Petrophysicist Allyson Anderson to speak at Geology Colloquium on Jan. 24

Morgantown, W.Va., January 23, 2008: The Eberly College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Geology and Geography present a lecture by Allyson Anderson titled “Which Comes First: Science or Energy Policy, A Chicken and Egg Question” on Thursday, Jan. 24 at 4 p.m. in Brooks Hall Room 325.

“The Geology Colloquium brings outside speakers to WVU about eight times a semester as a way of enriching the experience of the earth sciences community at the University and in Morgantown,” explained Dr. Jaime Toro, Associate Professor of Structural Geology and Tectonics and Geology Colloquium Coordinator.

Allyson Anderson is a professional member of Chairman Jeff Bingaman’s Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee who has worked on several issues, including carbon sequestration and geothermal energy resources. Recently, she was named the 2006-2007 American Geological Institute Congressional Science Fellow and continues to concentrate on fossil energy research and meet the challenges of public policy development in Washington, D.C.

Prior to joining the committee staff on Capital Hill, Anderson was a senior geoscientist at ExxonMobil Exploration Company in Houston, Texas, and a researcher at the Kansas Geological Survey. She earned a Master’s degree in geology from Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis in 2000, and was the former president of the Association for Women Geoscientists (AWG), and Chair of the Professional Women in Geoscience Professions Ad Hoc Committee of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG). Anderson also serves various volunteer and professional outreach committees on education and career opportunities in geosciences and is the author of two articles published in Geotimes.

“Scientists like Anderson have expertise in different areas that can be shared with our staff and students,” said Tim Carr, Marshall Miller Professor of Energy. “This broadens the overall knowledge of the department and university and leads to new ideas and potential collaborations within the department.”

The lecture series is also part of a formal course required for graduate students to take twice during their time at WVU; however, the audience often consists of people from the Department of Energy, the West Virginia Geological Survey, local energy and environmental firms and the general public.

Refreshments will be served prior to the presentation at 3:45 p.m. and the series is open to the public.

For more information, please contact Jaime Toro, Geology Colloquium Coordinator, at (304) 293-9817 or e-mail jtoro@wvu.edu. For a complete schedule of speakers participating in the colloquium, visit http://www.geo.wvu.edu/gradadmissions/colloquium/colloquium.htm.

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