Month: November 2023

Small But Mighty Fossils Featured in Seminar

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If you can’t join us in person, no worries! Please join us online via Zoom at the following link (apologies in advance that we do not have the capabilities yet to share our food with those who attend online) : 

https://ccsu-edu.zoom.us/j/82329445522?pwd=bEdLMVhxdlg3a0ZTVitWZ1dwZDN0UT09

Meeting ID: 823 2944 5522

Passcode: Pizza!

Meet the Rock Stars – Zoe Prevost

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Zoe Prevost at the Grand Canyon, a stop on her Advanced Geology Field Camp with Dr. Wizevich.

Meet another of our amazing “Rock Stars,” Junior Zoe Prevost, majoring in Earth Science with a concentration in environmental geology:

Current research project: Anthropogenic release of mercury and other potentially dangerous chemical elements from a coal power plant in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Research advisor: Dr. Oyewumi

Favorite class: I really love my Principles of Soil Science class. It really opened my eyes to the complexity and importance of soil, as well as the urgency to preserve it. I also enjoyed Climate Change with Dr. Evans, which furthered my passion for finding solutions to the climate crisis. 

Other CCSU activities: President of Geology and Planetary Sciences Club

The most amazing thing I have learned at CCSU: Being passionate about your major is so important. I really enjoy what I do. I love learning about earth science and seeing people in the club get excited about speakers or events I plan. I was previously a biology major, and the coursework was not something I enjoyed, and because of this, I did not excel in those classes. It wasn’t until I went to GSA the following semester that I realized I was most interested in climate science, and since then I have fallen in love with geology! The professors and students here really make undergrad an amazing experience.

    Mining for Minerals

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    On November 12, 2023 students from the Geological Sciences Club visited the Hewitt Quarry in Haddam, Connecticut. The quarry is situated in a pegmatite rock, an igneous body, at least 300 million years old. The pegmatite consists of a very large grains of quartz, micas, feldspars, and gem minerals.  The gem minerals include aquamarine, tourmaline, lepidolite, microcline, spessartine and almandine garnets, magnetite, beryl, microlite, micas, apatite, chlorophane fluorite, and Uranium bearing minerals.  Students learned the physical properties of each mineral, how to identify them, and time to mine for them.  

    — Dr. Allison Weinsteiger

    Learning is a Beach – Literally!

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    The CCSU geomorphology class (GSCI 424) visited the eastern Connecticut shoreline on Saturday November 4. After initial stops along the way in Middletown and Haddam to discuss the post-glacial development of the Connecticut River, the class drove to Bluff Point State Park. Along the mile-long walk from the parking lot to the coast, they observed glacial landforms and discussed glacial processes and the reason for the general alternating sandy beach-rocky headland nature of the Connecticut coast.  At the Bluff headland (above) they recognized pegmatites in the granites and viewed and discussed more glacial features and headland erosion.  On the way back to the van, the group walked the Bluff Point beach along the spit, observing a distinct grain-size fining trend, beach cusps, beach ridges, and a washover fan. 

    But wait there’s more. On to Hammonasset State Park where the class observed the Ledyard glacial end moraine at Meigs Point. The rest of the trip entailed completion of a beach profile (below) and longshore drift exercise.  All-in-all, a very pleasant day spent outdoors.

    CCSU Beats UCONN

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    Drs. Mark Evans and Jen Piatek, along with Planetarium Director Carol Ivers and adjunct faculty member Greg Simones and students, including recent grad Kaliann Magalhaes.

    …and Eastern and Southern! The CCSU Department of Earth and Space Sciences had 12 attendees at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of Connecticut (GSC) on Friday November 3rd, including eight students and four faculty and staff. UConn had a total of nine, and Eastern and Southern had two and one respectively. The meeting was held at Trinity College in Hartford. Everyone at the meeting was impressed by the dedication of our students, who have also recently attended other regional professional meetings. The students benefited by networking with professionals, including the State Geologist. These interactions may lead to internships and jobs after graduation. The students enjoyed a great dinner, then listened to a presentation by Paul Olson (Columbia University) who talked about dinosaurs and climate change in New England during the Triassic-Jurassic.

    Relatedly, it was announced that Carol Ivers, our Planetarium Director, became the most recent addition to the Board of the GSC, while Earth and Space Sciences alum Melissa Mostowy remains on the board as Secretary.

    — Dr. Evans