Spring Break Sunshine

Karin Ohman (’09) at the podium delivering her research talk on climate change and the consequences for Cenozoic clams.

Spring Break is an annual ritual for college students, with many taking the mid-semester hiatus as an opportunity to scurry south in search of warm temperatures, placid beaches, and some serious relaxation. A number of William & Mary geologists changed their latitude (and perhaps their attitude) by making a showing at the Geological Society of America’s spring meeting in St. Petersburg, Florida over Spring Break. Nine undergraduates and three faculty members traveled south for the meeting.

Seniors Adam Gattuso, Kate McClure, and Karin Ohman gave talks on the results of their senior research. The formal presentations are typically followed by a bevy of questions from the audience about the research. Professor Rowan Lockwood noted “invariably faculty from other universities think W&M geology students are graduate students because their research is significant and the quality of their presentations far exceeds expectations for undergraduates.”

Ali Snell (’10) at work discussing stretched sandstones from the Blue Ridge Mountains (left) and at play contemplating the stretched pink Hummer (right).

At the research poster sessions, seniors Max Christie, Graham Lederer and Ethan Theuerkauf and juniors Drew Laskowski and Ali Snell hung their wares. From my perspective, these 4×8-foot posters are colossal, but visually appealing, testaments to science. Poster sessions are interactive affairs where the presenters engage and debate with other scientists. Drew and Ali’s research posters were the fruits of the labor put forward by the advanced structural geology seminar last Fall (see postings of September 26th and November 12th, 2008).

Artsy rendering of late night good times in the Geology computer lab as posters and presentations were prepared for the Geological Society meeting.

Preparing posters and presentations for a professional meeting consumes huge quantities of time. Much midnight oil was burned during the week prior to Spring Break. Yet, this is an annual tradition in the Geology department. During the past 5 years, 42 W&M geology students have presented research at professional meetings from San Francisco to Savannah (and at many points in between). For me, one of the best parts of my job is working with students on research. William & Mary undergraduates are not simply learning geology; they are doing geology and growing knowledge with their research, all of which makes the W&M Geology department a rich and exciting place.

Research Presentations (undergraduate presenter in bold)

CHRISTIE, Max, DIETL, Gregory P., KELLEY, Patricia H., LAYOU, Karen, LOCKWOOD, Rowan, and VISAGGI, Christy C.
ECOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS ACROSS A LATE PLIOCENE INTERVAL OF FAUNAL TURNOVER: NATICID CANNIBALISM NORTH AND SOUTH OF CAPE HATTERAS, NORTH CAROLINA

GATTUSO, Adam P., BAILEY, Christopher, and KUNK, Michael J.
STRATIGRAPHY, STRUCTURAL GEOMETRY, AND DEFORMATION HISTORY OF THE NEOPROTEROZOIC SWIFT RUN FORMATION, CENTRAL VIRGINIA BLUE RIDGE

LASKOWSKI, Andrew, BAILEY, Christopher, NICHOLLS, Owen, GARBER, John, KNIESER, Brian, LEDERER, Graham, and MURRAY, Lydia
THE SUGAR HOLLOW BASIN: A NEOPROTEROZOIC HALF GRABEN COMPLEX IN THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA BLUE RIDGE

LEDERER, Graham and BAILEY, Christopher
GEOLOGY AND STRUCTURAL HISTORY OF THE BLUE RIDGE BASEMENT COMPLEX IN ALBEMARLE COUNTY, VIRGINIA

MCCLURE, Kate J., LOCKWOOD, Rowan, and OHMAN, Karin A.
PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGE IN VENERICARDIA (BIVALVIA: CARDITIDAE) ON THE U.S. GULF COASTAL PLAIN DURING THE PALEOGENE

OHMAN, Karin A., LOCKWOOD, Rowan, and MCCLURE, Kate J.
EFFECTS OF PALEOGENE CLIMATE CHANGE ON DIVERSITY, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE AND BODY SIZE IN VENERICARD BIVALVES ALONG THE U.S. GULF COASTAL PLAIN

OWENS, Brent E., and BUCHWALDT, Robert
THE TASTE OF CROW: A REVISED AGE FOR A METAIGNEOUS VARIETY OF THE RALEIGH GNEISS, SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA PIEDMONT

SNELL, Alexandra K., WHITTEN, Jennifer, BAILEY, Christopher, KNUTH, Friedrich, and SALTZ, A.J.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRAIN ANALYSIS OF QUARTZ ARENITES FROM THE ANTIETAM FORMATION, WESTERN BLUE RIDGE, VIRGINIA

THEUERKAUF, Ethan J., BRODIE, Kate L., WADMAN, Heidi M., and MCNINCH, Jesse
BEACH EROSION AND GEOMORPHOLOGY: ASSESSING CORRELATIONS BETWEEN BEACH AND NEARSHORE MORPHODYNAMICS