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Geography professor conducts research in Israel
Artifacts, burial sites, grave robbers - not a typical day for the average researcher, unless you're Indiana Jones. But for one UW-Eau Claire professor, that's just part of the job. Harry Jol, associate professor of geography, has been to more than 900 expedition sites. In July, Jol went to help out fellow researchers in Qumran, Israel, the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947. Jol, ready with the latest in ground penetrating radar equipment, met up with professors, students and other researchers from all over the world to conduct excavations to gain more knowledge of the area surrounding the site of the scrolls. This was the third time he was asked to participate in an expedition to Israel. "This is a big project," Jol said. "This is international. We are doing this type of research at the university because of our commitment here to undergraduate research." According to Jol, UW-Eau Claire is one of the premier GPR research institutes in the world and the use of GPR has made it easier for archaeologists to find objects buried in the ground. "In the past you had to dig a test pit in the ground to see how things were sorted out," said Robert Barth, associate professor of geography and anthropology. "Anytime you dig in the ground you destroy it. If you can get information with out having to destroy it, it's better. Things like GPR will help you do it right from the beginning." GPR uses radio waves to detect buried objects in any nonmetallic material. It has evolved to include the penetration of soil, rocks, and man-made structures. In this expedition researchers found collapsed caves, pottery, baskets and other artifacts that otherwise were not visible. One of the most significant finds at the Qumran site was a zinc coffin. However, grave robbers had already plundered the site by the time the formal dig began. Researchers speculate that the thieves stole the lid of the coffin, which may have contained clues to the occupant. According to Barth, GPR is only used in a minority of excavations because it's expensive and archaeologists are usually not trained in using it. "It's a specialty that archaeologists bring in," Barth said. "Not many people have this knowledge. Ideally you'll have people in a number of different fields assisting with your recovery. It's good to have somebody like that here," Barth said. I f funding permits, researchers like Jol are brought in to help with excavations. Jol has used his equipment not only in Israel, but also all over Canada, France and much of the United States. In Wisconsin, Jol has conducted studies in Eau Claire, Fort McCoy and at the shorelines of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. "We're trying to help out local businesses, local universities, and other countries," Jol said, noting that the university provides the necessary training to help these groups obtain objective information and meet their goals. Recently, Jol was contacted about using GPR equipment for search and rescue in New York City. "I enjoy working with students and teaching and also going out in the field and trying to solve problems for people both locally and internationally."
New associate director of admissions named UW-Eau Claire recently hired Kristina Anderson as its new associate director of admissions. She replaces Kristine Anding who left UW-Eau Claire in August. Anderson's last position was as assistant director of admissions for marketing and recruitment at UW-Superior. Prior to that she served for six years at UW-River Falls as an admissions counselor and student services coordinator. As associate director of admissions, Anderson's responsibilities will include providing managerial support for the Office of Admissions; assisting in the development and implementation of the annual student recruitment/retention plan; providing vision and opportunities for staff and student development and training of interns; assisting in enrollment management research and analysis; reviewing residency appeals under the requirements of Wisconsin statute; and serving as liaison with the American Ethnic Coordinating Office in the recruitment and admission of students of color. Anderson earned her bachelor's degree at Albright College, in Reading, Pa., and her master's degree in educational administration at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va.
UW-Eau Claire creates center for Chippewa River studies Realizing the importance of the Chippewa River Valley as a common ground for research in many interdisciplinary fields, UW-Eau Claire recently established the Confluence Center for Chippewa River Studies. The center is dedicated to providing an open forum for UW-Eau Claire students, staff and community members to discuss any aspect of the Chippewa River Valley. "The interdisciplinary approach is a more real reflection of what academic study and life is really all about," said Carol Hale, a senior lecturer in the English department and one of the center's five co-directors. The center grew out of a working group organized to assist the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in obtaining a scientific area designation for the lower Chippewa River Valley. When that was accomplished in 2000, the group's goals and direction shifted, with a new emphasis on coordinating and promoting research and instructional activities in the region. "Sometimes we take the river for granted," said geography professor and center co-director Sean Hartnett. "The Chippewa River Valley is a world class environment, rich in fluvial features and plant and animal communities. We want a world-class program to go along with it." Along with Hartnett and Hale, assistant professor of geology Brad Burton, associate professor of biology David Lonzarich and UW-Extension watershed educator Darren Lochner will head a core group of several members who have an established record of research or activities pertaining to the Chippewa Valley. Technical resources available at the Confluence Center include state-of-the-art geographic information systems databases, remote sensing images and global positioning systems field equipment. The center will support and promote research activities with workshops, campus and community events, an annual Confluence Center publication and a Web site containing a variety of print, photo, map and video tools.
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Liz Wolf Green, EditorUW-Eau Claire News Bureau Schofield 201 (715) 836-3525 greenew@uwec.edu · Diane Walkoff, Editorial Assistant · · Susan King, Webmaster · Updated: Oct. 29, 2001 |