AIPG - Missouri Section Spring Meeting

When:

Saturday, April 30

10 AM

Where:

H. Toads Bar and Grill

2359 Bittersweet Road

Lake Ozark, Missouri

573-365-5620

Followed by:

Lunch at H. Toads Cove Room

(menu attached)

                            AND

Brief field excursion to Ha Ha Tonka State Park

Led by Sherri Stoner (DNR-DGLS) with

emphasis on the karst features and recent

hydrologic analyses in the vicinity

See these attached links for printable documents:

Spring Meeting Announcement

H. Toads Directions

H. Toads Menu

Ha Ha Tonka Trip Guide

POSTPONED - JEFF CITY "SHAKING OF THE HANDS"

AIPG MO Section members.  See the important note below regarding the postponement of the Jefferson City "Shaking of the Hand event, that was originally scheduled for tomorrow.

Greetings, all.

Based on weather forecasts, I think the only prudent decision is to POSTPONE the 2011 “Shaking Hands in Jefferson City” to Tuesday, February 8.  I don’t think it’s necessary to wait until noon on Monday to make this decision – it sounds like we all are going to get clobbered!

Same plan on where to meet – 9:00 am in the Capitol Plaza Hotel coffee shop – on Tuesday February 8.  You may want to pass the word on to others – with the change in date, a few more folks may be able to join us.

In the meantime, bring in the extra firewood, get some candles out, charge the cell phones, and get the snow shovels and tractor blades ready.

See you on Tuesday, February 8.

Cheers,

Earthquake Insight LLC
Phyllis J. Steckel, RG
PO Box 2002
Washington, MO 63090
636-239-4013
psteckel@charter.net

"Shaking of the Hands" in Jefferson City, Missouri

"Shaking Hands in Jeff City" -- Annual Geoscience Outreach to Missouri Legislators

On Tuesday, February 1, 2011, geoscientists from all over Missouri are invited to travel to Jefferson City to meet with legislators.  Held annually during February, Missouri's Earthquake Awareness Month, "Shaking Hands in Jeff City" will educate and raise awareness among elected officials.   The purpose of this AIPG-initiated event is to advocate for the geological sciences using a focus on Missouri's earthquake hazards, as well as to offer the expertise of geoscientists to help solve some tough, contemporary issues facing our state -- clean water, energy, natural hazards, and many others.

The group will meet at the Capital Plaza Hotel coffee shop at 9:00 am that morning and will spend a short time coordinating legislative visits and sharing handout materials.  We'll break up into teams of two or three for the visits.  No experience is needed, just a willingness to walk the capitol floors and shake a few hands.  Come with a story from your professional experience of how knowledge of geology made a difference in the success of a project.

Please join us in this effort to tell our lawmakers how geology makes a difference in society.  Carpools are encouraged, as parking near the Capital can be a challenge.

Peter Price (pymprice@rollanet.org) is again coordinating "Shaking Hands in Jeff City."  Please contact Peter to let him know of your interest.  Phyllis Steckel(psteckel@charter.net) will also help coordinate carpools.

Thanks, Peter Price

Photos and Summary of Panelist Discussion At Missouri State University

Missouri State University recently played host to the fall meeting of the Missouri Section of AIPG.   Approximately 60 students from the Geography, Geology and Planning Department of MSU and the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at St. Louis University were treated to a distinguished panel of four geology practitioners who explained the ins and outs of careers in the geological sciences.  Panelists included: past president of AIPG at the national level, John Bognar, BCI Engineers and Scientists Inc., Ann Hagni, a geoscience consultant with Ann Hagni Consulting LLC, Anna Londono, Assistant Professor at St. Louis University, and Joe Gillman, Missouri’s State Geologist.

Students, panelists and other AIPG members in attendance had a lively discussion that covered a broad spectrum of topics ranging from the importance of ethics in the profession to the importance of expanding career options through flexibility, hard work and continuing education. 

After the panel discussion, the Missouri Section of AIPG held a brief Section Meeting in Temple Hall at MSU.  Issues discussed included recent cutbacks in higher education in Missouri and the section’s approach to supporting geology programs.  A slate of section officers for 2011 was put forward.

Following the meeting, a number of students and faculty joined together with AIPG Missouri Section members in a delicious banquet at the Plaster Student Union.  This gave students, and experienced practitioners the opportunity to get acquainted in a relaxed setting and practice those all-important networking skills. See the slideshow below for photographs of the panelist discussion, AIPG business meeting and the banquet (click on the slideshow to take you to the photo webpage or click here).




MSU’s Dr. Kevin Evans led a joint field trip for students and AIPG members on the 13^th with some excellent interaction and food for thought (see the field trip guide here:).  Subject of the trip was ”Stratigraphic and structural significance of Kinderhookian strata in southwest Missouri: Implications for Mississippian Tectonism.”  Numerous rock exposures between Springfield and the Arkansas border were observed.  See the slideshow below for photographs of the field trip (click on the slideshow to take you to the photo webpage or click here).

All in all, the fall meeting was a huge success.  Credit goes out to our distinguished panelists, the faculty at MSU, and all of the students and AIPG members in attendance.  Special thanks to Tom Plymate, Jim Williams, Alice Fuerst, and Tami Allison for putting this enjoyable and entertaining event together.  

FINAL NOTICE - Interactive Student/Panelist/Educator Seminar and AIPG Fall Meeting Announcement/Agenda

Jim Williams Summary of National Meeting and Position Paper

Jim Williams has prepared a summary outlining the happenings at the recent AIPG National meeting in Florida and also a position paper on the "student adjunct" membership classification.

Annual Meeting Notice - November 12-13

The AIPG - Missouri Section will host it's annual meeting at Missouri State University (MSU) in Springfield on Friday and Saturday, November 12-13.  Before the business portion of the meeting takes place, an interactive panel will discuss topics on geology, geologic education, preparation for the work force and professional ethics.  The panelist discussion is part of MSU's Seminar Series and is co-sponsored by AIPG - Missouri Section and MSU's Department of Geology, Geography and Planning Department.

Whether you are a student, recent graduate looking for work, newly-hired geologist, or seasoned veteran, there will be something valuable that can be gathered from this weekend event.  This is also a fantastic opportunity to sell AIPG to both students and others that might be interested.  In order to garner the interest of that target audience, it is imperative that we have a good turnout from the current membership (whether student adjuncts, members or CPGs) at this event.  It's no secret that the student adjunct and membership categories within AIPG have been the fastest growing sector.  So here is our chance to capitalize!

Keep the above link handy as we will no doubt be providing future updates for this meeting.  In the meantime, you can check out the "First Notice" that was recently sent out by Treasurer Alice Fuerst.  Thanks for President Jim Williams, DGLS Deputy Director Joe Gillman, and MSU Professors Tom Plymate and Kevin Evans for planning!

AIPG - MO Fall Meeting Planned for November

Most of you know that as a Section we try and meet during the fall AMG meeting to hammer out items which have come up since the Spring meeting.  This Fall the Section is planning something different.  Missouri Section President Jim Williams and Missouri Department of Natural Resources Division of Geology and Land Survey State Geologist/Division Director Joe Gillman have been in contact with the Geology/Geography Department at Missouri State University (MSU) in Springfield to host a fall meeting.


As everyone is well aware, AIPG, both at national and section levels, has found it difficult to recruit and retain young geologists.  The intent of this meeting is for AIPG - MO Section to "adopt" the geology students in attendance.  Discussions at the Spring meeting and via email centered around the Section covering the cost of the meeting expenses (food, etc.) and also picking up the tab for AIPG student memberships (hopefully with the aid of AIPG - National).  The arrangements with the MSU Geology/Geography Department are being made by Joe Gillman.  A Friday afternoon date has been tentatively scheduled by the Department for an afternoon seminar.


Because the MO Section has a lot riding on this, we must do better with attendance than in the past. The Taum Sauk AIPG - MO Section meeting/field trip last year shows we can do better.   Lets repeat that effort and show prospective member that we have a healthy and vibrant Section!  The future not just of AIPG but geology and its services, whether private sector, academia and/or government depends on enthusiastic students.  Many know that some universities and other teaching institutions have been eliminating geology departments or programs.  This is our chance to help our hosts in that respect and cultivate new members within the profession.  As leaders and mentors we must show and pass on that enthusiasm to demonstrate we are sincere about our profession.


Currently, we are looking at November 12 and 13 or November 19 and 20.  Follow the the blog for updates or contact Section President Jim Williams (jhwms at marktwain.net) if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.

Association of Missouri Geologists (AMG) Fall Meeting

The Association of Missouri Geologists (AMG) will hold their fall meeting and field trip Friday, October 8 and 9 in Maryville, Missouri.  Friday's field trip will visit a biomass and alternative fuels plant, and the field trip Friday will be to a local wind farm and locales to visit loess hills and Pennsylvanian stratigraphy.  The banquet will be held Saturday evening.  Check out the preliminary announcement below.  The AMG link in the sidebar has been unavailable but will be updated when a new link is received.

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Minutes from Spring Meeting

Click on the attached link to see the meeting minutes:

May 8, 2010 Meeting Minutes