W&M Geology

05/19/2023

TOMORROW @ 1PM -- W&M Geology Department Ceremony

If you wish to celebrate with us, the Geology Department Ceremony will occur TOMORROW (May 20) in the Integrated Science Center 3 (ISC3), Room 1221 at 1 PM.

https://events.wm.edu/event/view/geology/133249

The University recommends the following areas for parking: Zone 2 (Boswell & PBK Lots), Zone 3 (Facilities Plant Lot), Zone 4 (Zable Stadium & James Blair Dr). (Parking PDF: https://media.wm.edu/content/wm/studentaffairs/commencement/parking.pdf)

Geology Events

05/19/2023

Celebrate Commencement with the Class of 2023!

This is a reminder that the MAIN CEREMONY (for all degrees) is TODAY (May 19) from 7 pm - 9 pm. The University recommends the following parking lots for parking: Kaplan Arena, Compton, Yates, or the Parking Deck on Ukrop Way. For more information, follow this link:

We look forward to the arrival of families and guests in May to celebrate our graduates upon their Commencement! Read on for information to assist you with your planning.

05/15/2023

The Geology Department Graduation Ceremony is this Saturday starting at 1 PM! Check out the link below for more information:

https://events.wm.edu/event/view/geology/133249

The full 2023 Commencement Schedule is available here: https://www.wm.edu/sites/commencement/2023/schedule/index.php

Geology Events

05/04/2023

Congratulations to Dr. Nicholas Balascio for being one of five professors awarded the 2023 Reves and Drapers’ Faculty Fellowship!

Nicholas Balascio, Associate Professor, Geology
Project: Evaluating the climate context for the prehistoric human colonization of Peary Land, northernmost Greenland

The first arrival of people into northern Greenland circa 4,500 years ago represents a remarkable period in the human history of the Arctic. These pioneering settlements, located in the Wandel Dal valley of Peary Land, mark an important step in the progression of human migration across the North American Arctic. Archaeological data show that human occupation of northern Greenland was not continuous and that there were three settlement phases, each separated by an abandonment period of at least 1,000 years. There is no universally accepted hypothesis that explains the timing of human arrival in Peary Land or these periods of abandonment. The goal of this project is to develop environmental reconstructions from lakes in Wandel Dal to investigate the climate context for the prehistoric human colonization of northern Greenland.

The Reves Center for International Studies has awarded the 2023 Reves and Drapers’ Faculty Fellowships to five William & Mary professors.

05/03/2023

The W&M Geology Department is excited to invite you to Olivia Wachob's Honors Research Presentation.

When: Thursday, May 4th @ Noon
Where: McGlothlin-Street Hall 230
Zoom: https://cwm.zoom.us/j/96173621239

Olivia's dedication and perseverance in her research are remarkable, and her presentation marks the culmination of her hard work. We encourage you to attend and support Olivia as she delves deeper into her study on "The geology, geochronology, and petrology of the eastern Blue Ridge cover sequence, central Virginia."

05/03/2023

The W&M Geology Department is excited to invite you to Hannah Tebbens' Honors Research Presentation.

When: Thursday, May 4th @ 9:30 AM
Where: McGlothlin-Street Hall 230
Zoom: https://cwm.zoom.us/j/8682915231

Hannah's research is a testament to her unwavering commitment and perseverance, and her presentation represents the culmination of her hard work. We invite you to attend her presentation and support Hannah as she delves deeper into her study on "The age and origin of nelsonite in the central Virginia Blue Ridge."

04/28/2023

"A group of William & Mary researchers from the Department of Geology and the Environment & Sustainability program have found that microscopic charcoal pieces from Lake Matoaka sediments correspond closely with events in American history. This research builds on other published studies investigating the sediment record in Lake Matoaka, the 40-acre, 300-year-old mill pond on campus.

The authors of this paper include Professor of Geology Jim Kaste, Associate Professor of Geology Nick Balascio, former W&M Geology undergraduate Lee Frank-DePue (now a graduate student at the University of Syracuse), former W&M Geology undergraduate Kayla Cahoon (now a graduate student at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science), and former W&M Mellon Postdoctoral Scholar of Environmental Science & Policy Dr. Richard Vachula (now an Assistant Professor at Auburn University)."

A group of William & Mary researchers from the Department of Geology and the Environment & Sustainability program have found that microscopic charcoal pieces from Lake Matoaka sediments correspond closely with events in American history. This research builds on other published studies investigating....

04/27/2023

The W&M Geology Department is excited to invite you to Selwyn Heminway's Honors Research Presentation.

When: Friday, April 28th @ 8 AM
Where: McGlothlin-Street Hall 219
Zoom: https://cwm.zoom.us/my/ssheminway

Selwyn has demonstrated immense dedication and perseverance in her research; her presentation is the culmination of her hard work. Please show Selwyn your support by attending her presentation. She will delve deeper into her study on "modeled changes in foredune morphology in response to variable storm intensity, sea-level rise, and mitigation strategies."

04/26/2023

The W&M Geology Department is excited to invite you to Heather Christensen's Honors Research Presentation.

When: Thursday, April 27th @ 11 AM
Where: McGlothlin-Street Hall 230
Zoom Link: https://cwm.zoom.us/j/98789676801

Heather has devoted countless hours to her research, and her presentation is the fruit of her unwavering commitment and perseverance. We invite you to support Heather and delve deeper into her study on "Radon risk mapping and using uranium series geochemistry and social vulnerability in the North Carolina Coastal Plain."

04/26/2023

Thank you to the William & Mary Center for Archaeological Research for sharing this blog on their webpage.

"The materials recovered from this shipwreck include timber framing, a section of the wooden keel including its forefoot knee and futtock, as well as a small assortment of artifacts. Plus, there was a multi-ton haul of quarried stone blocks. From where did this stone come?"

From Professor Chuck Bailey, "It was fabulous to collaborate with historian David Lewes and archaeologist Thomas Higgins at William & Mary’s Center for Archaeological Research on this project. Elizabeth Monroe and Joseph Jones, also of W&MCAR, helped oversee the project. Terri Zach provided both technical assistance and wry humor on the field excursions to Fort Monroe and Fort Wool — many thanks."

200 years ago this month, in early April 1823, a ship foundered and sunk onto a shallow sand bar in Hampton Roads, Virginia. On April 5th its loss was reported in the Baltimore Patriot & Mercantile Advertizer which noted that a schooner “laden with stone” went aground on the Hampton Bar “with ...

04/25/2023

The W&M Geology Department is excited to invite you to Vera Soltes' Honors Research Presentation.

When: Wednesday, April 26th @ 1 PM
Where: McGlothlin-Street Hall 219

Vera has worked tirelessly on her research, and her presentation is a culmination of her hard work and dedication. Please join us in supporting Vera and learning more about "The effect of varying soil and hydrologic conditions on GPR interpretations to detect unmarked graves in Colonial Williamsburg."

04/25/2023

Join SADA in their “F*ck the stairs” advocacy campaign on April 25th and 26th to raise awareness for what it is like attending William & Mary as a disabled student. You can participate by avoiding stairs and taking accessible routes during your normal day! Share your experiences using
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The W&M Geology Department is supporting The Student Accessibility and Disability Alliance (SADA) – as they lead an advocacy campaign titled “F*ck the Stairs” on April 25-26 -- to highlight the extra time and effort it takes for disabled students to go about their lives on our inaccessible campus.
We encourage all students and faculty to participate in this campaign by avoiding all stairs and taking accessible entrances whenever possible on these two days. This includes using ramps, automatic doors, and elevators throughout their daily routines. We encourage participants to note what buildings and entrances are not accessible for students and to post about their experience using the hashtags and .

This will occur on Tuesday, April 25th, and Wednesday, April 26th. Please help us spread the word about this campaign. The SADA Instagram, wm.sada, will have additional materials posted that may help your participation, such as a campus map marked with inaccessible routes. Our goal is to inform, raise awareness, and foster allyship among disabled and non-disabled members of the W&M community.
If you have any questions about how to participate, please feel free to email Heather Christensen at hnchristensen(at)wm.edu!