News Release

Secretary Babbitt Praises The Selection Of Dr. Charles Groat To Head The U.S. Geological Survey

Peer-Reviewed Publication

U.S. Geological Survey

Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt today praised President Clinton's intention to nominate Dr. Charles G. Groat to be the new director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

"I am exceptionally pleased with the President's nomination of Dr. Groat to head the U.S. Geological Survey," said Babbitt. "Dr. Groat has a fine scientific mind, and he will bring the Department an impressive array of management, research and scientific advocacy skills that will make him an invaluable asset and serve all Americans well."

Groat, 58, is a highly distinguished professional in the earth science community with over 25 years of direct involvement in geological studies, energy and minerals resource assessment, ground-water occurrence and protection, geomorphic processes and landform evolution in desert areas, and coastal studies. He currently serves as Associate Vice President for Research and Sponsored Projects, following three years as Director of the Center for Environmental Resource Management, University of Texas at El Paso. He was also Director of the University's Environmental Science and Engineering Ph.D. Program.

Prior to joining the University of Texas, Dr. Groat served as Executive Director (1991-95) at the Center for Coastal, Energy, and Environmental Resources, at Louisiana State University. Prior to that, he was Executive Director (1990-92) for the American Geological Institute, and from 1983-88, he served as assistant to the Secretary, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources where he administered the Coastal Zone Management Program, and Coastal Protection Program.

From 1978-1990, Dr. Groat held positions at Louisiana State University and the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources which included serving as professor for the Department of Geology and Geophysics, and as Director and State Geologist for the Louisiana Geological Survey. He also served as associate professor (1976-78) at the University of Texas at Austin, in the Department of Geological Sciences, and as Associate Director and Acting Director of the Bureau of Economic Geology.

Among his professional affiliations, Groat is a member of the Geological Society of America, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Geophysical Union, and the American Association of Petroleum Geologist. He has also served on over a dozen earth science boards and committees and has authored and contributed to numerous publications and articles on major issues involving earth resources and the environment.

A native of Westfield, New York, Groat received an A.B. degree in geology from the University of Rochester in 1962, M.S.degree from the University of Massachusetts in 1967, and his Ph.D. in 1970 from the University of Texas at Austin. He is married and has two children.

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