2021-12-13 - Dr. Olivia Thurston (PhD -UIUC, now at U. of Indiana) and her advisor Dr. William Guenthner have been working to explore questions about the timing of the rocks in the Grand Canyon, using their helium isotope technique to date these samples....
2021-12-13 - The exhibit, In Search of Lost Time, led by Geology Assistant Professor William Guenthner, will explore how the chronology of the Earth was established, with a focus on six themes that gradually led to the consensus view that the Earth is roughly 4.55 billion years of age....
2021-12-08 - Through a generous gift by Suzanne Mahlburg Kay (BS, ’69; MS, ’72) and Robert W. Kay, an endowment has been established to fund, in perpetuity, an annual award of at least $1,000 to an outstanding graduate student in the department. Sue was inspired to donate in Jim’s honor by their shared...
2021-12-08 - The department is very pleased to announce the creation of the Ralph Langenheim scholarship for undergraduate geology majors. Through the generosity of Michael Bourque (MS, ’78) a $25,000 endowment has been established to fund the scholarship in perpetuity. Mike chose to honor Ralph, his graduate...
2021-11-12 - Congratulations to this years Alumni Achievement Award winner, Dr. Jack Sharp! Dr. Sharp is the Dave P. Carlton Centennial Professor at the University of Texas at Austin. He is a past president of the Geological Society of America and studies hydrogeology, generally in carbonate systems. Dr...
2021-11-09 - As the cool autumn weather moved into Illinois, the Department of Geology returned to its “Flannel Friday” tradition: Many students, faculty, and staff wear their flannel shirts each Friday. Here, a flannel-wearing group gathered on the North steps on a crisp Friday afternoon as the...
2021-10-13 - Professor Emeritus Alberto S. Nieto, 83, passed away Aug. 30, 2021 at his home in Champaign. Alberto taught Engineering Geology in the department for 25 years and retired in 1999. Prof. Nieto was born in Tacna, Peru, but he left South America to earn his M.S. at Washington University...
2021-08-18 - Take a minute to check out the September 2021 edition of Scientific American for a look at Prof. Bruce Fouke's work on kidney stones! Click here to see the article Dr. Fouke's work...
2021-08-11 - Dr. Gillen Wood was recently awarded a 2021 Andrew Carnegie Fellowship for his project 'Oceans 1876', a look at the famous HMS Challenger, which was the first vessel to catalog the species, currents, and climate...
2021-07-11 - Prof. Trish Gregg’s research on submarine volcanoes is featured in the PBS Changing Seas episode "Alvin: Pioneer of the Deep”! The episode highlights the amazing discoveries made by the HOV Alvin submarine and looks to the future of research in the abyssal ocean, which will be made possible by...
2021-06-02 - Geology may play a part in solving one of the medical world's most painful problems! In a collaboration between the University of Illinois and the Mayo Clinic, researchers have shown that understanding the principles of rock formation can help us understand how kidney stones form and dissolve. Dr....
2021-05-20 - PhD candidate Jon Golla has just published the first chapter of his thesis research in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters with his supervisor, Dr. Jenny Druhan. Human reliance and influence on natural resources have motivated vital research into how the Earth’s surface systems interact...
2021-04-15 - New research by Dr. Jeffrey Kwang (UMass Amherst, formerly a graduate student at the U of I), Dr. Abigail Langston (Kansas State), and Dr. Gary Parker (U of I) has led to new insights into why rivers form tree-like, dendritic patterns in their drainage networks. Today, river systems often form...
2021-03-24 - The Geology Department is happy to announce that Senior Rishi Chandra has been awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship! Rishi will graduate this May with a B.S. in Planetary Science, the very first awarded from UIUC. The Planetary Science B.S. is a special...
2021-03-09 - We are happy to announce that Geology and Plant Biology Prof. Wendy Yang has been selected for the LAS Dean's Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. Wendy has devoted a huge amount of effort to improve methods and engage students in IB 100 ONL, has implemented innovative and...