================================================
MAPS-L ** MAPS-L ** MAPS-L ** MAPS-L ** MAPS-L
================================================
Subject: Secretary Norton Names Pat Leahy Acting Director of the U.S.
Geological Survey
Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2005
From: Karen Renee Wood <[log in to unmask]>
To:
U.S. Department of the Interior
News Release
Office of the Secretary Contact: A.B. Wade, (703) 648-4460
June 13, 2005 Frank Quimby, (202) 208-7291
Secretary Norton Names Pat Leahy
Acting Director of the U.S. Geological Survey
WASHINGTON - Interior Secretary Gale Norton today named Dr. P. Patrick Leahy as
acting director of the U.S. Geological Survey. Leahy will take over from Dr.
Charles G. Groat, who has announced his resignation, effective on June 17, 2005,
to accept an appointment at the University of Texas at Austin. A permanent
replacement for USGS director must be nominated by President Bush and confirmed by
the U.S. Senate.
"Pat is a consummate professional with a wealth of scientific expertise and
administrative experience on a broad range of issues," Norton said. "He has been
with USGS since 1974, and I am confident in his ability to take on this position."
Leahy is currently the associate director for Geology of the U.S. Geological
Survey. He has responsibility for federal Earth-science programs, which include
worldwide earthquake hazards monitoring and research, geologic mapping of land and
seafloor resources, volcano and landslide hazards, and assessments of energy and
mineral resources. He also is responsible for all USGS international activities.
A recipient of the USGS Meritorious Service Award, Leahy has served in various
technical and managerial positions, including chief of the National Water-Quality
Assessment Program. He has authored or co-authored more than 50 publications on an
array of Earth-science topics. Born in Troy, N.Y., in 1947, Leahy holds
undergraduate and graduate degrees in geology (1968) and geophysics (1970) from
Boston College. He received his doctorate in geology (1979) from Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute, where he specialized in regional ground-water studies and
hydraulics.
Leahy is a fellow in the Geological Society of America and a member of the
American Geophysical Union, the American Institute of Hydrology (former
president), Sigma XI, American Association for the Advancement of Science, the
50th Anniversary Committee of the American Geological Institute, and the
Geological Society of Washington. He has received the Meritorious Service Award
from the U.S. Department of the Interior and in 2003 was recognized as a
Meritorious Senior Executive by President Bush.
Leahy is the past president of the U.S. National Chapter of the International
Association of Hydrogeologists. In addition, he was selected by the National
Academy of Science to head the U.S. delegation to the 30th International
Geological Congress in Beijing, China, in August 1996. He also serves as the chair
of the Federal Advisory Committee for the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping
Program. He was a member of the U.S. National Committee on Scientific Hydrology.
Leahy is a representative on the Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Science Committee of
the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He also has served on the
Editorial Board of Water Resources Update of the Universities Council on Water
Resources.
He is a member and the past chairman of the U.S. National Committee for Geological
Sciences for the National Academy of Sciences. Leahy was the recipient of the 1996
Boston College Alumni Association Award of Excellence in Science. He was also the
1995 Alumni Association Fellow in Science for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He
is a member of the Indo-American Working Group for the Center for Disease Control.
Leahy led the USGS efforts for the economic reconstruction of Afghanistan. He
visited Kabul in April 2005 to meet with Government of Afghanistan and U.S.
Embassy officials.
Karen Wood
Public Affairs Specialist
U.S. Geological Survey, Office of Communications
703-648-4447
Fax: 703-648-4466
Email: [log in to unmask]
--
|
