Archive for December, 2006

AGI Honored by California State Mining and Geology Board

Friday, December 29th, 2006

The California State Mining and Geology Board has recognized the American Geological Institute (AGI) for its role in promoting earth science education and outreach in the state of California. AGI was officially honored at the December 14, 2006 State Mining and Geology Board meeting in Riverside, California, which included the presentation of a plaque citing the Mining and Geology Board’s appreciation for providing the tools and resources necessary to accomplish both the Board’s and AGI’s common goals of promoting earth science education.

The State Mining and Geology Board stresses that students need an earth science education to make informed decisions about living with geologic hazards; to understand the natural resources of the state; and to understand the environmental issues that effect all Californians.

AGI was recognized for its leadership in developing several programs that have strengthened earth science education in California. Over 140,000 copies of the brochure Why Earth Science? in both English and Spanish have been distributed to schools, colleges, AGI member societies and interested individuals. These brochures highlight the importance of making earth science part of a required curriculum. Also, AGI has developed inquiry-based earth science curriculum for both middle and high school students and is currently pilot testing a high school environmental text book.

In addition to providing teaching materials, AGI has developed K-5 Geosource, an online educator training program in the geosciences for elementary teachers. AGI has also partnered with ChevronTexaco and the Los Angeles Unified School District to develop a teacher training program that has provided professional development for over 600 ninth grade teachers.

To learn more about AGI’s educational and outreach programs please visit http://www.agiweb.org/geoeducation.html.

The American Geological Institute is a nonprofit federation of 44 scientific and professional associations that represent more than 120,000 geologists, geophysicists, and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in our profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in mankind’s use of resources and interaction with the environment. More information about AGI can be found at http://www.agiweb.org. The Institute also provides a public-outreach web site, http://www.earthscienceworld.org.

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Memorial to William B. Heroy, Jr. (1915-2006)

Friday, December 22nd, 2006

On September 24, 2006, William B. Heroy, Jr. passed away in Durham, North Carolina, where he and his wife, Dorthoy, lived in retirement. Bill served as President of the Institute for the Study of Earth and Man (ISEM) at Southern Methodist University, from 1971 to 1981. He succeeded his father, ISEM’s Founding President, William B. Heroy, Sr.

Bill majored in geology, earning a B.S. from Dartmouth College in 1937 and his Ph.D. from Princeton University in 1941. He worked in the southwest for Texaco during World War II, and then joined the Geothechnical Corporation in Dallas, where he worked from 1945 to 1965, advancing to President of the company. Geotech was bought by the Teledyne Corporation in 1965 and Bill continued there as a senior executive until he resigned to accept the position of Vice President and Treasurer of Southern Methodist University in 1969.

Bill was always active in civic and professional affairs, having served in leadership roles in Dallas Geological and Dallas Geophysical Societies, numerous committees of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, as longtime Treasurer of the Geological Society of America, and as President of the American Geological Institute.

Bill’s career touched many lives and many institutions and left each the better. He believed very strongly in “paying back” to society and he contributed generously of his time and efforts wherever he was asked and where he felt he could make a difference.

ISEM ANNOUNCES HEROY MEMORIAL GIFT. The Institute for the Study of Earth and Man at Southern Methodist University is pleased to announce the receipt of a gift from Jack Hamilton in memory of William B. Heroy, Jr. The gift is to initiate the Heroy Geoscience Student Support Fund in the Institute. In making the gift Hamilton said, “This gift is intended to recognize Bill’s lifelong commitment to the geosciences and his understanding of the importance of financial support in preparing geoscientists of the future! It is certainly my hope that this initiating gift will grow through the support of Bill’s many friends.” Jack Hamilton was a longtime associate of Bill Heroy in the senior management of The Geotechnical Corporation and then in the Geotechnical Division of The Teledyne Corporation. Hamilton is also a Trustee of the ISEM. In accepting the gift Dr. Louis L. Jacobs, ISEM President, said, “This gift is indeed a fitting way to commmemorate Bill Heroy’s life and contributions and we at the Institute are deeply grateful. We share Jack Hamilton’s hope that the fund will grow and thus enable it to support a growing number of students in the geosciences.”

Contributions to the Heroy Geoscience Student Support Fund may be made to The ISEM Foundation, in care of Dr. Louis L. Jacobs, ISEM at SMU, Box 0273, Dallas, TX 75275-0274 and indicate that the contribution is for the Heroy Fund.

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AGI Announces Publishing Agreement with Thomson Delmar Learning

Friday, December 22nd, 2006

The American Geological Institute (AGI) has entered an agreement with Thomson Delmar Learning to publish Environmental Science: Understanding Our Changing Earth, AGI’s newest curriculum project.

Environmental Science is a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded curriculum that uses an earth science framework for teaching high-school level environmental science. The text will be composed of 18 chapters which ask students to focus on their local environment and to then extrapolate their observations to the world at large. The text uses an earth-systems approach and covers a broad range of topics, including ecology, landforms, hazards, and resources. Each chapter includes activities using the AGI/US Geological Survey Global GIS DVD-ROM. In addition to the text and GIS components, AGI will maintain extensive web resources for both students and teachers as part of the curriculum.

Environmental Science: Understanding Our Changing Earth is currently being tested by 20 high school teacher in thirteen states nationwide, with publication expected in early 2009.

To learn more about Environmental Science: Understanding Our Changing Earth, go to http://www.agiweb.org/education/hses/.

The Thomson Corporation (TSX: TOC; NYSE: TOC), with 2005 revenues of $8.7 billion, is a global leader in providing integrated information solutions to business and professional customers. Thomson provides value-added information, software tools and applications to more than 20 million users in the fields of law, tax, accounting, financial services, higher education, reference information, corporate e-learning and assessment, scientific research and healthcare. With operational headquarters in Stamford, Conn., Thomson has approximately 40,000 employees and provides services in approximately 130 countries. Thomson Delmar Learning (www.delmarlearning.com) is the leading provider of lifelong learning products and services for the health care, technology and trades, and career education markets. Thomson Delmar Learning’s market-leading imprints include Autodesk Press, Chilton, Milady, NetLearning, OnWord Press, Singular Publishing Group, and West Legal Studies.

The American Geological Institute is a nonprofit federation of 44 scientific and professional associations that represent more than 120,000 geologists, geophysicists, and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in our profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in mankind’s use of resources interaction with the environment. More information about AGI can be found at http://www.agiweb.org. The Institute also provides a public-outreach web site, http://www.earthscienceworld.org.

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