A Geologist's Remembrance of Things Past
The July 2013 issue of Earth, a publication of the American Geosciences Institute, features a column by Fred Schwab, emeritus professor of geology at Washington and Lee, about the 2012 reunion held by W&L’s Department of Geology.JulyEARTH2013_GeoColumn_Schwab
About 40 alumni returned last fall to participate in the two-day event, which featured a field trip and presentations by alumni about their current research.
For Fred, it was a time to reflect on his 37-year career as a professor. He retired in 2003.
Writes Fred: “On the field trip, we revisited old friends: well-exposed classical stratigraphic sections, broad vistas of spectacular Appalachian geomorphology, and picturesque folds and faults. As we were exploring these familiar sites, I realized that the concepts, approaches and jargon of geology are like a foreign language: Constantly use them, or lose them!”
Further, he observes: “At times, I felt like I was drifting through my own memorial service, cloaked in a cloud of irrelevancy. My science is doing quite well without me.”
You can read the complete piece by clicking on the pdf of the story below.
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