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Meaningful Support: Honoring Field Camp Excellence


          Each year since 2011, the GSA/ExxonMobil Field Camp   camps, infrastructure emergencies are unexpected and potentially
         Excellence Award has granted US$10,000 to a traditional six-week   crippling. Since the late 1970s, MU’s geology field camp has had
                                                                the incredible fortune of the financial support of the MU Geology
         geology field camp that teaches the fundamentals of geologic    Development Board. The board has always recruited into their fold
         mapping and field methods. Based on safety awareness, diversity,    MU geology alumni fiercely devoted to the camp who have risen to
         and technical excellence, the award is intended to assist with the    the occasion every time the camp has needed financial help.
                                                                  In 2014 the camp was dealing with the financial aftermath of exten-
         summer field season. Recently, a past recipient took part in the GSA   sive renovations (to the tune of over a half million dollars), including
         Foundation’s virtual chat, Field Camp in Changing Landscapes.   building two bridges. Unexpectedly, about a month before the start of
         Miriam Barquero-Molina, Director of University of Missouri’s (MU)   the summer season, the camp additionally faced the need to bear-proof
         Geology Field Program, spoke about the continued importance of   the trash and recycling system due to sudden U.S. Forest Service regu-
         in-person field training and noted the relieving impact of the   lations. This is the year MU’s geology field camp was awarded the
         Excellence Award for her camp. We asked her to expand on the   GSA/ExxonMobil Field Camp Excellence Award. This is a very com-
                                                                petitive program, proving that, as a geoscience community, we are
         Branson camp and award.                                lucky to have such a large number of excellent field programs in our
                                                                midst. For MU’s camp, the award was, therefore, very much a sur-
            The University of Missouri Geology Field Camp, founded in 1911   prise, and the unexpected US$10,000 proved to be an unexpected and
          by Edwin B. (E.B.) Branson, is the longest continually running geol-  much needed lifeline that allowed for the mandated bear-proofing to
          ogy field camp in the United States. Prof. Branson had undertaken   be done as required prior to the start of the 2014 summer season.
          extensive fieldwork around Wyoming’s Wind River Ranges during   The camp director could stop worrying about money and could focus
          his dissertation work. An early believer in the power of hands-on   on the camp’s mission: to provide a high-quality hands-on learning
          learning, Branson realized that this part of Wyoming would be an   experience for geoscience students across the nation.
          ideal setting to teach field skills to geology students, and he set out
          to make his dream a reality. What started as white canvas tents along   The Society recognizes that formal geology field camp training
          the shores of the Popo Agie River in Sinks Canyon and nearby areas
          in the early years evolved into a bona-fide field station of log struc-  is vital to the development of capable, well-rounded geoscientists
          tures built by students and staff during the 1930s and 1940s.   who are prepared to contribute to society through the many
            Maintenance and upkeep of a permanent field camp facility in a   diverse career paths available. GSA and GSAF are proud to sup-
          remote location are not for the faint of heart. The finances of large   port existing field camps with often challenging, changing needs,
          state universities have changed dramatically, and many geology field   and corporate partnerships make this possible. If your company or
          camps have been left to their own devices. MU’s Branson Field
          Laboratory is no stranger to this pain.              organization would like to learn more about how you can be
            A permanent infrastructure provides very different learning condi-  involved, please contact Debbie Marcinkowski at +1-303-357-1047
          tions for students than those of a more mobile camp. For permanent   or dmarcinkowski@geosociety.org.






















         Walter Keller and University of Missouri field camp students atop Wind River   Miriam Barquero-Molina, students, and teaching assistants atop Wind River
         Peak, 1935.                                           Peak, 2018.

                                              gsa-foundation.org



         38  GSA Today  |  June 2021
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