In a remarkable academic collaboration, National Park College (NPC) Geology instructor
George Maxey and four of his students have made significant contributions to the field
of Geology with their recently published paper titled, “Causes of Glaciation, Glacial
Advances and Retreats in Two Glaciers Park, Fairfield County, Ohio.”
The project is the product of a joint effort between Maxey and NPC Geology students
Elaine Cox, Evan Grissom, Madellen Harkay and Michael McClure. This publication is
an example of the real-world experience and scientific understanding that students
have gained through their research.
Maxey highlighted the dual significance of the publication explaining it serves as
both an informative piece on geological history and a practical learning experience
for the students involved. “It’s a rare and wonderful opportunity for freshman and
sophomore students to get a publication, which looks awfully good on their transcripts
when transferring to a university or four-year school.”
The study’s findings reveal that Two Glaciers Park in Fairfield County, Ohio, is a
unique geological site with terminus deposits from two distinct glacial episodes separated
by approximately 100,000 years. This park is the only one in Ohio showcasing such
a phenomenon, allowing residents to witness geological history firsthand.
Reflecting on the collaborative process, Maxey shared his personal commitment to including
students in research, a promise stemming from his own experiences as a student researcher.
He emphasized the importance of problem-solving skills in academia and praised the
students’ efforts in tackling complex geological problems with limited background
knowledge.
“A sad story, when I was taking this very class that I’m teaching. I was a research
assistant, and I did a lot of things for my professor. A lot of research projects
and one of the things we did actually ended up in the Smithsonian, but my name’s not
on it. I drew it. I wrote it. I did the research, but my name’s not on it. And I always
said if I ever became a professor and I had the opportunity to include my students,
that’s what I was going to do,” explained Maxey.
For the students, having their work published at such an early stage in their academic
careers is incredibly significant. “It’s highly significant as far as documentation
to get them accepted into other schools, graduate school, university, or whatever
they choose to do,” Maxey stated.
When asked what working on this paper was like Cox stated, “Mostly it was just really
fun and interesting finding out about all the rocks and where they came from. I mean,
Canada, you know you don’t think about rocks coming down from Canada, well, I never
did think of that before. So that was interesting to me, how it would flow down from
Canada and be in Ohio.”
Grissom explained, “It’s really exciting having something I can put on my resume that
not a lot of people have at all. I think that’s a lot, a big game changer. Going on
in life, even after sports, for me, it will be big just to be able to say that I’ve
done more than just sports. You know to say that I have my own publication. That’s
a big step for me.”
McClure reflected on the project and said, “The experience of testing and finding
out which rocks are in the national park and just the experience in general, very
blessed to be a part of this.”
Harkay said, “It feels insane to me to have that because I’m a sophomore in college
and I’m studying to be a teacher, so having a publication in an educational field
feels really nice, probably will help in getting my degree and getting a position
at a high school.”
This collaborative effort not only enriches the students’ educational journey but
also contributes valuable insights into the geological history of Ohio, marking a
notable achievement for both NPC and the students involved.
For more information on the paper and Two Glaciers Park, visit the Fairfield County Parks website.
