falls and Twin Falls are both about 90 miles away; Yellowstone and Grand Teton parks are less than 4 hours away.

The participant will spend 50% of her time doing cave inventory and mapping in the expanded Monument in coordination with a Geological Society of America GeoCorps participant (for mutual safety in the field). The other 50% will be spent doing a 1/12,000 geologic mapping project of the Tree Molds Trail Area.

The Florissant Formation preserves an abundant flora and fauna of fossil plants and insects that were deposited in late Eocene (34 million-year-old) lake shales. The small town of Florissant is 2 miles from the monument. Colorado Springs airport is 47 miles from the monument and provides regular service by all major airlines.

The participant will coordinate two projects relating to the geologic and paleontologic resources of the Park. The primary project will be preparation of site maps and a manual to document the inventory of paleontological sites, and to monitor the condition of some of those sites. The secondary project will be to collect fossil leaves and insects by splitting blocks of paper shale that were removed during roadwork in the fall of 2007 and to produce a taxonomic census of this site; this will involve preparation and cataloging of fossil specimens, identification of some of the fossils, and entry into the cataloging database. Participants may also have the option of using a portion of their time for self-initiated research if they have a research plan defined beforehand.

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Page, AZ Geohazard Research Assistant

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, encompassing over 1.2 million acres, stretches for hundreds of miles from the Orange Cliffs of southern Utah to Lees Ferry in northernmost Arizona. Lake Powell comprises about 13% of the recreation area but the rest of GLCA exposes approximately 8,500 feet (2,590 m) of strata that spans more than 300 million years of the Earth’s history. The canyons, carved into the landscape over the past 5 million years, expose strata that record deposition in shallow seas, tidal flats, sabkhas, alluvial plains, and extensive sand dune-covered deserts. The offices are located in Page, Arizona a town of approximately 9,500 people. It is the hub of a collection of national parks and monuments, state parks, historical sites, prehistoric Indian ruins and awesome geological formations.

Field outings to inspect and GPS-locate areas of known rockfall and suspected areas that have shown signs of instability may include long day hikes and boat rides in less than ideal conditions (rain, heat, and high winds) with the possibility of backcountry overnights. In the office, the GIP will analyze old photos, ranger reports, and historical data. The GIP will prepare a write-up of geohazard sites and build coverages of sites utilizing NPS and park GIS standards. Developing written content for the web and other media is also a possibility.

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We've had a cancellation, so a space has opened up on the Scotland field trip (July 18-29, 2008). See http://www.awg.org/trips/ for more details. If you're interested, please contact Marcia Knadle at marciaAWG@aol.com or 206-553-1641.

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The USGS-CVO will be holding an open house on Saturday May 3, 2008 from 10:30 to 5:00 p.m. CVO holds open houses only sporadically, and the next one might not be until the year 2011, so volcano enthusiasts should make a point of coming to the event this year.

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Chemists without Borders will be holding and on-line project management workshop (date as yet undetermined). It will take about one hour and require the use of telephone and internet connectivity.

If anyone is interested, please contact Lois Ongley (longley@unity.edu) for information as it becomes available.

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The American Geological Institute (AGI) Workforce Program reports on geoscientist salaries by years of experience in the most recent “Geoscience Currents.”

AGI has found that between 2004 and 2005, geoscientist starting salaries jumped by nearly ten percent. In comparison, salaries increased 20 percent in late career geoscientists in that same time period.

As expected, with higher education comes higher pay. But because of continuing shortages of experienced geoscientists, mid-career geoscientists with only a Bachelors degree can out-earn those with higher degrees, with an average salary of $135,000 with 10-14 years of experience, compared to only $103,000 for doctoral geoscientists with the same experience.

“Geoscience Currents” provides data snapshots and short reports to shed light into the issue of the overall health of the geoscience profession. From scholarships to employment opportunities, the effect of retirements, to university enrollment trends, “Geoscience Currents” provides up to-the-minute glimpses into all areas of the geosciences, from academia, government, and industry to educational opportunities and university demographics.

To subscribe to this free service go to http://www.agiweb.org/workforce/ and click “Register.” Also on the website are previous “Geoscience Currents” issues and other reports completed by the Workforce Program, as well as other resources pertaining to geoscience careers.

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The latest edition of the “Directory of Geoscience Departments” (DGD) — the definitive source for information about college and university geoscience departments in the United States and in 44 countries — has just been published by the American Geological Institute (AGI).

The “Directory of Geoscience Departments, 46th Edition," provides a state-sorted listing of over 2,000 geoscience departments, research departments and institutes plus listings of their faculty and staff. The leadership of the major geoscience professional and scientific societies in the United States is included in this edition of the DGD along with information on 284 international departments in 44 countries.

For the third year in a row, the directory includes a statistics section derived from the data used to compile this publication. This section gives data on geoscience student enrollments and degrees granted, faculty demographics, field camps and average annual salaries. This section has been expanded for the 46th edition to include “Geoscience Currents,” data snapshots produced by AGI.

In addition to the information about geoscience departments, and faculty, the DGD includes listings of U.S. state geological surveys, professional and scientific geoscience societies, and contact information. Other valuable features include highlighted departments that are also listed in AGI’s comprehensive Online Guide to Geoscience Departments; and an expanded listing of federal agencies that employ or are of interest to geoscientists.

Published in soft cover (6” x 9”), the 648 page “Directory of Geoscience Departments, 46th Edition” (ISBN 0-922152-80-2), is available through the AGI publications department. To learn more about this book and other AGI publications please go to http://www.agiweb.org/pubs/index.html.

The American Geological Institute is a nonprofit federation of 44 geoscientific and professional associations that represents more than 120,000 geologists, geophysicists and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in the profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in society's use of resources, resiliency to natural hazards, and interaction with the environment.

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Applications are being solicited for the position of Director, Oklahoma Geological Survey (OGS). The OGS is located on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman, Oklahoma, and is under the direction and supervision of the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma.

Organizationally, the OGS is located within the Mewbourne College of Earth & Energy, which also includes: ConocoPhillips School of Geology & Geophysics, Mewbourne School of Petroleum & Geological Engineering and Sarkeys Energy Center. The Director of the OGS reports administratively to the Dean, Mewbourne College of Earth & Energy and, depending on qualifications and experience, will hold a faculty position within the College as an Associate or Full Professor, renewable term or tenured. Candidates should hold a doctorate or have the equivalent experience in geology, geophysics or a closely related field.

The objectives and duties of the Oklahoma Geological Survey include the following:

(a) A study of the geological formations of the state with special reference to its natural resources, including coal, oil, gas, asphalt, gypsum, salt, cement, stone, clay, lead, zinc, iron, sand, road building material, water resources and all other mineral resources.

(b) The preparation and publication of bulletins and reports, accompanied with necessary illustrations and maps, including both general and detailed descriptions of the geological structure and mineral resources of the state.
(c) The consideration of such other related scientific and economic questions that shall be deemed of value to the people of Oklahoma.

The Director of the OGS has the responsibility of overseeing activities related to geological and geophysical studies of Oklahoma and adjacent areas, preparation of reports documenting the findings of these studies, and presentation of these results to individuals and agencies as appropriate and/or required.

The position requires supervision and administration of an organization of approximately 40 staff, associated facilities including offices, labs and the Oklahoma Petroleum Information Center (OPIC), which contains an extensive collection of rock cores and samples, other well information and selected facilities for the examination of these cores and samples. It is anticipated that the Director of the OGS will work with Oklahoma universities, state and federal agencies, industry and other entities to conduct research in areas of public interest, as well as providing advice and service in the areas of geology, geophysics and natural resources. The successful candidate will have the demonstrated experience and ability to conduct these activities, while acting as the State Geologist of Oklahoma. Areas that could be considered include experience with state or national surveys, administration in academia, and/or experience in industry or research.

Review of candidates will begin March 1, 2008 and continue until the position is filled. The anticipated starting date is July 1, 2008. Applicants are requested to submit a complete resume, statement of relevant experience and a list of five references who can be contacted, including names, phone numbers, e-mail addresses and complete mailing addresses. Questions or requests for additional information may be addressed to Larry R. Grillot, Dean of the Mewbourne College of Earth & Energy, and Chair of the OGS Director Search Committee, at (405) 325-3821, or lrgrillot@ou.edu. Applications and nominations should be addressed to OGS Director Search Committee, University of Oklahoma, Sarkeys Energy Center, 100 East Boyd Street, Room 510, Norman, OK 73019-1008.

The University of Oklahoma is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and Minorities are encouraged to apply.

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