For more than seven decades, the Department of Earth Science and Environmental Change has been helping students interpret the stories written in stone, water, and time. This spring, alumni, faculty, and students came together to celebrate that legacy at the department’s 75th anniversary homecoming celebration—two days filled with shared memories, fascinating science, and a look toward the future.

A Legendary Kickoff

The festivities began on Thursday afternoon with a special department colloquium featuring Dr. Suzanne Mahlburg Kay, William & Katherine Snee Professor Emeritus at Cornell University. Her presentation offered a scientific journey and a reflection on decades of work in the field, setting a high bar for future events.

That evening, the reunion began as alumni, faculty, and friends gathered for a social hour in the Natural History Building Core. There was laughter, storytelling, and a palpable sense of connection as generations of geologists mingled and caught up.

A Day of Discovery and Connection

Friday’s full-day program began with coffee and conversation at the alumni mixer in the Illini Union Ballroom, followed by a robust series of talks and reflections.

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Faculty members Craig Lundstrom, Dan Blake, Steve Marshak, and alumni Sharon Mosher and Margaret Leinen took the stage to share updates on the department and the evolving field of geosciences. This was followed by a showcase of student experiences, highlighting field camps and international trips that have shaped the next generation of geoscientists.

At lunch, alumni sat down with current undergraduates, offering advice, trading stories, and participating in a job panel discussion. The student GeoClub also presented, spotlighting the active role students continue to play in shaping departmental culture.

In the afternoon, attendees enjoyed behind-the-scenes tours of the Natural History Building, including access to the university’s rare coal ball collection, paleontology specimens, and the ISGS archives—a unique opportunity to explore the history and science that underlie the department’s work.

Spotlight on Research and Achievement

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Credit

Jake Keister

Later in the day, ESEC professors Tom Johnson, Bruce Fouke, and Trish Gregg presented their latest research, offering insight into the cutting-edge work happening within the department. The poster session that followed allowed students and researchers to share their work with alumni and peers in an informal and engaging format.

As evening fell, attendees gathered for the department awards ceremony and banquet—a time to honor achievements, renew friendships, and look ahead.

The evening concluded with inspiring remarks by University Provost John Coleman and a keynote address by President Timothy Killeen, who spoke about the legacy of the geosciences at Illinois and the critical role the department will play in addressing future global challenges.

To cap off the 75th anniversary celebration, more than 75 alumni, students, faculty, and guests took part in a full-day geologic field trip to Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Parks—a classic and beloved route for generations of Illinois geologists.

Led by Emeritus Professor Steve Altaner, who has guided versions of this trip more than 100 times during his 37 years in the department, the field excursion was a chance to reconnect not only with fellow alumni but with the landforms and stories that first sparked many attendees' passion for geology.

A Hike Through Time

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Steve Altaner says he could swim to Cascade Falls if he really wanted to

Credit

Jake Keister

The group hiked over three miles of rugged terrain, traversing river gorges, waterfalls, and towering cliffs carved from the world-famous Ordovician St. Peter Sandstone. Along the way, they visited a major fold in the rock layers—one of the rare places in Illinois where dipping sedimentary rocks can be seen at the surface—and learned about the wide variety of nearby rock quarries and mines, including silica sand, limestone, shale, and coal.

Participants explored fossil-rich limestone, collecting large brachiopods, and examined geological evidence of catastrophic flooding events from the Pleistocene Epoch, when meltwater from retreating glaciers dramatically reshaped the land.

Geology Meets Human History

Beyond the rock layers, the trip brought attendees into contact with the deep history of the region—from Native American legends surrounding the name Starved Rock to the 17th-century expedition of Marquette and Jolliet, and the critical role of the Illinois & Michigan Canal, which, like the park itself, is designated a National Historic Landmark.

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Seeking the origins of the Kankakee Torrent(s).

Credit

Jake Keister

At the Starved Rock Lock & Dam, now on the National Register of Historic Places, participants learned about the intersection of geology and infrastructure, and how the state’s bedrock has influenced everything from navigation to agriculture.

Linking Past to Future

As Professor Altaner pointed out, Illinois’ geology also helps explain its role in renewable energy and agriculture, from wind farm placement to the origins of its famously fertile soils. The field trip served not only as a journey into the past but as a look toward the future of geological study and environmental stewardship.