AGS Monthly Meeting – April 2025

March Presentation: Microtektites, Foraminifera and Boring Gastropods from the Upper Eocene strata of Georgia
Andre Teague, Pablo Fernandez, Tony Lazcano, Dr. Dion Stewart, and Dr. John Anderson, Georgia State University – Perimeter College

When: April 29, 2025
    6:00: Social: refreshments and snacks served
    6:45: Business meeting (zoom starts)
    7:00: Presentation

The meeting will be in person at the Fernbank Museum and via zoom. Click on this link to join meeting via zoom.

Speaker bios: Pablo Fernandez is approaching his senior year of college in the Geosciences – Geology program at Georgia State University. He expects to graduate in the Spring of 2027 with a major in Geology and minor in Mathematics. After graduating, he plans to either work in consulting or pursue an Environmental engineering degree. Tony Lazcano is a sophomore student at Georgia State University Perimeter College majoring in geology.  He is currently working in land management at Stone Mountain Park. He is interested in all science and enjoys doing research. Andre Teague, is a Computer Science major at Georgia State Perimeter College, working towards his Associate degree. He plans to earn his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at Georgia State University and eventually a Doctorate in Data Science. His primary focus right now is on applying data science techniques to geological and environmental research, particularly in analyzing patterns and interactions within ancient ecosystems. Dion Stewart, Ph.D. is a Professor of Geology at Georgia State University Perimeter College.  He has been teaching at Perimeter College for over 20 years.  Prior to Perimeter College Dion taught at Adam State University in Colorado, Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and Penn State University.  Dion is a geochemistry and mineralogist.

John Anderson, Ph.D. is a retired Professor of Geology and is now an adjunct instructor at Georgia State University Perimeter College.  He taught at Perimeter College for 21 years before becoming the Dean of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics at Virginia Western Community College in Roanoke, Virginia.  John is a paleobiologist and physical geographer.

Abstract:.Georgia State University, Perimeter College purchased a table top scanning electron microscope (SEM) to assist students in completing research during their first two years of college.  The SEM is housed on the Clarkston Campus and Dr. Dion Stewart and Dr. John Anderson have been working with students on various research projects associated with the Upper Eocene strata of Georgia.  The main focus has been the Ocmulgee Limestone from the Oaky Woods Wildlife Management area.  Dr. Anderson was granted permission to collect the stratigraphic section, about 40 meters, from the Twiggs Clay up through the Oligocene Suwannee Limestone.  Students have been working on various aspects of this stratigraphic section as well as the Sandersville Limestone from the Tennille Lime Sinks and the Tivola Limestone from the quarry near Clinchfield, Georgia.  Pablo has been working on the microtektites found in the Sandersville and Ocmulgee limestones.  Tony has been looking at the foraminifera faunal changes from the Tivola Limestone, Twiggs Clay, and the Sandersville/Ocmulgee Limestone interval to see if there are changes due to environmental changes due to the Chesapeake Bay impact that produced the microtektites that Pablo is looking at and the Georgiaite Tektites found in Georgia. While looking at the Foraminifera from the Tivola Limestone, Twiggs Clay, Sandersville Limestone and the Ocmulgee Limestone we found that several of the Foraminifera have drill holes in them. Andre is measuring the outer drill hole diameters and using the linear relationship that Klompmaker, et al., (2017) determined for outer drill hole diameters versus shell length for modern drilling organisms to determine the shell length of the drilling naticid gastropods on the Eocene foraminifera we have found.  Our talk to the Atlanta Geological Society will present the findings for these three research projects.

Reference: Klompmaker, A.A., Kowalewski, M., Huntley, J.W., and Finnegan, S., 2017, Increase in predator-prey size ratios throughout the Phanerozoic history of marine ecosystems, Science, vol. 356, p. 1178 – 1180.