Rolling Rocks

Hawaii, Oman, Gibraltar just a few of the exotic locations chosen by the Open University Geological Society (OUGS) for field trips -- which does not mean that long journeys are necessarily a part of investigating rock formations. Some very interesting sites may be just at one's doorstep, or may even be one's doorstep.

My own interest in geology started many years ago, with the exciting stories my father used to tell of his stay in Naples during the War and his visits to Vesuvius. I was fascinated, and started to read all I could on volcanoes. Soon my interest progressed to rocks of all types. As a young teenager I begged and pleaded with my parents to allow me to stay up very late for a TV documentary series on the Dordogne, much of which covered the geology; and every Monday night, when everyone else had already gone to bed, I sat enthralled, notepad and pencil at the ready, not wanting to miss the smallest detail. National Geographic magazine provided more information, and I was already hooked on geology, especially all things volcanic, before I made acquaintance with the exciting films produced by Katia and Maurice Krafft. How I would have loved to study this, but here my pleas fell on deaf ears. I was sent to radiography school.
 

Mountain streams can be interesting sites, but they can also be very dangerous. When a storm breaks over the Alps, flash floods are a constant threat.

The interest became more of an obsession over the years. In 1969 I moved to Switzerland, and many times I contacted various organisations in the hope of finding an opportunity to study geology. Holidays were very often spent in areas with a geological theme: the Canary Islands, especially Lanzarote, Santorini, Sicily, and finally the mountain that started it all, Vesuvius. When I climbed the trail leading up to the crater, I remembered the stories, feeling the presence of my Dad, who had died the year before. It was just two years ago when I heard, by chance, that Switzerland was one of the countries covered by the OU. Next day I wrote for information, and enrolled as soon as the papers arrived. After a first year studying the science foundation course, I am now enjoying Geology - a dream come true. From here it was a logical step to becoming a member of the OUGS.

Inspired by the first Geology summer school week in Leeds in 1972 and founded in the same year, the OUGS has been supported by the OU Earth Sciences Department from the beginning. It was to be the first Open University Student Society, and for a short while was even bigger than OUSA, the official student organisation. From this point of view its foundation can be termed truly revolutionary, although I would suspect that the process was non-violent. Ian Gass, Professor of Earth Sciences at the Open University became first president, and from the beginning the Society went from strength to strength. With more than 2,750 members it is the third largest professional or amateur geological organisation in the UK and the largest student geological society. As well as the many organised field trips, and an annual symposium, lectures and revision events are also offered as part of the wide variety of activities. The programme is truly impressive, and the people behind the organisation devoted to their common interest.
 

Lake Brienz, Bernese Oberland Pleasant work in such beautiful surroundings with the sun shining. This is a good site for catŐs eye.

As a very new member, I cannot claim to be an expert on the history of this society, nor to all the work that has gone in to ensuring its success, but now I have a small chance to add a contribution. Having established a relatively large interest in Mainland Europe, in March this year the National Committee agreed to the trial formation of an autonomous group, the organisation of which I feel honoured to be entrusted with. Members are spread over 12 countries. As yet this is the smallest group by number, but our area is larger by far than all the other branches put together. This may cause certain logistical problems, but these are there to be solved, and preparations are already under way for what we must initially call a 'virtual' branch, as our contacts at present are mainly electronic. This brings the advantage that we can launch our programme with our own website, but poses problems for committee meetings. However, looking back at the beginnings of the OUGS, and the enthusiasm of the initiators, there is a lot to live up to, and a moral commitment to succeed. We hope that soon we will be able to add to the long list of foreign field trips, whether they are in our own domain, or with the help of our already growing international network, to more distant venues; and by collecting information throughout Europe, offer a helping hand to welcome visitors.

So, if you happen to be driving through the Swiss Alps this summer, and suddenly see an organised group of people perspiring profusely under hard hats in the midday sun whilst staring at a rock face, just stop and say hello. It may well be the OUGS!
 

Websites: OUGS http://www.ougs.org/
OUGS Mainland Europe at http://ougseurope.org/
Contact Mainland Europe: geology.group@bluewin.ch
 

by Annette Kimmich-Goddard

(This text originally appeared in Open Eye,
the supplement of the Independent Newspaper on Tuesday 6 June 2000
- the pictures however are especially selected for this web page)