|
A few years
ago, a group of geoscientists and a couple of local retirees combined their
interests in geoscience research and educational activities and created GeoScience Adventures. Our goal is to provide quality
educational programs, centered in the Bighorn Basin and Big Horn Mountains,
and led by professional geoscientists.
Our Educational Workshops are
developed and led by members of our Science
Team, assisted by visiting instructors who are respected geoscientists
with many years of experience in their respective fields of expertise. We believe that we have the best
instructional team of its type in our area and our workshop participants
agree.
Coordinators
 Cliff and Row Manuel ~ Cliff, a retired
aerospace engineering systems manager, and Row, a retired teacher and Bighorn
Basin native, are co-founders of GeoScience Adventures and serve as
coordinators and facilitators for all
team activities.
THE SCIENCE TEAM
 Erik. P. Kvale Ph.D. ~ Erik is a
native of nearby Greybull, Wyoming, and is intimately familiar with the
Bighorn Basin. He has a Ph.D. in geology from Iowa State University and is an
internationally recognized sedimentologist and stratigrapher. He has worked extensively in northern
Wyoming, the mid continent, and internationally, and has authored over 50
articles on various aspects of geology.
Erik currently is a Senior Geologist with Devon Energy Corporation and an
instructor (and past Field Station Director) at the Iowa State
University Geology Field Station in Shell. He
is the co-discoverer of the Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite near Shell,
Wyoming and a co-founder and principal instructor of GeoScience Adventures.
 Jack Beuthin Ph.D. ~ Until recently, Jack was Professor of
Geology and Chair of the Department of Geology & Planetary Sciences at
the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown, where he taught courses in
sedimentology, stratigraphy, paleontology, and historical geology. Currently,
Jack is a Senior Geologist for Devon Energy Company in Oklahoma City, OK.
Jack is a sedimentary geologist and is best known for his work on
fossil soils and on cycles of sea-level change as recorded in ancient
sedimentary strata. Jack shares an
equal interest in utilizing the marvelous geology of the Bighorn Basin and
Big Horn Mountains to teach geology and paleontology to workshop
participants.
 Michael K. Brett-Surman
Ph.D. ~
Mike has been employed by the Smithsonian Institution since 1979 and has
conducted geoscience research, collections, and outreach programs in the
Bighorn Basin area for the Smithsonian Institution since 1992, including
several dinosaur and marine reptile fossil sites. He has discovered new
dinosaur deposits in four geologic formations.
Mike has named four new dinosaurs for science,
Secernosaurus, Gilmoreosaurus,
Avisaurus, and Anatotitan. He is co-editor, with Dr. James Farlow, of the
award-winning book “The Complete Dinosaur.”
 James Farlow
Ph.D. ~ Jim is professor of geology at
Indiana-Purdue University, Fort Wayne, and an internationally recognized
authority on dinosaur and reptile footprints.
He is the co-editor of the award-winning book “The Complete Dinosaur”.
Jim has done research on the function of Stegosaurus plates,
the shape and function of theropod teeth, and the paleoecology of dinosaur
communities. His current research is concerned with how exactly we can
identify the makers of dinosaur footprints; in the course of this work he has
done experiments with footprint formation by large ground birds, and has
measured bird, theropod and ornithopod foot skeletons in museums around
the world.
 Kim Sowder GISP ~
Kim Sowder has a B.S.
degree in Geography from Indiana State University and is a certified GIS
specialist. She has been a cartographer and the mapping coordinator for the
Indiana Geological Survey (IGS) for 23 years. She is the creator and author
of the most popular IGS publications at the Hoosier Association of Science
Teachers annual conference, “Handy Handouts”, which provide geologic and
geographic information, activities, and maps for educators to use. Kim has
worked with Indiana Science Olympiad for 7 years and coached “Road Scholar”
teams to a state championship.
 Robert (Bob) and Tina King ~ Bob and Tina King have been a great
addition to our team, having played a major role as teaching assistants since
2004. Now a regular part of our GeoScience Team, they provide valuable
insight to our workshop participants in how to convert “lessons learned” into
practical applications in the classroom.
Bob teaches mathematics at Friendship Christian High
School in Lebanon, TN. He holds certifications in mathematics and data
processing. He has a B.A. in mathematics from Vanderbilt University and an
M.A. and Teaching Certification from Tennessee Tech University. He is the
recipient of the 2007 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics
Teaching from the state of Tennessee.
Tina is an elementary teacher in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee
and has been heavily involved in projects linking students in and out of
the Arctic to learn about the causes of global warming and how it affects
Arctic rivers and larger Earth systems.
 Walt
Gray ~ Walt is
the Educational Outreach Coordinator at Indiana Geological Survey. Walt has
16 years of experience as a teacher in public schools and is enthusiastic
about demonstrating earth science to children and adults. He has performed
research in the Bighorn Basin and has assisted GeoScience Adventures with our
workshops in past years.
Back to top
Copyright © 2000 - 2009
GeoScience Adventures, Inc.
Last Modified 4-4-2009
|
