Information, Computing, and Communication; Research Associate of the Smithsonian Institution; Titular Member for the U.S. Carboniferous Subcommission of the International Union of the Geological Sciences Stratigraphic Commission; and U.S. Member of Permanent Committee for the Congress of Carboniferous and Permian Stratigraphy and Geology. George E. Ericksen, GD, received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Montana for his outstanding contributions to the understanding of the geology and mineral resources of South America. Norman O. Fredericksen, GD, received the Fulbright Senior Partial Award to conduct palynological research at the University of Göttingen, West Germany. Bruce B. Hanshaw, GD, elected VP of the International Division of the Geological Society of America. James L. Hott, ISD, received a special award from the Department of the Interior and Government Computer News Agency for his work in the development of the GEONET telecommunications network now used by all Interior bureaus. Information Systems Division, Branch of Marshall E. Jennings, WRD, named Engineer Debra S. Knopman, WRD, named Chairman of the American Geophysical Union's Public Information Committee. Robert M. Kosanke, GD, received the Gilbert H. Cady award of the Coal Division of the Geological Society of America for his work in coal geology including palynology, paleobotany, stratigraphy, coal petrology, coal chemistry, and coal reserves. Arthur H. Lachenbruch, GD, received the Walter H. Bucher Medal from the American Geophysical Union for his outstanding research that combined observations of geological phenomena with mathematical representations to provide insight into fundamental problems of the lithosphere of the Earth. Ricardo Lopez, GD, received the GD Safety Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding performance as collateral duty safety officer and member of the National Center Hazardous Chemical Spill Team. Bernard A. Malo, WRD, received the 1990 American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Award of Merit and was made a Fellow of the Society for his outstanding leadership in promoting ASTM standards development in the analysis of water. Alan M. Mikuni, Assistant Chief of the Western Mapping Center, NMD, serving as chairman on the Engineering Cartography Committee of the Surveying and Engineering Division, American Society of Civil Engineers. Bruce F. Molnia, GD, selected as editor of a new Geological Society of America publication, "Geology Today." Joel L. Morrison, Assistant Division Chief for Research, NMD, elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis. Douglas J. Nichols, GD, served as Sigma Xi National Lecturer. Gordon L. Nord, Jr., GD, awarded a 1-year Guest Research Fellowship by the Royal Society of Great Britain to participate in cooperative studies at the University of Cambridge. John Pojeta, Jr., GD, elected President, Paleontological Society; Secretary, Council of Systematic Malacologists; Secretary, Association of North American Paleontological Societies. John K. Powell, Mid-Continent Mapping Center, NMD, served as Director for the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Rolla Region. Stephen E. Prensky, GD, elected VP of publications and editor for the Society of Professional Well Log Analysts. Dudley D. Rice and Romeo M. Flores, GD, received the award for the best paper presented at the Energy Minerals Division of the Rocky Mountain Section of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Rice was elected to the office of Treasurer by the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists. Paul Segall, GD, received the American Geophysical Union's James B. Macelwane Medal in recognition of significant contributions to the geophysical sciences by a young scientist. Robert L. Smith, GD, received an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the United Kingdom's Lancaster University for his outstanding research in the field of volcanology. John P. Snyder (retired), NMD, elected President of the American Cartographic Association, of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping. Jerry W. Wagner, Mid-Continent Mapping Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Rolla Region. Allen H. Watkins, Chief of the EROS Data Center, NMD, elected member of the International Academy of Astronautics. Outstanding Federal Employees with Disabilities Each year the USGS nominates one or more employees for recognition as Outstanding Federal Employees with Disabilities. Nominations are forwarded through the Interior Department for consideration and recognition at the Annual Presidential Awards Ceremony for Outstanding Federal Employees with Disabilities. USGS employees nominated in 1990 are William D. Zitrin, WRD, who is hearing. impaired, was nominated for his outstanding accomplishments in the area of computerized administrative systems. He has programmed an entire financial system for the USGS eightstate Western Region and has written manuals, trained users, and maintained the system. He also assists other hearing impaired people. Marcella Bernhard, ISD, who is hearing impaired, was nominated for her outstanding accomplishments in monitoring regional communications systems, installing local area networks, and troubleshooting and repairing computer communication problems. She, too, works with other hearing impaired employees to help them communicate more effectively. Public Service Recognition Awards Special awards were presented by the USGS to 11 employees in 1990 for their outstanding contributions as public servants. These presentations were part of the governmentwide Public Service Recognition Week (May 7-11, 1990), which celebrates the indispensable and diverse contributions of the millions of women and men who make up the public work force and is a “time set aside to recognize the 'unsung heroines and heroes' who give so much to America." Two of these USGS employees, Mrs. Maxine Millard and Dr. Cornelia Cameron, were further honored by the U.S. Department of the Interior at a special ceremony. Together these two outstanding women represent a combined Federal service of nearly 90 years. Mrs. Millard, who is the Chief of the Office of Personnel, Administrative Division, was cited for her significant accomplishments in personnel administration and for her many "firsts" as a woman in the personnel field. This year, she received special recognition for 50 years in public service. Dr. Cameron, GD, has been an active field geologist for more than 50 years and is recognized as the world's foremost authority on peat and peat resources. Both women are featured in the Interior Department publication Profile of Women at Work. Other USGS employees honored for their outstanding contributions to public service are Willie McDuffie, Jr., Office of the Director; Clara C. Wilson, Administrative Division; Flora A. Heggem, GD; Florence R. Weber, GD; Mary Ellen Lazarus, ISD; Evelyn F. Christian, NMD; Dan A. McCord, NMD; Paul R. Beauchemin, WRD; and Bruce K. Green, WRD (see box p. 8). At a special ceremony in Denver, Colo., several USGS employees were honored as "Unsung Heroes" for their special achievements both in the workplace and in the community: William C. Butler, GD; Tom Ging, GD; Robert O'Donnell, GD; Waverly Person, GD; Walter Rast, WRD; and Richard Scott, GD. USGS employees who are involved in other public and community service activities are recognized by outside organizations for their activities. Employees so honored include Waverly J. Person, GD, presented with the Boulder County, Colo., special award for minorities who make outstanding scientific contributions to community action programs. David C. Prowell, GD, the first individual to receive the Hughes Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education in Georgia, from Atlantic Telephone and Telegraph, for his commitment to the advancement of earth science knowledge through public education. Stewardship Award For In support of his initiative on volunteerism, Secretary of the Interior Lujan presented the following award: Maxine C. Jefferson, Supervisory Employee Development Specialist, Administrative Division, in recognition of her outstanding program leadership and contributions to volunteerism at the USGS, in development and administration of the Volunteer for Science Program. The District of Columbia Public Schools named Mrs. Jefferson an Outstanding Partner in Education for the years 1988 and 1989. John Wesley Powell Awards Each year the USGS presents the John Wesley Powell Award to persons or groups outside the Federal Government for voluntary actions that result in significant gains or improvements in the efforts of the USGS to provide "Earth Science in the Public Service." The Powell Award is named in honor of the second USGS director (1881-84). Powell, Volunteer is Honored Carolyn Shoemaker, a volunteer with the Geologic Division in Flagstaff, Ariz., received an Honorary Doctor of Science Degree from Northern Arizona University for her outstanding achievements in research on asteroids and comets. a geologist, Civil War hero, and Indian ethnographer, led pioneer explorations of the Colorado River. Powell award recipients for 1990 are Genevieve Atwood, former Utah State Geologist, received the Powell Award for achievement in State Government, in recognition of her role in the formation of the Utah Seismic Safety Advisory Council, which led to the adoption of improved seismic safety policies in Utah. She was further cited for her cooperative efforts with the USGS that benefited the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program and for her overall efforts to deepen understanding of the scientific and social aspects of natural disaster reduction. Walter Sullivan, retired science editor of the New York Times, received the Powell Award for citizen's achievement, in recognition of his significant accomplishments as a science writer and communicator. In his writings for the New York Times and in his books, Sullivan has covered earth science subjects and activities of the USGS for more than 40 years, beginning with some of the the Survey's early scientific work in Antarctica. Sullivan was cited for fostering improved public understanding of the earth sciences and for making the work of the USGS "come alive on the written page." Glass Instruments, Inc., a Pasadena, Calif., firm that makes technical glass products and specialized light sources for science and industry, received the Powell Award for industry achievement. For more than 25 years the firm, through competitive bidding, has supplied the USGS with argon-38 traces for potassium-argon age determination and other glass specialty products used in age dating of rock and mineral samples. The award was presented to Thurston LeVay, president of Glass Instruments, citing the substantial investment in research and equipment by the company as a major benefit to the radioisotope geochronology programs of the USGS. Volunteerism The USGS has an active in-house volun teer program called Volunteer for Science. Since 1986 this successful and rapidly growing program has proven to be of mutual benefit to the USGS and the volunteers. The spirit of volunteerism also is a commitment in the lives of many USGS employees, who are active in their communities and in various service groups. During the past year, the USGS has made special efforts to recognize and applaud these extra efforts made by its employees. Volunteers... in a Scientific Agency? Most people are surprised to learn that the USGS has a volunteer program. Traditionally, volunteerism is thought of in relation to hospitals, schools, parks, social service, or other activities. The most frequently asked question about the USGS Volunteer for Science program is, "What could volunteers do in a scientific agency?" The answers are many, varied, and amazingly interesting. Volunteers perform assignments as geologists, geophysicists, cartographers, hydrologists, field assistants, laboratory assistants, library aids, and rainfall observers. They come from such sources as high schools, colleges and universities, scientific agencies, professional associations, retiree associations, private industry, and the community at large. High school students, for example, can investigate career possibilities and develop a broader interest in science. College students pursuing degrees in the earth sciences and other professional fields broaden their knowledge and experience as they work with USGS personnel. Teachers welcome access to stateof-the-art equipment and technology. Retirees can remain involved in their scientific career-or can finally pursue a long-deferred interest in science. Community members have an opportunity to be involved in public service. Clearly, both the volunteer and the USGS benefit from this program. The Volunteer for Science program is a national effort, and volunteers help in USGS offices from Maine to Hawaii. More than 1,700 volunteers, who help with a variety of earth science and administrative efforts, have provided more than 419,000 hours, at a savings of $4.5 million to the Federal Government. In fiscal year 1990, 489 new agreements were signed, a remarkable addition to the Volunteer for Science program. Volunteers assist with bedrock mapping in Vermont, measure radon in the soils in New Jersey, prepare rainfall reports in North Carolina, review manuscripts in Colorado, study geology and mineral resources of an Apache Reservation in Arizona, conduct tours and special programs for visitors to the USGS National Center in Reston, Va., and work on projects at the Cascades Volcano Observatory in Washington. A natural link between volunteerism and education has been strengthened by efforts to promote interest in the earth sciences, especially in the elementary schools. The USGS contribution to earth science education includes teacher workshops, the Visitors Center program at the National Center, scientist visits to schools around the country, and localschool cooperative programs. Increased formal educational partnerships are being encouraged to develop programs for teachers and mentorships for students. Anyone interested in the Volunteer for Science program may write to the Administrative Division, Office of Personnel, USGS, 215 National Center, Reston, VA 22092, or call (703) 648-7439. Dinosaurs, Tree Rings, Printing Presses.Those are some of the features of a visit to the USGS National Center. Beginning with a brief orientation in the new Visitors Center, students and the public are led on a tour of exhibits, displays, and laboratories. Guides for the tours are retired USGS employees who have returned on a volunteer basis. About two dozen retirees are now on board as docents, leading visiting groups that range in age from preschoolers to senior citizens. During fiscal year 1990, more than 5,400 people had an opportunity to learn about the work of the USGS. Visitors are treated to many sights and activities. Elementary students are taken on orienteering exercises around the National Center grounds to learn about map scale and how objects in real life are portrayed on a map. A visit to the treering laboratory shows them how scientists use the information in tree rings to tell a story of floods and droughts that occurred hundreds of years ago. Surrounded by the roar of fastmoving presses and a bustle of activity, as sheet after sheet of colorful maps roll off the presses, visitors see first hand how the thousands of maps the Survey produces each year are printed. A favorite stop is at the dinosaur footprints-a gift from a local Virginia quarry where the tracks and trails of a three-toed carnosaur were recently uncovered. This dinosaur walked the Earth about 210 million years ago. Visitors also have a chance to browse in the Earth Science Information Center and peruse the thousands of maps and book reports available from the USGS. Visits are arranged by appointment on selected days. of the week. Call the Visitors Center at 703-64VISIT ((703) 648-4748). "What's Under Your Feet?"-That was the question USGS geologist Eleanora Robbins asked young students from a Washington, D.C., inner city Her budding young geol- the children around their neighborhood to learn about watershed divides, looking for fossils, examining how water shapes and rounds rocks, and panning in a creek for gold and magnetite. A special highlight of the field trip was a visit out of the neighborhood to a nature center. For her efforts, Norrie Robbins was recognized as one of the U.S. Department of the Interior Points of Light. Points of Light Honored.-In support of President Bush's Thousand Points of Light, Interior Secretary Lujan hosted monthly lunches during 1990 to recognize Department employees for community volunteer activities. In addition to Eleanora Robbins, the following USGS employees were recognized for their many hours of service to their fellow citizens and their communities: C. Michael Hacke, WRD, Doraville, Ga., for his nearly 20 years of active service as a volunteer and contributor to numerous nonprofit and charitable organizations; Alan R. Stevens, NMD, Reston, Va., for his extensive work with drug and alcohol treatment programs for young people; Judy A. George, Administrative Division, Reston, Va., for her extensive work as an instructor in cardiopulmonary resuscitation; Robert E. Wakefield, NMD, Reston, Va., for his more than 20 years of active volunteer service to many organizations and to church activities; John E. Cotton, WRD, Bow, N.H., for his extensive voluntary contributions as an ambulance attendant and in emergency response; Barbara Herring, Office of the Director, Reston, Va., for her active involvement in providing services and activities for mentally retarded and developmentally disabled adults; Peggy Mervine, Administrative Division, Reston, Va., for her The "What's Under Your Feet" field class begins. ADELE CONOVER A graduate of Hampton University working in the Information Systems Division as a mathematical statistician. DAVE USHER countless contributions to local community activities; and Olga Sandoval, WRD, Albuquerque, N. Mex., for her active advocacy and sponsorship of programs to encourage minority students to pursue careers in mathematics and science. Education The need for public awareness of science The need for public apareance and the smaller number of students who are preparing for careers in science and engineering has prompted the USGS to increase its efforts in providing its earth science information to the educational community and in encouraging more students to pursue careers in the earth sciences. During the coming years, the USGS will be focusing increased attention on assisting teachers at precollege and college levels to have access to and involvement in USGS research and program activities and to develop materials that will be useful to the teacher in the classroom. Science Teacher Internship.-In May 1990, two science teacher students from Elizabeth City State University, a historically Black university in North Carolina, spent a 1-month geological sciences internship with the USGS. This internship program gives minority students, whose major is precollege science teaching, an opportunity to work in the discipline they intend to teach. The students, who spent 4 weeks of indepth work on designated projects, performed field, laboratory, and office work. They spent 1 day each week in the field or in discussions with USGS scientists to gain a broad view of the different types of research underway at the Survey. At the end of the internship program, and throughout their first teaching year, the participants are expected to design classroom. activities for use in their local school districts and to share those ideas with the USGS for use in other educational outreach efforts. Elizabeth City State University provided each student with credit hours for their internship participation, and financial support for living expenses was provided by the USGS and the Department of the Interior's Historically Black College and University program. The success of this first-time internship effort has prompted the USGS to expand the program to 12 internships next year. Cooperative Education in Computer Applications. A cooperative education program with Hampton University, a historically Black university in eastern Virginia, allows students to study computer applications in the earth. sciences. The program offers students cooperative education assignments at the USGS on a full-time basis for one to two semesters or during the summer. Students work with computer scientists at the USGS in conducting technology assessment studies and participating in scientific visualization projects. A series of lectures are part of the cooperative education program in which USGS computer and information scientists work with university faculty to prepare lectures and course materials on computer security, artificial intelligence, and on-line information retrieval. The program provides a special win-win combination in that the students gain a broader understanding of computer applications in the earth sciences and the USGS can gain new employees. Two permanent employees in the Information Systems Division were recruited from Hampton University. Future plans include identifying additional positions that may be filled by students from the cooperative program. Bringing Science to the Classroom. - The exciting world of real and current scientific data is being explored on the desktops of over 50 schools around the country this year as part of the Joint Education Initiative (JEDI) project. Three JEDI CD-ROM (compact discread only memory) discs containing earth science data contributed by the USGS, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration are now available. The computer industry also has contributed time and equipment to the project. In a 3-week science education workshop held during the summer of 1990 at the USGS National Center, 20 precollege teachers worked closely with computer experts and scientists to develop classroom activities for use with the CD-ROM discs. The workshop activities, covering data on geophysics, ozone, seismicity, ocean temperature and salinity, the sea floor, and Antarctica, are included in a published USGS report available with the JEDI discs. During fiscal year 1990, the USGS western region office in Menlo Park, Calif., played a major role in designing a National Science Foundation-funded program for teacher enhancement. The first part of this program was a 4-week summer institute presented at San Jose State University. USGS personnel provided speakers and tours for the institute. The long-term goals of this effort include a book of resources for science teachers and establishment of a scientific mentor-teacher program. Many other workshops and teacherinvolvement activities were conducted by the USGS around the country during the year. At a workshop for Nevada teachers, members of the USGS Minerals Information Office |