Three geology faculty now honored as fellows of Geological Society of America

By Bryan Hay 

The Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences has reached a significant milestone with three of its faculty being named fellows of the Geological Society of America (GSA).

Dru Germanoski, Dr. Ervin R. Van Artsdalen Professor of Geology, Lawrence Malinconico, associate professor of geology/geophysics, and MaryAnn Malinconico, research associate, were nominated and elected as fellows by their academic peers nationwide for their many years of distinguished, impactful, and award-recognized service and scholarly contributions to the geosciences.

Dru Germanoski, Lawrence Malinconico, and MaryAnn Malinconico — fellows of the Geological Society of America

“This is huge, a tremendous honor for these remarkable scientists and colleagues, and for our small but mighty department,” says David Sunderlin, John H. Markle Professor of Geology and department head, noting that the GSA describes its fellowship as “an honor that is bestowed on the best of our profession.”

An ecumenical science, geology has foundations in mathematics, chemistry, and physics, and intersections with civil engineering, government and law, policy studies, and even the humanities and social sciences. Lafayette currently has about 50 geology majors and minors.

“The recognition alone is nice to have individually, but to have such a substantial number of people within our department recognized is really a reflection of what we’re able to provide here at Lafayette,” says Lawrence Malinconico, noting that the Geology Department is also honored by having Guy Hovis, John H. Markle Professor Emeritus of Geology, as a life member and fellow of the Mineralogical Society of America.

“I expect our other distinguished department colleagues will be named as GSA fellows before long,” he says.

Germanoski notes the most meaningful aspect of being named a fellow is that it recognizes all of the things he values most at Lafayette.

“I was recognized for distinguished training of geologists, high impact, transformative scholarship on alluvial channels, administrative leadership of academic geological programs, and service to the society,” he says, adding that the recognition as a fellow instills confidence that he’s doing his job teaching, inspiring students, and doing research.

Having three GSA fellows in Lafayette’s geology program is a prestigious moment for the department, says MaryAnn Malinconico.

“I was honored and surprised to have been recognized as a Fellow of the Geological Society of America because I have a nontraditional career in science,” she says, recounting her career that began when she first majored in history with a minor in geology, subsequently serving in the Foreign Service before switching careers to geology.

“As a non-teaching research associate at Lafayette, my research and publications cover almost 500 million years of geologic history of the northeastern United States,” she adds, calling out a particular highlight of her fellow citation: compelling advocate to promote geosciences.

“I have been privileged to serve on the management board of GSA’s Northeast Section and later section chair (2012-13), and on GSA’s Committee on Geology and Public Policy (1986-88, 2018-2027). I have also participated in several Congressional Visit events advocating for federal science spending and writing a scientific blog.”

Over the years, the three GSA fellows have seen steady growth in the Geology Department, including the recent addition of an outdoor classroom and rock garden outside Van Wickle Hall, improvements to labs, and the creation of a large lecture space and mineralogy room. Global explorations of geology will continue with the addition of a spring trip to Costa Rica, led by Lawrence Malinconico, to study its active and dormant volcanoes.

“We’ve been supported by very generous geology graduates,” he says. “They’re giving back to the department, a very meaningful expression of thanks for everything faculty impressed upon them as students and how that evolved into their geological careers. As a teacher-scholar, there’s no better feeling.”