Geology Department Chair Presents Cutting Edge Research at International Conference
Hundreds of scientists from around the world heard from Professor of Geology and Department Chair David Griffing this summer when he presented his research at the annual meeting of International Association of Sedimentologists held in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
The research, conducted with Smith College researchers, Bosiljka Glumac, the Dwight W. Morrow Professor of Geosciences, and H. Allen Curran, professor emeritus of geology, is titled, Development of reef microbialites from Eemian portions of the Grotto Beach Formation, San Salvador Island, Bahamas.
“Due to the length and complexity of this project, we have been working on it, in one form or another, for a long time,” said Griffing. “It all started when a Hartwick student, Lexy Fowler ’09, wanted to do a senior thesis project that combined paleontology and the environmental impact on reefs. Due to the length of the project, I have been able to bring in a number of Hartwick students to do research segments along the way.”
One of those students is Alyssa Schaeffer ’24. “We are looking at data from the Bahamas trip and a break between two ancient reefs,” said Schaeffer. There’s this weird break between them and then you have completely different reef assemblages.”
Skylar Kortright ’17 when she traveled in 2015 with Griffing to San Salvador Island, Bahamas to do field research on the fossil reef exposed in the Cockburn Town Quarry.
Old Dubrovnik, Croatia from above.
Opening ceremonies of the annual meeting of International Association of Sedimentologists in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Griffing with fellow researchers during visit to Paklenica National Park, Croatia.
According to the United Nations, climate change is the defining issue of our time and we are at a defining moment.
“A close eye is being kept on what our impact may be and what a continued change in potentially higher sea levels may mean to environments like the coral reefs. Because of that, we thought that this was a really valid project. The more we know about the past, the more we can understand the potential futures for coral reefs.”
David Griffing
Professor of Geology and Department Chair
