Bureau of Geology News

Dr. Nelia Dunbar has been named as Director of the NM Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources and State Geologist by New Mexico Tech president Steven Wells. Dr. Dunbar has had a long and distinguished career at the bureau as a geochemist and volcanologist and as manager of the bureau's Electron Microprobe Laboratory. Her research has taken her throughout New Mexico and the southwest, as well as Antarctica, New Zealand, Tibet, and Ethiopia.

For more information regarding this appointment, see the NMT press release.

Dr. Lewis Land, hydrogeologist and NMBGMR liason to the National Cave and Karst Research Institute, was featured in a recent GSA Today issue describing benefits of membership in the Geological Society of America.

Ron Gardiner, an advocate and supporter of the Bureau of Geology, recently passed away in his home in Questa, NM. Mr. Gardiner worked with us on numerous Decision Maker's conferences, and to help facilitate earth science discussions with legislators. Ron was also a recipient of the 2009 Earth Science Achievement Award.

Memorial services are scheduled for Saturday November 5, 12-3pm at the Sagebrush Inn in Taos.

On September 8, 2016 Dr. Dan Lopez, former NM Tech president, was inducted into the NM Mining Hall of Fame at the New Mexico Mining Association (NMMA) Annual Meeting in Santa Fe.

A poster titled "The Characterization of Abandoned Uranium Mines in New Mexico", by Ashlynne Winton, John Asafo-Akowuah, and Virginia T. McLemore took second place at the 2016 Annual National Conference of the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) in Santa Fe. The first two authors are students being supervised by Virginia T. McLemore, Senior Economic Geologist at the New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources.

Public-private partnership supports new efforts in groundwater level monitoring and aquifer mapping.

"Study says there may be limits to sustainable growth south of Taos"

Predicted to be 200 meteors/hour — twice the normal rate!

On June 28, 2016, the Taos County Commissioners honored Bureau hydrogeologist Peggy Johnson with a Community Service Award for her 20 years of water-science work in the county.