Symposia

Marine Geology From Paleoshorelines to The Deep Sea: A Tribute to A. Conrad Neumann
Antonio B. Rodriguez (abrodrig@email.unc.edu), Institute of Marine Sciences, UNC – Chapel Hill; Brent A. McKee (bamckee@email.unc.edu), Department of Marine Sciences, UNC – Chapel Hill; Jesse E. McNinch (mcninch@vms.edu), Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Oral.

This theme session seeks papers that focus on coastal and marine geology including Quaternary sea-level and climate change, coastal geology, and carbonate sedimentology.

Symposium in Honor of Stephen G. Conrad, State Geologist of North Carolina 1964-1990
Kenneth Taylor (kenneth.b.taylor@ncmail.net) and Jeffrey C. Reid (jeff.reid@ncmail.net), NC Geological Survey of the NC Division of Land Resources. Oral.

Mr. Stephen G. Conrad had a distinguished career in the North Carolina Geological Survey. For 26 years from 1964 to 1990, he served as State Geologist, the longest tenure of anyone in that position. During his time in leadership, Conrad was instrumental in: (a) Coordinating production of the 1958 1:500,000 scale Geologic Map of North Carolina as well as the 1985 1:500,000 scale Geologic Map of North Carolina. (b) Supporting completion of the 1:24,000 scale topographic mapping of the entire state. (c) As State Geologist becoming the moving force behind drafting, passage, and adoption of the North Carolina Mining Act of 1971 – legislation that began the uniform reclamation of mines in the state. (d) Championing the cause for North Carolina to become a member of the Interstate Mining Compact Commission. (e) His active participation in the American Association of State Geologists (AASG), where Conrad served successively as Vice-President, President-Elect, President, and Past-President from July 1978 to June 1981 as well as chairing several AASG Committees. (f) Supporting creation of a cooperative geologic mapping program between the USGS and the state geological surveys. (g) As State Geologist supporting the concept of geographic information systems (GIS) as it was starting in North Carolina state government. (h) In 1984, seeing the need for greater professionalism in the practice of geology and working to promote legislation creating the North Carolina Board for the Licensure of Geologists. This symposium in honor of Stephen G. Conrad will have speakers from academia, the mining industry, federal agencies, and the North Carolina Geological Survey.

Cenozoic & Echinoderm Paleontology of the Southeastern U.S.: Symposium in Honor of Craig Oyen
Co-sponsored by the Paleontological Society
Michael McKinney (mmckinne@utk.edu), UT – Knoxville; Douglas Jones (dsjones@flmnh.ufl.edu), Florida Museum of Natural History. Oral.

Craig Oyen was a well respected young geologist who made important contributions to the paleontology of the Southeastern US. We present this symposium that will consist of papers on topics most closely related to his interests - Cenozoic paleontology and/or echinoderms - in Craig's honor.

Practical Applications of Geology in the Southeast
Co-sponsored by the Carolinas Section of the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists.
Jennifer Bauer (Jennifer.Bauer@ncmail.net), NC Geological Survey of the NC Division of Land Resources. Oral.

The Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists (AEG) contributes to its members' professional success and the public welfare by providing leadership, advocacy, and applied research in environmental and engineering geology. Aligned with this mission, this Symposium will focus on case studies and practical applications of geology in the Southeast in the interest of exposing others, and especially students, to applied geology in the region. Several speakers will be geologists practicing in environmental and engineering geology in the Southeast US. The applications and case studies presented will represent the type of work that graduating geologists would expect to be performing for private and government employers in the region. Anticipated subjects include groundwater remediation, groundwater-supply studies, landslide and geologic-hazard issues, geologic site investigations, geophysical applications, and foundation studies for large facilities such as dams and power plants.

Geomorphology and Soils
Tom Vanwalleghem (ag2vavat@uco.es), University of Cordoba; Missy Eppes (meppes@uncc.edu), UNC – Charlotte. Oral.

In our landscapes, soils and geomorphology are closely related. Information on soil profiles can be used to study geomorphological phenomena. River terraces or erosion landforms can be dated or correlated using soil profile information. The spatial pattern of soil truncation can reveal information on dominant erosion processes. On the other hand, geomorphology can be used to understand and/or explain observed soil variability. Soil scientists have traditionally always used geomorphology as a tool for soil mapping. Currently, such subjective decision-rules are being transformed into more objective soil-landscape models, for example to predict soil texture from simple topographic parameters. This session deals with all studies applying to this interplay between soils and geomorphology.

Surficial Geology and Geomorphology of the Southeastern Lower and Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain and Continental Shelf
M. Scott Harris (msharris@coastal.edu, HarrisS@cofc.edu after 1 January 2008), College of Charleston. Oral.

This session is a state-of-knowledge report on the current understanding of the pre-Holocene through late Tertiary deposits of the Continental Shelf and Lower and Middle Coastal Plain physiographic provinces of the Southeastern U.S. Atlantic margin. The geomorphology, stratigraphy, and sedimentation are emphasized with a focus on the distribution, characterization, relationships and age of these near-surface deposits. Topics on the pre-Holocene influences on modern geomorphic features are also welcome.