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HSCHS grad receives honors

To say Adolph Yonkee has a love of rocks is a bit of an understatement. The valedictorian of the Hot Springs County High School Class of 1976 said his love of rocks began when he was two or three years old. Now, nearly 60 years later, that passion has earned his being named a Society Fellow by the Geological Society of America.

Yonkee recalled his interest in rocks in those early years, during which he would go rock hunting with his mother, Ruth Clare Johnson, whom he considers a real "rock hound." Among the areas they hunted were the Owl Creek and Big Horn mountains.

Though he recalls quite a few finds on these hunts, one earned a prominent place in his mind and the county. When he was four or five years old, he went out hunting with his mother and some of her friends. Along Owl Creek he came across a geode with some beautiful quartz crystals. Though the rest of the group thought to just leave it, Yonkee convinced them it needed to be out and shared.

Besides the find itself, fond memories of that day include digging the geode out and building up a rock ramp to get it into the back of a Jeep. But the effort was worth it, as more people can now see the geode at the Hot Springs County Museum.

During his time at Hot Springs County High School, Yonkee said he had some great teachers in all of his classes and feels like he received great preparation for college. After graduation he attended at the University of Wyoming, where he earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees, then went on to the University of Utah, earning his Ph.D in 1990.

As for being named a Society Fellow, he noted it means being recognized by his peers for his teaching, research and service, and is a significant honor representing several years of work. In order to receive the honor, someone who is already a Fellow had to nominate him. From there, letters and information are solicited and decisions are made as to who will be the new Fellows for a given year.

A Brady Distinguished Presidential Professor at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah for 28 years - an honor bestowed on him by the university for his teaching, research and service - Yonkee said the recognition he has received wouldn't be possible without his colleagues and students.

Yonkee is currently working on several different projects. He noted on involves looking at the Wyoming mountain formations known as the Laramide Rockies and how they may have been formed. To better understand this process, however, involves some research in Argentina. He further explained the Sierras and Pompenas mountain formations there are similar to the Rockies in the way they're formed. But unlike the Rockies, which have stopped moving, the Argentinian mountains are still moving upward.

Yonkee also works closely with the Utah Geological Survey, performing geological mapping. These maps are important for locating underground resources such as groundwater aquifers and oil, as well as hazards such as fault and landslides. Some of the work is esoteric, he said, and some of it is practical.

He advises current high school students to be open-minded, inquisitive and informed, and to appreciate the natural world. "It's an amazing world where we live," he said, "and Wyoming is a special place in that world."

 

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