Geological Insights & Event News

February 2022 newsletter features Fort Lewis College Professor Dr. David Gonzales presenting on Cenozoic landscape evolution in the western San Juan Mountains, covering post-Laramide uplift, Telluride Conglomerate deposition, volcanic activity, and tectonic processes over 35 million years. Tim Rynott generously sponsors 15 student dinners. Foundation announces 2022 MS Thesis Grant program with April 1 deadline for Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona geoscience theses. Jon Harvey provides earthquake fun fact about 1992 St. George, Utah magnitude 5.8 event.

January 2022 newsletter features Dr. Christian J. Heine from FTF Geosciences presenting on wind-blown sands and recognizing them in modern dunes, outcrops, and subsurface. President David Schiowitz reports improved snowpack conditions with Upper Colorado River Basin at 132% of median. Newsletter memorializes longtime member Dr. Charlie Burnham, former Harvard mineralogy professor who enriched FCGS and FLC geology programs. Dr. Jeff Geslin and FCGS sponsor 10 student dinners.

December 2021 newsletter features Dr. Ron Hill, Chief Geochemist at EOG Resources, presenting on the unconventional Bakken petroleum system and what geochemistry reveals about petroleum processes. Meeting includes FLC geology student poster presentations covering topics from fluorite mineralization to debris flow mapping. Chuck Baltzer generously sponsors 20 student dinners. President David Schiowitz discusses current drought conditions and low snowpack across Colorado and the West. Foundation donates $1000 to FLC undergraduate research fund.

November 2021 newsletter features Dr. Joel Pederson from Utah State University discussing lateral retreat and Quaternary evolution of the Book Cliffs in central Utah. President David Schiowitz recaps the successful Talks on the Rocks field trip led by Dr. Gary Gianniny examining Entrada Sandstone eolian deposits. Gordon Greve joins the Foundation board as new director. Jay and Sharon LeBeau sponsor students for the meeting. December preview announces Dr. Ron Hill on unconventional petroleum systems. Regional news includes Ore Deposit Hub webinar on Colorado Plateau uranium-vanadium deposits.

Dr. Jeff Geslin discussing Eocene depositional systems in Spain's Pyrenean Fold and Thrust Belt. President David Schiowitz highlights the first in-person fall meeting and announces the inaugural field trip led by Dr. Gary Gianniny examining Jurassic eolian sandstones. Featured are photos from the Fort Lewis on the Water (FLOW) rafting program's San Juan River geology trip. Foundation welcomes new director Gordon Greve and profiles Jim Fassett's dinosaur research. Upcoming talks include Dr. Joel Pederson on Book Cliffs landscape evolution and Dr. Ron Hill on unconventional petroleum systems.

September 2021 newsletter features Dr. Carolyn Tewksbury-Christle discussing seismic velocities in subduction zones using fossil rock records from the Condrey Mountain Schist. President David Schiowitz announces return to in-person meetings at Fort Lewis College with vaccination requirements and Zoom options. "Talks on the Rocks" field trip scheduled for October 16th examining Jurassic eolian sandstones. Upcoming speakers include Jeff Geslin on Pyrenees geology, Joel Pederson on Book Cliffs landscape evolution, and Ron Hill on unconventional petroleum systems. Picnic recap and photos included.