Johnson 9531775 The goal of the 1996 REU project at Gustavus Adolphus College is to nurture the development of underrepresented individuals in the geological sciences. Eight undergraduate women will conduct field and laboratory research to determine the character, origin, and history of Pleistocene deposits in south-central Minnesota. Four of the women will be selected from Gustavus students, the other four will come from outside the institution. The individual research projects are concerned with till stratigraphy of south-central Minnesota, genesis of late-Wisconsin till (possibly a deforming-bed till), character and sedimentology of River Warren (outlet of Lake Agassiz), and Holocene colluvial fans of the Minnesota River valley. These projects will require the participants to learn and apply various geologic research techniques including outcrop description, laboratory analysis, and statistical analysis on the computer. REU students will examine issues in scientific ethics and women in science, with input from professional women in the Geosciences. At the close of the session, they will present a professional talk, lead a field trip, and interact with a group of visiting glacial geologists from other parts of Minnesota. The last two weeks consist of a field excursion to active glaciers in the Canadian Rockies to study glacial processes first hand.
