PANDORAS BOX: THE SKYTOP SECTION OF ROUTE I-99, CENTRE CO., PA

Our thanks to Dr. Gold for his presentation tonight regarding the Skytop Project along Route I-99 in Centre County, PA. After a four year delay, the road is nearing completion. Its construction has provided insights into the geologic structure of Bald Eagle Ridge which is the last ridge before the Allegheny front. Dr. Gold has graciously made his powerpoint files available to us for download. These files have wonderful graphics, pictures and overviews of the project area. So if you would like to review his graphs or take a closer look at the rocks, here's your chance. You may download the PGS presentation or the PCPG presentation but be forwarned, they are large files, 39 megs and 24 megs respectively. See the meeting abstract for more details on the speakers topic.

Our meetings start at 6:00 pm with a social hour, dinner is served at 7:00 pm and the presentation begins at 8:00 pm. Dinner will cost $20.00/person, dinner for students is $5.00; checks preferred. For this month's meeting, reservations should be emailed to Maryann Gross at mailto:magrosspgs@verizon.net, please title as "PGS Dinner Reservation", by noon, Monday, May 19th. If you are unable to use email, call (412) 440-1468 and leave your name and number of reservations needed. Meeting will be held at the Foster’s Restaurant, Foster Plaza Building 10, 680 Andersen Dr, Greentree. See map for our meeting place. Suggested attire is business casual. Students and guests are welcome, you need not be a member to attend our meetings and its okay to just drop by for the speaker presentation at 8 pm.

Directions:
From Pittsburgh: Parkway West to Green Tree-Crafton Exit. Bear left at exit and left again onto Mansfield Avenue West. Follow Mansfield West to the 2nd traffic light. Turn right onto Holiday Drive and proceed up the hill to Foster Plaza Building 10.

From Airport and I 79: Parkway West towards Pittsburgh, exit at Green Tree-Mt. Lebanon Exit. Turn left onto Greentree Road, make left at 1st traffic light onto Mansfield Avenue West. Follow Mansfield West to the 2nd traffic light. Turn right onto Holiday Drive and proceed up the hill to Foster Plaza Building 10.

Or go to http://maps.google.com/maps?f=l&hl=en&sll=40.440676,-80.007248&sspn=0.127773,0.22007&q=foster%27s+restaurant+and+catering&near=pittsburgh+pa&latlng=40440556,-79996111,5411451826638810477 for a map.

The Society wishes to acknowledge and thank the students who participated in our 6th annual Student Night at the April meeting. This was a joint meeting with the Association of Engineering Geologists (AEG) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) with each society giving an award to a student speaker. The PGS award winner was James Fisher of SUNY-Fredonia. He presented “Analysis of Groundwater Temperature Profiles in Chatauqua County, New York”. The AEG winner was Yonathan Admassu of Kent State University. He presented “Geological and Geotechnical Parameters Required for Design of Rock Cuts in Ohio”. The ASCE winner was Tanapon Phenrat, Robert Tilton, and Gregory Lowry of Carnegie Mellon University. Tanapon presented “A correlation for Predicting Collision Efficiency of Colloidal Particles Coated with Natural Organic Matter (NOM) in Porous Media: The Role of Absorbed NOM Layer Properties and Electrosteric Stabilization”.

Thanks to all who made the TOOLS of THE TRADE FIELD COURSE a great success. The PGS wants to thank Slippery Rock University, Geo-Environmental Drilling, Inc., Pace Analytical Services, Frank Benequista of KU Resources, Inc. Other PGS members who volunteered for the Field Course were Pat Burkhart, Robert Burger, Mike Forth, Dan Martt, Steve McGuire, and Judy Neelan.

See our Job Opportunities page for recent job announcements from national firms, local firms and recruiters. These companies are looking for inexperienced and experienced people in the fields of oil & gas exploration, environmental, regulatory compliance, academic positions, etc.

We're always receiving job notices so be sure to return to this page on a regular basis.

Due to a very wet winter last year, the region has experienced a significant increase in landslides. As a Society, PGS has some understanding about why landslides occur and how to prevent them (see section called "Geohazards"). Although PGS is actively working toward permanent solutions to the landsliding problems in western Pennsylvania, we are not able to intervene in your current crisis. Should you need professional geological assistance,click here for a list of consultants who may be able to help.

To see proposed legislation regarding landslide insurance and other issues, see House Bill # 215 .

In light of the current courtroom battle over the teaching of 'intelligent design' as an alternative to evolution in the high school biology classes in Dover, York County, Pa., the PGS has posted its own position regarding the teaching of evolution in the classroom. Other geological societies are also making their opinions known. We invite you to read about the positions of the Pennsylvania Council of Professional Geologists , American Geological Institute , American Geophysical Union , and the Geological Society of America .