1956-57 - Bob was given a job before leaving high school and accepted for early entry
into Utah State University. Without USU's knowledge, Bob got a job the the U.S Fish
and Wildlife service to assist in studies of Yellowstone fisheries research and operating
four native cutthroat trout hatcheries. During this time, Bob made the first geologic
studies of sediments of the entire Yellowstone Lake and Upper Yellowstone river drainages.
This work was followed up with conducting some of the first limnology surveys and
the first electronically measured Yellowstone Lake bathymetric map. This experience allowed Bob to explore most of the Yellowstone front and backcountry
conducting steam geology, thermal properties, etc. imparting a knowledge of much of
the park that few have attained.
Bob received went on to Utah State University where he studied geology and math and
earned a B.S. and M.S. degrees
1961 - Commissioned as a United States Air Force 2nd Lt. from the USU ROTC while
finishing his M.S. degree.
Entered the U.S. Air Force pilot training at Williams AFB, Arizona and conducted a
distinguished military career. He then went on to the 1381st Geodetic Survey Squadron, Orlando AFB, Florida, conducting geodetic and geophysical
surveys throughout the world focusing on geodetic and geophysical research in North
America and Europe.
1962-1963 - One highly notable and dangerous International experience, Bob served
as the U.S. Exchange Scientist to the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) in Antarctica
in 1962-1963. Sailing on the Research Vessel Kista Dan, an ice breaker out of Montevideo
Uruguay on an extensive exploration expedition to BAS stations on the Palmer Peninsula.
at several bases including going south through the Bransfield Straights then back
north to South Georgia where Sir Ernest Shackleton headquartered and dies, and most
importantly on the main Antarctic “ICE” Confinement at Halley Bay with numerous e
to various unexplored expeditions of hundreds of miles into untrekked, unexplored
area hundreds of miles south toward the south pole mapping the ice sheet, nunataks
of rocks, making geographic and meteorological observations across exceedingly crevassed
ice fields.
On one trek to the Tottenham Mts. Bob, the base leader, and base doctor used a dog
team to sledge out 50 miles from Halley base with overnight gear and food to an area
of heavy crevassing to examine some possible rock outcrops.However, our sledge broke through an ice bridge into a deep crevasse dropping the
base doctor down to the end of his 30-foot safety line and I dropped down 10 feet
stopped by my line.The base leader stopped short of the crevasse and was not injured.However, In the fall the base doctor spiral fractured his leg and I broke my ankle.We finally got ourselves out and with morphine shot to kill the pain we sledged got
back to the base. In the base surgery the doctor under sedative set my fracture and
then by radio-telephone with U.K. doctors and with the help of base members set his
own fracture.We continued our work at Halley Bay for another few weeks, then sailed back to Montevideo.
I flew back to the U.S. and base doctor flew back to the U.K. where he received a
very painful surgery of rebreaking is leg and setting it correctly for which he recovered.
1965 - Recipient of the U.S. Antarctic Medal from the U.S. State Department, under
Secretary of State Dean Rusk
1966 - Recipient of the British Antarctic Survey Gold Medallion
1967-1968 - Post-Doctoral Scholar at Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory, Columbia
University, New York
1974 - Conducted seismological and gravity research in the Alps and Mediterranean
as a visiting Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute.
