---

MESSAGES FROM THE FACULTY

A substantially-revised paperback version of my oceanography book has just been released by West Publishing Company under the title of Invitation to Oceanography. It's a relief to have this out. Even though I was assured that the effort on my part would be minimal, it was not. But it's a handsome book with new chapters and beautiful photographs and drawings.

Most of my effort recently has been dirtected at environmental issues. I'm teaching for the third time a course on wilderness ethics, trying to use the findings of geology and evolutionary biology as a basis for developing an ethic of care. The stuff we deal with in the course is controversial, laced with values, and emotionally draining. Most participants feel that it's a bracing appraisal of a harsh reality. I believe that it's the most important course that I teach currently. This May I'm going to do a short presentation to alumni who come back to Colgate for the reunion weekend. Maybe I'll see a few of you there.

Charlie McClennen and I have been working hard with a small army of students on the dynamics of coastal erosion along the southeastern lakeshore of Ontario. We've created some interesting models on bluff evolution and are using this understanding to develop management and shore stabilization strategies that mitigate rather than exacerbate erosion. We're just about to publish our first paper (with Laura Moore) in an annual GSA publication entitled "Reviews in Engineering Geology." Next Fall, I hope to be organizing a session on geology and ethics at the national GSA meetings in Denver.

This summer I plan to work on the Ontario shoreline, continue writing a book on wilderness ethics, and do a bit of sailing on my small gaff-rigged catboat on Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts.