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Mapping Mount Doom

Geology students from Washington and Lee University in front of the volcano Mount Ngauruhoe in New Zealand, a.k.a. Mount Doom of “Lord of the Rings” fame, which they were assigned to map.

The students are taking the Spring Term course “Regional Geology” taught by Christopher Connors, the William E. Pritchard III ’80 Professor of Geology. New Zealand is a geologically diverse land and, in addition to learning fundamental geologic concepts, students explore the basics of physical and chemical volcanology by studying the eruptive deposits of active volcanoes.