University of Missouri-Rolla School of Mines and Metallurgy Department of Geology and Geophysics Educating Tomorrow's Leaders in the Geological Sciences

Neil Lennart Anderson  Professor University of Calgary (PhD) University of Manitoba (MSc) University of Manitoba (BSc) Address:  Department of Geology & Geophysics, University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, Mo. 65409-0410 Office: 125 Mcnutt Hall  Phone: (573) 341-4852  Fax: (573) 341-6935 E-mail:  nanders@umr.edu

Neil Anderson received a B.Sc. in Geological Engineering from the University of Manitoba, an M.Sc. in Geophysics from the University of Manitoba, and a Ph.D. in Geophysics from the University of Calgary. Prior to accepting his current position as Professor of Geophysics at the University of Missouri-Rolla, Neil worked for some ten years in the Canadian oil and gas industry, and thereafter for four years as a research scientist with the Kansas Geological Survey. His professional interests are mostly in the applications of reflection-seismic (both conventional and high-resolution), ground-penetrating radar, electromagnetic and resistivity techniques to archeological, exploration, engineering and environmental site characterization studies.

Neil has written over one hundred and twenty technical papers, numerous technical reports, eight short course manuals and one textbook, and edited two Geophysical Atlases for Professional Societies (CSPG/CSEG and KGS). He is the recipient of an Alberta Achievement Award, a Distinquished Service Award from the State of Kansas, a Tracks Award form the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, a Volunteer Service Award from the Canadian Olympic Committee (Speed Skating Official - 1988 Olympic Games), and Outstanding Teaching and Faculty Excellence Awards from the University of Missouri Rolla.  Neil is on the advisory board of the journal Computers & Geoscience, and serves on the national CUSEC Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council.

Neil is an avid jogger, skier, hiker and scuba diver, and enjoys coaching the UMR in-line hockey club team. He was particularly pleased by the 1997 team's fifth place finish in the National Intercollegiate Roller Hockey Club Team Championships. This spring, the team travels to Chicago to participate in the 1999 Intercollegiate Club Team Championships.

Neil has made a real effort to create "real world" professional experiences for the geophysics students at UMR. Over the past several of years, his students have participated in a number of externally-funded geophysical surveys including:

• The reflection seismic reflection mapping of an abandonded coal mine near Scott Airforce Base, Illinois.
• The reflectionseismic and resistivity mapping of caves in downtown Carthage, Missouri.
• The reflection seismic and ground-penetrating radar mapping of abandonded lead mines beneath a newly proposed Interstate route in Joplin, Missouri.
• The reflection seismic mapping of an abandoned open pit lead/zinc mine at the site of a proposed hospital in Joplin.
• Using seismic reflection data to delineate the areal and vertical extent of natural salt dissolution near a potash mine in Saskatchewan, Canada.
• Reflection seismic mapping of Quaternary faults in the New Madrid area, Missouri.
• Reflection seismic mapping bedrock as part of a regional geohydrologic study in western Canada.
• Using ground-penetrating radar to locate and map native American heritage sites on BLM lands near Flagstaff, Arizona.
• Locating shipwreck debris along beaches in east Florida (ground-penetrating radar).
• Using ground-penetrating radar in support of stratigraphic studies of a channel sandstone in Utah.
• Using the seismic reflection and ground-penetrating radar methods to map karst features in central Missouri.
• Using ground-penetrating radar to analyze structural integrity of bridges.
• Using ground-penetrating radar to image voids beneath paved roadways.
• Reflection seismic and resistivity studies of bedrock aquifers, Northern Cape Area, South Africa.

This coming summer, Neil and his students revisit South Africa.  This "African" connection has been particularly fun for Neil and his students, and they look forward to semi-annual trips overseas in support of ongoing water resources studies with their colleagues and friends at CSIR and UWC.  These month long (plus) trips are great educational experiences for graduate and undergraduate students alike.