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Donors Make Real-Life Impact for Recipients
GeoCorpsTM America is a popular GSA program offering Sandra Cronauer had the opportunity to meet the Newcombs
short-term assignments in beautiful natural areas and during the 2015 GSA Annual Meeting after her assignment in
across a wide spectrum of geoscience disciplines. In Denali the previous summer. It is a rare opportunity and a plea-
partnership with government agencies and organiza- sure for enthusiastic donors to hear firsthand experiences of their
tions committed to science and stewardship, the hands-on career support and for the recipient to convey appreciation to the people
development opportunities further geoscience research, educa- who made this highly coveted opportunity possible. We bumped
tion, and awareness—a purpose closely aligned with GSA’s into Sandra again at GSA’s 2016 Northeastern Section Meeting,
mission. Dating back to 1997, the program’s number of geoscience where she was presenting research from her work in Denali:
projects has steadily increased with the need for expertise in
public lands. “I will always remember my GeoCorps/Geoscientists
-in-the-Parks internship at Denali National Park and
Long-time GSA members Sally and Bob Newcomb are Preserve as a period of intense personal and professional
supporters with a strong commitment to GSA’s GeoCorps growth. Fording frigid braided streams, facing off
program and the National Park Service Geoscientists-in-the-Parks against angry caribou, and calling out ‘Hey, bear!’ to
Denali National Park and Preserve assignment: avoid stumbling across a grizzly while bushwhacking
were more than worth it to collect the data needed for
“When Bob and I decided to support the Geoscientists- the glacier monitoring program in Denali. During my
in-the-Parks through GeoCorps, it was suggested we time working with the National Park Service, I gained
might like the position to be near us in Maryland. That invaluable field experience and developed technical
seemed a bit tame—I wanted to think about work being research skills that will elevate my future research
done in a more challenging area. Denali National Park endeavors. I am grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Newcomb
has certainly fulfilled that desire. A few of the areas for supporting the program and making it possible for
addressed include glaciation, hazard mitigation, river me to conduct research in the beautiful backcountry
morphology, novel fossils, monitoring fossil access, and of Alaska.”
visitor education. Keeping up with the interns, reading
their reports, going to their papers and posters at GSA Consider joining the Newcombs in supporting important
meetings, all have been very rewarding as well as just geoscience projects across public lands, and see the impact of
plain fun, giving us a view of the world we could never contributions as GeoCorps participants continue on-the-ground
otherwise have, as well as introducing us to a series of research and protection of geologic resources and the develop-
talented and dedicated young people. Sandra is certainly ment of education and outreach activities. Contact Bill Tortorici at
one of them, and she joins a very distinguished group +1-303-357-1007 or btortorici@geosociety.org to learn how you
we’ve been pleased to support over the years.” can support an area of interest.
GSA TODAY | www.geosociety.org/gsatoday
Bob and Sally Newcomb visiting with Denali program participants Andrew Collins and Sandra Cronauer, GeoCorps/GIP 2015, during GSA’s 2015 Annual
Meeting in Baltimore. 41
