Mt. Ararat viewed from Mt. Aragats, Armenia

Eruption of Chaiten Volcano, Chile 2009

Exploring a coastal cave in Mallorca, Spain

Local transport across a volcanic ash-laden mountain lake, Chile

Collecting volcanic ash samples, Chile 2009

Volcanic ash erosion, Chile

USF and University of Nevada-Reno students collaborate collecting water samples, Barra de Navidad, Mexico

Geophysics Field Camp, Utah, 2011

Petrified Forrest National Park, Arizona

Lava flow entering the Ocean, Hawaii

Andes Mountains, Chile - Argentina border

Airboat exploration, Everglades National Park, Florida

A hunt for shark's teeth, Venice Beach, Florida

Collecting water samples near Katmai and Lake Clark National Parks, Alaska

Seagrass bed monitoring, St. Joseph Bay, Florida

Cave exploration, Cerna Valley, Romania

Helicopter transport after a day of field work, Denali National Park, Alaska

Delicate Arch leap, Arches National Park, Utah

The hominid-bearing Hadar Formation, Ethiopia

USF Geology

Research Groups / Organizations	News and Noteworthy	Department Events
USF Geology Research Coastal Research Group Ecohydrology Research Group Geodesy Lab Geophysics Research Group Karst Research Group Paleobiology Research Group Petrology and Geochemistry Volcano Research Group GGSO Geology Graduate Student Organization GAS Geology Alumni Association Consider a donation USF Alumni Home Page USF Events and Issues Show your Bull Pride	*An embarrassment of riches for USF Geology.* Read all about Dr. Jonathan Wynn's work on early hominid diets and Dr. Matt Pasek's astrobiology work on meteorites and the origin of life, in June's PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Science) USF researchers: Life-producing phosphorus carried to Earth by meteorites Even Our Ancestors Never Really Ate the “Paleo Diet” Human ancestors' diet changed 3.5 million years ago *USF Karst Research Group’s* artificial cave opens! Read all about it! Congratulations to Dr. Len Vacher on receiving this year's *USF Geology Alumni Society Award! Congratulations to the 2013 Richard A. Davis, Jr., Endowed Fellowship Awardees:* Mel Rodgers (USF PhD candidate) and Denise Davis (USF MS candidate) Congratualtions to undergraduate, *Sammy Tavarez, recipient of the 2012 Withlacoochee Rockhound scholarship! Congratulations to Leah Courtland for receiving a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to continue her postdoctoral research at Georgia Tech! Earthquake!* Two USF Geology grad students Jacob Richardson and Denis Voytenko travel to the Nicoya Penninsula to study the aftermath and collect data ...read all about it...USF Geology grad students in Coasta Rica Dr. Stephen McNutt, the department's *newest faculty member, is a volcano seismologist, recently arrived from Fairbanks, Alaska. USF Geology extends a warm welcome to Steve and his family! Congratulations to Dr. Chuck Connor on his promotion to Interim Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship! In the news, Dr. Matthew Pasek provides new evidence* ...... Life on Jupiter's Moon? (USF News, (March 6, 2012); Life near Jupiter? Moon's oceans too acidic, scientists say (Fox News - Space.com, March 5, 2012); Study: Search For Life On Europa Takes An Acid Bath (HULIQ - Editor's Choice, March 4, 2012). Congratulations to James Wilson (MS candidate) and Leah Courtland (phD candidate), this year's recipients of the Richard A. Davis, Jr., Endowed Fellowship Award! Congratulations to Nicholas Paasche, our undergraduate recipient of the 2011 Withlacoochee Rockhounds Scholarship! Congratulations to the *USF Geology Alumni Society* for receiving the USF Gold Star Award! Congratulations to James Wilson for receiving the 2011 GSA Geophysics Division Student Research Grant Award! Congratulations to Dr. Peter Harries on his promotion to Associate Dean of the Graduate School! (Editor's Choice in Science, 28 October 2011: 434) - Geology article based on the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland catches the attention of Science editors! Congratulations Dr. Chuck Connor and Dr. Ivan Savov (2004 USF Ph.D. graduate)! Read editor's comments: Volcanic Vetting Read the article: A 7000 yr perspective on volcanic ash clouds affecting northern Europe (Geology 39; September 2011). The 2011 El-Baz GSA Student Research Award was awarded to Jessica Norman for "The role of biogenic versus lithogenic carbon in pedogenic carbonate formation." Congratulations Jessica! See here ... (USF News Report, Sept. 28, 2011) Dr. Ping Wang aides in the creation of a Pew Gulf of Mexico report calling for a more inclusive oil spill restoration plan to aid recovery. Read the story Dr. Jonathan Wynn in the news (USF Magazine, Fall 2011) Evolutionary Steps - New research shows the earliest humans moving from tropical forests to wooded grasslands - Read the story (USF News Report, Aug. 23, 2011) Frequency of Volcanic Eruptions on the Rise - Read the story CBS News visits GLY6739/4930, Chuck Connor's Computational Methods in Geohazards class, to check out student reactions to a "normal" Virginia earthquake (Aug. 23, 2011): CBS News report Ground-Shaking ....... Dr. Chuck Connor and Dr. Diana Roman share their views with Fox News regarding the magnitude 5.9 earthquake in Virginia on August 23. See and hear the details: Fox News report	All are invited to attend the Geology Alumni Society’s 2013 GeoExpo! When: Thursday afternoon, April 25th Where: USF GeoPark Students, pick up a passport at the reception station to get some extra credit! *Final week to register for the annual* USF GAS banquet! When: Saturday evening, February 9, 2013 Where: Traditions Hall, USF Tampa Campus How to register: Details can be found here. Check out this semeter's distinguished line-up of guest speakers: 2013 Spring Colloquium Schedule. RAD fellowship applications are due December 17th! All graduate students are invited to apply! 2013 GAS Banquet - Mark your calendars: Date: Saturday, February 9th Time: 6 pm Place: Traditions Hall, Alumni Center, USF Tampa Campus 2012 USF Geology Holiday Party is coming! When: Friday, December 14th, 6 pm Where: Towers of Channelside Clubhouse 445 S. 12th St., 5th Floor Holiday Attire: semi-formal or tacky Christmas sweaters Tickets: $5 for students, $10 for faculty and alumni, $5 for guests. Ticket pays for dinner and one drink. Additional drinks are $2. Please purchase tickets before the event; no tickets sold at the door. Hope to see everyone there! Fall 2012 Rockbreaker Event - Meet Geology Alumni! Date: September 28th Time: 5:00pm - 8:00 pm Place: New World Brewery, 1313 8th Avenue, Ybor City The event is free to everyone. Guaranteed to be a fun geological experience! Fall 2012 Graduate Student Orientation Meeting Date:Wednesday, August 22 Time:** 10:00 - 12:00 (am) Place: CHE 217 Please come for an introduction to students, faculty, and staff and a review of important department information. After the meeting lunch will be provided by GGSO in the Geology break room (SCA 512). *2012 GAS Banquet* info Date: Saturday, February 18th Time: 6 pm Place: Traditions Hall, Alumni Center, USF Tampa Campus Come and congratulate this year's winners of the Dr. Richard A. Davis, Jr. Endowed Fellowship in Geology Award. Tickets can be purchased online. Students, request a sponsored ticket now! Contact Len Vacher or Judy McIlrath *See* who is coming to visit the department. Check out the 2012 spring Colloquium Schedule. Fall Rockbreaker Event - Meet Geology Alumni! Date: September 9th Time: 5:00pm - 8:00 pm Place: New World Brewery, 1313 8TH Avenue, Ybor City The event is free to everyone. The GAS will provide NWB pizza; the beer is on you. Guaranteed to be a fun geological experience! More details ... Interview with ExxonMobil this Fall -> Erik Boice, representative from ExxonMobil, is recruiting in the USF Geology Department on September 19th and 20th! It's a boy - Zachary Pasek! Congratulations to Dr. Matt Pasek and his wife, Virginia, on the birth of their 2nd child on July 28th. Congratulations to Zelalem Bedaso, who was awarded a Morton K. Blaustein Postdoctoral Fellowship by Johns Hopkins University. Congratulations to Dr. Sarah Kruse on her Fulbright grant to work in El Salvador during her sabbatical!

Research Groups / Organizations

News and Noteworthy

Department Events

USF Geology Research

Coastal Research Group
Ecohydrology Research Group
Geodesy Lab
Geophysics Research Group
Karst Research Group
Paleobiology Research Group
Petrology and Geochemistry
Volcano Research Group

GGSO
Geology Graduate Student Organization

GAS
Geology Alumni Association

Consider a donation

USF Alumni Home Page
USF Events and Issues
Show your Bull Pride

An embarrassment of riches for USF Geology. Read all about Dr. Jonathan Wynn's work on early hominid diets and Dr. Matt Pasek's astrobiology work on meteorites and the origin of life, in June's PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Science)
- USF researchers: Life-producing phosphorus carried to Earth by meteorites
- Even Our Ancestors Never Really Ate the “Paleo Diet”
- Human ancestors' diet changed 3.5 million years ago
USF Karst Research Group’s artificial cave opens! Read all about it!
Congratulations to Dr. Len Vacher on receiving this year's USF Geology Alumni Society Award!
Congratulations to the 2013 Richard A. Davis, Jr., Endowed Fellowship Awardees: Mel Rodgers (USF PhD candidate) and Denise Davis (USF MS candidate)
Congratualtions to undergraduate, Sammy Tavarez, recipient of the 2012 Withlacoochee Rockhound scholarship!
Congratulations to Leah Courtland for receiving a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to continue her postdoctoral research at Georgia Tech!
Earthquake! Two USF Geology grad students Jacob Richardson and Denis Voytenko travel to the Nicoya Penninsula to study the aftermath and collect data ...read all about it...USF Geology grad students in Coasta Rica
Dr. Stephen McNutt, the department's newest faculty member, is a volcano seismologist, recently arrived from Fairbanks, Alaska. USF Geology extends a warm welcome to Steve and his family!
Congratulations to Dr. Chuck Connor on his promotion to Interim Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship!
In the news, Dr. Matthew Pasek provides new evidence ...... Life on Jupiter's Moon? (USF News, (March 6, 2012); Life near Jupiter? Moon's oceans too acidic, scientists say (Fox News - Space.com, March 5, 2012); Study: Search For Life On Europa Takes An Acid Bath (HULIQ - Editor's Choice, March 4, 2012).
Congratulations to James Wilson (MS candidate) and Leah Courtland (phD candidate), this year's recipients of the Richard A. Davis, Jr., Endowed Fellowship Award!
Congratulations to Nicholas Paasche, our undergraduate recipient of the 2011 Withlacoochee Rockhounds Scholarship!
Congratulations to the USF Geology Alumni Society for receiving the USF Gold Star Award!
Congratulations to James Wilson for receiving the 2011 GSA Geophysics Division Student Research Grant Award!
Congratulations to Dr. Peter Harries on his promotion to Associate Dean of the Graduate School!
(Editor's Choice in Science, 28 October 2011: 434) - Geology article based on the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland catches the attention of Science editors! Congratulations Dr. Chuck Connor and Dr. Ivan Savov (2004 USF Ph.D. graduate)!
Read editor's comments: Volcanic Vetting
Read the article: A 7000 yr perspective on volcanic ash clouds affecting northern Europe (Geology 39; September 2011).
The 2011 El-Baz GSA Student Research Award was awarded to Jessica Norman for "The role of biogenic versus lithogenic carbon in pedogenic carbonate formation." Congratulations Jessica! See here ...
(USF News Report, Sept. 28, 2011) Dr. Ping Wang aides in the creation of a Pew Gulf of Mexico report calling for a more inclusive oil spill restoration plan to aid recovery. Read the story
Dr. Jonathan Wynn in the news (USF Magazine, Fall 2011) Evolutionary Steps - New research shows the earliest humans moving from tropical forests to wooded grasslands - Read the story
(USF News Report, Aug. 23, 2011) Frequency of Volcanic Eruptions on the Rise - Read the story
CBS News visits GLY6739/4930, Chuck Connor's Computational Methods in Geohazards class, to check out student reactions to a "normal" Virginia earthquake (Aug. 23, 2011): CBS News report
Ground-Shaking ....... Dr. Chuck Connor and Dr. Diana Roman share their views with Fox News regarding the magnitude 5.9 earthquake in Virginia on August 23. See and hear the details: Fox News report

All are invited to attend the Geology Alumni Society’s 2013 GeoExpo!
When: Thursday afternoon, April 25th
Where: USF GeoPark
Students, pick up a passport at the reception station to get some extra credit!
Final week to register for the annual USF GAS banquet!
When: Saturday evening, February 9, 2013
Where: Traditions Hall, USF Tampa Campus
How to register: Details can be found here.
Check out this semeter's distinguished line-up of guest speakers: 2013 Spring Colloquium Schedule.
RAD fellowship applications are due December 17th! All graduate students are invited to apply!
2013 GAS Banquet - Mark your calendars:
Date: Saturday, February 9th
Time: 6 pm
Place: Traditions Hall, Alumni Center, USF Tampa Campus
2012 USF Geology Holiday Party is coming!
When: Friday, December 14th, 6 pm
Where: Towers of Channelside Clubhouse
445 S. 12th St., 5th Floor
Holiday Attire: semi-formal or tacky Christmas sweaters
Tickets: $5 for students, $10 for faculty and alumni, $5 for guests. Ticket pays for dinner and one drink. Additional drinks are $2. Please purchase tickets before the event; no tickets sold at the door. Hope to see everyone there!
Fall 2012 Rockbreaker Event - Meet Geology Alumni!
Date: September 28th
Time: 5:00pm - 8:00 pm
Place: New World Brewery, 1313 8th Avenue, Ybor City
The event is free to everyone. Guaranteed to be a fun geological experience!
Fall 2012 Graduate Student Orientation Meeting
Date:Wednesday, August 22
Time: 10:00 - 12:00 (am)
Place: CHE 217
Please come for an introduction to students, faculty, and staff and a review of important department information. After the meeting lunch will be provided by GGSO in the Geology break room (SCA 512).
2012 GAS Banquet info
Date: Saturday, February 18th
Time: 6 pm
Place: Traditions Hall, Alumni Center, USF Tampa Campus
Come and congratulate this year's winners of the Dr. Richard A. Davis, Jr. Endowed Fellowship in Geology Award.
Tickets can be purchased online.
Students, request a sponsored ticket now! Contact Len Vacher or Judy McIlrath
See who is coming to visit the department. Check out the 2012 spring Colloquium Schedule.
Fall Rockbreaker Event - Meet Geology Alumni!
Date: September 9th
Time: 5:00pm - 8:00 pm
Place: New World Brewery, 1313 8TH Avenue, Ybor City
The event is free to everyone. The GAS will provide NWB pizza; the beer is on you. Guaranteed to be a fun geological experience! More details ...
Interview with ExxonMobil this Fall -> Erik Boice, representative from ExxonMobil, is recruiting in the USF Geology Department on September 19th and 20th!
It's a boy - Zachary Pasek! Congratulations to Dr. Matt Pasek and his wife, Virginia, on the birth of their 2nd child on July 28th.
Congratulations to Zelalem Bedaso, who was awarded a Morton K. Blaustein Postdoctoral Fellowship by Johns Hopkins University.
Congratulations to Dr. Sarah Kruse on her Fulbright grant to work in El Salvador during her sabbatical!