Ray Wells has been a research geologist at the U.S. Geological Survey for almost 30 years, concentrating on the use of field geology, magnetic rock properties (paleomagnetism), and GPS to solve large-scale problems in the Earth’s on-going structural evolution. Ray has produced a simple, hands-on block model of the Pacific Northwest, which he will demonstrate at the talk. Today, 165 of the models are used in classrooms around the Pacific Northwest.
Ray received his B.S. in Geological Science from Penn State, his M.S. from University of Oregon, and his Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Since 1975, he has worked at the U.S. Geological Survey studying the processes and products of the Cascadia subduction zone in the northwestern U.S. Ray retired recently, but continues to be involved in research at the USGS in Menlo Park,CA. He is a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award of the Department of the Interior and the 2017 recipient of the Geological Society of America’s Geologic Mapping Award in honor of Florence Bascom.