WKU Geography and
 Geology            


Fall 2001

The Annual Newsletter of the Department of Geography and Geology at Western Kentucky University.

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Continued from Section One......

inside...

  • Adventures in Geography and Geology ..............................

  • Faculty Activities..............................

  • Alumni News ..............................

  • Electronic Alumni News Form (SEND IT IN TODAY!) ..............................


  • PYRAMIDS: AN EXAMPLE OF HUMAN VS. CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS

    By Michael Trapasso


           I usually don’t go around spouting philosophy; I have a hard enough time just trying to mind my own business. However, over the last few years, I have developed a doctrine I would like to share with you. It involves, to some extent, the mystery of pyramids. At least in terms of form versus function.
          In the mid 1970s, in his book Chariots of the Gods , Erik Von Daniken theorized that extraterrestrial beings had visited the earth through history, and taught 'idiot humans' how to build pyramids. The theory was always hard to swallow….these days I dismiss it altogether. Ever since I explored my first Mayan City in 1982, the pyramid shape has held me in awe. Climbing a variety of pyramids through time and space has helped me establish an idea of my own. Nothing brilliant you understand, but one that involves all the pyramids I have ever seen. In the past two years, I have expanded my exploration of ancient civilizations away from the Maya, and entered the realm of the Aztecs, the Incas, and the ancient Egyptians. I’ve undergone a ‘mad rush’ to visit the major known civilizations that built pyramids and to try and understand why they built them.
           I base my doctrine on the simple fact that some things we do, we do because of our culture (e.g., music, food, language, religion…). However, there are other things we do simply because we are human (e.g., every civilization has a God or Gods, every civilization has a political hierarchy, every civilization has a mythology…). These things we do because we are human, and they transcend political boundaries as well as continents. So is the case with pyramids. Any civilization that can build structures of stone, terra cotta, or even dirt, will eventually build a pyramid-like edifice. This is a human trait. It is not specific to the Egyptians or the Maya, or anyone else for that matter. This is a human trait.
           Are these magnificent, huge, symmetrical structures difficult to build? Of course they are. Theories abound as to how the stones are cut, transported, and arranged. They require tremendous amounts of manpower. Can humans actually build pyramids? Of course they can, and the proof is all over the world. Experts have even established some of the techniques used in construction. While visiting Saqsaywaman, in Peru, a guide was explaining how the Incas quarried their massive blocks of limestone. I mentally noted that they used the same techniques as the ancient Egyptians did in their quarries. Humans are pretty bright at times, and can figure out how to do all kinds of things. It is not a surprise that one can find pyramids in Egypt, Central America, Mexico, the Andes Mountains, the interior of China, and the southeastern U.S. Pyramids are not unique! They are a fairly common human endeavor.
           Almost invariably the pyramid has a religious purpose. It is a structure that brings people closer to the heavens… closer to god. Keep in mind humans almost invariably pray upward. Though some religions hold gods of the underworld, or gods of evil, most of the gods reside in the heavens. People may tilt their heads down in humility and reverence, but the god they pray to lives above. Therefore, the ultimate temple to the gods is a structure that begins with a square base then slants inward as well as upward… in other words, a pyramid. There is nothing magical about this shape. It simply makes sense.



    An Egyptian Pyramid in Giza, Cairo



    Pyramid at Macchu Picchu, Peru


    A Mayan Pyramid

           Culture comes into play when we discover why the pyramids were built. These are the characteristics that make them unique. In other words, building pyramids is a basic human project; what we do with the pyramids reflects the culture of the people involved. Again, almost invariably, the pyramid has a religious purpose. After that, the uses are quite different. The great pyramids of Egypt were burial monuments. Within them lies a chamber in which the Pharaoh was laid to rest until his rebirth into the afterlife.
           Massive pyramids found in the People’s Republic of China were also used to bury a selected Emperor or two. These structures were gigantic mounds of earth, less impressive than their Egyptian counterparts, but more massive.
           Thousands of years ago, even our own Native Americans built pyramid-like structures in Georgia and Tennessee. Some were used as burial mounds, while others where used to hold religious rituals. According to archeologists, these rituals brought gifts to the gods and probably did not include sacrifices of any kind.
           Though occasionally a Mayan King was buried in a pyramid, in general these Mayan structures were not used in the same way as the Egyptians, the Chinese, or Native American tribes. To the Maya, pyramids were temples and staging areas, where only an elite person or small group of people could pray to the heavens. Perhaps an enemy's head would roll, perhaps a virgin would die, or the King himself would let his own blood flow as a sacrifice. Whatever went on up there, it was in clear view of masses of people. This was a temple, an altar, and a visible stage. The Maya made their pyramids to be climbed … no one was ever meant to ascend an Egyptian pyramid!
           The Aztecs were much like the Maya; their pyramids were made for praying and sacrificing people and animals to the god(s) they were trying to appease. Aztec and Mayan pyramids were always constructed with stairs. At times, massive amounts of blood flowed down these stairs, as a testimony to a successful ritual. Egyptian pyramids, on the other hand, were usually smooth-sided.
           I only encountered one pyramid while visiting Inca sites in the Peruvian Andes. At Machu Picchu, the one pyramid extant was not for burial, nor was it for human sacrifice (the Incas did their bloodletting upon other altars in the city). This pyramid was used for astronomical observations and as a very precise calendar. This was a scientific and cosmological center. At the top, various structures pointed to exact cardinal directions. There were also remnants of chairs where astronomers of the time could observe the stars with directional precision. With the Incas, the pyramid was a place of science and learning.
           I will spare you multiple descriptions of all the pyramids I have climbed and I will conclude with the following. Humans can build pyramids. They have done so all over the world. They did not require instruction from extraterrestrial beings. Building pyramids is a characteristic of humans building a civilization. What was the purpose of the pyramids? Well that’s the cultural part of the scheme, and can be as varied as the civilizations themselves.


    GEOLOGY IN THE NEWS

    Leading Geologists Impact Western

    by Fred Siewers

           The Geosciences and the Department of Geography and Geology were in the campus spotlight this past Spring due to visits by two internationally-renown geologists: Drs Walter Alvarez and Orrin Pilkey. Dr Alvarez, a geologist and geophysicist from the University of California at Berkeley, is a leading authority on the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction, an episode in Earth history that led to the demise of the dinosaurs and other life. In the 1980s, he and his father, Louis Alvarez, were the first to provide evidence that the extinction coincided with the impact of a large comet or meteor, evidence that is central to the “impact theory” that most scientists feel explains the K-T mass extinction. Dr Alvarez came to Western Kentucky University to present a community-wide lecture on his work as part of the campus’ Cultural Enhancement Series. His talk was outstanding and a big hit with the nearly 700 people in attendance. Those in Geography and Geology and some of the other sciences also met with Dr. Alvarez in more informal settings, including a classroom interactive session and a dinner hosted by the Geology Club. All who came into contact with Dr. Alvarez were impressed with his congenial manner and his interest in talking with students. He, in turn, was impressed with the campus and the number of people who had read his book T.Rex and the Crater of Doom (required reading in all the geology courses!).


    Poster Advertising the Alvarez Seminar



    Faculty and Students Meet with Dr Alvarez



    Geology Faculty with Dr Alvarez

           Immediately after Walter Alvarez’s visit came Orrin Pilkey’s visit. Dr Pilkey is the James B. Duke Professor of Geology at Duke University and the Director of that university’s Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines. He is well known for his work on barrier islands and his efforts to protect coastal environments from development. Among many other accomplishments, he led the effort to move the Cape Hatteras lighthouse away from the advancing Atlantic shoreline. Dr Pilkey came to Western as the speaker for the annual Sigma Xi banquet. In addition to his banquet speech, he presented a talk to Ogden College entitled “Rising Seas and Shifting Shores, the American Coastal Erosion Problem.” This talk was attended by a significant number of Geography and Geology students and was very well received. All who attended were greatly impressed with Pilkey’s dynamism and his commitment to the environment.
           Western was truly blessed this past Spring with visits by some of the leading scientists of our time. Dr Fred Siewers from the Department led the initial lobbying effort to bring both Alvarez and Pilkey to campus and was responsible for many of the logistics and organizational details for these successful visits. The tremendous turnout and the warm reception these scientists received are strong evidence of the public interest in geoscience research and geoscience-related environmental issues.


    Hot Tomalley! The Geology Club Remembers Maine

    by Ken Kuehn

           Five students and two Geology faculty capped their summer with a week-long geo-tour of coastal Maine. Undergraduate Geology majors Nate Jones, Laura DeMott, Bethany Overfield, Melissa Thornton, and Geosciences Master’s candidate Joey Islas were the student participants. Drs Fred Siewers and Ken Kuehn were the faculty leaders. Our group assembled at the Manchester, NH, airport on August 5th and proceeded north to our initial destination at the Siewers’ family homestead in Sedgwick, Maine.
           A tour of Acadia National Park was our first order of business, as well as a look at many interesting features of Mt. Desert Island overall. The island, Maine’s largest at nearly 108 square miles, was named by Samuel de Champlain in 1604. It contains a range of northeast trending coastal hills that have been scoured by glaciers creating a series of north-south valleys. The hills include Cadillac Mountain, which at 1530 feet of elevation is the highest peak on the eastern seaboard. Acadia National Park itself comprises 47,633 acres of Mt. Desert Island and 41 miles of its coastline. In 1929, Acadia became the first national park to be established east of the Mississippi River. The Park’s diverse scenery includes the high hills of bald granite, evergreen forests, 100-foot tall sea cliffs, cobbled shorelines, harbors and coves, freshwater lakes and ponds, and a variety of glacial features. This natural splendor is enjoyed by approximately 4,000,000 people each year and lamentably it seemed that most of them were right there beside us, on the peak of the tourist season. Once off the well-trod path of the park’s Outer Loop Road, however, the quiet, natural beauty of our surroundings became apparent and often postcard perfect.
           A brief accounting of our geological observations follows: The Ellsworth Schist is the oldest rock unit exposed on Mt. Desert Island. It originally accumulated as sedimentary layers of marine and volcanic debris during Cambro-Ordovician time about 500Ma. Then, in the Late Ordovician and Early Silurian Periods these layers were metamorphosed as a part of the Avalonian tectonic plate and became schists and gneisses. Today, the Ellsworth is exposed in the northwestern portion of the island and was the first rock type we saw as we approached Acadia’s visitor information center.
           The second oldest rock unit is the Bar Harbor Formation which we viewed along the Shore Path in Bar Harbor during a hike. This is a gently dipping sequence of submarine silts and sands, with much original depositional texture still preserved. This indicates it was not exposed to the strong tectonic forces that altered the Ellsworth Schist. The Bar Harbor Formation has been dated at 410Ma and unconformably overlies the Ellsworth.
           The Cranberry Island Series comprises rocks exposed on the Cranberry Islands themselves, along the southern part of Mt. Desert Island, and on Isle au Haut. These were deposited during in the Early Devonian time about 380Ma and are primarily volcanic tuffs, rhyolitic lava flows, and sediments. Our group took a relaxing cruise through the Cranberry Islands on the daily mail boat which delivers passengers and goods to these outposts. Later, we viewed these lithologies closely on Isle au Haut during a day-long outing by private boat that included some hiking and exploring on the island.
           Intrusive igneous rocks compose most of Mt. Desert Island. Plutons ranging from gabbro through diorite, rich in iron and magnesium minerals, intruded first. We observed these cropping out along the Great Head in Acadia. Massive granite plutons followed, signifying the peak of the Acadian Orogeny between 380Ma and 360Ma with the collision between the North American and Avalonian tectonic plates. Our group had a detailed look at the granite of Hall Quarry, a now inactive pit that was begun more than one hundred years ago. Large blocks cut from the Somesville Granite there were carried by schooners to their ports of destination and can be seen today in major cities all along the coast.
           An intriguing ‘shatter zone’, or highly brecciated mixture of older rock in a matrix of granite was examined near Sand Beach. Presumably this wide band, exposed at many locales, evidences the forcible emplacement of the Cadillac Mountain Granite into the surrounding country rock. By the end of the Acadian Orogeny, mountains as tall as the modern Rockies existed in the region. The igneous and metamorphic rocks we viewed are exposed at the surface today because of subsequent periods of uplift and erosion and represent the cores of those once mighty mountains.
           The beautiful appearance of the modern landscape, however, is due mainly to the extensive action of glaciers during the Pleistocene Epoch. The overall shapes of the mountains, their grooved and striated surfaces, till deposits, moraines, and a fjord (Somes Sound) are all testament to the earth-shaping power of the ice. Around 14000 years ago the ice stopped its advance and meltwaters began to drown the shoreline and create the fabulously complex coast we have today; a coast that is dotted by countless small islands and shallow ledges. Linear bodies of freshwater such as Eagle Lake, Echo Lake, and Jordan Pond are other remnants of the great glaciers. Also noteworthy is that the land itself has rebounded since the glacial melt back, raising itself up at least 225 feet.
           Between geology excursions, the group enjoyed many other new experiences. There was an afternoon whale-watch cruise, where we spotted four finback whales (second largest whale) and several Atlantic porpoises. One morning, several early risers drove to the top of Cadillac Mountain before 5:00 am to enjoy the celebrated sunrise there. This is the very first place in the continental United States to meet the sun each day. We also took considerable advantage of the bountiful sea fare and tasty local beverages. In this domain, a notable highlight was Dr Siewers’ impromptu lecture on how to consume and enjoy whole ‘lobstah’. I am pleased to report the entire group earned an ‘A’ on the subsequent practicum! We learned that real epicures consider the true lobster delicacy to be the ‘tomalley’, which Dr Siewers also invited us to consume. (To the uninitiated, the term ‘tomalley’ has a 17th century Caribbean origin and basically means ‘greasy green lobster guts’!)
           The return trip south toward Manchester included brief stops at picturesque coastal towns such as Freeport. Known as the birthplace of Maine, Freeport is where papers were signed in 1820 to separate Maine from Massachusetts and earn it statehood. To our group, however, Freeport was much better known as the location of the famous outfitter L.L. Bean, so time and money were spent experiencing its huge retail store there.
           One very full day was spent exploring and collecting minerals in Maine’s famous pegmatites, including a stop at Mt. Apatite. Maine boasts two huge and gemologically important pegmatite districts, the Topsham District near the coast and the Paris-Rumford District in the west-central part of the state. Prior research by grad student Joey Islas prepared us to visit several dormant mines that once provided feldspars and micas for various manufacturing purposes. Our real interest, however, were the rare gem minerals that can occur as accessories in these deposits. Pegmatites are unusual igneous intrusions that represent the last and most hydrous portion of a granitic magma. They are often enriched in rare elements and are texturally characterized by large, individual crystals that can range from less than an inch up to several feet in length! We collected samples of black, green, and pink tourmaline, beryl, topaz, and a few others, though no real gem quality specimens were found.
           Over the course of the day, we encountered about 50 local rockhounds who were busy digging, hammering, washing, and screening, and it soon became apparent that we were greatly outmatched. The local folk were quite neighborly though, and instructed us as to what to look for and how to go about it. A real treat came from advice to visit Perham’s store located in Paris, Maine. There, amongst the gems and other samples offered for sale, were huge, museum-quality minerals on display. These represented about 40 years of collecting by Frank Perham and family, and they have even contributed some of their outstanding specimens to the Smithsonian collection. One large, colorless, topaz crystal, for example, was priced at more than $7,000! What a special treat it was to see such fine specimens! The town of Paris, Maine, itself is noted in history as being the first place in the United States that gem-grade tourmaline was discovered.
           Our fabulous week concluded with departure from the Manchester, NH, airport on August 12th. We covered about 1,400 miles in all, with countless stops along the way. The ardors of camping and the record high temperatures made everyone pretty frazzled and numb by week’s end. The only remaining question that anyone could ask was, “How can we possibly top this for next summer?”



    The Mainers Gather for the Adventure




    Exploring the Intertidal Pools



    Nate considers the 'Lobstah!'



    Exploring Bar Harbor Seastacks


    Dr Siewers Demonstrates the Finer Points of 'Lobstah!' Preparation




    Laura DeMott Examines the Material


    FACULTY ACTIVITIES


       JIM BINGHAM writes that he should start out by indicating that, with the full retirement of Jim Davis, he could claim the title of the “OLD ??????” of the Department. However, Pete is still teaching parttime and Jim thinks he should be given the title since he has more gray hair and is “several” years older.
           Among the most important highlights of the past year are: he is a year closer to retirement. Jim plans to teach at least, if his health holds out, until he can “draw” social insecurity as well as KTRS. About three more years should do it but one never knows what the future may hold.
           The Department has continued to make progress even with limited resources provided by the University and the Commonwealth. This progress has been the result of a lot of time-consuming work by the faculty. Jim understands that G&G was the most productive department on campus this past year. He spent most of the year doing what he likes to do best—teaching. Starting with summer 2000 and continuing through summer 2001, Jim managed to teach a total of 17 classes, including three in Glasgow and two in Owensboro. Based on his observations both on and off campus, he remains unconvinced that there is anything positive about KERA with respect to increased geographic knowledge.
          Jim presented a paper at the annual Kentucky Academy of Science meeting dealing with the increasing Hispanic population in the Commonwealth. His current geographic research includes a number of projects. One deals with population changes from 1990 to 2000 in Kentucky’s small towns, utilizing data from the 2000 Census. A second project deals with Kentucky’s increasing motor vehicle and related manufacturing activities. The Commonwealth now ranks third in total light motor-vehicle production in the U.S.A. A third study deals with changes in Kentucky’s central place structure and hierarchy from 1950 to 2000. A fourth study revolves around commuting in Kentucky from 1990 to 2000 and will be incorporated with the past two commuting studies that Wayne and Jim completed earlier.
           Jim’s current personal interest and partially geographic research includes a study dealing with the role of topography in cavalry activities in Kentucky and Tennessee during the civil War, a study which examines the importance of steamboats and river landings in the early development of Hardin County, Tennessee, and a study related to the role of African-American farmers in western Tennessee during the 1800s.
           With respect to avocation rather than vocation, Jim continues to be actively engaged in growing and hybridizing irises. Additionally, he hopes to introduce several more irises during the coming years as the hybridizing starts to gain momentum. He is especially looking forward to spring 2002 when the American Iris Society holds its annual meeting in Memphis; Jim plans to have several of his introductions on display.
           Also, Jim must report that he has two new black and white Shih Tzu pups to replace Kelly who finally checked out at eighteen and went to “doggie” heaven. The pups will be a year old on September 9 and are named “Tenn” and “Tuck” – bet you cannot figure out the origin of their names.
          JIM WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ALL PAST STUDENTS AND ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM 1965 TO 1980. PLEASE COME TO SEE US THIS HOMECOMING. And to PROFESSOR DR. TGM, “KEEP ON ROLLING WITH THE FLOW,” Jim is.

       SCOTT DOBLER is starting his second year with Western Kentucky University. He received is undergraduate degree from Morehead State University in geography, with a minor in biology. Scott received his M.A. from Bowling Green State University in climatology in 1990. During the last decade he worked in the field of geography as a GIS specialist and as an education sales representative. His specific interests are in Geoscience (go figure), K-12 education, recruitment and retention as well as outreach.


       NICK CRAWFORD accompanied his wife, Whit, as her “spouse,” while she was honored for three days last summer in Washington, D.C., as the Jefferson ward recipient for southcentral Kentucky. Whit received the award for her volunteer work as President of the Board of Directors for Friends of Lost River and for her many years of work for Kids on the Block and other volunteer activities. Under a grant from General Motors and the United Auto Workers Union to the Center for Cave and Karst Studies, Nick taught a 2.5 hour workshop on the local environmental for over a year, ending last December. The workshop was offered to Corvette Factory employees, 25 different employees each week. Incredibly, the Workshop began at 6:00 am each Thursday morning and, even more incredibly, Nick was never late! The workshop was directed toward living on a karst landscape and dealt with sinkhole flooding, sinkhole collapses, groundwater contamination, earthquakes, and radon. The Corvette employees, most of whom moved here from other states, seemed to appreciate the information about Bowling Green ad its karst environment.
           In October 2000, Nick presented three papers at the Mammoth Cave National Park’s Eighth Science Conference, and the papers, written by 11 students, were published in the Proceedings. In November, Nick and his students presented five papers at the Kentucky Academy of Science Meeting in Lexington. Nick presented a paper on a new problem in Bowling Green, where gasoline vapors from the karst aquifer were rising into a large church and church school in Bowling Green. Nine students who worked on the dye traces and microgravity research for the project were co-authors of the paper. A paper presented by Kathryn Seadler and co-authored by Shanna Restall, Terry Flynn (Barren River Health Dept) and Nick dealt with residential radon levels. A paper presented by Joel Despain and co-authored by William Blackburn, Susan Marklin and Nick dealt with sinkhole flooding mitigation research at Egypt Parking Lot, a Center for Cave and Karst Studies project funded by a grant from the City of Bowling Green. Joseph Islas presented a paper, co-authored by Thomas Brackman and Nick, on microgravity and resistivity research, and Thomas Brackman presented a paper, co-authored by Leigh Anne Croft, George Ryan and Nick, on a geophysical investigation to locate a spring under a landfill in Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee. This successful investigation, funded through a grant to the Center for Cave and Karst Studies, was directed by our new Center Hydrogeologist Leigh Anne Croft.
           In December 2000, Nick presented the paper, “Microgravity Investigations of Sinkhole Collapses Under Highways,” at the First International Conference on the Application of Geophysical Methodologies to Transportation Facilities and Infrastructure, St. Louis, MO. The paper was published in the Proceedings. In April, 2001, Nick attended the Eighth Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst, Louisville, KY. Nick led a field trip for the conference in Bowling Green. The field trip guide, “Environmental Problems Associated with Urban Development Upon Karst, Bowling Green, Kentucky,” was published in Beck and Herring (eds.) Geotechnical and Environmental Applications of Karst Geology and Hydrology, the Conference proceedings.
           In May, Nick presented a USEPA Workshop in Virginia, “Source Area Identification and Protection in Karst,” under a grant to the Center for Cave and Karst Studies. In June, Nick directed the Karst Field Studies Program, coordinated this year by the Center’s new Administrative Assistant, Rita Collins. This was the 22nd year for this highly successful program of one-week courses/workshops. Again, Nick and Dr. Will White, Penn State University, taught the Karst Hydrology course. Other courses taught by Department Adjunct faculty included: Speleology – Mr. Roger Brucker; Exploration – Dr. Stan Sides; Karst Geology – Dr. Art Palmer; and Hydrology of the Edwards Aquifer (offered in San Antonio, Texas) – Dr. George Veni.
           During July, Nick and Whit took their first two-week vacation in 32 years. They have an old cruiser and they spent the time exploring and enjoying beautiful Lake Cumberland near Somerset, Kentucky. However, during the vacation, Nick was able to direct a karst geophysical investigation for a section of the proposed new route for Highway 27, funded by the State Department of Transportation by a grant to the Center for Cave and Karst Studies. The month-long investigation involved seven of our students and included microgravity, electrical resistivity and cave mapping. Nick also found time to present four papers at the National Speleological Society Convention held at nearby Mt. Vernon, Kentucky. Two of the papers presented were co-authored by 12 students who participated in this research.
           Also in July, both Nick and Chris Grove were listed as authors of an award-winning book on karst entitled, Living With Karst. The first author, deserving most of the credit, was Dr George Veni. George is a graduate of our MS degree program. He is also the Center for Cave and Karst Studies representative on the POD Board of Directors and an adjunct professor in our Department as an instructor for the Karst Field Studies Program each summer. Many of the photographs, diagrams and examples in the book are of the Bowling Green area. Thanks, George, the Department of Geography and Geology is proud of your accomplishments.

       STUART FOSTER has been appointed State Climatologist for Kentucky. As the new director of the Kentucky Climate Center, he spent much of the year becoming familiar with the day-to-day operations of the Center and developing a strategic plan for the Center. Shortly after assuming his duties, Stuart attended the American Association of State Climatologists annual meeting in Logan, Utah, where Glen Conner and he presented The Kentucky Climate Center. Dr. Foster gave a presentation, El Niño, La Niña, and Kentucky’s Climatic Extremes ,at the Kentucky Academy of Science Meeting in Lexington. In May, he attended the Kentucky GIS Conference in Lexington, where he gave a joint presentation titled Developing GeoProfiles for Kentucky’s Weather Stations, with Ron Taylor, a research assistant in the Kentucky Climate Center. Dr. Foster also directed a project titled Natural Hazards and Their Impacts on Agricultural and Urban Development in the Barren River Area for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Barren River Area Development District.


        CHRIS GROVES year has, overall, been pleasant and productive. The only trying thing was a series of strange accidents during 2001. In February Chris fell into a pit when a ledge broke off in Sides Cave near Mammoth Cave National Park, and he spent ten days in a Louisville hospital after a prolonged and wet rescue. The help and wellwishes that followed were deeply appreciated, especially that of his pals Joe Meiman and Brice Leech for saving his life in the cave, his lovely wife Deana who took care of him constantly for the next month, and his other pals Scott Dobler and Alan Glennon for keeping up with his WKU responsibilities.
           In May, while Dr Groves was hiking to some caves with graduate student Joel Despain for a research project high up in the mountains of California's Sequoia National Park, a mountainside rockfall hit their friend (and Joel's fiancé) Kate Lysaght in the head, breaking her skull and knocking her unconscious into a mountain river. With the help of a few NPS rangers and Sequoia's Assistant Cave Specialist (and department alumni) Shane Fryer, they got her out still breathing, and carried her about a half mile to an ambulance and helicopter. Happily, she is making a full recovery. Chris also visited the Fresno emergency room for 18 leg staples for a cut obtained during the excitement.
           Otherwise, the Hoffman Environmental Research Institute (HERI) continues to evolve as an integral component of the Center for Water Resource Studies Program of Distinction. With grants from the US EPA, National Park Service, National Science Foundation, and Kentucky Department of Agriculture, HERI has carried out an active environmental research program in drinking water source protection, Geographic Information Systems, karst hydrogeology and aquifer protection, and carbon cycle geochemistry. A highlight was the WKU Student Research Conference, where seven Hoffman Institute graduate and undergraduate students gave talks, and Katie Seadler and Rhonda Pfaff received awards for outstanding presentations. Over the next year, Institute students will present research findings at four regional and five national scientific conferences in Kentucky, Massachusetts, Arizona, and Florida, and Maine. Significant progress continues on several joint Hoffman Institute-National Park Service (NPS) education and research projects. Joel Despain and David Ek both made great progress in their NPS-tailored Karst Resource Management M.S. degrees and, in January, Dr Groves met with the Assistant Director of the National Park Service in Washington to discuss and develop support for the program. At Mammoth Cave National Park, joint work with Park Hydrologist Joe Meiman marches on very nicely.
           Since a large percentage of his responsibilities in the summer takes place via email, Groves was able to join Deana at the University of Hawaii for the 2001 summer, where she continued working in a summer graduate program in Library and Information Sciences. With a laptop, work for Chris carried on just about as normal, and certainly with a nice backdrop for it.


        DAVID J. KEELING writes that his eighth year in the Department provided opportunities, challenges, excitement, and many excellent students, with the usual international adventures, a great experimental course, several stimulating conferences, and several administrative issues to keep him busy. Dr Keeling began the academic year with a study abroad trip to Brazil, along with 16 students and a colleague from Middle Tennessee State University. Five students from Western traveled with 11 other students from around the region to study Sustainable Development and Cultural Anthropology. The group visited Rio de Janeiro, Goiania, the Araguiana river, Manus in the Amazon Basin, Natal, and Salvador. Student photos from the trip are available online at: Brazil Photos.
           During the Fall 2000 semester, Dr Keeling enjoyed a well-earned sabbatical and spent the semester traveling the world. Apart from conference trips, he traveled to China in August to visit the Institute for Karst Geology in Guilin, China (see related story on China, above), to Panama in November to investigate changes in the canal-zone economy, to England in December to continue work on a landscape-change project in London, and in May he traveled to New Zealand to contribute to the growth of the Latin American studies program at the University of Auckland.
           Conferences also kept Dr Keeling busy over the past twelve months. In October he presented El Desarrollo Latinoamericano y el Imperativo de la Globalización as the plenary paper at the 2nd Annual Humboldt Conference in Mar del Plata, Argentina. One month later, Dr Keeling presented a version of the Argentina paper at the 50th Annual Meeting of the Midwest Association of Latin American Studies convened in Huatusco, Mexico. January found him across the Atlantic in England, where he presented Spatial Dynamics and Policy Consequences of Suburbanization in the United Statesat the annual conference of the Royal Geographical Society in Plymouth. In February, Dr Keeling presented Suburban Growth and Urban Change, 1940-1990 in a poster session at the annual conference of the Association of American Geographers in New York. Finally, to round out the academic year, he presented The Puerto Madero Project and Urban Redevelopment in Buenos Aires, Argentina at the International Congress of the Conference of Latin Americanist Geographers in Benicássim, Spain.
           Throughout the year Dr Keeling also presented a number of seminars and special lectures. During his visit to New Zealand in May 2001, Dr Keeling presented Latin America's Millennium Bug? Trade, Transport, and Development in the Southern Cone in the Latin American Studies and Department of Geography Special Seminar Program at the University of Auckland. In addition, he gave a variety of talks to high schools, service organizations, and other departments at Western during the academic year on topics ranging from development in Europe to problems of the global economy.
          Dr Keeling’s major public service activity for the year involved his work as a National Councilor for the American Geographical Society, the nation’s oldest such society. He completed redesigned the Society’s website based on a template developed by ESRI and has developed several specialty pages that represent the activities of the AGS. He invites everyone to visit the site (www.amergeog.org) and check out the cool pages, information, and travel programs. Other public service work involved community presentations at Barnes and Noble and the Unitarian Church, as well as talks at area high schools. Dr Keeling also served as a grant proposal reviewer for the University Grants Committee of Hong Kong, China, served as Master of Ceremonies for the annual state geography bee finals in Louisville, and helped to organize the 50th annual conference of the Midwest Association of Latin American Studies in Mexico.
          Writing up the results of fieldwork and publishing articles continues to be a high priority, although there isn’t always enough time to do all the fieldwork justice. Nonetheless, Dr Keeling did submit a chapter titled “Transport Challenges for Latin America in the 21st Century” for a book, Latin America in the Twenty-First Century: Challenges and Solutions,to be published by the University of Texas Press. He also submitted an article to the journal World Developmenttitled “Latin American Development and the Globalization Imperative: New Directions and Familiar Crises,” which is now in review. Other work involved a complete rewrite of the Encyclopedia Britannica article on Buenos Aires, Argentina, for both the new book and the CD-Rom editions. Dr Keeling also edited the 2000 edition of the Journal of the Conference of Latin American Geographers published last October.
          In the Spring 2001 semester, David offered an experimental course titled the Geography of Revolution and Resist-ance. Twentysix students signed up for this course and a good time was had by almost everyone! The course examined a variety of revolutionary movements and explored challenges to existing social-cultural-political structures in an attempt to understand how society changes internally and externally. Student opinions from the course can be read on Dr Keeling’s website. He hopes to offer an experimental course on World Cities and Landscape Change perhaps next year.
           The academic year ended with a wonderful dinner on June 29, when faculty gathered to bid farewell to several retiring and relocating faculty and our able office assistant, Ambre, who graduated and has moved to California. This dinner also celebrated the Depart-ment Head “passing of the torch,” when Dr Keeling took over officially from Dr Moore. Photos of the event are available online at Party Pics or can be accessed from the home page of the departmental website. As always, Dr Keeling encourages past, present, and potential students to come by and share travel stories, information, and geographic tidbits. He can be reached easily in cyberspace at: david.keeling@wku.edu or by phone at (270) 745-4555. Also, visit Dr Keeling’s homepage on the World Wide Web.


       DEBRA KREITZER writes that she is delighted to be a part of the exciting new changes and growth of the Department of Geography and Geology. She is currently serving as the faculty advisor to the newly formed Geography Club! This club will assist students in departmental activities, build camaraderie between faculty members and students, provide public service opportunities and, most importantly, provide geo-graphical experiences through field trips! The new officers include Kieran Hosey as president, Ron Taylor and Lindsey Barnett as co-vice presidents, Lydelle Abbott as Secretary, and Becky Tenpenny as treasurer. The club hopes to have many fundraisers this year and plans to include alumni in some of the year’s activities.
           Dr Keeling and Debbie are also developing a study abroad program. Next summer they plan to take a group of 15 to 20 students to Australia - visiting Sydney, Darwin, Kakadu National Park, and Ayers Rock! They hope this program will encourage every geoscience student to add an international experience to their education here at WKU. Visit the study abroad website at: http://www.wku.edu/geoweb/studyabroad/australia.htm.
           In December, Debbie presented a paper at the Kentucky Academy of Science titled The Changing Spatial Patterns of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. She also contributed a paper to the Heritage Corridor research and web site within the Department of Geography and Geology (The Mammoth Cave Area Biosphere Reserve: A Framework for Sustainable Development). Just recently she submitted her first article for publication to an international journal. Debbie’s continuing research is focused on globalization, sustainable development, and environmental problems associated with globalization.
           This summer Debbie journeyed to Utah twice and she continues to believe that southern Utah is heaven on earth. She also worked as a guide at Mammoth Cave National Park during the summer. Once again Debbie was able to provide visitors with fun and exciting tours! However, this year the cave (usually dormant and uninterested in the guides and visitors) made a commentary on one of her tours by dropping approximately 1500 pounds of rock right next to the trail as she and her tour group were leaving the cave (in the Rotunda). Although no one was hurt, this very cool moment was followed by general panic and a sudden urge to exit the cave as quickly as possible. Debbie thought it was fascinating and historic since no one had ever seen a large rock fall in the cave before. However, she is taking the hint and spending next summer teaching and traveling.


       KENNETH KUEHN writes that the 2000-2001 academic year was a busy one in geological research. His article entitled “Maceral and micro-lithotype beneficiation in column flotation at the Powell Mountain Coal Mayflower Preparation Plant, Lee County, Virginia” was published in Fuel Processing Technology, an international scientific journal. He attended the annual meeting of The Society for Organic Petrology (an international group that investigates the origins, characteristics, and uses of organic sediments such as coal and kerogen), held in Bloomington, Indiana, and participated in a field trip to examine Pennsylvanian strata in the state. Last November he participated in the annual Field Conference of the Kentucky Society of Professional Geologists entitled “Economic and Engineering Geology of the Jackson Purchase Area.” The group investigated interesting deposits of Tertiary clay, gravel, and lignite, as well as a notorious slope stabilization project in Hickman, Kentucky. This spring Dr Kuehn began a new research project with the Kentucky Geological Survey to provide information in the evaluation of possible routes for a new highway, Interstate 66, through the Bowling Green area.
           Dr Kuehn also continued to teach introductory geology courses and Structural Geology for majors and minors this past year. In April he led the annual 800-mile field excursion into the southern Appalachians of Tennessee and North Carolina for about twenty students. In August, to end the summer season, he and Dr Siewers led the Geology Club on a week-long adventure in Acadia National Park and other areas of mid-coastal Maine (see related article above).
           Dr Kuehn worked throughout the year to address the concerns of Kentucky’s Council on Post-secondary Education (CPE). He was key in organizing a cooperative effort among Kentucky’s academic geology programs, which now has been officially titled the “Coalition of Kentucky Geoscience Departments.” To date, the coalition has held three meetings and is working to develop a cooperative field camp that involves practical student learning experiences at each Kentucky university. He and the other Geology faculty proposed a new initiative to establish “GeoTec” within the Department in order to meet the needs of in-service and pre-service Earth Science teachers in Kentucky. Dr Kuehn coordinated participation of the WKU geology program in a national survey to determine how well students in geology courses measure up to the new standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. The goal of these activities, as always, is to keep WKU on the leading edge of Geoscience education in Kentucky.
           Within the Ogden College of Science and Engineering, Dr Kuehn also holds the title of “Assistant to the Dean” and contributed to several College-wide initiatives this past year. Most notably, he managed the development of biannual strategic plans for the eleven research centers in Ogden’s Applied Research and Technology Program (ARTP). This multifaceted program emphasizes innovation, research, and increased student learning opportunities. The ARTP has been designated as a “Center of Excellence” in Kentucky by the Council on Postsecondary Education.
           Please contact Dr Kuehn (270-745-3082, kenneth.kuehn@wku.edu to share your latest news or your suggestions about the Geology program. Dr Kuehn is always glad to hear from you, our valued alumni. Stop in for a visit any time!


       MICHAEL MAY has been busy as he completed his fifth year as a geology faculty member in the department. In April 2001, the Board of Regents approved his tenure and promotion to associate professor. He taught intro geology, physical geology, stratigraphy and environmental geology over the past year. Dr May continues as an adjunct faculty member for the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and in August 2001 he co-taught the environmental regulations short course in Norfolk, Virginia. He also helped with a new course, environmental health, for UNC for the first time. This course was also taught at Norfolk. Plans are for teaching one or both courses as part of a newly developed UNC environmental technician certification program not only in Norfolk but also in Daytona Beach, Florida, in the coming year. He also continues as an instructor in the Elderhostel Program at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, teaching a karst short course and leading field trips.
           Since last year’s GEOGRAM, Dr May attended several meetings and field conferences. Along with Dr Siewers, he helped in a session entitled “What in the World are Geochemical Cycles?” at the Kentucky Teaching and Learning Conference in Louisville in March 2001. Attendees included science teachers from grade schools and high schools across the Commonwealth. Fred and Mike had several presentations and hands-on activities related to carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous cycles. Back in September 2000, Drs May and Siewers participated in the International Ideas Festival in Lexington. They, along with several other WKU faculty, held a workshop in teacher education in the sciences at the Lexington meeting. Mike and Drs Kuehn and Siewers all participated in a delightful fieldtrip with the Kentucky Society of Professional Geologists (KSPG) in November 2000 to the Purchase area (the real western Kentucky). They toured clay pits and processing plants (many great Tertiary plant fossils in the clays), and huge deposits of the problematic Lafayette gravels. The KSPG group also investigated the Reed quarry near Barkley Lake. The Reed quarry is one of the largest limestone quarries in the U.S. and its depth (over 600 feet) amazed all. Another highlight of the KSPG trip was visiting Hickman, Kentucky, a town sliding into the Mississippi River flood plain – a classic display of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ geologic ignorance and waste of Federal tax monies in the New Madrid Seismic Zone.
          In December 2000, Dr May, along with other colleagues in Geography & Geology and students, attended the Kentucky Academy of Science (KAS) Meeting in Lexington. Petrographic Analysis of the Leitchfield Formation in Kentucky was presented by David Self (co-authors Michael Peveler, Chris Powell and Dr May). Another paper entitled Chesterian Facies Complexities in South Central Kentucky was presented by Michael Peveler (co-authors Chris Powell, David Self and Dr May). Michael Peveler’s delivery of his paper earned him a 3rd place cash award and certificate in the Geology Section of the KAS. Work continues for Dr May on the Mississippian-Pennsylvanian Unconformity project in south central Kentucky and he is seeking new student participation in the 2001-2002 academic year.
           Various other activities Dr May has been involved with include judging at the Southern Kentucky Regional Science Fair, giving numerous school presentations, and attending a NASA sponsored convention for NOVA (NASA Opportunities for Visionary Academics) participants in January 2001 in Arlington, Virginia/Washington D.C., and being a judge at the American Association of Petroleum Geologists national convention in Denver in June 2001. Much time has also been spent on participating in radio and TV shows educating the public and media about environmental geology and other issues related to the proposed Kentucky Trimodal Transpark in Warren County. This public service has entailed field trips with TV/Radio professionals as well as with newspaper reporters and photographers. Field trips have ranged from “going underground” into caves to helicopter tours of the karst plain in Warren County.
           The EPA Environmental Geophysics course was run for the second time at the WKU south campus and at the Lost River Cave area from June 26-28, 2001. The course was attended by about a dozen WKU students and a similar number of environmental professionals from Kentucky, the surrounding region and numerous other states, including Colorado and New Mexico. It was interesting to see two delegates from the Navaho Tribes Environmental Protection Agency take advantage of the course in Bowling Green. EPA and WKU encourage more professionals wanting to learn more about the most recent geophysical tools to participate in the course. Anyone interested in taking this course in June 2002 should contact Dr May by Email.
          Mike and his wife Beth continue to juggle her environmental/industrial hygiene consulting job schedule and his academic commitments but still have managed to take their sons (Peter 8 and Kevin 6) to swimming lessons, soccer games, and basketball and soccer camps along with other school activities. The whole family enjoyed a two-week, low-humidity getaway to visit relatives in Denver in the middle of the hot and humid Kentucky summer --- climate change can be good!


       CONRAD MOORE had an even busier year than in 1999-2000. In August, 2000, Dr. Barbara Burch, the University Provost, promised us that the work load for department heads would at least double for the academic year 2000-01. She was true to her word. Partly in consequence, a record number of interim and permanent department heads retired on July 1, 2001, myself included. I am 63 years old. There was no doubt in my mind that I could not sustain the past year's level of activity over the next five years (the accepted minimum term of service for a permanent department head).
           Still, the two years and two months that I served as Interim Head was a very enlightening and rewarding experience. Thanks to the efforts of the faculty, staff and students, the department's graduate program (M.S. in Geoscience) and undergraduate programs in geography and geology are flourishing, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Our graduates are finding professionally related jobs in record numbers. The M.S. in Geoscience program has proven to be highly attractive for geology majors who previously shunned the M.S. in Geography. It has also attracted more geography majors.
           This fall, the Department will have a new Certificate Program in Geographic Information Systems in place, along with a state-of-the-art GIS-CAD laboratory facility. The latter will serve as both an instructional facility for the students in our GIS courses and a production facility for public service and private sector contract work. Generating revenue is the emergent "name of the game" in higher education and the GIS-CAD facility will certainly accomplish that goal.
           The most heartening development of the past two years has been the degree to which geography and geology professors, graduate students, and undergrads are harmoniously working together on a variety of research projects and other departmental activities. When I came here in 1980, the geography and geology professors (with one exception) were barely on speaking terms. That situation gradually improved during the 1990s. Currently, the relationships between the department's geographers and geologists are essentially optimal. In critical times, dissension is frequently the predecessor of demise. Dissension, within the Department of Geography and Geology, is history.
           Personally, my profession productivity predictably declined during the past year. I presented papers at the annual meetings of the Kentucky Academy of Science and the Association for Arid Lands Studies. I had one article published in a professional journal along with a chapter in a book to be released this September. In the fall, I taught Climate, Soils and Vegetation and Conservation of Natural Resources. In the spring, the College Dean reduced the teaching load for all department heads to three hours, so I was only able to teach Environmental Planning.
           On July 1, 2001, Dr David Keeling became the new permanent Department Head. Dr Keeling has an established record of being the Department's most distinguished teacher and scholar. These attributes, along with his multiple other talents, will serve the department well in the coming years.
           Some of you may be wondering what I will do with my time. I don't intend to "kick back" or "go fishing." I plan to continue to continue working, but in a more selective context. I also plan to engage in more hiking, bird-watching, and other nature-oriented outdoor activities.


       MARY PRANTE writes that, as many of you know, her health hasn't been the greatest for the past three years; in some ways, it's been a Voyage of (Self-)Discovery. Fortunately, those things have changed for the better (the dock is in view), and she’s looking very forward to this year.
           First on her agenda is to complete submission of an article to Current Research in Earth Sciences. This is an online version of the prestigious Kansas Geological Bulletin; imagine Mary’s surprise and delight when a letter from Kansas arrrived this summer, requesting that she submit her dissertation results! Look at the KGS website in early 2002.
           The next major event May had been anticipating was a trip to Israel in November (yes, Dr Keeling, "International Travel!”); unfortunately, with the escalation of violence in this area and increasing cautions from the State Department regarding travel, this event has been cancelled. Not to be completely disappointed, she’s been looking into other possibilities (If anyone else is interested, keep in mind a trip to Russia in May; drop Mary a line).
           Within the Department, efforts to create a GIS certificate program, spearheaded by Dr Foster, are coming to fruition. This is an exciting development for all of us, but it means particular fun for Mary, as the introductory cartography course can be modified to use digital technology; already, Geography 315 has become a rather different critter than many of you might recognize.
           Mary hopes that you all are enjoying life; we're all interested in how the successful people who used to be our students are getting along, so drop us a line, or pop by the department sometime if you get the chance.


       FRED SIEWERS' third year at Western was filled with a wide range of teaching, research, and service activities. In teaching, Fred led courses and laboratories in Historical Geology and Sedimentology, and he coordinated the Department’s Physical Geology laboratory sections. These courses were enhanced over previous years’ offerings by the campus visits of two internationally renowned geologists: Dr. Walter Alvarez (Univ. California-Berkeley) and Dr. Orin Pilkey (Duke University), visits that allowed students to interact with some of the most significant geologists of our time (see associated article in this issue). In addition, the Spring Sedimentology course was once again actively involved in the annual Sigma-Xi research conference. Students in that course presented two excellent papers: one focusing on the sedimentological aspects of modern Florida beach sands and the other on the depositional environment of Mississippian strata in Logan County, Kentucky. In addition to honing their research skills, students learned what it takes to present research results clearly in a professional public forum. By every measure they did an excellent job!
           On the research front, Dr Siewers continued his work in carbonate sedimentology and paleontology – in particular his work with University of Illinois researchers on the preservation of plant remains in ancient coal seams. Fred had the opportunity to share his research findings via invited seminars at Appalachian State University, the University of Kentucky/Kentucky Geological Survey, Vanderbilt University, Oberlin College, and Slippery Rock University. Fred was also active at the annual Kentucky Academy of Science meeting held in Lexington, Kentucky. There he presented a talk and on the morphology and composition of calcite cements in Pennsylvanian “coal ball” concretions, and he sponsored a talk by graduate student Johnny Merideth on the sediments of the Mill Hole Spring, Edmonson County Kentucky.
           Fred continued to promote geoscience education in the P-12 and higher education communities. He and Mike May presented a talk on service learning and the integration of technology into science education at the first annual International ideas Festival in Lexington, Kentucky. Fred and Mike also led a workshop on geochemical cycles at the Kentucky Teaching and Learning Conference, the state’s premier teacher professional development conference and technology exposition. However, most importantly, Fred initiated the Kentucky Earth System Science Education Project , a collaboration between WKU and Morehead State University to offer online professional development courses in Earth System Science to teachers via the Kentucky Virtual University. Through Fred’s efforts and a grant from the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies and NASA, the Department of Geography and Geology is now part of the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA), a nationwide initiative to promote Earth System Science Education (see the ESSEA Homepage). The intent of this work is to advance the Department’s mission of becoming a major focus for teacher training in the geosciences.
           All of this activity kept Fred largely away from one of his favorite pursuits, fly fishing for trout and smallmouth bass. However, it didn’t keep him from participating in this year’s Geology Club field trip to the coast of Maine which was a tremendous success (see article). As always, Fred loves to hear from Department alumni and from prospective students. Feel free to contact him anytime at fred.siewers@wku.edu .


       L. MICHAEL TRAPASSO is alive and well and doing his usual thing in the Department. He still teaches most of the meteorology and climatology courses. While missing his old friend and colleague Glen Conner, he is looking forward to working with his newly-hired colleague Rezaul Mahmood, as they cooperate together to ensure the strength of the Department’s Meteorology and Climatology Track.
           Early last November, a 92-mph thunderstorm downdraft whipped across campus and destroyed many of the weather instruments at the College Heights Weather Station. After dealing with the University bureaucracy, insurance companies, and a host of weather instrument clearinghouses, he was able to secure some money for the purchase of replacement equipment. Starting this past summer and extending into the next semester, Trapasso will continue the process of rebuilding the campus weather station to its former strength and usefulness.
           In the research vein, Trapasso published a paper with one of his former graduate students, Tim Troutman, concerning ‘derechos’, a specific type of destructive thunderstorm downdraft (ironic, isn’t it?). He also presented some of his work concerning the Effects of El Niño and La Niña on Latin American Countries at an international meeting in Huatusco, Mexico. While in Mexico he took advantage of Thanksgiving break to take some time to explore the Pre-Aztec and Aztec cultures along Coastal Mexico, culminating with a visit to Mexico City, present-day site of the ancient Aztec Capital. He later joked, “On Thanksgiving Day the Vikings met the Cowboys at Dallas, and Trapasso met the Aztecs at Teotihuacan.” The differences and similarities between the Aztec and the Mayan cultures fascinated him. He has visited Mayan sites on and off for the last 20 years.
           Before his retirement and for some time afterward, Glen Conner conceived and initiated a new series of computer laboratory exercises for Geography 121. Trapasso was there on the assist, and the two of them completed 11 web-based meteorology exercises for the incoming GEOG121 students. This Fall Semester, the total computer package makes its debut, and Trapasso (the new Meteorology Computer Lab. administrator) is keeping his fingers crossed that all goes well with this new and innovative approach.
           Spring break allowed Trapasso to visit Egypt for the first time. Since he had visited many pyramid sites in the Americas (see story above) , he said, “Well it’s time to take a look at the oldest pyramids of all.” He took a boat trip down a significant stretch of the Nile River, where he also visited the Valley of the Kings. According to Trapasso, King Tut’s tomb was a real disappointment. He also explored the Temples of Karnak and Luxor. This magnificent opportunity allowed him to learn more about the Ancient Egyptians and only served to fuel his interest in paleocultures even more so.
          ring this past July, Trapasso accepted an offer to accompany a group of visitors to Peru. His main mission was to visit the Inca sites along the Andes Mountains. His major targets were the Inca capital city of Cuzco and the ‘lost city’ of Machu Picchu. Along the way he visited massive works at Ollantaytambo and Saqsayaman (two sites where the Incas and the Spanish Conquistadors fought over this South American country). He took a break from the thin air and cold temperatures of the high altitudes to visit the Peruvian Amazon. It had been a long time since Trapasso had hiked in the Amazon Rainforest: “It was like visiting an old friend, and the mosquitoes remembered me quite well.” The trip ended with a flight over the mysterious Nasca Lines, those massive line drawings on the Nasca plains that are only visible by airplane. Who drew them, and why are they there? It’s still a mystery. Trapasso was stumped by them too!
           On occasional weekends Trapasso still maintains his interest in re-enacting the American Civil War with his unit, the 7th Tennessee Cavalry. Before the beginning of the fall semester, he was able to squeeze in one more event: a Living History Demonstration for the public at the Stones River Battlefield Park in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He admits that life can be very exciting and quite confusing at times. “There’s so much to do, and so little time to do it;” but, according to Trapasso, he’s sure going to give it a try.


    ALUMNI NEWS


    ALUMNI CONTRIBUTIONS

             Contributions to the Department of Geography and Geology Development Fund in 2000 (including the Wayne Hoffman Memorial Fund) surpassed $6,000 in cash and other gifts. The number of individual contributions to our Fund topped the 80 mark! Thanks to everyone for helping us achieve our goals this year, but we continue to need your help now more than ever as budgets remain extremely limited; your contribution goes a long way to ensuring that we can support student research, scholarships, and field work. When you receive a call from our students, or whenever the spirit moves you, make a contribution to the Department and to the University. You can also gift funds to the Hoffman Memorial Fund, in memory of Wayne L. Hoffman, who led the Department for nearly 25 years. Be sure to specify that the money be designated for use by the Department of Geography and Geology. Our profound thanks to our contributing alumni. We gratefully acknowledge gifts from:

    Mr/Mrs Tony L. Allen; Charles Allen; Tony Craig Alison; American Association of Petroleum Geologists Foundation; Jerry P. Battistello; Mr/Mrs Monty S. Bertram; Joseph H. Bishop; Teresa Bishop; Sam Boyd; Irvin Gene Boysen; Mr/Mrs Michael Burke; Mrs/Mr Alice Burks; Michael G. Burress; Kathleen R. Butorvak; Gilbert T. Calhoun, Jr.; John Kenneth Carmichael; Wade Carroll; Harvey Lee Clark, Jr.; Mr/Mrs Richey B. Cline; Ronald E. Coulter; James Damron; Julie Ann Domian; Ruth Price Duncan; Shawn D. Dye; Jeanne C. Elliott; Mr/Mrs Jerry Finley; Mr/Mrs Mark H. Freer; Mr/Mrs Brian Goffinet; Jerry C. Griffin; Virginia Lee Hagee; John Hambley; Albert Hamm; Joel K. Hargis; Michael E. Hazelett; Ruth Hoffman; William Jackson; James Johnson; David J. Keeling; Phil Lee Kelly; Timothy E. Kelly; Kentucky Claims Service; Mr/Mrs Robin J. Lewis; Christopher P. Logan; Dr/Mrs Frederick Mader; Mammoth Cave Karst Conference 1998; Thomas Martin; Jonathan McCay; Mr/Mrs Bill McKenzie; Byron K. Morris; Dr. Joseph Murphy; William Neisz; Mr/Mrs David Orne; Dorothy S.D. Paschall; William D. Peyton II; Gregory W. Powell; Leonard Pyzynski; Elissa Rees; George M. Rogers; Sharon D. Rouse; John J. Savary; Mr/Mrs John Selva; James P. Shaw; Randolph Shields; Nancy G. Speakman; Harry L. Spires; Mr/Mrs Tom H. Springer; Andrew T. Spurling; Mr/Mrs William Steedly; Mark Stonex; Dr/Mrs James W. Taylor; James T. Tinsley; Marvin Warren; Patricia C. Warren; Mr/Mrs Terry Wease; Aric D. Wilhelm; Gregory L. Willoughby; Mr/Mrs Shaun Winter; Ross W. Workman; John T.M. Yewell


    ALUMNI NEWS

       Lamon E. Ellwood (Geography 1938) served as President of the GeoClub between 1937 and 1938. Lamon taught in Paoli until 1942 and then served in the US Air Force from 1942 until 1945. He retired from teaching in 1984 after a very successful career as a school principal. Lamon now lives in Paoli, Indiana.
    Jeremy Fisher (A.S. Met Tech 1994) graduated from UNC-Asheville with a BS in Atmospheric Sciences in May 1997. He works for the Mobile Weather Team, Inc., a private company contracted by the PGA Tour to provide on-site weather information for all PGA-related golf tournaments. The Weather Channel joined as a major sponsor in January 2000, and the team is now known as the Weather Channel Team when working at golf tournaments. Jeremy married Cheryl Y. Coburn on September 4, 2000.
    Joe Glenn Hughes (Geography 1963) and his spouse, Linda, have retired from the school district and now live in Phoeniz, Arizona.
    Thomas A. Martin (MPS 1979) recently became a site acquisition manager for SDS Windows in Kentucky after six years as a planning/community development consultant with a Kentucky A&E firm. Thomas lives in Lexington.
    McDonald, Kenneth W. (MS 1995) is a major in the U.S. Army and currently is stationed in Taegu, Korea, which is about 3 hours southeast of Seoul. Ken is Chief, Base Operations (BASOPS) Programs for the Korean Peninsula. He works on all the infrastructure and engineering issues for the 80+ bases in Korea. Ken hopes to be posted to the Geography and Environmental Engineering Pro-gram at the West Point Military Academy at the conclusion of his Korea tour.
    Daniel G. Vara (Geography 1967) teaches for the Public School system in Boston, Massachusetts. He currently is teaching the new College Board Advanced Placement Test in Human Geography to fifteen enthusiastic seniors at suburban Boston Braintree High School, where he has taught since 1969.


    Fill out the Alumni Information sheet on the next page and mail it to the Department today. We want to know how your career and life are progressing. You can also attach a small passport-sized picture of yourself, if you like, that we can publish alongside your news.

    I predict a fantastic 2002 if you send in your Alumni Information sheet right away............

    To send your 2001 GEOGRAM News by email directly to the Department, just click on: SEND MY NEWS



    GEOGRAM 2001

    Alumni Information

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    (include maiden name)

    Major_______________ Year of Graduation _______

    Current Address ______________________________

    City _________________ State _______ Zip _______

    Occupation ___________ Employer______________

    NEWS: _______________________________________________________________________

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    Mail to: Dr. David J. Keeling, GEOGRAM Editor
    Department of Geography & Geology
    Western Kentucky University
    One Big Red Way
    Bowling Green, KY 42101-3576


    YOUR PROFILE AND NEWS BELONG HERE!! To send your 2001 GEOGRAM News by email directly to the Department, just click on: SEND MY NEWS


    GEOGRAM is designed, edited, and produced for the Department by Dr David J. Keeling.
    david.keeling@wku.edu
    Editor's Webpage
    Copyright: Department of Geography and Geology, 2001
    Posted on 8/27/01