She was named the Ada B. Thomas Faculty Advisor of the Year in 2017.
COLUMBIA, SC, December 19, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Gwendelyn Geidel has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Leveraging more than four decades of excellence in environmental geology research, Dr. Geidel has earned distinction as an affiliate and distinguished research professor emerita for the University of South Carlina School of Earth, Ocean and Environment and the College of Arts and Sciences. Since 1981, she has focused her efforts on conducting research regarding the prediction, prevention and remediation of ground and surface water contamination from mining. She studies the degradation of water quality from the oxidation of sulfide minerals as a result of mining activities, investigating the long-term effects of mining operations.
As part of her research efforts, Dr. Geidel developed a new technique for restoring acidic mine sites, particularly their tailings ponds, allowing grass growth and improving the water quality of post-mining or abandoned places. For this work, she was given the William T. Plass Award by the American Society of Reclamation Sciences in 2023, which marks the highest recognition the organization gives to an individual who has distinguished themselves in the field of disturbed ecosystem reclamation at the local, regional, national and international levels.
Before her present role, Dr. Geidel began her career as a research specialist for the University of South Carolina Department of Geology in 1979, also working with the Earth Science Resources Institute as an adjunct professor there from 1992 until 1995. She joined the department of Earth and Ocean Sciences in 1983 as a research assistant professor of geology, becoming a research associate professor in 1993 and a research professor of geology in 2001. During this period, she also served as a member of the coordinating committee for the University of South Carolina School of the Environment from 1996 until 2014, including serving as the assistant dean from 1997 until 2001 and as the associate dean from 2001 until 2006.
Dr. Geidel continued her career in academia with the University of South Carolina's environment and sustainability program, functioning as the assistant director in 2006 until becoming the director from 2012 to 2015. She also was a research professor for the School of Earth, Ocean and Environment and was the director of undergraduate studies for marine science, environmental science, environmental studies, geological sciences and geophysics from 2009 until 2020.
In conjunction with her roles as an educator, Dr. Geidel has engaged in consulting for various mining and energy related companies and was a member of the West Virginia Acid Mine Drainage Technical Advisory Committee, appointed to advise on water quality issues related to mining. She also was a hearing officer for the South Carolina Water Resources Commission case dealing with access to Lake Murray Island, writing a decision that was upheld on appeal in 1994. Following this time, she was a member and team leader for the Acid Drainage Technology Initiative from 1996 until 2005 and served as a member of the environmental engineering technology advisory committee for Central Carolina Technical College from 2010 until 2017. She also lent her expertise as an associate editor for the South Carolina Water Resources Journal from 2016 until 2023, among other positions within her field.
Among her professional accomplishments, Dr. Geidel was admitted as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society in 1974, to the Order of Wig and Robe in 1989 and to the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society in 1976. She was honored with a Professor of the Month Award from the University of South Carolina in 2003 and received a Two Thumbs Up Award from the university's Office of Disability Services in 2004. In 2012, she received the Richard and Lela Barnhisel Reclamation Researcher of the Year Award from the American Society of Mining and Reclamation and she was named the Ada B. Thomas Faculty Advisor of the Year in 2017.
Prior to embarking on her professional journey, Dr. Geidel earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of South Carolina in 1974. Following this achievement, she attained a Master of Science in geology in 1976 and a Doctor of Philosophy in the same area of study in 1982, both from the same institution. She subsequently gained a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1989. In her legal capacity, she held Of Counsel positions with three law firms in Columbia, SC, including Rogers, Townsend and Thomas from 1997 to 2005 and the Pennington Law Firm from 2005 to 2017. Well-qualified in her field, she is a member of the South Carolina Bar Association and is a registered professional geologist with the States of South Carolina.
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