Wheaton College Alumni Magazine Autumn 2013 | Page 8

WHEATON news At the Wheaton College Science Station in the Black Hills. Kaitlyn “Bucky” Le Baudour ’11 uses a Brunton geological compass to measure the tilting and tilt direction of rock layers (called “strike and dip”) and relate them to other geologic features. Geology and Environmental Science Department expands in resources and research Wheaton geology students —majors and non-majors alike—have access to remarkable learning and research opportunities, both on and off campus. A massive collection of rocks, gems, and minerals were added to the geology department’s already extensive holdings this spring. A gift from the estate of petroleum geologist and mineralogist Art Smith ’57, this sought-after collection features about 30,000 geological specimens from around the world (see pages 12-13). “This has huge implications for our general education program and the geology major,” says Dean of Natural and Social George “Kit” Carson ’12 Sciences PHOTOS LEF T AND BELOW: JOSHUA OLSEN ’15 CAMPUS NEWS Dr. Dorothy Chappell, who expects that the collection will draw professionals as well as promote student research. In fact, the department already stands out for the hands-on fieldwork and research opportunities available to undergraduates at sites around the world, as well as at the Wheaton College Science Station in the Black Hills of South Dakota, according to Dr. Stephen Moshier, chair of geology and environmental science. From Wheaton’s Science Station, environmental science, geology, and biology students have access to several national and state parks, including Badlands National Park and Black Hills National Forest, which contain a variety of ecosystems and geological features for study. Starting with one student four years ago, geology professor Dr. Jeff Greenberg began a comprehensive analysis of the features along a quarter-mile stretch of Highway 385 at Pactola Dam. He and Peter Brice ’11 co-authored a report presented at the annual conference of the Geological Society of America. Since then several other students have participated in the study and have presented or soon will present their results at national conferences, including Frances Griswold ’13, Elizabeth “Lissa” Peterson ’12, Chris Tulimiero ’12, Joel MacKinney ’14, George “Kit” Carson ’12, and Chris Gates ’13. Preparing to publish the findings from the study this fall, Dr. Greenberg notes that the data gathered challenges prevailing theories abou Ёѡ