UWG News Item
Contact: UWG Public Relations Office
Phone (678) 839-6464, FAX (678) 839-6645
ucm@westga.edu
UWG professors go to Geological Society Meeting
October 7, 2005
CARROLLTON, GA - Hurricanes, coastal erosion and arsenic-laced pressure treated wood are just a few of the topics five University of West Georgia professors will bring to the 117th annual meeting of the Geological Society of America. Professors David Bush, Julie Bartley, Philip Novack-Gottshall, Curtis Hollabaugh and Kent Ratajeski will join more than 6,000 scientists Oct. 16-19 in Salt Lake City for the event.
Bush has been a sought-after media resource for his research on hurricane damage along coastlines. He and two colleagues have developed a Hurricane Impact Scale to accompany the Saffir-Simpson Scale. The new scale predicts and measures a hurricane’s economic and physical impact on communities.
The scientists at the meeting will be viewing current events with a geological perspective, according to Dr. Kent Ratajeski.
“There are plenty of interesting sessions on topics that make national news,” said Ratajeski. “I expect there will be considerable interest at the meeting in analyzing the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the gulf coast region.”
For more information, call 678-839-6479.
-30-