North-Central Section - 57th Annual Meeting - 2023

Paper No. 32-6
Presentation Time: 3:10 PM

A FORMER STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE ON DR. ALAN KEHEW’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF GLACIAL LANDSCAPES IN SOUTHERN MICHIGAN, USA


ERBER, Nathan, Michigan Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, MI

The contributions of Dr. Alan Kehew to our understanding of glacial landscapes in southern Michigan are unequivocal. This is particularly true regarding our perception of how the Lake Michigan, Saginaw, and Huron-Erie lobes of the Laurentide Ice Sheet interacted in southern Michigan toward the end of the Wisconsin Episode. Through teaching, research, geologic mapping, writing textbooks, mentoring students, or simply lending a listening ear, Kehew's efforts to further his students' understanding of geologic topics were varied, intentional, and far-reaching. Kehew served as the primary advisor for my M.S. and Ph.D., both of which focused on glacial geology in southern Michigan. To provide perspective from one of Kehew's former students, this talk will focus on my student-mentor interactions with him--specifically, his influence on my development as a geologist, his support throughout my career, and his generosity. Unavoidable in this talk will be the topics of these projects and how he played a significant role in developing and implementing the ideas therein. The contributions and influence of Kehew to science and the world are more detailed than my limited perspective can convey. Though brief, my interactions with Al through the years have demonstrated that his memory and scientific contributions will be appreciated well into the future.