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Meet the Faculty

Jill Ferguson

Beth A. Johnson

Visiting Assistant Professor
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Education

  • A.A. (1998) - Black Hawk College, Moline, IL
  • B.A. (2001) - Augustana College, Rock Island, IL (double major in French & Geology)
  • M.S. (2003) - Boise State University, Boise, ID (Earth Science Education)
  • Ph.D. (2009) - Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL (Geology)

Research Interests/Current Projects

I am a geologist, but I am also a teacher at heart, so I have a variety of research interests.  I specialize in Quaternary Geology, which is the study of deposits as a result of glaciation (either directly or indirectly).  Of late, I have been investigating the provenance of terrace sediments along the Mississippi River in northwestern Illinois.  I would like to establish some better dates on these terraces.  However, I also perform geological education research to try to find better ways to help non-science majors understand and appreciate geology, such as the use of rock music like Jimmy Buffet and They Might Be Giants to teach geological concepts.

Selected Publications

Articles
Johnson, B.A. & Kitts, K. (2006). Rock music in the geoscience classroom. The Earth Scientist, 22, no. 2, p. 17-22.

Abstracts
Johnson, B.A. (2009).  Provenance of slackwater sediments in the Savanna Terrace, Northwestern Illinois. Geological Society of America, North Central Section, 43rd Annual Meeting Abstracts with Programs, 41, no. 4 p. 64

Johnson, B.A. (2008). The Evolution of glacial Lake Agassiz: Deciphering the demise of the Laurentide Ice Sheet.  Geological Society of America, 2008 Joint Annual Meeting.

Johnson, B.A. & Carpenter, P.J. (2008). Analysis of slackwater sediments found in the Savanna Terraces along the Mississippi River, Northwestern Illinois. Geological Society of America, 2008 Joint Annual Meeting Abstracts with Programs.

Johnson, B.A. & Stravers, J. (2008). Re-Evaluation of the Savanna Terraces north of Savanna, Illinois.  Geological Society of America, North Central Section, 42nd Annual Meeting Abstracts with Programs, 40, no. 5, p. 74.

Johnson, B.A. (2001). Silurian dolomite in Port Byron, IL: A Comparison of two local quarries.  Geological Society of America, North Central Section, 35th Annual Meeting Abstracts with Programs, 22, no. 4, p. 52.
 
EDMAPS
Johnson, B.A., Stravers, J., Konen, M., & Wright, M. (2008). Quaternary Geologic Map of the Blackhawk Quadrangle. (Carroll and Jo Daviess Counties, Illinois and Jackson County, Iowa).  United States Geological Survey, National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, EDMAP Series.  Available online at:
    http://www.isgs.uiuc.edu/maps-data-pub/isgs-quads/b/blackhawk.shtml
 
Stravers, J., Johnson, B., & Ekberg, D. (2006). Quaternary Geologic Map of the Marengo North Quadrangle. (McHenry County, Illinois).  United States Geological Survey, National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, EDMAP Series. Available online at:
http://www.isgs.uiuc.edu/maps-data-pub/isgs-quads/m/marengo-north.shtml

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