UNVEILING KANSAS GEOLOGICAL SURVEY'S HIDDEN HISTORIES: FROM NATURAL RESOURCES TO OVERLOOKED FIGURES

The mission of the Kansas Geological Survey is to “"... conduct geological studies and research and ... collect, correlate, preserve, and disseminate information leading to a better understanding of the geology of Kansas, with special emphasis on natural resources of economic value, water quality and quantity, and geologic hazards." Part of this mission includes the preservation of historical records, artifacts, and specimens from across the state and people associated with the Kansas Geological Survey. Additionally, the KGS is the State of Kansas repository for oil, gas, and water well records and is responsible for maintaining a repository for over 70,000 boxes of core and rock samples and more than 147,000 oil, gas, and research wells cuttings. This presentation will highlight a variety of hidden histories that range from personnel to the natural resources of Kansas over the past 135 years.

With respect to natural resources, recent archival projects have provided students with hands-on opportunities to reconstruct the stories of 1) the potential for diamonds in Kansas; 2) ancient coal samples for critical mineral exploration; and 3) inventorying forgotten basement cuttings, core and historical maps to reconstruct and create updated basement maps of the state. Recent archival projects unveiling hidden figures of the Kansas Geological Survey include 1) a deep dive and recognition of the overlooked women who have worked at the survey since it’s beginning; 2) a discovery of the original stratigraphic column of Kansas, produced by Doris Nodine-Zeller in 1968, which became the standard for all future stratigraphic work; and 3) the first research paper published by a woman in the KGS bulletin in 1945.