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March 27, 2008
SMU’s Earth Sciences Research
The Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences in SMU’s Dedman College will support important research on topics ranging from pollution and global warming to earthquake prediction and nuclear arms treaty verification.
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The Geothermal Laboratory, which has national and international research connections, supplies vital information on the renewable energy source tapped from the Earth’s internal heat. SMU’s geothermal program is taking the lead in promoting the use of waste fluids produced by existing oil and gas wells to generate electricity, and is working with the United States Department of Energy to promote the use of geothermal energy in the western United States, where geological conditions are favorable for thermal heat recovery.
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The Hydrothermal Laboratory can simulate subsurface temperature and pressure conditions down to depths of eight miles. Its early work is on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution. Current research examines mechanisms of dissolution of common minerals important for understanding the Earth’s chemical cycles.
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The Paleobotany and Palynology Laboratory uses fossil plants and pollen analysis to understand deposition and reconstruction of past vegetation and climate.
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The Seismology Program operates seismo-acoustic arrays in Texas, Nevada and Korea – an integral part of a research program to improve nuclear test monitoring around the world. The program also works in cooperation with the Institute of Geophysics in Beijing on a 15-station seismic network in northeast China intended to assess earthquake hazards.
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The Shuler Museum of Paleontology maintains research and teaching collections in microfossils, fossil invertebrates, fossil plants and recent and fossil vertebrates. Its specimens have been displayed at public museums including, locally, the Dallas Museum of Natural History, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History and the Heard Natural Science Museum.
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The Stable Isotope Laboratory offers SMU scientists and students the opportunities for varied studies ranging from surface water hydrology to evolution of the Earth's mantle. Stable isotopes are potent tools for understanding fluid-rock interactions, tracing the hydrologic cycle, paleoclimatology and ecosystem ecology as well as paleothermometry.
- The Institute for the Study of Earth and Man promotes interdisciplinary research in geology, anthropology, archeology, energy and the environment. It funds student and faculty expeditions and lab studies, provides educational outreach to teachers at all grade levels and sponsors energy industry and community outreach.
A private university located in the heart of Dallas, SMU is building on the vision of its founders, who imagined a distinguished center for learning emerging from the spirit of the city. Today, nearly 11,000 students benefit from the national opportunities and international reach afforded by the quality of SMU’s seven degree-granting schools.
Dedman College is SMU’s largest school and provides a foundation in the liberal arts for all SMU undergraduates. Dedman offers 80 undergraduate majors and graduate studies in the humanities, sciences and social sciences.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Patti LaSalle
Tele. 214-768-7660
plasalle@smu.edu
or
Ann Abbas
Tele. 214-768-7660
aabbas@smu.edu
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