2009 Meetings

John’s talk will be based on a diary, and some old scrap book photos, that his father (Claude M. Cely) kept while overseas flying close-air support missions with the P-38 Lightning and the P-47 Thunderbolt for the 9th Air Force in Europe during World War II.

John is a native of Columbia and graduate of Clemson University with a BS, Biology, 1969; MS, Wildlife Biology, 1978. Employed for 26 years as a wildlife biologist with the SC Department of Natural Resources; currently employed as a land protection specialist with the Congaree Land Trust.

Alan will take us to Bangkok all the way to the western corner of the country and into the neighboring countries. He will then take us across the Bridge on the River Kwai, and show pictures of a few Buddhas (like cathedrals in Europe) and teach us about the scenery.

With a life long love of animals, Alan Shoemaker graduated from Furman University in 1967 and later, in 1972, from the University of South Carolina.  From then until his retirement in 2002, he spent his professional career at Riverbanks Zoological Park, working up to Curator of Mammals and Collection Manager.  Alan has a variety of outside interests, one of which includes paleontology, that began as a child.  Although he took a "sabbatical" from this hobby for several decades, fossils returned to his life in 1996 when he started traveling to Wyoming every summer to collect fossils at a site famous for its mammalian fauna.  Since then, he has made a collecting trip to this site every June, escorting college students, presenting papers, and bringing back specimens for colleagues that needed further preparation.  Alan has traveled extensively, visiting over 30 countries, and written over 100 professional papers during the span of his professional career and thereafter.

Speaker: Ms. Elaine Nichols
Topic: "South Carolina’s African Connections: A Fulbright Hays Group Abroad in Guinea and Sierra Leone"

Trident Technical College was awarded a Fulbright Hays Group Abroad grant to study cultural links between South Carolina and the Mano River Region of West Africa. A team of 13 American scholars, including Donald West, the project director and Mohamed N’Daou, guide and interpreter, spent 5 weeks in Guinea and Sierre Leone looking at these connections.

A native of Charlotte, N.C., Elaine Nichols is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Ms. Nichols has Master degrees from, Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio and from the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

Ms. Nichols began working at the South Carolina State Museum (1987-1990) as a Guest Curator. In 1989, she accepted a permanent position with the Museum as curator of history. In conjunction with exhibits at the State Museum, she has authored several publications including, The Last Mile of the Way: African-American Homegoing Traditions in SC, 1890-Present, and; African-American Inventors, Mathematicians, Scientists and Physicians Associated with South Carolina.

Ms Nichols has extensive work experience in research and planning and has served as a consultant to various museums. These include: the Museum of the Marines, Jacksonville, NC; the Underground Railroad Museum, Cincinnati, Ohio; Bettis Academy Museum, Trenton, SC; Penn Center Museum, St. Helena Island, SC; and the Lucy Craft Museum, Augusta, Ga. She presently serves as an advisor for the Partners of the International African American Museum in Charleston, SC. In 2008 she was awarded a Fulbright-Hays Fellowship to study cultural connections between Sierra Leone and Guinea and South Carolina. In the spring of 2008 she and 13 other scholars South Carolina spent 5 weeks in Africa.

In addition to working at the museum, Ms. Nichols is a professional storyteller. She comes from a long line of storytellers, including her grandparents, and her great aunts and great uncles. For more than 15 years, she has been telling a variety of positive, humorous and sometimes mischievous tales of Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox and others. These delightful and informative stories are enjoyed by young and old alike.

Environmental site assessments inquiry activities are standard fare for most property transactions in the US. They are designed to provide property purchasers certain protections against environmental conditions that may be associated with the property. As such, various specific items must be addressed when performing the assessments. However completion of assessments in foreign countries may face unusual obstacles. An example from Equatorial Guinea will be presented. This presentation will highlight some of the issues that may arise as well as issues not commonly encountered in the US.

Speaker: Raymond Knox, P.G.

B.S./1974Geology, University of South Carolina, Graduate Studies/Geology and Earth Resources Management, University of South Carolina.

Serving as Corporate Environmental Team Leader, Mr. Knox has 31 years experience on a variety of geologic, hydrogeologic and environmental projects. Mr. Knox is the former Director of the Ground Water Protection Division in the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control and was closely involved in the development of the ground water portions of many of South Carolina’s environmental protection regulatory programs including the Underground Injection Control program, the Water Well Construction Standards, and the Underground Storage Tank and SUPERB Act. 

He serves as in-house contact for regulatory issues related to hydro-geology, agricultural waste lagoons, underground storage tanks, groundwater quality and drilling in South Carolina.

He has performed and participated in conducting basic research and investigations into the ground water resources of South Carolina including the initial preliminary delineation of recharge areas to major aquifer systems in the state.

Mr. Knox performed the initial field investigations at what were to become among the first Superfund sites in South Carolina. These included the SCRD Dixiana, Dreyfus Street and Bluff Road sites, and the Vega/Kalama Chemical and Beaufort Colors and Chemicals sites in Burton. South Carolina.

Water is one of the Earth's most important resources - without it we wouldn't have agriculture, industry, or even life on Earth! Experience has shown us, however, that it is very easy to degrade our water resources through pollution and mismanagement. My goal is to contribute to our understanding of the role of water in natural and human systems so as to ensure that this resource is protected while considering both human and environmental demands.

My current research focuses on aquifer characterization for groundwater flow and contaminant transport problems. In particular, I am investigating the link between geophysical and hydrologic parameters to make geophysical measurements useful tools to aid in aquifer characterization. I am also developing methods to use geophysical measurements as quantitive constraints in hydrologic inverse problems. An important part of this research involves understanding the complex and multi-scale nature of geologic environments.

Speaker: Ms Marcy L. Haydin 
Native American Affairs Coordinator, for the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs
Topic: "Past, Present and Future of Our Indigenous Communities"

Ms Hayden received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from the
University of South Carolina and has had a rich professional background,
having worked at Veteran's Affairs Regional Office in Columbia, the
South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, USC
Anthropology Department, the Youth Challenge Academy at the Wil Lou Gray
School and in her current employment with the South Carolina Commission
for Minority Affairs as the Native American Affairs Coordinator for the
State of South Carolina.

Marcy is an active member of the Native American Community. A
traditional dancer she has served as Head-Lady for several South Eastern
Powwows. Marcy is also an artist who works in traditional and
contemporary mediums including beadwork, pottery, woodwork, leather and
cloth. She is an outspoken advocate of youth involvement and empowerment
in South Carolina.

The CMA Program:
Since 2003 the Native American Affairs section of the South Carolina
Commission for Minority Affairs (SCMA) has been committed to
strengthening the relationship between South Carolina's Native American
Indian communities and state government. The Commission is charged with
the mission of serving as the liaison between South Carolina's Native
American population and governments and the South Carolina State
government. The Commission carries out its duties under Chapter 31,
Title 1 of the SC Code of Laws of 1976, Section 1-31-40(A)(6)(10) and
Chapter 139, Article 1 of the Code of Regulations which include but are
not limited to the following:

    *  Influencing public policy and state services
    *  Maintaining an advisory committee
    *  Development and implementation of statistical data
    *  Addressing the needs of the population
    *  State Recognition

The SCMA serves as the Indian Affairs Commission for the State as listed
with the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Governors'
Interstate Indian Council and various states' Indian Affairs
Commissions. The Institute for Native American Affairs at the Comission
provides technical assistance and support to the Native American Indian
population in South Carolina. Through the Institute, pertinent issues
related to the needs of Indians are investigated and documented. The
Institute assists in preparation of plans for the alleviation of such
needs by presenting information to policy makers and appropriate
officials of local, state, and federal governments. All legislation
concerning the Native American population of South Carolina, is reviewed
through the Institute. The Commission of Minority Affairs promulgates
regulations regarding State Recognition of Native American Indian
entities in the State of South Carolina.

2009 Message from John Adams Hodge