Alumni Welcome

November 14, 2008

Dear Alumni and Friends,

Greetings from the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences! As in previous letters, my purpose is to inform you of a few highlights from the past year’s accomplishments (which are detailed more fully in the enclosed newsletter), to describe areas in which the department is pursuing new initiatives that could benefit from your support, and most importantly, to express our gratitude for your past generosity. Your financial contributions play a direct role in helping us achieve our research goals, provide a rich educational experience for our students, and attract the strongest applicants from our graduate applicant pool. We sincerely thank you for supporting our mission as teachers and scholars.

This has been a very exciting year for the department. I report to you with confidence and pride that our research and teaching programs are flourishing! Earlier this spring, we recruited the largest and most impressive class of graduate students to join the department in about a decade, and all of our most recent doctoral graduates have found very attractive jobs in the energy industry. Meanwhile, several faculty members have garnered well deserved recognition for their exciting work. Our colleague Suzan van der Lee, for instance, had a very busy year. After having received a prestigious NSF CAREER award in 2007, she gave birth to her second child, submitted her tenure dossier, and received the grant of tenure with flying colors. Another junior faculty member, Steven Jacobsen, recently won an NSF CAREER award and a Packard Fellowship. In this regard, he more or less mirrored the accomplishments of fellow assistant professor Andrew Jacobson, who was awarded an NSF-MRI grant and a Packard the year before (resulting in the inevitable joke that we all need to change our names to some form of “Jacobs _n”). To top things off, Andy was awarded the prestigious Clarke Medal from the Geochemical Society and received another substantial grant from the NSF Polar Program. In addition to these outstanding accomplishments by several of our assistant (and now associate) professors, the remainder of the junior and senior faculty continues to find success in their research efforts. See this year’s newsletter, in its new format, for more details.

On the research infrastructure front, construction for the Hogan Hall analytical facility, which will include laboratories for cutting-edge work in stable and radiogenic isotope biogeochemistry as well as high pressure-temperature mineral physics, is gradually progressing. Due to the scope and complexity of this project, it is running behind schedule, although past alumni contributions to the Analytical Facility Fund have allowed us to use our two new Delta V stable isotope mass spectrometers in a temporary space. Because lab construction may not be complete until some of our junior colleagues—whose work depends upon these instruments—will undergo tenure review, this support has proven essential. Your generous contributions to this fund have meant that our assistant professors--who have already done so much to positively shape our community with their new enthusiasm, innovative research, and remarkable talent for recruiting promising graduate students--has been strongly supported at a crucial point in their careers. New contributions to this fund will assure that this critical support is maintained, that our analytical facility is fully realized, and that the positive momentum we have recently established will continue to build.

Adding to a year filled with achievements and anticipation was a landmark event. After many years of hearing rumors that EPS will be moved from Locy Hall to the north campus, we have finally been presented with a concrete proposal for our relocation. This plan calls for EPS offices and teaching spaces to occupy a future infill of the Tech Institute. As we actively engage with the university’s planning department, we are enthusiastically advocating for an architectural layout that meets our needs while also strengthening the department’s presence within the larger Northwestern community. An important aspect of this process will be to insure that our new home conveys a strong sense of departmental identity, reflecting the common ideas and interests that bring students and faculty together in their scholarly pursuits. Although department members have discussed several paths for achieving this goal, our new Earth Sculpture Fund provides the best vehicle for alumni wishing to help us realize our vision. Contributions to this fund will allow us to erect a large sculpture of the Earth in a sunlight-filled atrium that will be a focal point within our new space. This sculpture will help the department broadcast its presence on the north campus while combating the anonymity that Tech imposes through its massive size and architectural uniformity. I am seeking gifts for this project so that EPS can commission it on behalf of NU alumni, thereby insuring that Earth scientists guide the creation of what will be an important and lasting symbol of departmental identity. Because it is unlikely that this sculpture will be created without alumni support, its base will be inscribed with the names of all donors who make its construction possible. While I enthusiastically invite you to mail your donations to this fund directly to us, I ask that donors who are especially interested in supporting the sculpture contact me directly by phone (847-467-2257).

As in the past, I cannot overlook the need for contributions to other departmental areas. Please consider supporting the ArthurHowland Fund, which supports many kinds of field work for graduate students; the EPS Gift Account, which allows us to increase graduate student stipends; or the Sloss Fund, which provides graduate students with dissertation fellowships and research support.

To select any of the above giving options, please indicate your fund preference on the enclosed pledge card, make your check payable to Northwestern University, and mail both to us using the envelope provided. Remember that we welcome alumni visits and look forward to hearing from you. We had a great party at the Flying Saucer Brewpub in Houston for this year’s GSA meeting and enjoyed spending some time with famous alumnus Pete Vail. We also invite you to attend our AGU reception, scheduled for 6:00-8:00 P.M.on December 18th at the San Francisco Marriott. Hope to see you there!

With best wishes and warm regards from all in the Department,

Brad Sageman
Professor and Department Chair