State Organizations Accessing Webinars in Illinois, Iowa and Indiana

Geologists and ground water professionals came together in October for their state organizational meetings, each featuring a webinar from the MIDWESTGEO WEBINAR ARCHIVES during their day long meetings.

The Illinois Groundwater Association, the Iowa Ground Water Association and the Professional Geologists of Indiana each recently conducted their fall meetings.  Representatives from each organization independently contacted Midwest GeoSciences Group and inquired about accessing a recorded webinar as part of their fall meeting agenda.  We gladly responded with enthusiastic support!

Smiles during the Illinois Groundwater Association Fall Meeting  (Photo by Tim Kemmis)

 

Midwest GeoSciences Group wishes to extend a special thank you to Joyce Day, Diane Lamb, Ed Mehnert, John Quinn, Al Stone, Bianca Colemenares, Steve Bennett, Dan Lombardi and others who attended the Illinois Groundwater Association at Argonne National Laboratory. Extra special thanks go to Joyce and especially to Diane for making it happen, and flawlessly!

We also extend a heartfelt thanks Bob Dustrup, Matt Culp, Roger Bruner, Molly Arp, Cara McCabe, Paul Vandorp and others who attended and facilated the recorded webinar during the Iowa Ground Water Association Meeting in Iowa City.

On behalf of the Iowa Groundwater Association I want to thank both of you and the Midwest GeoScience Group on the slug testing webinar by Dr. Butler that you presented at yesterday’s Iowa Groundwater Association meeting.   Providing a high-caliber training opportunity at our meeting ....  and helping our organization fulfill one of our objectives: to promote education of groundwater issues. -Bob Dustrup, 2012 IGWA President

Last by not least, we wish to thank Rob George from the Professional Geologists Association in Indiana for leading the way and facilitating the recorded webinar for their meeting in Indianapolis.  We look forward to upcoming collaborations during 2013!

Association of Engineering Geologists 2012 Annual Conference



The Association of Engineering Geologists Annual Conference lived up to its tag line:  Ascending to Greater Heights: Elevating Our Profession.    It was fitting because some of the main elements that resonated deepest were about the future of the engineering geology industry.  AEG does a great job of long-term planning and they seem to successfully see into the future and respond to the profession accordingly.  I am impressed by the vision of the AEG leadership and their ability to adapt to market demands, industry trends, and geographic shifts.  AEG is indeed leading the way toward elevating the profession.

This year's meeting was located downtown Salt Lake City with field trips and short courses scattered all over the state.  Utah is an outstanding place to hold a geology meeting.  The irony is my favorite day of exploring was at the Bonneville Salt Flats where we witnessed a car driving over 450 mph! (not directly related to geology, but without the salt flats the speedway couldn't exist!) 

Rock Core Boxes stacked at the Utah Geological Survey Core Repository. 
Bar coding is a trend we see more and more when we visit different core repositories. 

Keegan is pictured at our exhibitor booth.  Thanks to all those who stopped by and said Hello!
....especially to those who stayed a while!

Congratulations to AEG leadership for hosting another world-class conference.  We as members benefit from the conference but in the long run, the public benefits most from our stewardship as professionals with pride in our work coupled with standards and ethics set by the AEG vision. 

Aquifer Testing Course @ Camden Yards, Baltimore

Wow, did we have fun!  The 3-day advanced aquifer testing course at Camden Yards was one of the most enjoyable courses ever.  The max course attendance gave us insight about expectations for having a technical course at a historic Major League Baseball ballpark...but the daily excitement from a lunchtime private ballpark tour, early ballpark access before a game, a private luxury suite serving Baltimore's own crab cakes and other food, plus a 'surprise' visit from Baltimore Oriole's legendary retired pitcher, Tippy Martinez, put the extracurricular elements over the top.

 The advanced aquifer testing course was conducted in the historic Camden Yards warehouse behind right field fence.  Pictured waving behind home plate (farthest left) is Glenn Duffield during lunchtime ballpark tour.

Jim Butler in Oriole's Dugout.

Legendary Oriole's Pitcher, Tippy Martinez, visited our private suite during the Oriole's game to meet everyone, sign autographs, eat crab cakes, and share some memorable stories.  (Tippy is the only MLB pitcher to obtain all 3 outs in a single inning by picking off 3 consecutive runners on first base.....thanks for the stories, Tippy!)

Dr. Shlomo Neuman joined us too for this advanced-level aquifer testing course.  Yes, that is "the" Dr. Neuman who is the author of many landmark papers in aquifer testing whom we frequently reference in our professional work.  Shlomo along with Jim Butler and Glenn Duffield put the "education" in this event.  Thanks to the instructors for delivering a great and practical class that benefited everyone (according to the feedback forms!).

Most of all, thanks to the participants!  From four continents, we appreciate you traveling to Baltimore for the course and we thank you for the dynamic interaction and feedback.  We are touched and inspired by those we meet during courses and this course was no exception.  Your dedication and professional pride shine through in the informal discussions and your leadership made the course a truly historical event.  Thank you again, -Dan Kelleher.

Who is GeoMan?

GeoMan.  GeoWoman.   

The Midwest GeoSciences Group conducts short courses mainly for environmental and engineering industry and as a result we meet many geoscientists along the way.

A few years ago we adopted the names GeoMan and GeoWoman, for our safety and field apparel.   The initial idea the GeoMan and GeoWoman has since evolved into a variety of concepts, one of which is the SuperHero.  Sport shirts and T-shirts showing the GeoMan SuperHero is growing into a popular and fun item for geoscientists.  Keep your eye out this year for the new 2012 GeoMan or GeoWoman SuperHero apparel and send us your photos and we want to post them to our website!

Keegan and GeoMan Steve surfing at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Surf's Up at Bondi Beach while Keegan prepare's to catch a wave

Pictured is Tony Ward (Head Coach) and Tristran Moran and Andre Taylor (players) of the New Zealand Professional Rugby Team, The Hurricanes
http://www.hurricanes.co.nz/