ISGS - February 2012 Activity Highlights

Burnham Park Publication

The Illinois State Geological Survey has just released A Walking Guide to the History & Features of Burnham Park, Chicago, Illinois, a colorful 32-page publication and map designed for Chicago's residents and the millions of visitors to its world-class lakefront. Information about the park's glacial and engineering geology, intriguing historical events, and outstanding cultural features makes the publication a unique offering. The product was designed to inform and inspire curiosity about the area and its past, helping in the effort to prepare educated, engaged citizens; to foster civic pride; and to contribute to the public commitment to stewardship of this lakefront resource. Printing was funded by a grant from the University of Illinois' Office of the Vice Chancellor for Public Engagement and was written with the cooperation of the Chicago Park District. Authors are Cheryl K. Nimz, Michael J. Chrzastowski, Cynthia A. Briedis, Julia S. Bachrach (Chicago Park District), and C. Brian Trask. This pilot product will now be used to seek public and private partners to produce similar products for additional segments of the Chicago lakefront parks. The publication is available for download. (Contact: Cheryl Nimz)

Visit to Capitol Hill, Washington, DC

During the week of January 30 to February 3, 2012, Don McKay, Steve Brown, and Dick Berg, ISGS, visited Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, as part of the Great Lakes Geological Mapping Coalition's (GLGMC) efforts to increase awareness of the program and maintain and increase funding levels. In addition to the ISGS, geologists from the Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York State Geological Surveys participated in a total of 85 meetings with congressional staff and some congressional members as well as a meeting with the Director of the Great Lakes Washington Region, Northeast-Midwest Institute Center for Policy Initiatives. The ISGS participants also visited with the City of Chicago Mayor's Office in Washington. The GLGMC has been an important program of three-dimensional geological mapping, particularly in northeastern Illinois, for the purposes of understanding the complex nature of glacial deposits and how these deposits interact on a daily basis with land use, water use, and economic development decision making. (Contact: Dick Berg)

Illinois Height Modernization Program Workshop

The Illinois Height Modernization Program teamed up with the Illinois Department of Transportation to present a formal workshop at the Illinois Public Land Surveyors Meeting in Springfield, Illinois, February 15-18, 2012. Well over 200 professional land surveyors attended this workshop, which provided 2 Professional Development Hours to each attendee. Presenters included Amy Eller, P.E., Engineer of Aerial Surveys, IDOT; Sheena Beaverson, GISP, Principal Investigator, Illinois Height Modernization Program, Illinois State Geological Survey; and Michael Blumhoff, PLS, Level Manager for Illinois Height Modernization, Illinois State Geological Survey. The purpose of the Illinois Height Modernization Program is to (1) improve elevation information for Illinois by installing new surveying benchmarks to replace those destroyed or to increase the density of the network, and (2) acquire and distribute high-resolution elevation LiDAR data. Learn about on-going project activities and see a demonstration of DS World, free software from the National Geodetic Survey, which displays control points by state, county, and vertical or horizontal type in Google Earth. Learn how to use DS World to recover data from the NGS database and to make a report on the condition of a monument. (Contact: Sheena Beaverson)

5-year Survey Science Strategy

Beginning in early January and extending through the first week of March, the ISGS has been involved in developing a 5-year Survey Science Strategy, based on individual Section Science Strategies. Through one-hour+ presentations to fellow Section Heads, the Director, and Chief Scientist, each of the 11 Section Heads will have discussed their (1) shared vision of Survey-wide science/research and support/service programs and priorities; (2) ongoing and potential inter-section and multi-section collaborations; (3) section staffing, including present staffing/expertise, staffing required to implement proposed programs and meet proposed objectives, expected changes via retirements/resignations/hires, staff development needs/options/plans, collaborations within and outside the Survey that multiply effective staffing, opportunities for new science/research/support/service collaborations, and identifying and justifying need for new hires, transfers, etc.; and (4) section funding, including funding sources, amounts, needs and timeframes, and external funding opportunities and prospects. Following all presentations, each Section Head has been asked to contribute to an ISGS circular on the ISGS Science Strategy. (Contact: Dick Berg)

Highlights Archive

Updated 08/06/2012 SLD