Geography - Geology News

EDITOR’S NOTE: Our retired faculty are out there doing interesting things. I asked two of them to share what they have been up to since they left academia. Geologist James G. Kirchner officially retired in 2000, after the spring semester, and now splits his time between his native Michigan and Florida. Geographer Paul S. Anderson retired at the end of calendar year 2003, still lives in Normal, and still travels extensively.

James G. Kirchner

Most Americans remember the events of September 11, 2001, and what they were doing that fateful morning. Unaware of what had happened at the World Trade Center, spouse Kathe and I were about to make a life-changing decision. I pulled the truck off of northbound U.S. 23 on the way back to our cottage outside Tawas City in northeastern Michigan and said, “Well, what do you want to do?” We had been considering how to deal with the home we had on our 12 acres outside Carlock, Illinois, and the cottage on Lake Huron we had purchased in 1992. Since I retired in 2000, I had taught part-time the following year, only Mineralogy and Petrology, while the Department searched for my replacement. I had spent most of my time fixing up our house, and it was at the time in pretty good shape. It seemed like it would be impossible to maintain that house and still spend summers at the lake. Earlier we had talked to a builder about the cost and feasibility of tearing down our cottage and constructing a house I had designed to fit on our 50’ wide lot, the cost of which would require that we sell the 12 acres. It was decision time and we decided. I turned around toward Bay City to tell our builder to go ahead. When we got there, the office was quiet and everyone was glued to the TV.

(To see the print version, read more of Volume 39, or view other issues of Glacial Deposits, click here.)

The following few months are a blur, as we decided to move ourselves. Over the course of the winter and spring, and while our new house was being built, we made eight trips with our truck and a 7x14’ trailer, moving everything we wanted to keep. We auctioned what we did not want, sold the house, and moved to Michigan in May 2002. The next two years were almost all work, mainly landscaping and finishing the basement, but we also decided consciously to become a part of the community. Both Kathe and I started volunteering for all sorts of things. We took Hospice training and volunteered for Hospice for one year; joined a church, in which we both became quite active; joined the local Habitat for Humanity group; and (each of us) joined a national service organization. In addition I was appointed to our township planning commission, and Kathe became a Master Gardener. We also became involved in a township project to construct a bike trail. We are still involved in its maintenance and continued development. In many of these things we both assumed leadership positions.

After a few years, we realized that we had little time for ourselves; so we began cutting back on some things. I remain active with the planning commission, Habitat for Humanity, and our church. For the last seven years, I have served as chair of the planning commission; and, during that time, the commission wrote a master plan, revised ordinances and zoning to be in agreement with it, and wrote ordinances for planned-unit developments, nuisances, wind turbines, and wood-fired boilers. We also passed judgment on the usual considerations of building and development plans. With Habitat I serve on the Board of Directors, as chair of Family Selection, on the construction crew and have been involved in fund-raising. Because of the Habitat connection, I also serve on the Board of our local United Fund. Given the poor economic times, I expect that Habitat up here will be scaling back, possibly even closing, in the near future.

When I was four years old, my folks bought a cottage on an inland lake in central Michigan, so I grew up by water. My dad gave me my first boat when I was eight years old, and I have never lost my feeling of contentment when in one. I cannot seem to find enough time to spend on the water, but with every opportunity I try to get out. I have a fishing boat, but rarely fish, mainly using it to cruise Tawas Bay or take the grandkids tubing. I also have a sailboat that I mostly use for day sailing with friends, but it can also be used for extended trips. And, Kathe and I have kayaks that we like to use on inland lakes and rivers.

One of the conditions Kathe placed on agreeing to move to Michigan was that we would get away for a couple of weeks in the winter, to break up the monotony of being snowed in. Our first winter we bought a motor home and went to Florida for six weeks, making a tour of the state from top to bottom. The second year we went for two months and stayed in one RV park. The next year we switched to a fifth wheel trailer and went for three months. Each year we went a little earlier to get ahead of the snowstorms that always seemed to catch us in Indiana. This year we left in mid-November and stayed until mid-April, thus missing the entire winter. For the last two winters we have stayed in an RV park a little east of Crystal River and will be returning there next season, as well. This is a part of Florida that is not tropical, but has lots of woods, rivers and lakes and not nearly the traffic that plagues much of the state farther south. We take our bikes, which we use on the Withlacoochee State Trail, and our kayaks, which we use to view the abundant bird life, manatees, turtles and alligators. The RV park has lots of planned activities, responsive management, and lots of friendly people. We have many friends there and stay very busy.

I must say that I have not had a lot of involvement with Geology since leaving Illinois State, but I maintain my membership in GSA and Sigma Xi and my professional registration in Illinois. I am aware of only one other geologist in the northeast Michigan area, and he teaches at a community college in Saginaw, about 80 miles away. There are two gypsum mines in the area, one being in our township; but they do not use geologists. There are mine issues that come before the planning commission, so I am at least able to ask some pertinent questions. I had originally thought I might be able to serve as a resource person for the local high school; but, as it turned out, earth science is not taught up here.

I have been asked if I miss teaching. I do sometimes miss the student interaction, being in front of the classroom, and doing research. However, the committee work and campus politics I am happy to leave behind. Sometimes in my sleep I have dreams about teaching; they are always nightmares in which I have been assigned a class in a strange building and I do not know where the classroom is or I arrive on the first day and have absolutely nothing prepared. I wake up in a panic. Crazy! Kathe and I are enjoying life so much that we wonder how we ever found time to work. We are very blessed.

Paul S. Anderson

Since retirement in December 2003, I have been working full-time on the development of clean-burning cookstoves for impoverished people in developing countries. The stove technology is “top-lit updraft” (TLUD) micro-gasification. TLUD gasification is well described in a 100-page document at <www.gtz.de/de/dokumente/giz2011-en-micro-gasification.pdf>. I have a presence on the Internet via the “Stoves Listserv” and writings posted at <www.bioenergylists.org> and elsewhere. One key item is <www.bioenergylists.org/andersontludconstruction>, which discusses the “Champion” TLUD, named because it won an award for clean emissions in 2005.

The stoves efforts provide many opportunities for travel. I attend four to eight conferences or activities each year, about half of them overseas, and serve as the lead consultant to a World Bank funded project to place 10,000 TLUD cookstoves in Uganda by the end of 2012. I am also on the Board of the Biomass Energy Foundation (BEF), which is now conducting 5-day camps with hands-on activities with small gasifiers. Camps that I will have co-conducted in 2011 are in Illinois, Australia, Uganda, Massachusetts, Honduras; and probably in Vietnam, India, or Sri Lanka; and maybe in Norway.
I also have an involvement in a start-up company called Chip Energy, in Goodfield, Illinois. The focus is on larger gasifiers for providing heat to American homes and small industries, using dry biomass as the fuel. Information is at <www.chipenergy.com>.

A related topic is “biochar,” the production and placement of charcoal into soil as a soil amendment. Do an Internet search on “biochar” and you can find out much more than you probably want to know!! I am a co-author in a paper “All Biochars are not Created Equal….” partly because the TLUD stove can create biochar easily.
Well, is it Geography? Yes, because of the utilization of the knowledge and skills gained in a 30-year teaching career as a Geography professor. The cookstoves work is an excellent combination of physical science and social science directed toward solving a serious world problem in widely varying cultures and environments. IAP (meaning “indoor air pollution”) from smoky three-stone fires and poor quality stoves is the fourth worst cause of loss of DALYs (Disability Adjusted Life Years) of approximately two billion people in the poorest societies on Earth. And the stove work attempts to counteract deforestation and associated environmental problems.

It is serious work, but highly enjoyable and stimulating. If interested or just wanting more information, contact me directly at <psanders@ilstu.edu>.

By Angela Bonnell

With my never-before-used passport, iPhone, and wallet each held securely in my hand I boarded my first international flight, from O’Hare to Anguilla—a British territory among a handful of islands constituting the northern Leeward Islands of the West Indies. Never having traveled out of the United States, except a brief college moment in Canada, I had prepared, but was unsure of what to expect from my first international trip. Growing up in Sublette, Illinois, a tiny village in Lee County, I spent the first twelve years of my life never traveling beyond a 30-mile radius surrounding the rural farming community. Despite subsequent professional conferences and occasional vacations allowing me to travel a good portion of the contiguous United States, my insulated childhood has left me both directionally challenged and respectful of the risks in traveling. Knowing my limitations, I have an appreciation of maps and careful planning when traveling to unfamiliar places.

(To see the print version, read more of Volume 39, or view other issues of Glacial Deposits, click here.)

A friend’s milestone birthday was the reason for this late August 2010, five-day, four-night trip; she wanted to spend time relaxing on a remote island in the Caribbean with three good friends, rather than her three children and husband. Unfortunately, her late August birthday coincided with hurricane season; and, even more unfortunately, forecasts were predicting heightened storm activity in the Atlantic. The four of us traveling, as well as our families staying behind, had been monitoring the tropical storms weeks before our departure. We were relieved when Tropical Storm (and then Hurricane) Danielle veered from our vacation spot. From my window seat on the plane, hurricanes were the furthest thing from my mind as I viewed with amazement one idyllic island after another dotting the Atlantic. After living in the landlocked Midwest, the views from above were nothing short of stunning.

Landing at Juliana International Airport on St. Maarten (French: St. Martin), we navigated the tiny airport that was no larger than Bloomington-Normal’s airport. St. Maarten is divided into the French and Dutch territories, but everyone we encountered spoke English. We successfully made our way through the immigration queue and had no problem hailing a cab. Our late afternoon arrival limited our ferry options to the one company farthest away facing south, on the Dutch side of the island where the cruise ships port. We drove past wealth and poverty and were reminded of the devastation of hurricanes as our taxi driver and impromptu tour guide pointed out buildings still in a state of disrepair following Hurricane Omar in October 2008. We boarded the tiny ferry for a twenty-minute, twelve-mile trip across the Caribbean to land at the Blowing Point Ferry terminal on Anguilla.
We were staying at Ambia, a boutique hotel perched on a hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The sun was setting spectacularly when we arrived. We had an incredible vista but had no direct access to a beach, unlike many of the larger resorts on Anguilla. Given the hurricane season, I was happy to forgo direct access. Owing to the season and remote location, we were our hotel’s only guests.

Anguilla’s tourism bureau is proud to advertise its 33 white sand beaches, despite its relatively small size at 15 miles long and 3 miles wide. My travel companions were interested in visiting the nicest beaches to deepen their already dark tans. I was interested in maintaining my shade of librarian pale and worked just as hard staying out from the sun. Our first full day on the island,

Thursday, was carefree. We took local advice and spent the day at Rendezvous Bay Beach, facing the Caribbean. I used a palm tree for shade and applied liberal amounts of sunscreen. Facing the southern side of the island, the current was calm. While the three others sunbathed with tropical drinks in hand, I relaxed while reviewing my notes for a library instruction session scheduled the following Monday for Geography 204, Doing Geography. After a long day in the sun, we enjoyed the best Italian dinner I have ever had—the gorgonzola gnocchi was delicious. We had to be told, however, when dinner arrived more than an hour after ordering, that this was “island time.”

The next day we rented a car and each of us took turns gently reminding our friend to drive on the left side of road. With an island map in hand, we drove to northeastern Shoal Bay Beach, lying in front of many resorts. We found unexpected trouble by mistakenly appropriating the blue resort lounge chairs rather than the green generic variety. I again applied sunscreen and gladly paid $5 for an umbrella. Businesses were happy to accept our U.S. dollars. The island’s official currency is the East Caribbean Dollar; and, conveniently for tourists, cash registers in stores were programmed to handle dual currencies. Unlike the previous day, the waves were rough and knocked down the birthday girl headfirst into the sand (no one had a camera handy) and ripped the mask off another’s snorkel. The waves should have served as a clue. We enjoyed another fantastic dinner but got lost along the way. I was wishing for my iPhone’s GPS capabilities I routinely use when in lost in the U.S. Returning to the hotel, our calls back home revealed Tropical Storm Earl had followed Danielle. Officials were projecting his path would intersect with Anguilla by Sunday, which happened to be our departure day. Officials were also predicting he would gain strength to become a hurricane. We had many questions. The owner of our boutique hotel, an architect originally from Connecticut, tried to assuage our fears, citing the media’s attempt to make a big deal of nothing; but, after visiting a variety of reputable websites, notably those of the federal government’s NOAA National Hurricane Center and the commercial and more graphically appealing (or disturbing) Stormpulse site, our trip took a serious turn. The owner then reminded us he had designed his hotel with hurricanes in mind and that it had weathered Omar without destruction.

Cable television in Anguilla was no different from Illinois. CNN and The Weather Channel provided continual updates. Coincidentally, our trip coincided with the fifth-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Updates on Earl were interspersed with unsettling and sobering anniversary reports. Uncertain of our weather status, I gained a new understanding for what I was viewing. We tried to find flights off St. Maarten a day early, but no seats were available. Saturday we tried to make the best of the situation. The owner gave us a tour to a new property he had designed overlooking Crocus Bay, at the highest point on the island, just over 200 feet above sea level. This view overlooking the northern Atlantic was breathtaking. As we looked off in the distance, we saw scattered whitecaps and waves crashing against the cliffs. Heading back, we saw people boarding up windows to their stores and houses. We then drove to a grocery store to stock up, just in case.

Saturday was a sleepless evening as we heard the wind pick up. Awake at 3 a.m., I stood facing the west as the wind whipped my hair straight back. I was already packed and ready to go. My itinerary led me off St. Maarten at 11 a.m. Sunday, whereas my friends’ flights were later, at 3:30 p.m.—the projected arrival time of Earl, who, true to predictions, had developed into a hurricane. The first concern we all had, however, was whether the tiny ferry could take us off the island to catch the plane in St. Maarten. I took the earliest ferry at 7:30 a.m. and faced a choppy sea with water spraying everywhere; my friends decided to take the next ferry at 9 a.m. I learned later that their ferry was standing room only, and the last ferries left Anguilla at 11 a.m.

My flight left on time to San Juan, which also happened to be in the path of Earl. The flight was turbulent and my window view was cloudy, both literally and figuratively.Through iPhone texting and Facebook updates, I learned my friends made the last flight off St. Maarten on toward Miami. We all arrived safely back at O’Hare, but we now worried about those we had met on Anguilla. We emailed the hotel owner who eventually replied that he and his hotel were fine, but he was busy cleaning up debris to get ready for new guests. I searched YouTube to see snippets of video showing Hurricane Earl hitting Anguilla and St. Maarten. It was a much different vista than I witnessed in good weather.

My first trip abroad was more than I imagined. I gained an appreciation for the inhabitants, and especially business owners, along coastal regions frequently in the path of tropical storms. Had we needed to stay during the hurricane, we would have been safe in our hurricane-designed hotel sitting securely high on a hill. I also have a new-found respect for scientists and professionals carefully charting storms. These maps and accurate projections help people plan for safety. I also recognized that within just a 24-hour period I stood uncertain on St. Maarten, overlooking a hurricane, and safely in Milner Library, teaching to a roomful of geography students. This view was equally as stunning as those I had marveled on my travels.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Angela Bonnell is the Government Documents Librarian at Illinois State’s Milner Library.

Eric Peterson and Richard Hughes

The College of Arts and Sciences has announced the winners of the 2011-2012 Outstanding Teaching Awards. This year’s recipients are Dr. Eric Peterson, Associate Professor of Geology and Graduate Coordinator and Dr. Richard Hughes, Associate Professor of History. “The College has many outstanding teachers and I’m delighted that two of our very best are being honored by the College this year,” said Dr. Sally Parry, Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Student Affairs.

Eric Peterson embraces Educating Illinois as a structure for his teaching. He is excited when he sees a student “get” a concept and is able to use it. Also, he maintains high expectations for his students and this forces him to become a better teacher. Hands-on learning is very important to Peterson whether it be with labs or field experiences. In GEO 102, he has students illustrate geologic concepts kinesthetically, for example, having them circle the class and develop P and S-waves. Both oral and written communication are valued by Peterson as good learning tools. Even in the large Gen Ed class,GEO 102, he requires his students to write a “Geology Journal” to demonstrate the role of geology in daily life. At the graduate level, he has served as the director of the Hydrogeology program for the last five years, written the IBHE program review, mentors all the Hydrogeology students, and has served as thesis chair for about a third of them. Peterson has also participated in two NSF-sponsored teaching workshops.

Richard Hughes views the teaching and learning of history as an evolving process. “It continues to shape both our individual and collective identities and underscore the challenges and opportunities of the present,” said Hughes. He sees his classes as opportunities for students to “reflect on their perspective of themselves, their community, and the larger world.” Using a variety of different teaching strategies, he favors using multiple voices through popular and material culture.  Hughes has incorporated local history and has worked with the McLean County Museum of History and the Academy of Seniors; enriched instruction with guest speakers, field work, theatrical productions, and developed a grant to take students to the Kinsey Institute in Indiana for the senior research seminar. Dr. Hughes is also aware, as he teaches History methods courses that students need to be prepared to work with special populations. This has evolved into a meeting every semester with a professor of special education for his methods students, a grant to work on infusing ELL issues into the classroom, and working more on linguistic diversity in the classroom.

Catherine O’Reilly

Catherine M. O’Reilly joins the ISU faculty as an assistant professor of geology. O’Reilly holds a B.A. from Carleton College (Minnesota) and a Ph.D. in geosciences from the University of Arizona. Her dissertation focused on the effects of land use change on littoral zone dynamics of Lake Tanganyika, East Africa. Her research focuses on limnology, climate change, geobiology, and physical geography.

Among O’Reilly’s awards is 1/2000^th of ½ the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2007. She is the recipient of numerous other awards, including the “Best excuse for SCUBA diving in the tropics” Special Award in 1999. From 2001-2002, she held the title of postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Hydrology and Water Resources at the University of Arizona.