Welcome to the Geology Department's new web site which was designed by
our own Dr. Babaie. We would like to thank Hassan for all of his hard
work and know-how in putting this together. If you have further suggestions
for this web site please contact Dr. Babaie (hbabaie@gsu.edu).
As you may have heard I have replaced Dr. David Vanko as Department Chair.
Dave has accepted the position as Department Chair of the Physics, Astronomy,
and Geoscience Department at Towson University near his home town of Baltimore.
The Department would like
to express our most sincere appreciation to Dave for his 18 years of hard
work, leadership, and dedication to GSU Geology. He really cannot be replaced
as a researcher, teacher and department chair. During the past year Ms.
Mignon Jackson has replaced Chris Russell as our business manager. Chris
has gone on to a position with the Business School at GSU and we wish
her the best. The department is well-served with Mignon running our business
affairs.
Our students, faculty, and staff continue to work hard to keep Geology
going at Georgia State and to provide a vibrant learning institution within
the Atlanta community. One very encouraging recent development is that
we have experienced a very significant increase in our undergraduate majors.
This is in keeping with the hefty increase of enrollment at GSU. These
new majors should keep us all motivated and busy. During the past year
we have had a number
of graduate students who have worked very hard to complete their M.S.
theses and have done a fine job in upholding this research tradition at
GSU. We continue to receive funding from the United States Geological
Survey, Lucent Technology, The State of Georgia (EPD), and the National
Science Foundation for our varied research projects. We will strive harder
to expand our research funding to provide our students with the opportunities
these funds afford.
The Department welcomes Dr. Beth A. Christensen, the latest addition
to our faculty. Beth comes to us with a Ph.D. from the University of South
Carolina and teaching experience from Furman University. Dr. Christensen's
research specialties include marine paleontology and paleoclimatology
as interpreted from the marine fossil and sedimentological record. One
other notable change is that Dr. Babaie is now field camp director and
he and Dr. LaTour will share the
major duties of field camp which is still conducted out of Dillon. Dr.
Fritz is still associated with the field camp and graciously devotes some
time in the field to insure its well-being.
The ACRES Program which is our summer research program for undergraduates
and science teachers has been a major success under the able direction
of Dr. Pamela Burnley. Departmental faculty members including Dr. Elliott
and Dr. LaTour participate in this program and we are very hopeful that
funding for ACRES will be renewed by the National Science Foundation.
Dr. Ghazi continues to receive major funding from the National Science
Foundation and Lucent
Technology for the development of the Department's ICPMS-LA laboratory.
We all appreciate Mo's efforts in keeping this laboratory as a "cutting
edge facility".
The field of Geology is still quite viable with virtually all of our undergraduate and graduate students taking positions in the hydrological and environmental sectors. These graduates are perhaps the Department's most important contribution to the community. Best wishes to all of our alumni, friends, current students, and perspective students. We would also like to thank all of you who have contributed gifts to our department and encourage any new contributions.
Best Wishes,
Seth Rose
Associate Professor and Department Chair
