Experiential Learning - Cascade Volcano Style
Twelve current Hartwick students and three geology faculty traveled to Oregon on a trip partially sponsored by the geology club, Delta Delta G, and the Dept. of Geology and Environmental Sciences from October 15-22. Trip participants spent three days exploring the volcanoes of the Cascade Range and three and a half days at a national conference held in Portland. Here the group poses with the remnants of ancient Mount Mazama, now known as Crater Lake National Park, in southern Oregon. The lake formed after a major eruption about 7,000 years ago destroyed most of the pre-existing mountain top.

The group consisted of: (front row - from left to right) Patrick Collins '11, Jeremy Weremeichik '11, Matthew Caldwell '10, Brian Terbush '11, Sierra Derby '12, Kimberly Negrich '11, Skylar Haas '11, Dr. Balogh-Brunstad, Justin Allen '11, Andrew Parisi '11, Dr. Johnson, (Back row, left side)-from left to right) Brandt Kayser '11, Maxwell Hanusa '12, Dr. Griffing, (Back row, right side) Sarah Timm '10.

Lunch with a View
Majors Skylar Haas '11 (left) and Kim Negrich '11 (right) ponder the beauty of the deepest lake in North America (1958 ft.), while eating a picnic lunch.

Discovering Pumice
Students wander around the plain of small to very large pumice fragments known as the "Pumice Desert," which was formed by a downslope flow of hot gas and rock more than 7,000 years ago. Due to the large number of gas bubbles in this volcanic glass rock, even the large block that Sierra Derby '12 is sitting on in the photo can be lifted with one hand.

Overview of Newberry Volcano
The group viewed the magnificent 1,300 year-old lava flow (center) made entirely of volcanic glass from the top of Paulina Peak.

A Rare Geological Treat
Dr. Griffing rests on a giant chunk of black volcanic glass (known as obsidian) in Newberry Crater National Volcanic Monument in central Oregon. The group scaled the surface of this rare volcanic glass lava flow (over 100 feet thick)!

Not for the Claustrophobic
Matt Caldwell '10 peers up from a "lava tree" in Newberry National Volcanic Monument, central Oregon. "Lava trees" are tube-shaped hollows formed when a lava flow surrounded a standing tree. Although the intense heat eventually burned away the Ponderosa pine that occupied the hole, it remained long enough for the flow to cool and harden around it.

Early History of Mount St. Helens
Students examined a roadside exposure of ancient volcanic ash and mudflow deposits in Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Washington.

At the base of Mount St. Helens
Dr. Johnson stands on Johnston Ridge, just a few miles from the crater of Mt. St. Helens. That day the summit St. Helens was shrouded in thick clouds (center background). However, evidence of the most violent eruption on recent United States history (May 18, 1980) was still clearly visible around Johnston Ridge.

Hartwick Students Present Their Research Nationally!
Alexandré (Lexy) Fowler '09 presented her senior thesis research with Dr. David Griffing at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in Portland, Oregon, held from October 18-21. The poster summarized her study of modern reef coral demise and post-mortem reef changes in the Bahamas and enjoyed a steady stream of interested researchers. In addition to four student presenters, Drs. Balogh-Brunstad, Griffing and Johnson also presented research.

Hartwick Students Present Their Research Nationally!
Matthew Caldwell '10 and Justin Allen '11 presented initial findings from their senior thesis research with Dr. Zsuzsanna Balogh-Brunstad in a joint poster at the national meeting. Their research projects relate the water chemistry of the Swift River watershed to the rocks and soils of central New Hampshire. In addition to presenting, Matt, Justin and the other students attended talks by leading researchers in each area of the geosciences at the meeting.

Hartwick Students Present Their Research Nationally!
Sarah Timm '10 explains the initial results of her research into the origin of ancient igneous rocks of central New Hampshire (advised by Dr. Eric Johnson). In addition to presenting, Sarah and the other students discussed graduate study opportunities with many interested universities while attending the conference.