Chair's Letter - Mary P. Anderson
Dear Geo-Badgers:
On behalf of the Department of Geology and Geophysics, I send you greetings and another edition of our newsletter, newly re-named "The Outcrop". Be sure to read Bob Dott's fascinating account of the history of the name.
I took over as chairman of the department in late August as John Valley stepped down and began a well earned sabbatical. I discovered that one of the pleasant duties of being chairman is officiating at the annual alumni reception at GSA.
We've had lots of good news in 1999. Professor Jill Banfield was awarded a three-year 'genius' grant from the MacArthur Foundation. Assistant Professor Basil Tikoff won a prestigious five-year grant from the Packard Foundation and Emeritus Professor Lloyd Pray won the coveted Twenhofel Medal from the SEPM. Please see the section of the newsletter on Professional Honors to read more about these awards as well as other honors received by our faculty and staff.
Professor Dave Clark surprised us all by retiring at the end of the spring semester and then surprised us again by moving to California. Another surprise was in store at the end of the fall when Professor Carl Bowser announced that he would retire in January. Watch for more on that event in next year's newsletter.
We are in the process of making offers to two new professors - in Crustal Seismology and in Environmental Biogeochemistry.
Our Alumni Board, chaired by Jay Nania, had a very productive meeting in September, which included recognition of Pat Lehmann who has retired from the Board.
Finally, I want to let you know that we have received permission from the university to build an addition to Weeks Hall. We badly need additional space for the museum, the library, and for Jill Banfield's Center for Geomicrobiology, as well as additional teaching space, laboratories and offices. The Alumni Board is spearheading a campaign to help raise money for the estimated five million dollar addition. We already have a generous pledge of support from the College of Letters and Science; the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation has pledged 1.5 million dollars as a matching grant. The department too will contribute money from our endowment funds.
You will be hearing more about the building campaign from the Alumni Board. Our Geo-Badgers are incredibly loyal and generous to the department and we know that we can count on your support!
