James R. Connolly
M.S.,University of New Mexico, 1982 (Research Associate and X-ray Diffraction Lab Manager / Local Area Network Manager)
(505) 277-9447, Northrop Hall, Rm. B-33 Email: connolly@unm.edu
Research and Academic Interests:
My research and teaching are reflective of diverse interests and include petrology and mineralogy of tuffaceous volcanic rocks, teaching special courses on the regional geology of New Mexico to non-geologists, and computer networking and network management. I also manage the Department's X-ray Diffraction Laboratory and it's Scintag PAD-V powder diffractometer system.
The work on volcanic rocks involved providing petrologic and mineralogical analysis of rock samples in support of engineering studies of thermal and mechanical properties done by Sandia National Laboratories as part of site characterization and performance assessment for the Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Project near Las Vegas, Nevada. This work was under contract with SNL and completed in September of 1997. The project has been designated the main site for the placement of commercially generated nuclear waste, but the the DOE has not actually applied for a license as yet. I worked on this project in one form or another for almost 20 years and I suspect it will go on for many more.
To help bring an appreciation of Earth Science to non-geologists, I have developed and taught introductory classes to Elementary and Middle school students through the YWCA of Albuquerque's Environmental Science Discovery Camp, and developed and taught several classes each semester for the Elderhostel Program at UNM (which has now closed down). I recently worked with a group of high school students from Amy Biehl Charter School and ran a field trip out across the Albuquerque Basin and in the area around Jemez Springs.
Since 1995, I have managed the E&PS department's computer network, including this Worldwide Web site, and since the spring of 1996 through spring 2000 have taught classes on Microsoft Windows NT, 95 and 98, Networking and the Internet at UNM's Division of Continuing Education computer program.
List of Related Web Links:
James R. Connolly Personal Page
Internet Geoscience Links
Civic Practices Network
fair dot org
Pacifica Radio
Webactive
Listing of Recent Publications:
"Thermal expansion, conductivity and heat capacity measurements at Yucca Mountain, Nevada", Int. Journal of Rock Mechanics & Mineral Science, v. 34, 1997 (in press), (with N.S. Brodsky).
"Thermal expansion, thermal conductivity and heat capacity measurements for boreholes UE25 NRG-5, UE25 NRG-5, USW NRG-6, USW NRG-7/7a," Sandia National Laboratories Report SAND95-1955, 1997 (with N.S. Brodsky, M. Riggins, and P. Ricci)
"Petrography of Bishop Tuff in Phase I core from the LVF 51-20 Drillhole: A small window into a hydrothermal system in a resurgent caldera, Long Valley, California" (Abstract), EOS (Am. Geophys Union Transactions), v. 72, p. 505, 1991 (with C.K. Shearer, and J.J. Papike).
"Mineralogy, petrology and whole-rock chemistry of selected samples of Yucca Mountain tuffs," Sandia National Laboratories Contractor Report SAND91-7031, 1991.
"Mineralogy, petrology and whole-rock chemistry of selected mechanical test samples of Yucca Mountain tuffs," Sandia National Laboratories Contractor Report SAND90-7058, 1991.
"Calculation of heat capacities for tuffaceous units from the unsaturated zone at Yucca Mountain, Nevada," Sandia National Laboratories Contractor Report SAND88-3050, 1991 (with F.B. Nimick).
J.R. Connolly and F.B. Nimick, Mineralogic and chemical data supporting heat capacity determination for tuffaceous rocks: Sandia National Laboratories Report SAND88-0882, 1990.
"The Las Milpas underground gas-storage facility," Energy Frontiers in the Rockies: Albuquerque Geological Society Special Publication, p. 15-16, 1989 (with J.L. Levine).
"Precambrian-Upper Paleozoic geology along Interstate 40 east of Albuquerque, New Mexico," Geological Society of America Centennial Field Guide, Rocky Mountain Section, p. 437-440, 1987 (with B.S. Kues).
"Structure and metamorphism in the Precambrian Cibola Gneiss and Tijeras Greenstone, Bernalillo County, New Mexico," New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook, Albuquerque Country II, p. 197-202, 1982.