Dr. Jim Handschy will step down as Executive Director of the IU Geological Field Station later this semester. Jim has served as Executive Director since May 2018, having before that worked around the world for ConocoPhillips and having taught on the IUGFS for many years. He accomplished many things in his tenure as director, including negotiating agreements that helped stabilize IUGFS's standing at IU and, at very short notice in 2020, leading the IUGFS faculty in producing an amazing online version of our capstone field course (which now runs in parallel to the main course as EAS-E 432). Jim will continue full time through February to help with the transition, and then part time for another two months to onboard the new resident field manager (a search that is in progress). We owe him a huge debt of thanks for his successes and for the many hours he devoted to the job. After seeing us through a transitional phase, Jim will continue teaching in X429 and resume his previous position as an adjunct faculty member of our department.
Dr. Erika Elswick will serve as Interim Executive Director through the 2022 field course season as we seek a longterm replacement. Erika has also taught for many years at the field station and played a key role in developing the environmental concentration. In addition to the normal duties of the director, Erika will help us on-board a new department staff member to provide additional support for the operations of the field station. Afterwards Erika will continue as the field station's Academic Director, relieving Mike Rygel of SUNY Potsdam University who has served as interim academic director since the beginning of last year.
The College of Arts