Eberly News

Tagged with Geology and Geography
On February 28, 2020, the world lost a preeminent geologist, teacher, leader and philanthropist. John Renton taught in the Eberly College's Department of Geology and Geography for more than 50 years.

In Memoriam: John J. "Jack" Renton, PhD

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John J. "Jack" Renton, PhD

Log cabins in West Virginia’s Appalachian Mountains have a story to tell: when people leave, the forest takes over. Researchers at West Virginia University are using tree-ring dating to determine not only when trees were cut down to build historic log buildings in the region but also what the forests were like before European immigrants arrived. This could help researchers shed light on when Native Americans abandoned the area and how their absence altered the landscape. Geography graduate student Kristen de Graauw and her mentor, Professor Amy Hessl, uncovered evidence of the significant growth of trees in what may have been a previously cleared area. That growth in the late 17th century coincided with the estimated timing of Native American population decreases following the arrival of European immigrants. This corroborated the hypothesis that a change in the land’s use caused forests to regrow, they explained.

If trees could talk

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Log cabins in West Virginia’s Appalachian Mountains have a story to tell: when people leave, the forest takes over.

Students from the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences will walk across the stage on Saturday, Dec. 21 as they graduate from West Virginia University, ready to take on the world. As Commencement is upon us, several of our Eberly College graduates reflect on their time at WVU and their plans for the future. Meet Kassie Colón.

Meet the Grads December 2019: Kassie Colón

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Eberly College students walked across the stage on Saturday, Dec. 21 as they graduate from WVU, ready to take on the world. As Commencement is upon us, several of our Eberly College graduates reflect on their time at WVU and their plans for the future. Meet geography, Latin American studies and women's and gender studies grad Kassie Colón.

West Virginia University geographers are linking the political and human rights issues at borders today to the legacies of foreign and domestic policy across the globe since World War I. Karen Culcasi and Cynthia Gorman, of the Department of Geology and Geography in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, have studied more than 100 years of international laws that have led, perhaps unintentionally, to the existing hostile climate for refugees.

Beyond borders

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Geographers link formation of international laws to refugee crisis

Rocks may be the key to discovering life on Mars. When samples from the Mars 2020 expedition eventually make their way to Earth, the scientists of tomorrow will have a Mountaineer to thank. West Virginia University geologist Kathy Benison is representing the Mountain State as one of 10 scientists selected as a Return Sample Selection Participating Scientist for NASA’s Mars 2020 expedition. She is responsible for helping to select the rocks and sediments that will be gathered, or cached, by the Mars 2020 rover.

On a mission to Mars

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WVU geologist selected for NASA's Mars 2020 team

A group of students, studying everything from criminology to creative writing, are working together to make a difference and find purpose in their careers. A new Social Justice Research Fellowship in West Virginia University’s Eberly College of Arts and Sciences is empowering graduate students to connect their research to social justice issues.

Weaving social justice into graduate studies

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A group of students, studying everything from criminology to creative writing, are working together to make a difference and find purpose in their careers.

A rocky start in college hasn’t stopped West Virginia University alumnus Zachary Heck (BS Geology, ’16) from pursuing his prehistoric passions. As a geology student, Heck traveled to Virginia’s Shenandoah National Forest; Yellowstone National Park; Spearfish, South Dakota; and Dillon, Montana, where he gained experience in geologic mapping of rock units, hot springs and geysers. Heck’s passion for preserving prehistoric artifacts led him to a career in paleontology before he even graduated. He landed an internship with a paleontologist based in Barrackville who owns Prehistoric Planet, a web-based replica store. He spent five years with the company creating and delivering fossil replicas around the U.S.

Unearthing the art of fossils

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A rocky start in college hasn’t stopped West Virginia University alumnus Zachary Heck (BS Geology, ’16) from pursuing his prehistoric passions. 

2019 Ruby Fellows

WVU names 2019 class of Ruby Fellows

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Seven students pursuing doctoral degrees at  West Virginia University are receiving funding through the Ruby Scholars Graduate Fellows Program. Lauryn Alexander, Heather Baldwin, Elaine Christman, John Hansen, Emily Hughes, Alyssa Stonebraker and Nicholas Winch have been named to the eighth class of fellows. 

Growing up riding four-wheelers and collecting rocks near her grandparents’ cabin in the valleys wedged between the Rocky Mountains, Shelby Isom’s childhood was an adventure. Always on the hunt for the perfect sphere- and heart-shaped rocks, she loved being in nature. But she never expected she would turn that passion for the outdoors into a career. But that became her reality as a geology Ph.D. student at West Virginia University, where she has spent many hours scaling volcanoes and leading undergraduate students on field trips.

Trekking to the top

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Growing up riding four-wheelers and collecting rocks near her grandparents’ cabin in the valleys wedged between the Rocky Mountains, Shelby Isom’s childhood was an adventure. Always on the hunt for the perfect sphere- and heart-shaped rocks, she loved being in nature. But she never expected she would turn that passion for the outdoors into a career. 

LMKR, an international petroleum technology company, has partnered with West Virginia University to expand student and faculty access to industry-leading software. Beginning fall 2019, the Department of Geology and Geography will implement LMKR’s suite of GeoGraphix® and GVERSE, a gift valued at $8.2 million. The gift is part of LMKR's University Grant Program, which offers access to highly developed, industry-leading software used in the exploration and production market. LMKR’s software is expected to be seen when graduates enter the workforce, and this access will prepare students for real-world situations and job opportunities where GeoGraphix and GVERSE are used.

WVU receives $8.2 million software gift from LMKR for energy geology coursework and research

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LMKR, an international petroleum technology company, has partnered with West Virginia University to expand student and faculty access to industry-leading software.