HGS Undergraduate Scholarship FoundationPresents Seven ScholarshipsThe HGS Undergraduate Scholarship Foundation has been providing scholarships to deserving students since 1984. To date, over $108,000 in scholarships have been awarded. This year the Foundation awarded seven scholarships totaling $10,500. Chairman John Adamick presented scholarship winners at the February 7th HGS dinner meeting. Universities included in the undergraduate scholarship program include Lamar University, Sam Houston State University, Stephen F. Austin State University, Rice University, Texas A&M University, the University of Houston, and the University of Texas. Prior to the dinner meeting, several of the students and professors also participated in a tour at Unocal. The purpose of the tour was to show the students what it is like to be a petroleum geologist in today’s industry. Many thanks are extended to Unocal for generously hosting this event. The Foundation intends to make the tour a regular part of our scholarship program and invite other local companies to participate. If you believe that your company might like to host students in the future, please contact John Adamick. Vitae for our scholarship winners are listed below. These students are to be commended for their accomplishments. Melissa HalickUniversity of TexasMelissa Halick is a senior majoring in geology at the University of Texas at Austin. She plans to graduate in December 2005 with high honors from the school of natural sciences. She is currently working as a research assistant in metamorphic petrology for Dr. William Carson. Melissa has been preparing to do her own research for a senior honors thesis, which she will be presenting at the end of the year. She has already completed a graduate class that has taught her how to use the scanning electron microscope and the electron microprobe. Melissa plans on using these techniques to anaylze metemorphic minerals and their trace elements for her thesis. She is also an active member of the undergraduate geological society at UT. Future plans include going to gradate school for a master’s degree and possibly a Ph.D.Heather BerglundUniversity of HoustonHeather is majoring in geology at the University of Houston and will graduate in June 2006. Her main interests lie in geochemistry, petrology and mineralogy. Last summer, she spent a month in Yellowstone National Park researching the role of microbes in precipitate minerals forming in hot springs and geyser basins. She has also participated in research investigating petrofabrics in the Stillwater Complex layered igneous intrusion. After graduation in 2006, she plans to pursue a master's degree and a Ph.D. in planetary geology or igneous petrology. Heather's other interests include hiking, backpacking, rock climbing and photography.Anne HerrinTexas A&M UniversityAnne is a senior geology major at Texas A&M University and will be graduating with her Bachelor of Science degree in May. While at A&M, she has been actively involved in the Geology and Geophysics Society as a general member and became an officer this year, a member of the Visual Arts Committee, and involved in planning a career fair for the Geosciences Student Association. Currently, she is working on a research project with Dr. Phillip Rabinowitz cataloguing ODP and DSDP cores containing the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary. After graduation this spring, she will be working as an intern for Dominion Exploration and Production during the summer. Next fall, she will be attending graduate school to earn her master’s degree in structural geology. Nivedita ThiagarajanRice UniversityNivedita is a geology and geochemistry major at Rice University and hopes to receive her Bachelor of Science degree in May 2005. At Rice, she worked as a Research Assistant in a Geochemistry Lab and coauthored a paper on the desert varnishes. Nivedita has received the following honors: Eugen Merten Memorial Prize in Geology and Geophysics, Society of Exploration Geologists' Scholarship, Devlin-Schnable Field Camp Scholarship and has been on the President's Honor Roll. Nivedita is a member of the American Geophysical Union and the Society of Exploration Geophysicists. She is also involved in tutoring children at the Star of Hope, a homeless shelter, and volunteering at the Texas Children's Hospital. She has applied to several graduate schools and will be pursue her Ph.D in the fall of 2005.Marcy StonecipherStephen F. Austin State UniversityMarcy is a senior geology major at Stephen F. Austin State University and will be receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in May. She is quite active in the geology department having served as the Geology Student Association President for 2 years and the Secretary of Sigma Gamma Epsilon (geology honor society) for 1 year. She is also a student member of the AAPG. Marcy has received several scholarships from the SFA geology department as well as scholarships from the Shreveport Geological Society. Her interests include camping, hiking, and playing the guitar.Lynn HolikSam Houston State UniversityLynn Holik is a senior at Sam Houston State University and will graduate in May with degrees in both geology and geography. While attending SHSU, she has served as secretary of the Sam Houston Association of Geology Students, instructor for both physical and historical geology labs, and departmental tutor for the geology department. Lynn is currently participating in two research projects. Her primary research is a sedimentary research project, under the direction of Dr. Chris Baldwin. A secondary project involves using the SEM to look for microorganism in the Jurassic Entrada and Navajo sandstones for Dr. Dennis Netoff. Lynn has received a number of honors and awards while attending SHSU, including the HGS Outstanding Student Award, the Cannon Geological Scholarship, the John H. Bounds Geography Scholarship and she is currently serving as president of the Gamma Theta Upsilon Honor Society. Lynn plans to join the workforce following graduation. Lynn hopes that her new adventures in the work force will be as rewarding and memorable as the years she