[{"id":2182,"date":"2020-01-07T15:48:00","date_gmt":"2020-01-07T20:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geo\/?p=2182"},"modified":"2020-02-04T10:36:05","modified_gmt":"2020-02-04T15:36:05","slug":"allegheny-graduate-devotes-his-career-to-coast-to-coast-geological-pursuits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/2020\/01\/07\/allegheny-graduate-devotes-his-career-to-coast-to-coast-geological-pursuits\/","title":{"rendered":"Allegheny Graduate Devotes his Career to Coast-to-Coast Geological Pursuits"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the 53 years since Jeffress \u201cJeff\u201d Williams graduated from Allegheny College, he\u2019s spent an inordinate amount of time on the beach.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not what you might think. He hasn\u2019t been biding his time sunbathing and bodysurfing. He\u2019s been performing potential planet-saving research for the United States Geological Survey.<\/p>\n

\"Jeff
\u201cClimate change is as real and factually supported as other well-established theories, such as biological evolution, plate tectonics, gravitational attraction and a round, versus flat, Earth,\u201d says Jeff Williams.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Williams retired from the USGS in 2010 and is now senior scientist emeritus based at the Woods Hole Science Center in Massachusetts. He is recognized as a national and international expert in coastal and marine geology. \u201cI continue to do research in coastal topics, write journal papers, give scientific and public lectures, and advise students,\u201d he said recently from his home in North Falmouth, Massachusetts.<\/p>\n

During his career, Williams has led more than 80 field studies along the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, and the Irish Sea in the United Kingdom. He has co-authored more than 385 scientific articles, contributed to eight books, served on more than a dozen high-level national and state science committees, and made more-than-he-can-count technical presentations on ecosystem-management strategic plans.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have found that nearly all coastal and marine areas where I have worked are interesting and have something new, unique and scientifically interesting about them,\u201d said Williams. \u201cThe geology of each region is different depending on its origins, age and how it\u2019s evolved over time. The geologic character of each locale determines the ecology associated with it and the animals living there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Williams spent the better part of his career working from the USGS headquarters in Reston, Virginia, but spent much of that time on the road \u2014 or on the beach. He also conducted research for six months at a research center in Taunton, England, studying the Irish Sea. In 2000, he accepted a research position at Woods Hole, moving to Cape Cod, where he currently resides with his wife, Rebecca. (He spends winters in Hawaii, where his son and his family live.)<\/p>\n

He says that no one expedition stands out as extraordinary in his mind, but Williams does cite his accumulated knowledge from his geological work as important to share. \u201cMy research over the past four decades on how Earth\u2019s climate over the past several thousand years has changed resulting in the rise and fall of global sea levels on the order of hundreds of feet has improved our understanding of why and how global warming and climate change is occurring presently and aids in predicting what environmental conditions are likely for the next several decades to centuries,\u201d he said. \u201cChanges in all these conditions due to climate warming and disruption will have huge impacts on Earth\u2019s ecosystems and especially human populations across the globe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Throughout his career, Williams has appeared on numerous talk shows, in public forums and in courtrooms as an expert in coastal geology and climate change. He also testified before the U.S. Congress regarding the impact of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 on the Louisiana delta plain coast.<\/p>\n

Williams worked for six years with a major land trust in Louisiana assessing the many environmental impacts from the BP oil spill (Deep Horizons) in 2010 on barrier islands and wetlands along the Gulf Coast. \u201cWorking with other scientists and attorneys, our studies resulted in a significant settlement against BP for environmental damage to natural resources,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

As for career highlights, Williams does not single out any event or achievement. Rather, he says, \u201ctwo highlights come to mind: being able to provide answers and solutions to issues facing citizens and public policy based on geologic research and studies that I and other colleagues have undertaken. And, the satisfaction I get when I advise students of all ages in navigating life\u2019s decisions and making career decisions and the vital importance of a well-rounded education throughout their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Williams visits Allegheny College on occasion; he was on campus eight years ago to deliver a geology lecture. He credits his four years at Allegheny as a student for giving him a solid foundation for a career in geology and for \u201ca satisfying life. My course work in geology and science were key but also other liberal arts courses such as history, art and political science helped me to become a more rounded person and better citizen,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Bob Schwartz, professor emeritus of geology at Allegheny, has remained in contact with Williams since their days together as geology majors in College. \u201cAs an undergraduate, Jeff had a remarkable passion for geology and a very strong work ethic,\u201d said Schwartz. \u201cI view Jeff\u2019s extensive work along the Louisiana coast, including predictions of regional hazards like those later suffered by the New Orleans region in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, as being seminal to our modern global-scale understanding of coastal problems having to do with climate change, storm occurrence and sea-level rise. His continued presentation of scientific findings in a clear and effective manner to help protect and remediate the Earth\u2019s well-being exemplifies the liberal arts ideology.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two environmental issues stand out for Williams as especially important.<\/p>\n

As a USGS sand commodity expert for 25 years, Williams has noticed that sand, as a resource, is disappearing, and that\u2019s not a good thing because sand is critical in a variety of industries, including making concrete, electronic components, glass making and, of course, for maintaining beaches and protective coastal dunes. \u201cQuartz is the most common mineral on Earth; however, the irony is that good quality quartz sand is in short supply worldwide as a resource,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Usable sand deposits are limited, often far from markets and mining creates environmental issues, said Williams. \u201cIn some regions, sand has been mined from beaches and dunes for construction resulting in damage to these landforms,\u201d he said. Now, sand is being mined on the seafloor and transported sometimes thousands of miles to repair eroded beaches and dunes, Williams said.<\/p>\n

Williams also has a very clear position in the ongoing debate over global warming.<\/p>\n

\u201cClimate change is as real and factually supported as other well-established theories, such as biological evolution, plate tectonics, gravitational attraction and a round, versus flat, Earth and, as such, needs to be recognized as an emergency situation for the world,\u201d Williams said. \u201cAddressing the reality of climate change and the need for reaching zero carbon emissions in the next two decades should be a top priority for the United States and all nations.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe time for action is past due,\u201d he said. \u201cCarbon emissions need to be reduced to zero by alternative energy technologies within the next two decades, and technology advances and a massive tree-planting effort are needed to actually remove carbon from the air.\u201d<\/p>\n

In fall 2019, Williams was honored when part of the Two Ponds Accessible Trail in Falmouth was named the Jeffress Williams Pathway. The trail encompasses a white cedar swamp and kettle-hole pond that are part of a larger protected space. It is also near a senior residence facility and is likely to be popular among walkers of all abilities, especially school classes on science and nature walks, which is particularly pleasing to Williams.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve supported open space protection in Falmouth, including the Two Ponds project over the past several years,\u201d said Williams, \u201cand having muscular sclerosis and no longer able to hike, I appreciate the fact that this and several other areas are accessible for wheelchairs and walkers. I\u2019m deeply honored for the trail system.\u201d<\/p>\n

Source: Academics, Publications & Research<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the 53 years since Jeffress \u201cJeff\u201d Williams graduated from Allegheny College, he\u2019s spent an inordinate amount of time on the beach. It\u2019s not what you might think. He hasn\u2019t been biding his time sunbathing and bodysurfing. He\u2019s been performing potential planet-saving research for the United States Geological Survey. \u201cClimate change is as real and […]<\/p>\n

Continue Reading “Allegheny Graduate Devotes his Career to Coast-to-Coast Geological Pursuits”<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[18640],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2182","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-academics-publications-research"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2182","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2182"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2182\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2182"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2182"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2182"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2167,"date":"2019-10-24T15:20:55","date_gmt":"2019-10-24T19:20:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geo\/?p=2167"},"modified":"2019-10-24T15:45:41","modified_gmt":"2019-10-24T19:45:41","slug":"geology-fieldtrip-for-fs-geo-201-with-asst-prof-tamulonis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/2019\/10\/24\/geology-fieldtrip-for-fs-geo-201-with-asst-prof-tamulonis\/","title":{"rendered":"Geology Fieldtrip for FS Geo 201 with Asst. Prof. Tamulonis"},"content":{"rendered":"

Asst. Prof. Tamulonis FS Geo 201 explored the Geology of Central Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

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Asst. Prof. Tamulonis FS Geo 201 explored the Geology of Central Pennsylvania<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2167","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2167","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/83"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2167"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2167\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2167"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2167"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2167"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2162,"date":"2019-10-24T15:13:35","date_gmt":"2019-10-24T19:13:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geo\/?p=2162"},"modified":"2019-10-24T15:44:59","modified_gmt":"2019-10-24T19:44:59","slug":"geology-goes-to-beavertail-state-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/2019\/10\/24\/geology-goes-to-beavertail-state-park\/","title":{"rendered":"Geology Goes to Beavertail State Park, RI to Investigate Plate Tectonic Deformation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Students in Asst. Prof. Carter’s Geology class ventured to Beavertail State Park, Rhode Island to investigate plate tectonic deformation associated with the formation and breakup of Pangea.<\/p>\n

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\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Students in Asst. Prof. Carter’s Geology class ventured to Beavertail State Park, Rhode Island to investigate plate tectonic deformation associated with the formation and breakup of Pangea.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2162","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/83"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2162"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2162\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2162"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2162"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2162"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2146,"date":"2019-09-18T09:25:12","date_gmt":"2019-09-18T13:25:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geo\/?p=2146"},"modified":"2019-09-18T09:43:38","modified_gmt":"2019-09-18T13:43:38","slug":"geology-junior-seminar-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.allegheny.edu\/geology\/2019\/09\/18\/geology-junior-seminar-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Allegheny College Geology Junior Seminar 2019: Geology of the Llano Uplift"},"content":{"rendered":"

In March, 2018, the Department’s juniors took a field trip to Texas to study ancient rock outcrops near Llano, TX and the Gulf Coast. The trip was led by Profs. Matt Carter and Rachel O’Brien with collaboration with Dr. Andr\u00e9 Droxler (Rice University). This video was produced by one of the attending students, Lauren Kanavy.<\/p>\n

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