A small party of GSOC members braved the iffy weather on September 9, 2017, to take a new view of Mt. St. Helens, aboard a helicopter owned and piloted by Hillsboro Aviation Company, on a trip of geologic discovery organized by Sheila Alfsen. The flight was launched from North Fork Survivors tourist complex on Spirit Lake Highway east of Toutle, Washington.
Read MoreFrank Hladky, registered geologist who worked for DOGAMI (Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries) for 22 years, came to talk to GSOC about how he used his geological background to transform himself into a high school science teacher. He has been teaching high school in southern Oregon for over a dozen years now and is a member of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers.
Read MoreJohn Stockham
Cindy Bartlett
Christopher Hugh
David Hoenig
Chanel Hargrove
Christina Sells
Jamie Meinecke
Taka Matsuda
President Rik Smoody called the meeting to order at the home of Marty Muncie. Other board members in attendance constituting quorum were Dawn Juliano, Sheila Alfsen, Marty Muncie, Bo Nonn, and Janet Rasmussen. Also in attendance was GSOC member Dave Olcott. The minutes of the August 21, 2017, board meeting were approved. The Treasurer’s report was approved.
Read MoreTwenty four GSOC members and their guests made it to the camp-out in Mill City, Oregon, hosted by GSOC member Dennis Chamberlin, and led by GSOC President Rik Smoody. The purpose of the field trip was to get a bunch of science-minded individuals together to observe one of the most accessible eclipses of this century, and enjoy a bit of geology and camping.
Read MoreWe will never see another total eclipse in our lifetime unless we leave Oregon, however eclipsewise.com has links to small scale world maps, each showing paths all eclipses in a chosen 20-year interval, with the date of each.
If the above website yields a date you are interested in, use the following Nasa Eclipse Website map with the exact date substituted for yyyymmdd. This will display a Google map with the eclipse path that you can zoom in on.
Read MoreApril’s Friday night lecture was given by a truly distinguished Oregon geologist and highlighted recent research into an area that has long intrigued geoscientists about Oregon. Dr. Anita Grunder has led a team of researchers, including PSU’s Martin Streck, exploring the possible origin of the magma that has peppered Oregon’s High Lava Plains geologic province in the last 12 million years. This magma includes both rhyolite and basalt eruptions in a swath of territory between Steen’s Mountain region to the southeast and Newberry Volcano to the northwest.
Read MoreProfessor Emeritus and Condon Collection Curator Dr. William Orr spoke to GSOC on May 12 about Thomas Condon’s fossils. This collection was assembled for teaching and reference and ranks with the best collections for stratigraphic continuity and taxonomic breadth. Many specialists from around the world come to the University of Oregon to study its fossils.
Photo: Thomas Condon with his pals Dr. Bill Orr (left) and GSOC President Rik Smoody (right).
Crystell Wise
Steven Van Beek
Julie Demaree
Piyawee Ruenjinda
Amber Kelleher
Bill Burgel
Kathy Fieldstad
Tom Grant
Pat Martinelli
Kathleen Stokes
Maura Doherty
President Rik Smoody called the meeting to order at the home of board member Marty Muncie. Board members present constituting quorum were: Rik Smoody, Sheila Alfsen, Dawn Juliano, Paul Edison-Lahm, Larry Purchase, Marty Muncie, and Bo Nonn. Also present were Dave Olcott and 187 antique dolls. The minutes from our May meeting were approved.
Read MoreGSOC Past President Bo Nonn delivered the 82nd Annual GSOC banquet speech on March 12 to a fascinated crowd at Ernesto’s Italian Restaurant in Beaverton. He has a unique perspective on the geology of the Cascade Mountains: he has witnessed it in person by climbing all 16 Cascade peaks more than once, and has received several certificates of achievement from the Mazamas, as well as being a climbing instructor with that organization.
Read MoreMaura Doherty
Pat Martinelli
Amber Kelleher
Peter and Tricia Guarisco
John Riutta
Kate Ely
Tricia Knoll and Darrell Salk
Amanda Tumidalsky
Lawrence Jordan
Mike Collins, a retired administrator in manufacturing, and an avid mountaineering and geology enthusiast, presented his slide show “Flood Basalts, Hot Spots, and Spreading Centers and the Creation of the Western Landscape,” to a full house last month at the GSOC Friday night lecture. His show was based upon a manuscript he has produced explaining the evolution of the Western landscape in terms that non-technical people can understand. It is lavishly illustrated with scratchboard drawings that he has drawn, which take the reader back to scenes he describes in the book.
Read MorePresident Bo Nonn called the meeting to order at the home of Rosemary Kenney. We thank Rosemary for having graciously hosting our board meetings since 2000. Board members present constituting quorum were Rik Smoody, Dawn Juliano, Paul Edison-Lahm, Marty Muncie, Larry Purchase, Janet Rasmussen, and Sheila Alfsen. Other members present included Carol Hasenberg, Dave Olcott, Jane Walpole, Peregrine Edison-Lahm, and Doug Rasmussen. The minutes from our December meeting were approved.
Read MoreSpeakers for PSU Geology's winter seminar have been finalized. These are always very enjoyable lectures. Afterwards there are cookies and coffee and an opportunity to chat with the speaker. The seminar occurs Wednesday afternoons at 3:30pm in Cramer Hall S17.
March 1: Corina Forson – Washington Dept. of Natural Resources
Geothermal Resources in Washington State
It was 3 weeks before Christmas and all was joyous at the 2016 GSOC Holiday Party. A good selection of entrees and salads, and a vast array of desserts were gobbled up by the participants. Then our fine musicians led a selection of Christmas standards and provided a magical atmosphere. The eating and singing were followed by a slide show of this past year’s field trips.
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Scott Anderson
John Brownlee
Emily Cahoon
Tima Carlson
Reed Dixon
Lisa Hoffman
Alex MacLeod
Louis Macovsky
Seth Munkres
Deborah Santomero
Janet and Tom Sonoff
Blair Stuhlmuller
Paige Stuhlmuller
Alice Ziring
Interested in geology news and casual conversation with other geology fans? Attend our Monthly Meetups!
Our monthly lectures and local field trips are open to all!
Want to come on in-depth overnight field trips led by professional geologists? Become a GSOC Member!
Questions about Geology? Ask in our Facebook Group!
Concerned about earthquake preparedness? Arrange for public speaking on Cascadia Earthquake Preparedness.
Portland State University Department of Geology, our gracious host since 1971, offers undergraduate and graduate programs in geology, as well as free auditing for seniors.
Interested in Gems and Minerals?
In the Bend area? Visit our sister club Central Oregon Geoscience Society!
Interested in fossils? Check out the North American Research Group.
GSOC • P.O. Box 80133 • Portland, OR 97280 • communications@gsoc.org
