Attention: Registration is required for attending this event in person as well as online. Registration will be open from April 1 - May 10, 2024.  We've noted that people have issues with Safari browser registration - please try another browser or email us if this happens.

J Harlen Bretz and the Ice Age Floods — New Discoveries

The Missoula Floods story is well-known to most everybody across the Pacific Northwest...but, Nick Zentner has has been digging into J Harlen Bretz's old papers and notebooks. Come hear some new twists on the old stories!

Speaker Bio:

Nick Zentner has been teaching geology at Central Washington University since 1992. He obtained a B.S. in Geology in 1986 from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. He then earned a M.S. in Geology in 1989 from Idaho State University - Pocatello.

In 2015, at the GSA meeting in Baltimore, Nick received the prestigious James Shea Award, a national award recognizing exceptional delivery of Earth Science education to the general public. In 2021, the PBS-TV geology show 'Nick on the Rocks' won two Emmy awards. In 2023, at the GSA meeting in Pittsburgh, Nick received the prestigious Geological Society of America Public Service Award, a national award recognizing contributions that have materially enhanced the public's understanding of the earth sciences.

From the field, to the lab, and applying the theory: Timescales and controls on chemical evolution in the Andean volcano Cerro Chaxas

"Analysis of zircon crystals is key to understanding how magma evolves and alters the eruption style of an Andean volcano. Cerro Chaxas is a long-lived volcano whose magma, and therefore its explosive eruption style, altered relatively quickly rather than the slow process that was previously assumed. This discovery could change the way our dangerous volcanoes are monitored."

Analysis of crystallization ages in zircons is a key tool for understanding how magma changes composition and how long it is present in the crust. Cerro Chaxas formed by high magmatic flux. Zircon ages and geochemistry indicate magma was present for an extensive amount of time in the crust below Chaxas. Prolonged residence and high flux caused the chemical composition of the magmatic system (host rocks + magma) to change relatively quickly at Chaxas compared to volcanoes that don't have the same characteristics. 

Register via Zoom here

Speaker Bio:

Charles Tyler (Chuck) Lewis is a fourth year PhD student at Oregon State university, where he also chose to pursue his undergraduate degree because the geology program 'seemed legit' and Smith Rock was relatively close. He was soon enthralled by Earth Sciences and analytical chemistry in a geologic context when his community college advisor opened the door to scientific research. While Chuck does not have the astounding h-index that others may be able to advertise, he did defend his MS with a concussion and that's an equally weighted claim to fame in his book. Chuck now focuses primarily on the U-Pb system in minerals and uses other geochemical techniques to understand how crustal magmatic systems change chemically and spatially over time.

Newport, Oregon: A 5 Billion Year History

The emphasis of this presentation is on dynamic geologic processes that formed Newport and the rest of the Earth over the last 5 billion years. The talk will progress from planetary formation to key plate tectonic events and finish with Quaternary processes that sculpted the coastal landscape with Newport as an example. The talk will be geared to the general public.

Register for the Zoom event here.

Speaker Bio:

Dr. George Priest has a doctorate in geology from Oregon State University, has taught geology at Portland State University, worked in private industry as a geologist, and from 1979 to 2019 as a senior geologist with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI). While at DOGAMI, he led applied research programs in geothermal energy and geologic hazards such as landslides, earthquakes, and tsunamis, opening a coastal field office in 2000. He tapered off his work with DOGAMI to part-time positions from 2005 to 2019 and now maintains an adjunct faculty affiliation with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). VIMS is where tsunami simulations for Oregon are done by Dr. Joseph Zhang, one of the foremost tsunami modelers in the world. Dr. Priest's publications can be viewed at the following website: researchgate.net/profile/George-Priest