URI hosting 117th annual New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference, Oct. 2-4
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| The sole purpose of the yearly New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference is to present field trips in interesting geologic areas; this year it’s Rhode Island’s turn—the public is invited to join in. Shown: Beavertail State Park. (URI Photo / Brian Savage) |
University of Rhode Island geosciences students get to welcome an event that hasn’t happened at URI since before they were born—and the larger public is also welcome to join and be a student of geology for a day (or two).
Hosted by URI this year, the annual New England Intercollegiate Geological
Conference attracts students and faculty from the geologic disciplines
across New England, but anyone is welcome to attend. Conference “field trips”
are all free and open to the public.
This year’s conference will kick off with emeritus faculty Dan Murray co-hosting a virtual field trip on Thursday, Oct. 1 at noon to share updates on the ancient bedrock geology of Rhode Island. (Murray was also the organizer for URI’s last conference in 1998.)
According to URI geoscientist Dawn Cardace, one of
this year’s organizers, “This is a community-led initiative, loosely managed,
but much loved: Every year, the host organization shapes the event to fit the
host college, the site, and the local flavors.”
A century of science
URI’s hosting this year helps continue a significant
tradition in New England geological history.
The New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference began
in 1901 with a field trip led by geologist William Morris Davis, considered the
“father of American geography.” An instructor at Harvard, Davis led a trip to
the Westfield River and reported it in the “American Journal of Science,” the
longest-running scientific journal in the U.S. The conference has met annually
since that time, with brief exceptions.
This year’s Ocean State slate includes trips to examine
barrier sands at Napatree Point in Westerly, a tour through the glacial geology
of Watch Hill and Slocum, the granite of Narragansett Pier, metamorphic
processes at work in Jamestown and Newport, and a Rhode Island beach and bay
tour. Attendees are also invited to meet Erik
Rock and Greta Granite, Rhode Island’s Dambo trolls in Charlestown, on a
self-guided tour.
URI geosciences faculty members will lead trips, sharing
unique aspects of Rhode Island geology and global discoveries by URI
geoscientists. J.P. Walsh, Nicole Raineault and Katie Kelley from URI’s
Graduate School of Oceanography will offer two half-day trips featuring a look
at the local Rhode Island coast and GSO resources and facilities, while
Ambarish Karmalkar will run a computer-based program on the Kingston Campus for
the unofficial weather forecasters among us.
URI coastal hydrogeologist Christopher
Russoniello, who focuses on water impact in his work and is a co-organizer
for the conference, will be at Blue Shutters Beach in Charlestown the morning
of Oct. 3, rain or shine, offering a look at the coastal hydrogeology of
southern Rhode Island.
Registration
is open now. See the website for trip descriptions, times, meeting places,
and camping information. Russoniello, who attended last year’s conference in
Connecticut, says that the neighbors and residents who joined their expedition,
bringing their own insights and information, shared stories that were equally
valuable.
“These tours are not just for our URI students but also
families and neighbors of URI and beyond,” he said. “We are looking forward to
learning from the folks taking these tours, too.”
The conference includes a community BBQ at Yawgoo Bakes in
Exeter on the evening of Saturday, Oct. 3, which will offer a meet-and-greet
and training and employment updates for area undergrads and the public.
“We wanted to put together a well-rounded program,”
Russoniello said, “and are drawing on all our resources to show what we have to
offer for training and inspiration for the next generation of earth
scientists.”
“We are looking forward to welcoming everyone to this year’s
conference,” Cardace added, “and to showing off URI and Rhode Island.”
Sponsors and partners include the newly-created URI Department
of Earth Sciences, Planning, and Design (formerly Geosciences and the
Department of Landscape Architecture and Planning), NASA Rhode Island Space
Grant and the Rhode Island Society of Environmental Professionals. Department
chair Thomas Boving says the conference puts a spotlight on the newly formed
department which brings together the geosciences and landscape architecture
into a new cross-disciplinary department. “ESPD is a unique program; we want to
let more people know we’re here and what we can do,” he said.
To learn more or to register, visit the conference’s
website (www.neigc.info) or
email chris.russoniello@uri.edu
/ cardace@uri.edu.
