Dr. John P. Szabo

Title: Professor, Department Chair
Department: Geology and Environmental Science
Office: CRH 64B
Phone: 330 972 8039
Fax: 330 972 7611
Email: jpszabo@uakron.edu
Curriculum Vitae: Download in PDF format

Research Accomplishments

Specialties

Pleistocene Studies, Geomorphology, Environmental Geology, Groundwater Hydrology

Research Interests

My research interests are primarily glacial geology, and I have done considerable research on the stratigraphy of the Illinoian deposits on the glaciated Allegheny Plateau. Our sedimentation laboratory has analysed over 7000 samples for theses, research projects, and the state mapping project. Most recently I have acquired samples from deep borings into Pleistocene valley fills in central Ohio. Several students have worked on these borings, and other students have done provenance studies of tills using nontoxic sodium polytungstate to separate heavy mineral fractions. Other potential projects might include computer analysis of a large databank of till characteristics from mapping projects in the Central Lowlands west of Akron. The correlations of the Illinoian deposits are uncertain in this area and are awaiting analysis. In addition to glacial geology, several students have worked on quantitative geomolophology in the Cuyahoga Valley Nationial Recreation Area north of Akron. Students have studied valley asymmetry, drainage denisities, and drainage maturity. Additional work needs to be done on river terraces along some of the minor river valleys that flow into Lake Erie and their relation to post-glacial piracy. Some students have applied glacial geology and geomorphology to analyze environmental problems. The suburban area around Akron is pushing into farm country where availability of ground water is limited or the potential for septic failure is high. Additionally, there is increasnig resistance to development which may often cite environmental problems that exist or are imagined.

Education

Ph.D. 1975, University of Iowa

Courses

• Dinosaurs (3370:121)
• The Ice Age and Ohio (3370:127)
• Environmental Geology (3370:200)
• Geomorphology (3370:310)
• Glacial Geology (3370:411/511)
• Applied Quantitative Geomorphology (3370:610)
• Geostatistics (3370:643)