Senior Research Scientist Dr. Martin P.A. Jackson was the weekly seminar speaker on Friday, March 29, 2002. The title of his presentation was "Orogenic Telescoping and Megabreccia Transport in a Gulf-of-Mexico-Type Allochthonous Salt Complex in the Precambrian Katanga Basin, Congo." [Abstract]. 03/26/02

Senior Research Scientist Dr. Robert Loucks was in Pau, France, March 26–28 to attend a research conference titled "Paleozoic Carbonates" sponsored by TotalFinaElf. Bob presented a poster session on his paleocave research titled "Characterizing the Three-Dimensional Architecture of a Coalesced, Collapsed-Paleocave System in the Lower Ordovician, Ellenburger Group by Integrating Ground-Penetrating Radar, Shallow Core, and Outcrop Data." Eighteen Paleozoic experts from around the world were invited by TotalFinaElf to present their work at the conference.

Bureau Director Scott W. Tinker, pictured here with Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, went to Washington, D. C. during the week of March 18 with Associate Director
Dr. Jay A. Raney to attend the annual meeting of the
Association of American State Geologists (AASG). While in Washington, Scott and Jay met with staff from Hutchinson's office, as well as many State and Federal officials and agencies, including Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton, DOE Assistant Secretary of Fossil Energy Mike Smith, USGS Director Chip Groat, the staff of Representative Joe Barton (R-6th), and Kevin Carroll and
Rob Sandoli of the Office of Management and Budget. Other groups visited included the National Science Foundation, National Forest Service, Army Corps of Engineers, National Mining Association, and National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges. 03/26/02

With more than 25 presentations, the Bureau of Economic Geology was well represented at the 2002 AAPG Annual Meeting March 10–13, 2002, in Houston, Texas. A complete list of Bureau presenters, titles of their presentations, and links to their abstracts can be reached by clicking here. 02/01/02

The Advisory Committee to the Bureau of Economic Geology met at Bureau headquarters on Thursday, March 7 for its annual Spring meeting. The committee welcomed new member Dr. Charles Williamson and listened to presentations by Bureau Research Scientists Dr. Alan R. Dutton and Dr. Stephen C. Ruppel. 03/06/02

Bureau researchers Dr. James Gibeaut and John Andrews presented a 3-D visualization of the geotextile-tubes (geotubes) installed along the Gulf of Mexico shoreline of the upper Texas coast to a meeting of the Coastal Coordination Council on March 5, 2002. The 3-D lidar visualization presentation was the first to a policy-making government body. To find out more about geotube research being carried out by the BEG, and to view previous presentations given by Dr. Gibeaut at Executive Committee Special Meetings of the Coastal Coordination Council, please visit our webpage, Geotube Monitoring Along the Upper Texas Coast. 03/06/02

Vince Torres, Associate Director for the Texas Institute for the Indoor Environment, gave a talk on the recent investigation of mold in the Bureau's facility and on general issues of understanding the sources of indoor environmental contaminants, the effects of facility operating conditions on contaminant sources and removal,

The Austin Geological Society's monthly public meeting was held on Monday, March 4, 2002, 7:00-8:00 p.m., at the Lower Colorado River Authority Board Room, 1st Floor Hancock Building. James Dwyer and Jim Marfus presented "Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Log Applications." 02/26/02

Dr. Graham Fogg, Hydrologist and Professor of Hydrogeology, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California at Davis, addressed the Bureau during a special Monday morning seminar on March 4. [Abstract]. 02/26/02

Research Associate Bill Ambrose was the Bureau's featured speaker for Friday's morning seminar series on March 1. The title of his presentation: "Play Assessment of Pliocene and Upper Miocene Gas and Oil Reservoirs, Macuspana Basin, Southeastern Mexico." [Abstract] 02/26/02

Bridget Scanlon and Peter Cook edited a special issue of the Hydrogeology Journal on Groundwater Recharge. Recharge is a critical issue for water resources and contaminant transport. This issue includes various papers on different techniques for quantifying recharge that range from remote sensing to groundwater approaches and also provides case studies that demonstrate applications of these techniques. The issue also includes a paper by Dr. Scanlon and others on Choosing Appropriate Techniques for Quantifying Groundwater Recharge. 03/17/02 

Students in Stephen Boese's fourth grade class at Blanton Elementary, in partnership with the Bureau, were awarded a ribbon for excellence for their presentation of the results of their experiment "Is Dirt just Dirt" at Austin Science Fun Day. Research Scientist Susan Hovorka mentored the class into an inquiry into the composition and origin of soil, starting with local samples and extending to samples collected contributed from various locations by Bureau staff. Blanton students then showed visitors to their booth how to make their own dirt by crushing rocks to make pebbles, sand, and clay, and adding organics from compost. [Photos]. 03/06/02  

The geoscience community is mourning the loss of Dr. Andrew George Warne, 47, a Bureau researcher from 1998 to 2000, who died in late March 2002 in Puerto Rico. At the time of his death, Drew was on assignment with the United States Geological Survey. His many friends and coworkers around the world are shocked and saddened by his death. Drew received a bachelor's degree from UNC Chapel Hill, his master's degree from Rutgers, and a Ph.D. from UNC Chapel Hill. Memorials should be directed to The Nature Conservancy, to which Drew was passionately committed.