Sunday, April 03, 2011

Changes in Mineral Resources management at USGS


Kate Johnson, who has been manager of the USGS Mineral Resources Program since 1998, has moved into a new job as the Senior Management Advisor for the Energy and Minerals, and Environmental Health Mission Area at USGS.

Jeff Doebrich is serving as the Acting Program Coordinator for the USGS Mineral Resources Program beginning March 28, 2011. We're told that a vacancy announcement for the Mineral Resources Program Coordinator position will be posted in the next few weeks.

The announcement to staff in USGS said:
Kate has very ably led the Mineral Resources Program (MRP) since December 1998. Notable accomplishments under her leadership include: serving geology, geochemistry, geophysics, and mineral locality data for the Nation via MRP’s innovative internet data source, MRDATA; collecting the 14,400 soil samples required for a comprehensive new database of soil geochemistry of the lower 48 States; the first-ever global mineral resource assessment; and establishing the USGS Mineral Resources External Research Program, which has awarded over $2.6 million in research grants to 44 State agencies, academic institutions, and private research companies in an annual peer review process since 2004. Kate also participated in developing and sustaining the USGS Human Health Coordinating Committee, and fostered a strong collaboration with the Energy Resources Program on uranium research. She has actively supported the growth of mineral resource knowledge and exploration in Afghanistan, Iraq, and numerous other developing countries.

Jeff has been an economic geologist with the USGS for the past 28 years and the Associate Coordinator for the USGS Mineral Resources Program since 2006. Jeff holds a BSc in Geological Engineering and MSc in Economic Geology, both from the Colorado School of Mines. His research has focused on deposit genesis and understanding regional geologic controls on the distribution of nonfuel mineral resources, in the Great Basin of the western U.S., in Central Asia, and in the Middle East. He has held postings in Denver, Reno, and Reston, and served two tours of duty with the USGS Saudi Arabian Mission, including one as Mission Chief Scientist. Jeff has coordinated large regional mineral resource assessments in the Great Basin and Central Asia, including initiation of the USGS mineral resource assessment of Afghanistan. Most recently, Jeff led the overall USGS effort in Iraq, a multidisciplinary effort involving mineral and water resource studies, establishment of an Agro-meteorological network, and creation of a national spatial data infrastructure.

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