The North Central district office for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) under the Bureau of Environmental Remediation recently donated several survey instruments to the department of Geology.
Thank you for this very generous donation that will enhance some of our classes.
As a district office, this branch of KDHE in which freshly graduated Javil Hansen is working, is field work oriented and mostly deal with leaking underground fuel tanks and hazardous spills.
We are pleased to announce that the PetCAT Scan facility is finally available in the department. This instrument allows to generate virtual thin sections: multi-channels images taken in both planed and crossed polarized mode and at different angles. The results are astonishing! Because A picture is worth a thousand words, here is a small video showing the incredible capabilities of this new instrument.
People interested by this new addition may contact the PetCAT scan facility (petcatscan@ksu.edu).
Dr Ghanbarian’s work has been recently featured in the GeoNews video. Congratulations Dr. Ghanbarian!
Dr, Kumar received his PhD in plant molecular biology from University of Delhi in 2021. During his PhD, he worked on the analysis of genetic variations in different genes and protein sequences among wild and cultivated rice types. Ritesh has eight journal articles and ten conference presentations. He will be working with Dr. Behzad Ghanbarian, Geology, and Dr. Krishna Jagadish, Agronomy, on a funded proposal by National Science Foundation (NSF). He will be conducting experiments to measure sap flow in plants using the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology for the first time in the nation.
Katie Andrews and Brandon Yokeley, graduate teaching assistants in the Department of Geology, are recipients of the January 2021 National Association of Geoscience Teachers Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards.
Andrews was nominated by Aida Farough, teaching assistant professor, and Matthew Kirk, associate professor, both in geology, who said, “Katie’s leadership has been critical for GEOL 103 but also to the whole Department of Geology. GEOL 103 is an essential component of our introductory geology curriculum as well as our recruiting efforts. It has been a rough year but it would have been a lot rougher without Katie on our GEOL 103 team.”
Yokeley was nominated by Farough and Behzad Ghanbarian, assistant professor of geology, who said, “Brandon has made and is making solid contributions to the rigor and management applications of geology. He is among the top 1% of current/past M.Sc. geology students that have come through our program in the last 10 years (with respect to overall academic ability, scholarship, interest and potential to succeed, particularly as an educator).”
The National Association of Geoscience Teachers recognizes outstanding teaching assistants in geoscience education with up to 30 awards annually. Both undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants are eligible for the award. Award winners receive a one-year membership in the association, which includes an online subscription to the Journal of Geoscience Education and In The Trenches quarterly magazine. The yearly membership starts Jan. 1.
The geology department’s mission is to deliver excellence in teaching, research and service so that its students are equipped with the knowledge to understand and predict how our planet works and to apply that knowledge to the key challenges facing society today: meeting demands for energy, mineral, water and food, while responsibly managing our environment.
Dr. Farough receives a new NSF grant focusing on drones and geoscience careers
Dr Farough is co-PI in a new NSF grant focusing on drones and geoscience careers. Congrats Dr. Farough!
“SOARING: Sharing Opportunities, Approaches, and Resources in New Geo-teaching” is a three-year grant that will provide training on the latest in geotechnology for teachers and students at middle schools and high schools in eight partner rural school districts. It will target geotechnology applications of airborne remote sensing in the areas of environmental and hazardous geology, water resources and geology mapping.