Professors Dave Putnam and Chunzeng Wang, Adjunct Lecture Ben Williams, and eight distinguished UMPI students, Ryan Butler, Jamie Corey, Melissa Corey, Jeff Kimball, Adam Michaud, Dajana Noack, Robert Sharood, and Joey Wing, attended the 98^th (2006) NEIGC (New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference) conference held at Rangeley and the Saddleback Ski Area of western Maine from September 29 to October 1. They went on three field trips, hiked on the AT (Appalachian Trail) to the summit of Saddleback Mountain, the 8th tallest mountain in Maine, and had a great time to meet people from other colleges/universities and to see wonderful geology in eastern-central Maine and western Maine. Historically this was UMPI's largest group of faculty and students to any NEIGC conferences so far. The appearance of a large UMPI group at the conference was a surprise and a shock to many conference attendants from the rest of the world. See more pictures below.

(Chunzeng Wang, Jeff Kimball, Adam Michaud, Ryan Butler, Joey Wing, Ben Williams, Dajana Noack, Melissa Corey, Robert Sharood, Dave Putnam, and Jamie Corey.)

A field trip for glacial geology. The exposed bedrock is polished and striated.

Glacial deposits.

Near the summit of Saddleback Mountain.

On the summit of Saddleback Mountain.

Our students showed up in another trip.

A stop in the Sandy River valley for fluvial erosion and deposition.

Adam's talking with trip lead, Profesor Tom Eastler of UMF.

Chat with UMF students.

Robert was ready for a sound sleep.

Dave's entertaining the group at our camp.

Another day begun at the camp.

Early morning coffee and get ready for another day.

Warmth around the camp fire.

The big banquet at the Saddleback Ski Lodge.