Eldon Gath

Noted consulting engineering geologist Eldon Gath will be visiting Mississippi State University to discuss geological exploration in Panama to quantify the fault hazards to the Panama Canal and the canal expansion project on Friday [March 20] at 1 p.m. in Hilbun Hall, Room 102. The MSU Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists Student Chapter and the Department of Geosciences are sponsoring his visit to campus.

Gath is the 2014-2015 Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lecturer in Applied Geology, which is awarded jointly by the Environmental and Engineering Geology Division and the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists. The purpose of the lectureship is to promote student awareness of applied geology. Visit www.aegweb.org/jahns-lecturer/2015-jahns-lecturer to learn more.

During his lecture, he will discuss using tectonic geomorphic mapping and analysis, paleoseismic trenching, and seismic hazard analysis to assess the fault hazards in Panama. Faults that were investigated include the Gatún, Limón, Azota, Pedro Miguel, Miraflores and Agua Blanca. The talk will illustrate techniques of field reconnaissance, trench site selection, 3-D trenching of strike slip faults, and how to assemble into a seismic hazard model.

For more information regarding this event, please contact Sarah Radencic at spr67@msstate.edu or Darrel Schmitz at schmitz@geosci.msstate.edu.