We are excited to announce a virtual meeting on October 21st, 2020 from 4-6pm. Our guest speakers will be Brian Gootee and Joe Cook, both of which are research geologists with the Arizona geological survey. Their topic will be “AZGS at Work for Arizona: Identifying Landslide Deposits and Hazards Along the I-17 Corridor from Anthem to Flagstaff, AZ”. This landslide series was focused on throughout the year by AEG, this will be a great opportunity to get a rich landslide history of the area as well as learn about the risks posed by landslides at present. The two guest speakers have a rich background in research pertaining to Arizona geologic hazards, where both have extensive research in Arizona earth fissures, debris flows, landslides and quaternary mapping. Bios for each speaker will be presented in subsequent emails. Speakers will present for around one hour, with a happy hour to follow.
If you did not follow the postings earlier in the year regarding the meeting topic, an excellent resource to get caught up is found at the AZGS blog postings found by clicking the link here. In summary, the findings of the AZGS regarding past landslides and current instability in the area from Anthem to Flagstaff is especially valuable with ADOT’s plans to spend over $300 million expanding and improving the I-17. There are significant risks posed by the landslides as some previous landslide planes cross the I-17. Future slides may block this highway, or could dam the Agua Fria River, threatening downstream communities with catastrophic flooding. More detailed information will follow.
Aerial View of Freeport McMoran’s Sierrita Mine in Green Valley, AZ
Considering Arizona winter weather is perfect for a field day, don your hiking boots and join us for a field trip planned on Saturday, February 29th, 2020 to the Freeport McMoran Sierrita Mine near Green Valley, south of Tucson.
The Sierrita Mine has one of the largest proven copper reserves in the world, and has been worked for copper and molybdenum since 1907. We will be guided through the site by a representative of Freeport McMoran. It will be a great opportunity to ask questions and learn about how a large mine is operated and economically sustained!
You will need to bring steel toed boots. These can be purchased at Walmart for around 30 dollars if you do not own a pair. Please bring a hard hat, safety glasses, and a reflective vest if you have these available to you. We will have extras if you do not have access to these. Lunch will be provided, and AEG will provide iced coolers to keep cold water and beverages. Please remember to bring snacks with you, as it will be a full day. There will be a strict deadline of this Friday, February 14, 2020 in order to be considered part of the group, and the group size will be limited to 20 people.
Trip details including the meet time, meet location, and lunch menu will be emailed the week of February 17th to everyone signed up as of this Friday. Please include your preferred contact email in the RSVP form below. The meet time and meeting location will be determined after we get a final count on who is going. The expected departure time will be approximately 6:00am, and we will depart from the central Phoenix area in either a large van or minibus. The tour will last 5-6 hours, so our expected return to Phoenix will be around 6-8pm.
Field trip sponsorships are welcome, this would help to reduce student costs for the trip even further. Looking forward to seeing you February 29th!
To celebrate the end to a great year and the new year to come, AEG is hosting a Holiday Social! Celebrate with other members, non-members and students associated with AEG on Monday, December 16th, 2019 from 5:30 to 7:30pm at McFate Brewery in Scottsdale. Drinks (1) and food will be provided to all attending.
We plan on having a few prize giveaways to those attending the meeting, so don’t miss out! We are seeking individuals who would like to donate or lend rock or mineral specimens to be auctioned off at this event, or to be used in an identification prize giveaway. The proceeds will go to students at ASU, specifically to start an AEG Student Chapter in the upcoming year or to fund a spring or fall field trip. We also welcome meeting sponsors and those who would be interested in donating for the raffle items given away at the party. If you are interested in donating/lending one or multiple rock specimens, meeting sponsorship, or other donations for the party, please reach out to Danielle Smilovsky at dsmilovs@asu.edu.
To conclude the final meeting of the UNESCO-IGCP641 project, we will be holding a social event after the field trip on November 6th from 7pm to 10pm at Fate Brewing Company, Scottsdale: 1312 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85257. Dinner and drinks will be provided, with additional drinks and items available for purchase from the bar menu. We will have some brief closing statements and plan to spend the evening celebrating and socializing together. It should be a blast, and we look forward to seeing you! Cash or credit payment will also be accepted at the door.
There is a great series of presentations running throughout the day. For a full list of those presenting and other details, CLICK HERE. For a full list of abstracts of those presenting at the workshop, CLICK HERE.
The workshop will run from 8:00am to 5:00pm, November 5, 2019, in the Memorial Union Ventana Room, 214BC. Breakfast and lunch will be provided, with coffee, lemonade, water, and snacks available throughout the day. Vegan and Vegetarian options will be available. Everyone in on their own for dinner, but we highly encourage collaborating with those you know and meet at this workshop!
Booth and ad space are available for the workshop! We offer a 3 tier system for sponsorship, and we will accept up to 8 sponsors.
Silver Sponsor ($250):
Booth Space for duration of workshop, and logo listed on sponsors slide
Gold Sponsor ($350):
Booth Space for duration of workshop, logo listed on sponsors slide, honorable
mention and 1 cycling company slide during workshop
Platinum Sponsor
($500): Booth Space for duration of workshop, logo listed on sponsors slide,
honorable mention, 3 cycling company slides during workshop and Wednesday
evening social and up to five minutes to talk to those attending during the
workshop lunch
This event will be limited to 200 attendees. The first 60 students to sign up will get a grant to attend the workshop for free! Registration and payment through PayPal is required prior to the event, cash or credit will not be accepted onsite.
This field trip is a great opportunity for those seeking to observe three local areas of interest, with demonstrations on how earth fissures affect structures, and methods to detect fissures. For a listing of field trip activities, in addition to parking and other details, CLICK HERE.
The field trip will run from 8:00am to around 3pm on November 6th, 2019. We will meet at the Gammage Theater parking lot near the Memorial Union on Tempe campus at 8:00am to get on a charter bus to visit 3 areas of interest. These areas are within the Phoenix metropolitan area, so long bus rides are not expected. Please remember to wear appropriate footwear and clothing. We will not be doing anything strenuous, but will be walking on dirt roads for short periods of time under the sun. There will be water and snacks available, but please bring anything else you require to make this trip comfortable and enjoyable. Lunch will be provided and will eat in the field during our field trip. Vegan and Vegetarian options will be available. Once we get closer to the time, we will reach out for lunch orders.
To conclude the day and the final meeting of the UNESCO-IGCP641 project, we will be holding a social event after the field trip on November 6th from 7pm to 10pm at Fate Brewing Company, Scottsdale: 1312 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85257. Dinner and drinks will be provided, with additional drinks and items available for purchase from the bar menu. We will have some brief closing statements and plan to spend the evening celebrating and socializing together. It should be a blast, and we look forward to seeing you! RSVP for the November 6th social event HERE. Cash or credit payment will also be accepted at the door.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Danielle Smilovsky (AEG contact): dsmilovs@asu.edu or Brian Conway (IGCP641 contact): bdconway@azwater.gov
This event will be limited to 65 participants. Registration and payment through PayPal is required prior to the event, cash or credit will not be accepted onsite.
We are pleased to host the final meeting of the UNESCO-IGCP641 Project regarding land subsidence and earth fissuring in Arizona and the Southwest! The meeting will take place November 4-6, 2019 at Arizona State University’s Tempe Campus.
Monday, November 4th:
We will be holding an IGCP641 Board and local experts meeting. This meeting is by invitation only. You will be contacted individually to join this meeting.
Tuesday, November 5th: Land Subsidence/Earth Fissures Workshop
RSVP for the Land Subsidence and Earth Fissures Workshop by CLICKING HERE. This event will be limited to 200 attendees. Registration and payment through PayPal is required prior to the event, cash or credit will not be accepted onsite.
There is a great series of presentations running throughout the day. For a full list of those presenting and other details, CLICK HERE. The workshop will run from 8:00am to 5:00pm in the Memorial Union Ventana Room, 214BC. Breakfast and lunch will be provided, with coffee, lemonade, water, and snacks available throughout the day. Vegan and Vegetarian options will be available. Everyone is on their own for dinner, but we highly encourage collaborating with those you know and meet at this workshop!
Wednesday, November 6th: Land Subsidence/Earth Fissures Field Trip
RSVP for the Land Subsidence and Earth Fissures Field Trip by CLICKING HERE. This event will be limited to 65 participants. Registration and payment through PayPal is required prior to the event, cash or credit will not be accepted onsite.
This field trip is a great opportunity for those seeking to observe three local areas of interest, with demonstrations on how earth fissures affect structures, and methods to detect fissures. For a listing of field trip activities, in addition to parking and other details, CLICK HERE.
The field trip will run from 8:00am to around 3pm. We will meet at the Gammage Theater parking lot near the Memorial Union on Tempe campus at 8:00am to get on a charter bus to visit 3 areas of interest. These areas are within the Phoenix metropolitan area, so long bus rides are not expected. Please remember to wear appropriate footwear and clothing. We will not be doing anything strenuous, but will be walking on dirt roads for short periods of time under the sun. There will be water and snacks available, but please bring anything else you require to make this trip comfortable and enjoyable. Lunch will be provided and will eat in the field during our field trip. Vegan and Vegetarian options will be available. Once we get closer to the time, we will reach out for lunch orders.
To conclude the day and the final meeting of the UNESCO-IGCP641 project, we will be holding a social event after the field trip on November 6th from 7pm to 10pm at Fate Brewing Company, Scottsdale: 1312 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85257. Dinner and drinks will be provided, with additional drinks and items available for purchase from the bar menu. We will have some brief closing statements and plan to spend the evening celebrating and socializing together. It should be a blast, and we look forward to seeing you! RSVP for the November 6th social event by CLICKING HERE. Cash or credit payment will also be accepted at the door.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Danielle Smilovsky (AEG contact): dsmilovs@asu.edu or Brian Conway (IGCP641 contact): bdconway@azwater.gov
Join us at Fate Brewing Company in Scottsdale for our Fall Meeting on Tuesday, October 15th. We welcome Kimberly Martin, a Dean’s Fellow pursuing her doctorate in geotechnical engineering at Arizona State University, to present her topic: “Benefits of Risk-Based Communication in Geological & Geotechnical Engineering”. Her abstract and biography are below. Free food and drinks (2) will be served from 5:30-6:30 and will be a good time to mingle with other students and professionals. The talk will begin at 6:30 and usually lasts one hour. Please RSVP below, cash or credit card payment is accepted at the door.
Abstract: Benefits of Risk-Based Communication in Geological & Geotechnical Engineering
This presentation demonstrates the benefits of taking a risk-based communication approach with project management and clients. An example will be presented where ineffective communication regarding cost and schedule risk associated with a geological/geotechnical decision led to an undesired outcome. Based on lessons from that case, two examples will be given where these risks were communicated correctly and innovative solutions were accepted. Examples will be provided from an oil sands project in Canada and a liquefied natural gas project in Papua New Guinea. The goal of this presentation is to raise awareness of how risk-based communication, especially early in a project, can lead to risk tolerance regarding geological/geotechnical engineering options and decisions.
Biosketch:
Kimberly Martin, PE is a graduate
research assistant and Dean’s Fellow pursuing her doctorate in geotechnical
engineering at Arizona State University. Her research focuses on investigating
sustainable materials and methods for geotechnical engineering, specifically
through bio-inspired processes, as part of the Center for Bio-mediated and
Bio-inspired Geotechnics. She received her undergraduate degree in civil
engineering from the University of Arizona and her master’s degree in
geotechnical engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. After her
master’s degree, she went to work for ExxonMobil where she spent over nine
years as a geotechnical engineer working on domestic and international onshore
and offshore development projects. Kimberly is currently the Vice Chair of the
Arizona Chapter of the Geo-Institute.
