Big Bend National Park Trip April 10-13, 2009

Over Easter weekend 26 Texas Tech Geoscience students had the opportunity to tour Big Bend led by Dr. Tom Lehman. It was a great trip! The Geoscience Society covered the complete cost of the trip by using money raised from our lab manual sales! Here are some miscellaneous pictures...If any members want to send pictures and a write up of a stop or two they can be posted here!!! Email geosciencesocietyATgmail.com

Arbor Day- April 24th

Thanks to everybody who came out to plant flowers for Arbor Day on the Texas Tech Campus! After we were done with our plot we helped out AAPG! Thanks to Nolwenn and Robbie for pictures!

Election Results and Minutes for April

The 2009-2010 Officers are:

President- Kevin Werts
Junior/Senior Vice President- Heather McGarity
Freshman/Sophomore Vice President: Jennifer Riedel
Treasurer: Brittany Reneau
Secretary: Greg Duncan
S.O.A.C. Rep: Tiffany Fisher
Graduate Student Rep: Ryan Lellis

As always the officers can be reached by emailing geosciencesociety@gmail.com

Minutes for April Meeting

5:30 pm: Meeting is called to order

5:31 pm: Dr. Lehman makes announcements concerning the Big Bend trip

· We will be leaving Friday April 10^th at 7:00 in the morning.

· No sample collecting is allowed unless you have a permit.

· People will need to provide their own lunch on the 10^th and buy a lunch on the way back (13^th)

· On Saturday night, we will be entering Terlingua for dinner.

5:35 pm: Pizza arrives and is served.

5:40 pm: Rissa and John take a poll to see who will be attending the Big Bend trip and what sort of food should be purchased.

· Dinners: Sausage Tortilla Wraps and Burgers

· Lunch: Sandwich fixings, granola bars, chips, fruit, etc

· Breakfast: Oatmeal, breakfast bars, fruit, etc

5:45 pm: Elections

· Each candidate is allowed a few minutes to discuss with the society what makes them qualified to be an officer

· Officers elected

o President: Kevin Werts

o Junior/Senior Vice President: Heather McGarity

o Freshman/Sophomore Vice President: Jennifer Riedel

o Treasurer: Brittany Reneau

o Secretary: Greg Duncan

· Other “Officer Notes”

o Dr. Hetherington will be our advisor as voted on in March

o Rissa Westerfieldwill stay on as “Interim” treasure while Brittany is gone over the summer. Both will have signing privileges on the account so the society is functional to organize/purchase for the fundraiser at the beginning of Fall semester.

5:55 pm: Heather announces autism walk

· April 5^th, be there by 1:30, Coronado High Track and Field at 34^th and Vicksburg Ave

5:55 pm: Rissa announces Arbor day and baseball cleanup.

· Arbor day will take place on April 24^th, 1:20 – 3:00

· Baseball Cleanup , 2 days: April 5 and 19^th at 3:00 pm

6:00 pm: Sergio talks about poster day and having a picnic afterwards.

· Votes were taken to have Rudy’s BBQ catered to feed the Geoscience Society after poster presentations.

6:10 pm: Outgoing officers thank everyone for a great year and meeting is adjourned

Vice President Nominee: Jennifer Riedel

This society has really served as an outlet in which I could become familiar with people that have similar ideas and passions. Incoming freshman can really benefit from this and I think we should encourage younger members to join. This could be done via flyers, one of us talking to them during classes, or having informational socials. With a larger membership, we can better benefit the community through service. I would like to see the society do more community service. The package we sent to the troops in Iraq at Christmas was awesome, and I think other groups would really appreciate that kind of generosity as well. Race for the Cure or Relay for Life are worthwhile and fun events that serve a great purpose. It would be really cool if we could get a group together and participate next year. I think the society and its members could benefit from more field trips. These provide great hands on experience and really allow you to get to know the other members. This society has done a great deal of good for the department and community and I would like to see us continue to set the bar high for the other organizations!

Vice President Nominee: Heather McGarity

Classification: Senior

I am currently a member of the Geoscience Society and have been for the past year. I am also the treasurer of the geoscience honors society, Sigma Gamma Epsilon. As a vice president I will be responsible for planning events. I plan on continuing the bowling nights since they are a big success. I also would like to see the Geoscience Society become more involved with other societies such as the Society of Petroleum Engineers. I am currently a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, and I would like to start planning tailgates with this society during football games. I believe that since I am currently a member of both I will have an easier time mediating between the two societies. Another major plan for the geosciences society is to have fund raisers like the baseball field clean up and the pancake festival. These would help raise money to take trips and have fun events like the ones we have had in the previous year. As a vice president, I will work my hard and put the Geoscience Society as a priority. Wreck ‘em Tech!

Secretary Nominee: Tiffany Fisher

Classification: Sophomore

My goal, if I become secretary, is to enhance the position of secretary to help improve our society for the upcoming year. The secretary’s position is to primarily maintain an accurate record of the meetings and chair committees within the organization. As secretary, I will help to inform the members of the society quickly and efficiently of the minutes from the past meeting. Also the agenda will be typed and ready to go promptly at every meeting. I hope to improve the participation of the members by maintaining a committee that will inspire them in their fields of study. I also hope to encourage others my age to join and participate in this great organization.

Secretary Nominee: Greg Duncan

(Picture was stolen from facebook profile! :-P )

Classification: Senior

Qualifications/goals: I have worked in the past with several people currently running for office. I have been at Tech for 3 years and know many of the teachers well. My effort level will be immediately noticeable if I am elected.

As secretary, I feel my job is to keep the society well organized and running smoothly. I will take accurate minutes at meetings, as well as keep members informed on what is going on and keep accurate track of community service hours. This year, announcements were somewhat sparse; I plan to make them more visible to increase awareness within the society.

What the officers did this year was do a great job of retaining students, which was a vital step to create a better image for the society. I feel that it would be my mission to continue this mission to a greater extent. With excellent student retention comes extra students as well.

Treasurer Nominee: Brittany Reneau

Classification: Sophomore

Goals for Next Year:
-Keeping up with the lab manual sales every semester
-Keeping the budget in check and making sure the money is spent wisely
-New fundraising ideas
-Trying to recruit new members
-Supporting the other officer in their ideas

Big Bend Trip

Campsite has been booked, fee waiver received, and vans have been secured! The trip will happen! Due to cost and other logistics the trip has been capped at 32 (including Dr. Lehman). This is simply the amount of camp and van space available! There is a "waiting list" for those of you who are still interested. Since the trip is still well over a month away I expects some individuals schedule will change and space will open up when check closer to the trip! If you are still interested please email geosciencesociety@gmail.com

It sounds like Lehman plans on leaving around 6-7 am that Friday so PLEASE be aware that you will be missing classes that day. We will still return on Monday. For those of you who would like to drive or are willing to drive I believe I will need you be able to sign paperwork at the van rental (on campus) between 3 and 4:30 that Thursday.

February 5th Minutes

5:30 pm: John calls the meeting to order.

5:31 pm: Rissa calls for a voting to nominate a new geoscience society advisor

· Dr. Hetherington is nominated for the new geosciences society advisor to begin May 1. He will be replacing Dr. Yoshinobu, our current advisor.

5:32 pm: Announcements by John

· The geosciences society has been invited by Dr. Lehman’s Clastic Sedimentology class to attend a field trip to Big Bend. The trip will take place on April 10^th through the 13^th. If you are interested in attending, please email geosciencesociety@gmail.com by Monday February 9^th. Also, please let us know if you are certified by Texas Tech to drive the university vans.

5:35 pm: Announcements by Kevin

· There were six T-shirt ideas submitted this semester. The T-shirt that received the most votes was “Geologists Party Like Rock Stars and Don’t take Schist from Nobody”. The society will also look into buying fleeces.

5:40 pm: Announcements by Rissa

· Lab Manuals, Research Money, and Finances

o Lab Manual Profit for the year is approximately $7300.

o We have $1247.23 in our General Account.

o $1000 has officially designated for “Support” funds, with $200 overage if necessary.

o Constitutional amendment vote:

$4000 minimum must remain in the account in order to purchase new manuals. When new lab manuals are purchased all received funds first must replace this amount and then anything over that may be used for approved expenses (i.e. field trips, member support, speakers, and other approved expenses by Dr. Lehman, the Dept. Chair, and the officers).

· Upcoming Elections

o Must be at next meeting (March 5) to be nominated!! Officers must be sophomore or higher standing, passing GPA and active in the society for at least one year. Officer positions include: President, V. President, Treasure, Secretary, SOAC Representative (maybe any grade level). All “Levels” must be represented, if there is not a freshman/sophomore a representative may be elected. A graduate student MUST be either an officer or a representative MUST be elected if the society would like to continue selling lab manuals.

o Each candidate for Pres., VP, Treasure, and Secretary will be given a Profile Form to fill out to be posted on the bulletin board and on the blog/website. Forms are due no later than March 12^th to be considered. If you have questions about the positions please talk to Rissa.

5:55 pm: Announcements by Candace

· On February 28^th there will be a severe weather awareness day at the science spectrum. The atmospheric sciences department needs volunteers for the event. Volunteering can count towards service hours for the geoscience society. Please email geosciencesociety@gmail.com or contact Candace for more information.

6:00 pm: Announcement by John

· There will be bowling tonight at South Plains Lanes. For more information, see the flyers outside room 234 or on the doors located by the stairs.

Super Bowl Party & Thursday Meeting

Hey everybody. The super bowl party was a great success thanks to all of you who came! Don't forget we will have a meeting on Thursday at 5:30! Please come so we can discuss a Big Bend field trip for April, update on AAPG's field trip, T-shirt vote and more!

Thank You Letter

Greetings to all,

On behalf of the 1st Platoon, I would like to send our truly heartfelt appreciation for the gracious gifts we received during Christmas ’08. The seemingly endless packages we received during the weeks prior to Christmas instilled a holiday spirit in us all which would have been lost without your generosity. Though it may be unbelievable, we had obtained a 6ft lighted Christmas tree, probably the only one on our camp, which we placed our gifts around just like at home. Day after day soldiers would come by and rummage through the boxes for items of use. In one particular instance, I recall a soldier commenting “there is something new to be found everyday, it’s unbelievable!”. The assortment of items sent could not have been more accepted and most importantly needed. Thank you all for the kind recognition during the holidays.

We departed Fairbanks, AK four months ago moving into the Diyala Province to support the Iraqis as they assume total control over their country. Daily we work hand in hand with Iraqi Army, Police, and civilians as they learn techniques and gain experience in democratic self-government. It is truly gratifying to see the tremendous gains being made as the Iraqis rebuild their cities and homes freely. In the town in which we live, streets have been swept clean, new curbs poured and painted, and flowers planted, transforming the main avenue of town into an admirable site. It is these small achievements by the Iraqis that put our work into perspective.

As far as our outlook on the New Year we continue to work hard overseas, but are very excited and motivated to return home in September. For many of us Alaska is not considered home, but nevertheless it is an amazing place filled with adventure and breathtaking scenery. I tell you all from experience, that it is a Geologist’s heaven! Thank you again. We wish you all the best of luck this semester and, as always, “GO TECH”.

1st Platoon
73rd Engineers
‘Artic Sappers’

Mineralology Lab Clean-up

Thanks to everybody who helped Dr. Hetherington begin to organize and clean the mineralogy lab!! It seemed that everybody had a good time and enjoyed eating yummy pizza! Here is a list of people that helped...

Kevin Wertz
Laura Moore
Heather Mcgarity
Brian Horton
Philip O'Brien
Jeremy Deans
Brittany Reneau
Virginia Beversdorff
Chloe Beddingfield
John Torgusen
Brendan Hargrove
Jennifer Riedel
Jeff Oalmann
Monika Leopold
Alyson Brink
Nolwenn Coint

If you are not on this list and should be then send us an email!! Also if you are interested in helping in February contact Dr. Hetherington or geosciencesociety@gmail.com

THANKS!!!

Remaining Spring 2009 Events

FEBRUARY

• 1^st- 5ish Super Bowl Party (email for location)
  
• 5^th- 5:30 Meeting, Rm 234
• 5^th- 10pm-1am Cosmic Bowling, 5150 69th Street near Slide
• 20^th- 3:30 Departmental Seminar- Rheology of the lithosphere by Dr. Greg Hirth, Brown University.
• 21^st- Pancake Festival, more information coming

MARCH

• 5^th- 5:30 Meeting, Rm 234, NOMINATIONS FOR OFFICERS!
• 5^th- 10pm-1am Cosmic Bowling, 5150 69th Street near Slide
• 12^th – Officer Candidate profiles posted on bulletin board
• 26^th-29^th (subject to change) – AAPG field trip to Arbuckle Mountains (Petroleum focus), Email Jason for more information or to join AAPG (email the geoscience society and your email will be forwarded)

APRIL

• 2^nd- 5:30 Meeting, Rm 234, VOTE FOR OFFICERS!!!
• 2^nd- 10pm-1am Cosmic Bowling, 5150 69th Street near Slide
• 19^th or 26^th – End of the year picnic/party, more information coming

Check http://www.depts.ttu.edu/gesc/SS-2008.php#2008 for Departmental Seminar Schedule

Email geosciencesocietyATgmailDOTcom with questions