Dr. M. Lee Allison, State Geologist and Director of the Arizona Geological Survey, passed away at noon on Tuesday, August 16th, after suffering a severe head injury from a fall at his home on Saturday.

Lee held  BA (University of California, Riverside), MS (San Diego State University) and Ph.D. (University of Massachusetts, Amherst) degrees in geology.  Having extensive experience in petroleum and geothermal exploration throughout the United States, he was active in science and public policy, especially as it related to natural resources, geologic hazards and public engagement.

Lee served as the Utah State Geologist (1989-1999),  Kansas State Geologist (1999-2004), Policy Advisor for Science and Energy to Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas (2004-2005) and chaired the Kansas Energy Council (2002-2005) before becoming the State Geologist and Director for the Arizona Geological Survey in December 2005.

He developed and successfully implemented a business model that enabled the Arizona Geological Survey to become one of the nation’s most innovative, entrepreneurial and high-regarded geological surveys. Its transition from a state-funded to mostly grant-funded agency enabled the AZGS to provide core services to the citizens of Arizona and participate in other important state, national and international projects that have made scientific data accessible to all via the internet.  Internationally recognized as leaders in cyber-infrastructure and data management, cyber developments at the AZGS have been adopted by the U. S. Department of Energy, the White House, U. S. GEO (Group on Earth Observation) Committee, Power Africa and ISPRA (Geological Survey of Italy).

Lee also served as President of the Arizona Geological Society in 2008 and held a councilor position on its executive committee during 2007 and  2010-2011.  He was the guest speaker at two of our monthly dinner meetings, the most recent occurring on August 2, 2016, when he spoke on “The Future of State Geological Surveys: the Arizona Case Study.”

We offer our sincere condolences to Lee's family, friends and colleagues.  He was an incredibly dynamic leader, a mentor to many, and  highly respected by all who knew him.  He will be missed by all, but his contributions to geology, cyber-infrastructure and data management will endure.   May he rest in peace.

In Memory of Lee Allison

Scholarship Donation Here

Four years ago, the Arizona Geological Society began offering a new scholarship intended to target a broader number of students than the Courtright Scholarship. The newer award, dubbed the AGS Scholarship, is aimed at goal-oriented undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students in geosciences who are enrolled at one of the three Arizona universities. It seeks to reward students who excel in academics and research, and who can demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities through their involvement in diverse community activities. The committee that designed the criteria for the AGS scholarship might well have been using the career of Dr. M. Lee Allison as a template.

In less than ten years, under Lee Allison’s innovative leadership, the Arizona Geological Survey grew from a state-endowed department to a largely self-funded and world-renown institution. During that time, Lee served on many community, state, and national organizations and committees, often as a board member or executive. The lists of successful projects initiated by him, his tireless outreach activities, together with his many other achievements, are absolutely eye-popping. He was and remains an inspiration to all of us. For this reason, the Arizona Geological Society feels it is highly appropriate to honor him and his service to so many people and organizations by changing the name of the AGS Scholarship to the M. Lee Allison Scholarship. We hope that Lee will continue to inspire students of all ages to strive for the levels of excellence in both science and community that he made seem so easy to achieve.

The AGS membership approved the slate for the 2017 Executive Committee at the recent September 2016 dinner meeting.

From left to right are Dan Aiken, Councilor, Wolf Schuh, VP Field Trips, Rachel Feuerbach, Treasurer, Jeff Cornoyer, Vice Secretary, Ann Pattison, VP Marketing, Carl Bowser, Councilor, Simone Runyon, Councilor, Don Applebee, Past President, and David Briggs, President.

Not Pictured in Photo:  Robert Kamilli, VP Programs, Alison Jones, Secretary, Leandra Marshall, Councilor, Sarah Baxter, Councilor and Marisa Lerew, Councilor.

While under the direction of the Arizona Department of Mines and Mineral Resources, the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum averaged 50,000 visitors each year, half of whom were scheduled school tours.  This museum had more than 3,100 minerals, crystals, gemstones and lapidary items, rocks, and fossils on display and an additional 20,000 specimens in storage cabinets in the basement.  Displays included old historical mining equipment that has been restored to working order and a diorama of  a modern open pit copper mining operation.  

As an educational science museum, it helped future generations of Arizonans learn about rocks and minerals, how they are used by society, their importance to our nation’s economy, and the role mining has played in Arizona’s history. Educational products included workshops and teacher kits (40 numbered rocks and minerals plus an identification key and various activity booklets and CDs) that were provided free of charge to Arizona’s teachers.  These materials were greatly appreciated by thousands of teachers and students, who have used them for laboratory activities in their classrooms.

The Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum was able to accomplish this with funding for rent, maintenance and one salaried position provided by the state.  Revenues generated from its gift shop provided funding for its gift shop employees and tour guides.  Much of the other work was performed by volunteers from associated mineral, lapidary and prospecting clubs, who provided 10,000 hours of work, annually. 

All of this came to an end on April 30, 2011, only nine months after the Arizona Historical Society took administrative control of the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum from the Arizona Department of Mines and Mineral Resources.  At that time the museum’s staff was fired without notice and the museum was closed.   Furniture, fixtures and displays were disposed of and many of its irreplaceable mineral specimens distributed to other museums around the state.  The building has remained vacant over the last five years and been allowed to deteriorate.

With the approval of the Agency Consolidation Budget Bill (SB1530) by Governor Ducey, the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum will be transferred from the Arizona Historical Society to the Arizona Geological Survey in August 2016.  However, the building cannot be occupied until $700,000 to $900,000 in repairs are made and will require approximately $2.86 million over the next five years to make it like new.  However, the state has provided no funding for these renovations and efforts to obtain funding from private sources has been further complicated by a clause in the legislation that returns the museum to the Arizona Historical Society if it is not refurbished and open by July 1, 2018. 

Given the elimination of its modest state appropriation, added costs resulting from its consolidation with the University of Arizona, and small staff, the Arizona Geological Survey will be hard pressed to fund the renovations required to reopen the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum.  In absence of financial assistance from the state of Arizona, successful reopening of this important educational resource will require support from private and corporate sponsors.  Those who may be interested in supporting this effort are encouraged to contact the Arizona Geological Survey to see how they can help make this a reality.