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David Love

fieldwork
Dave Love logging stratigraphy in shored trench in front of Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon. Photo by Dr. W. Wills.
Emeritus - Principal Senior Environmental Geologist
New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources
New Mexico Tech
801 Leroy Place
Socorro NM 87801-4796
(575) 835-5146

Education

  • B.S., Geology and Anthropology, Beloit College, 1969
  • M.S., Geology, University of New Mexico, 1971
    M.S. thesis: "Geology of the Rammel Mountain area, Teton County, Wyoming", unpublished, 124 pp. (A general geologic field study of the structure, stratigraphy, and history of a portion of the Teton Mountains. Results of this study are included in two publications.)
  • Ph.D., Geology, University of New Mexico, 1980
    Ph.D. dissertation: "Quaternary geology of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico", unpublished, 613 pp. (A study of the recent geologic history of an archaeologically important canyon in northwestern New Mexico. Results of this study are included in several publications.)

Specialties and Interests

  • Environmental geology
  • Sedimentology
    • Sediment transport and bedform characteristics of flashy flows, Rio Grande and Rio Puerco
    • Sediment transport characteristics of volcanic base-surge deposits
    • Evidence of natural aggradation of prehistoric arroyos
  • Quaternary geology and geomorphology
measuring detailed lake-bed stratigraphy of Pleistocene Lake Otero
Dave Love (left) and National Park Ranger David Bustos measuring detailed lake-bed stratigraphy of Pleistocene Lake Otero, White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

Current Projects

  • Investigations related to Pleistocene and Holocene features of White Sands National Monument
  • Investigations related to Pleistocene and Holocene features of northern Tularosa Basin on White Sands Missile Range
  • Investigations of geology along the Camino Real across the northern Jornada del Muerto
  • Twentieth century incision of Abo Arroyo revealed by coal from train wrecks deposited by floods
  • Tiltmeter and GPS monitoring of uplift of Socorro magma body
  • Surficial geology of the Black Butte, Becker SW, and Cerro Montoso Quadrangles
  • Updates to state of New Mexico's understanding of geologic hazards for the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (earthquakes, landslides, problem soils)
  • Geologic Education Outreach:

Past Projects

Employment History

  • 2002 to present Principal Senior Environmental Geologist, New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources
  • 1992 to 2002, Senior Environmental Geologist, New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources
  • October 1980 to 1991, Environmental Geologist, New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Socorro, New Mexico.
  • November 1979 to October 1980, Research Associate, New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Socorro, New Mexico.
  • August 1979 to November 1979, consulting geologist, Museum of NewMexico, Office of Contract Archaeology, Chaco Center and Dr. R.Y. Anderson.
  • August 1978 to August 1979, Research Assistant, Geology Department, University of New Mexico; establishing baseline data in strippable coal belt, northwestern New Mexico.
  • September 1976 to August, 1978, Assistant Professor, temporary (sabbatical replacement), Geology Department, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, teaching courses in physical geology, oceanography, environmental geology, earth resources, and sedimentary petrology.
  • Summer 1975, field sampler for ERDA uranium exploration Program, New Mexico.
  • Spring-summer 1974, consulting geologist, part time, Office of Contract Archaeology, University of New Mexico; interpreting Quaternary geology of an area near Farmington, New Mexico.
  • Spring 1973 to spring 1976, Research Assistant, Geology Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico; concerned with sedimentology and geomorphic models.
  • Summer 1970 and 1971, geologic field work in the Teton-Yellowstone region, Wyoming.
  • Winter 1969, geology laboratory teaching assistant, Beloit College, Beloit, Wisconsin.
  • Summer 1968 and 1969, Park Naturalist, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.
  • Fall 1967, Park Ranger, Capulin Mountain National Monument, Capulin, New Mexico.
  • Summer 1967, Beloit College archaeological field school, northern Wisconsin.
  • Summer 1965, geological field assistant for C. M. Froidevaux, Hoback Range, Wyoming, studying the structure and stratigraphy of the overthrust belt.

University Courses Taught

  • Earth Resources
  • Environmental Geology
  • Oceanography
  • Physical Geology
  • Sedimentology

Professional Organization Memberships and Service

  • Association of Engineering Geologists
  • Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Trail Association
  • Geological Society of America
  • Jornada Research Institute
  • New Mexico Archeological Council
  • New Mexico Archaeological Society
  • New Mexico Geographic Information Council
  • New Mexico Geological Society
  • Sigma Xi
  • Society for Archaeological Sciences
fieldwork
Sophisticated research in Hell Canyon on Isleta Pueblo lands.

Patents

  • Whitworth, T. M., Love, D. W., and Love, J. C., 1999, Containment system for spills — Patent: no. 6,431,793 (2002):

    This invention is a set of designs for structures to contain light and/or dense non-aqueous phase liquids to prevent release into the subsurface environment; commercial use to be licensed through the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Foundation