UK Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences Alumni Advisory Board

 

Elizabeth Haynes (Chair, 2005 - 2008) research interests involve understanding the geochemical and isotopic characteristics of igneous rocks associated with mineral deposits. She has studied the isotopic and fluid characteristics of xenoliths in kimberlites from Elliott County, KY; determined crystallization and cooling rates of carbonatites from Jacupiranga, Brazil, Oka, Canada, and Magnet Cove, USA; and is currently working on determining fluid and geochemical variations in auriferous granitoid plutons of the Fairbanks area, AK, USA. Elizabeth received her B.A. (1988) in French/Political Science from Centre College, KY, a M.S. (2000) in Geology from the University of Kentucky, and is currently studying for her Ph.D. in Geochemistry at Colorado School of Mines. Elizabeth was a student member of GSA's Education Committee (1999-2002) and Vice-President of the Denver chapter of the Association for Women Geoscientists (2003-2004). In what little spare time she has, Elizabeth enjoys snowboarding, collecting cuckoo clocks, and anything by Pink Floyd.

Brent Owens (Co-chair, 2005 - 2008) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geology at the College of William and Mary, where he has been since 1996. He received a B.S. (1983) in Geology from the University of Kentucky, an M.S. (1986) in Geology from the University of Massachusetts, and a Ph.D. (1992) in Geology from Washington University in Saint Louis. Before going to William and Mary, he taught for three semesters at Bucknell University. His primary research interests include the petrogenesis of massif anorthosites and related rocks, and numerous petrological and geochronological aspects of the geology of the Piedmont Province of Virginia. He teaches courses in mineralogy, igneous and metamorphic petrology, and geochemistry. He also is currently an associate editor for American Mineralogist.

Sarah Mardon (Secretary, 2005 - 2008) graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2003 with a B.A. in Geology and a B.S. in Economics. After graduation, Sarah worked for Pearson Petrographic Services as a Coal Petrographer in Beckley, WV. In September 2004, she returned to Lexington to work as an Admission Counselor for the University of Kentucky, and then returned full time in Fall 2005 as a graduate student in the department. Sarah was on the 2005 TSOP (The Society for Organic Petrology) annual meeting planning committee. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, cooking, whitewater rafting, local music, ballet, and hiking, and fundraising for charities. The latest book that she is reading is titled “Blood Diamonds” by Greg Campbell.

Nancye Dawers (Member 2005 - 2006) is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences at Tulane University. She obtained a BS from University of Kentucky, a MS from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a PhD from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. From 1996-1999 she worked as a Research Associate at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Nancye's research interests include fault growth and interaction, neotectonics, and 3D seismic interpretation. Much of her work focuses on evolution of normal faults in the Basin & Range, the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

Stephen Sullivan (Member 2005-2008) received his bachelor’s degree in Geology from the University of Kentucky in 1979 and his master’s from UK in 1983.  His graduate work concentrated in karst hydrogeology under the direction of Dr. John Thrailkill.  Steve is currently the Chief Financial Officer of The Corradino Group, Inc., which is a professional consulting services firm providing transportation planning, engineering and environmental services to clients throughout the midwest and south.  In addition to serving on UK’s Department of Geological Sciences Alumni Advisory Board, he serves on the Kentucky Geological Survey Advisory Board, the American Cave Conservation Association and Museum Board, and on the West Louisville Economic Alliance Advisory Board.

Karen Exton Thompson (Member, 2005 - 2006) Karen Exton Thompson is currently a Professional Geologist working for Shield Environmental Associates, Inc. in Lexington, Kentucky. She obtained her BS from Eastern New Mexico University in 1992 and a MS in 2002 from the University of Kentucky. From 1992-1999, when she began to pursue her MS full-time, Karen worked with the Department of Environmental Protection and the University of Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute on the remediation efforts at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. Karen's interests are water-related from her career in hydrogeology to her volunteer work as a member of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. She is also a member of the National Ground Water Association.

Charles J. Taylor (Chuck) (Member, 2005-2007) received a B.S. degree in geology at the University of Kentucky (UK) in 1984, and a M.S. degree in geology at UK in 1992. Since 1992, he has worked as a Ground Water Hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). His research interests are mostly focused on the hydrogeologic characterization of karst and fractured-bedrock aquifers, and on the use of geochemical, isotopic, and fluorescent dye tracers in investigations of ground-water flow systems. He has worked on a variety of ground-water investigations throughout the Southeast and Midwest United States. Chuck also serves as the Ground-Water Specialist for the USGS Kentucky Water Science Center, providing technical guidance to other staff members with regard to the collection and interpretation of ground-water data, and serving as a representative of the USGS in meetings with other federal, state, and local agencies, and with the general public. Chuck is an active member of the National Ground Water Association (NGWA), the Geological Society of America (GSA), and the National Speleological Society (NSS). He lives in Louisville, KY, with his wife Amy. In his spare time, he enjoys astronomy, photography, and hiking.

Tom Spalding (Member 2006 – 2009) received his BS (1980) and MS (1982) in Geology from the University of Kentucky.  He spent fifteen years with Mobil Oil working as an exploration and production geologist in areas including the Gulf of Mexico, Permian Basin, East Texas Basin, West Africa, and the Northern Black Sea.  Tom has spent the last eight years with Pioneer Natural Resources in Dallas, Texas, first working Brazil, then as Exploration Manager for the Gulf of Mexico Shelf, and currently as Vice President North America Exploration.  Tom met his wife of 24 years, Linda, at the University of Kentucky.  They reside in Flower Mound, Texas and have five daughters: Jenny, Katie, Hannah, Rachel, and Emma. 

William Foley (Member 2006 – 2009) is President of Petroleum Evaluation Associates LLC, a consulting firm based in Louisville, KY.  He received his B.S. in Geology (1979) from the University of Kentucky, and his Masters in Geology (1982) also from UK.  He was employed by Chevron, Inc starting in 1981, and continued his work there until 1998.  His work at Chevron included assignments in exploration and development geology, as well as geophysics, probabilistic reserve estimation, risk estimation, and economic evaluation.  These assignments covered sedimentary basins in the southern U.S., the Gulf of Mexico, the North Sea, Northwestern Australia, as well as Angola.  Since leaving Chevron, he has worked as a consultant to several oil exploration companies, including Mobil, PEMEX, Chevron, and Texaco.  Additionally, he has done work for the engineering firm of Netherland, Sewell, and Associates.  Work for these firms has spanned Norway, Mexico, Chad, Nigeria, Morocco, and Equatorial Guinea.   He is an AAPG Certified Petroleum Geologist, and a member of the Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists.  He is married to Linda, and father of two children, Jeffrey and Rebecca.