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Birthday Surprise for Three USGS Scientists in St. Petersburg, FL By Jennifer Rosser Dec. 2003 / Jan. 2004 in this issue:  previous story | next story Birthday honorees (from left to right) Gene Shinn, Terry Edgar, and Mario Fernandez. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists Terry Edgar, Gene Shinn, and Mario Fernandez celebrated their 70th birthdays within months of each other. The USGS' Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies in St. Petersburg, FL, held a surprise party for the birthday boys on November 5. The instigator, Shawn Dadisman, asked Jim Flocks, Chris Reich, Laurinda Frye, and Betsy Boynton for help in creating a memorable event. Just 2 days after preparations began, the planned trap was sprung, complete with a cake that was a creative scientific effort all its own. The cake featured a geologic time scale with Edgarian, Shinnian, and Fernandezian eras, and an illustration of the evolution from ape to man, culminating in caricatures of the three USGS scientists. The faces of the birthday boys and the specially picked "tools" each carried added the finishing touches to a wonderful and unusually successful surprise! Cake: The birthday cake was adorned with an illustration of the evolution of man, culminating in caricatures of the three scientists. From left to right: Terry Edgar is depicted with a geologic hammer, in recognition of the many years he has dedicated to studying rocks. Gene Shinn carries a copy of Killer Dust, a murder mystery by former USGS employee Sarah Andrews that is based on Gene's research on African dust. Mario Fernandez carries a magnifying glass, to symbolize his work testing water samples for contaminants in Tampa Bay. Science and Fiction—Sarah Andrews, Author of Killer Dust, Discusses Her Latest Mystery Novel April 2003 Radio Interview Explores African Dust, Human Health, and Mystery Novels March 2002 Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in this issue:  previous story | next story

Dec. 2003 / Jan. 2004 Mailing List: Sign up to receive monthly email updates: print this issue in this issue: Seamount Environments off California Sediment Transport off South Carolina Sea Floor off Massachusetts cover story: Snowy Plover Population Recovery Ecological Repercussions of Mosquito Control St. Petersburg Open House Pink Sunsets Caused by African Dust GIS Day: University of South Florida GIS Day: Woods Hole Students Visit Woods Hole Scientists Great American Teach-In: Tampa Bay Sustainable Beaches Summit Mid-Atlantic Offshore Sand Resources Regional Science Excellence Award AAPG Award for Presentation Excellence Birthday Surprise Parke Snavely Passes Away Parke Snavely: The Journey of the Model A Parke Snavely: Tribute by Terry Bruns Parke Snavely: Tribute by David Scholl New Map of Hawai'i Sea Floor USGS Coral Photograph on GSA Bulletin Cover Dec. / Jan. Publications List

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