2024-25 message from the Chair, Dr. Jim Davis
Greetings Alumni! I hope this newsletter finds you all well. The past year has been an exciting one for the Department of Geology and Geography. Our faculty and staff remain committed to providing high impact learning experiences for our students through field work, internships, and collaborative research projects. I want to highlight just a few of the outstanding accomplishments that our faculty, staff, and students have had this past year.
The department continues the long-standing tradition of faculty/student research collaboration. Six undergraduate students conducted independent research projects this past year and two students presented their findings at a national conference. Our faculty have also been recognized for their commitment to undergraduate research. Dr. Jim Riley was awarded a Redden Grant and the Zeller Award to help provide future research opportunities. Dr. Katie Lewandowski was recognized by the University as the winner of the EIU distinguished research mentor award.
Students in the department benefited this past year from receiving hands on training in their field. Four students completed internships. Cameron Clark worked for the City of Charleston Tourism office, Lydia Howard and Harper Gerfen worked at Eagle Mine in the UP of Michigan, and Jasper Tyner worked with the Antofagasta mining group in Chile. In addition to internships, our broadcast meteorology students continue to produce live news broadcasts at WEIU. The program was also recently recognized by the National Weather Service for 15 years of service in collecting weather data.
The departmental clubs continue to provide opportunities for students to learn outside the classroom. This past year, the clubs took students on field trips to Kentucky, Ohio, and Southern Illinois. Next summer, GTU is planning a summer learning experience that will have students travel Route 66. They will learn about the history and geography of the road as it approaches its 100-year anniversary.
We would like to invite you to come back to Charleston and visit the department. Homecoming is the weekend of October 4-6 this year. I hope that you can make it back to campus for a visit. Fall is a great time to visit Charleston and EIU. If you can’t make it for homecoming, please stop by the department the next time you are back in Charleston. It is always great to catch up with our former students and hear about your experiences after EIU. The Department of Geology and Geography has a great history and very promising future. I want to thank all of you for your support of the department. Donations from our alumni allow us to continue to support student research and field opportunities. The experiences enhance their education and prepare them to be professional in the field of Geology and Geography. Please stay in touch with us and let us know if there is anything we can do for you.
Hope to see you soon!
Jim
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