The Barometer Online

Issue date: 1/13/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Lauren Dillard OSU Professor of Geosciences Robert Lillie describes some of the work that OSU geologists put into displays (behind Lillie) that were unveiled at the Oregon Capitol building on Monday. The displays took nearly two years to complete and will be on display for at least two years.

Amid bipartisan fever, lawmakers took a moment last night to recognize Oregon's geological history.

With help from geologists at OSU, the Oregon Historical Society unveiled a new exhibit - called "150 Years of Statehood; 150 Million Years in the Making' - in the capitol building in Salem.

The displays, which are spread along four banks of windows near the information desk at the capitol, took more than two years to organize.

"These windows are dazzling," said Sen. Betsy Johnson, D-Scappoose.

Though many organizations, groups and Portland State University were also involved in the creation of the 16 displays, OSU played a vital role. Geoscience interpretation and volcanology classes at OSU created content for the displays in the form of class projects and individual papers.

OSU geologists were responsible for collecting the content before it was given to graphic designers to design the capitol displays.

"It's neat to see what the other side does," said Hannah Gosnell, an assistant professor of geosciences. Gosnell described herself as a social scientist - teaching geography - though both geology and geography are in the same department.

OSU Professor Robert Lillie said that OSU researchers collected more than five or six times the material than what was presented in the displays.

Display topics include Oregon wines, earthquakes, tsunamis, climate CSI, changing climate, and the work of geologists.

George Vogt, the executive director of the Oregon Historical Society, got the idea in his head that he wanted something special to replace the previous display of historical photographs.

"We didn't want a rocks exhibit," he said.

Vogt and the other partners of the project worked to make sure that the geologist's story would endure for the two years that it will be on display.

Continued...

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