Friday, February 12, 2010

Global Warming, Indeed!

Well, today I should be going down to Baylor for an alumni meeting but, the way it looks right now (see below), the only places I will be going are places to which I can travel on my own two feet. Maybe some/most of it will melt away by this afternoon; it's a little drippy outside even now.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Updated Weekend Itinerary from Dr. Driese

Dear GEO Advisory Board, Geofaculty, Staff and Colleagues:

As you have already heard from Head Clod Gary Stinchcomb, students from the BGS did a dry run of the Field Trip and determined that 2 of the 4 planned stops will not be accessible due to excessive rain (and more rain, sleet and snow are forecast this week), and so the BGS field trip is postponed, with a possible rescheduling in the fall of this year. In spite of this setback we are proceeding with other planned activities, including the BGS Student Symposium from 2:00-4:00 PM Friday, February 12th and the Spaghetti Supper from 6:00-8:00 PM on Saturday, February 13th at the Faculty Center. PLEASE TRY TO SUPPORT THE BGS BY ATTENDING THESE EVENTS!

Thanks,

Steve Driese
Geology Advisory Board Meeting Agenda – Friday, February 12, 2010
Time: 6:00-8:00 PM (Reservations required: Atchley cell: 254-644-9741)

NOTE NEW LOCATION: Gratziano’s Restaurant, 217 Mary Street, Waco, TX (254-752-8789) WE HAVE A BACK ROOM RESERVED THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE UP TO 20 PEOPLE (no alcohol please on Baylor University tab!; attendees should all contribute to defray cost of this meal)

AGENDA:

Board Introductions and Presiding Officer: Robert Springer, Board Chair

1) Dr. Stacy Atchley, Associate Chair: Brief update on Department happenings. (Mention Faculty searches, new faculty and staff hires, new labs constructed and under construction, completion of Carlile Sculpture garden).

2) Golf Tournament: Keep going or redirect efforts elsewhere?

3) Geology Resource Endowment Fund: Possible recommended Board fund-raising actions?

4) Baylor Alumni Event at AAPG Meeting in New Orleans: Need for additional $800 to $1000 for sponsorship of food and cash bar

5) GEO Advisory Board Mentoring program: Status: BGS has several Board mentors visiting this spring?

6) Filling 2 Advisory Board Officer Positions: Vice-Chair, Secretary?

7) Eric Abercrombie: Status of Geology Department’s Endowments networking contacts to have postive impact on Baylor Geology programs. (mention role of BU development office in helping Department achieve its goals, your desire to meet with alumni such as ExxonMobil, other companies, seeking 4-6 contacts from each Board member)

Confirmed attending dinner: Dr. Stacy Atchley, Eric Abercrombie, Tom Moore, Jim Bain, Robert Springer, Ed Jakubowski, Josh Talbert, Dr. David Cleveland, Art Beall, Art and Sure Lynn Bishop (11 total)

Baylor Geological Society
2010 Alumni Weekend
Revised Master Itinerary (02-08-2010)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

FRIDAY, February 12, 2010

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM - Baylor Geological Society Research Symposium
BSB- Room D.110

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM - Advisory Board Dinner with Geology Department Associate Chair Dr. Stacy Atchley (reservations required)
Gratziano’s Restaurant, 217 Mary Street - Waco, TX

SATURDAY, February 13, 2010

7:00 AM - 4:30 PM - Field trip to central Texas, TX. (CANCELLED DUE TO POOR WEATHER)

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM – Spaghetti Supper and Awards Banquet - University Faculty Center

Monday, February 8, 2010

Field Trip Postponed . . . What a Drag

Yesterday afternoon, I received this note in my inbox from Baylor. Pretty self-explanatory.

"Speaking on behalf of the BGS, we have decided to postpone the upcoming Saturday field trip. The rescheduled field trip date has not been determined.

The current weather and forecast conditions for Temple and Waco TX are not conducive to driving on dirt two-tracks (we got the van stuck on our field trip dry-run) and the current state of Williams Creek (currently 6-8 ft above channel bottom) will not permit viewing of the soil-sediment trenches. Given these conditions, two of our stops (Owl Creek and Williams Creek) would be difficult to access. If we were to visit these sites in their current state, the field trip WOULD NOT reflect the considerable amount of effort and hard work that has gone into the field trip guide.... If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right!

On the bright side, the BGS research symposium and spaghetti supper will run as scheduled! Also, we plan to post the field trip guide in PDF format on our website and we would be happy to discuss the research with all of you.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you. If you are still planning to visit the Waco area early Saturday, I encourage you to visit the Waco Mammoth site and check out the Mayborn Museum. Otherwise, I will keep you posted on potential field trip dates for the future.

-Head CLOD

Gary Stinchcomb
Baylor University
Department of Geology"

But, on the other hand, go Saints!

Saturday, February 6, 2010

BGS Fieldtrip 2/13/10

As you all probably know by now, the field trip is scheduled for the Saturday before Valentine's day but February is kind of an "iffy" month in central Texas for outdoor activities. If we get too much rain, or even snow (!), next week, the Head Clod has determined that two of the stops will be inaccessible and the field trip will be postponed (somewhat bummed here). Here's a link to NOAA's 7-day forecast for Waco, just so you'll know as much as the anybody knows about whether it's a go or no-go situation:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Waco&state=TX&site=FWD&textField1=31.569&textField2=-97.1832&e=0

There's a probable agenda for the trip below (see post of Oct. 15, 2009).

Then yesterday, we got a note from Aislyn Trendel - vice-clod, always the optimist, reminding us that we have to sign a safety waiver prior to the trip. BGS personnel will have copies by the vans Saturday morning for us to sign.

. . . so keep track of the weather and keep your fingers crossed!