Engaging Scientist in Public Discourse

     We (Rachel Lanier and Maddie Goodwin) were assigned Dr. Steve Hageman, a member of the Department if Geological and Environmental Science here at Appalachian State University. The paper that we were assigned by Dr. Hageman as well as the other two authors, Noel P. James and Yvonne Bone, was about Cool- Water Carbonate Production from Epizoic Bryozoans on Ephemeral Substrates. We did our best to break down the information within the paper in order for students like us to understand what was being studied by asking Dr. Hageman a couple questions about his research as well a a couple personal questions.

     We asked Dr. Hageman if he were to have to explain the context of his paper to a group of students, what would he say. Although trying to break it down for us, the topic was still slightly confusing and hard for a student to understand without a decently strong scientific background. What he said was the study had to do with the natural production of limestone, and how it is common to see a rapid rate of limestone growth in tropical, warm water settings. But what Dr, Hageman was looking at was the rate of substance growth in cool water. What he as well as his fellow researches found is that limestone is also found in cool water, it is just produced at a much slower rate. This observation was made in the Southern Australian waters. What us as students (Maddie and Rachel) took from this is that although it may take longer to produce limestone in cooler water, it is still possible. Dr. Hageman also said that this research as well as the topic that he studied is still a controversial topic.

    We also had the opportunity to ask Dr. Hageman a few personal questions about himself. We asked what made his choose this field in science. He replied saying that he found that their were many opportunities for him in the field, hence his research paper and his occupation of being a professor at Appalachian state in the geology department. We also asked what he would deem his greatest discovery as a paleontologist. He never mentioned a specific discovery but he did say in regards to the big study he did in this paper, he regrets not pushing the information more. He said that he didn't participate in any big talks or discussions about the paper and that was something that he regrets. We also asked what it was that encouraged him to become a paleontologist. He said that he enjoyed describing what he saw, which is also a reason for his interest in invertebrate animals.

     We were very lucky to have the chance to speak to Dr. Hageman about his research and his paper. Even though we still don't have the most clear or intellectual knowledge on the topic, it was interesting to hear what his paper was about after trying to read it and understand it over and over. Dr. Hageman was a very interesting man, and seemed to have a lot of interest in science. He definitely has a lot of knowledge within the geology field and provided us with good information.

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Examples of places Carbonate Sediments could form 

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