U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) geologist James Hein arranged tours of the USGS facilities in Menlo Park and Santa Cruz, California, on December 6, 2012, for scientists from the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM). The visitors—KIGAM President Dr. Hyo-Sook Lee, Executive Director of KIGAM's International Cooperation Office Dr. Yong-Je Kim, and Senior Administrator of KIGAM's International Cooperation Office Mr. Dae-In Kim—were in the area for the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting in San Francisco. Hosted by USGS emeritus geophysicist Jonathan Childs in Menlo Park and Hein in Santa Cruz, they were introduced to a range of USGS studies, including microbiology, radiometric dating, analytical labs, data-processing operations, the NetQuakes seismograph network, deep-sea mineral investigations, and more.

The Korean scientists had inquired about a visit during AGU week in hopes of learning more about the USGS and strengthening ties between the two agencies. Hein sent word of their interest to the office of USGS Director Marcia McNutt, who met with KIGAM President Dr. Lee on December 5 in San Francisco.

Many thanks to the following USGS personnel, who spent time explaining their work to the visiting scientists:

In Menlo Park:

• Joe Langdon: USGS library

• Larry Miller and Shelley Hoeft: Microbiology laboratory

• Mike Torresan: Sediment Core and Multi Sensor Core Logger (MSCL) laboratories

• Andy Calvert: Argon geochronology (40Ar/39Ar) laboratory

• Leslie Hayden: Scanning-electronic-microscope (SEM) and microprobe laboratory

• Jim Luetgert: Northern California Seismic Network and NetQuakes

In Santa Cruz:

• Bob Rosenbauer: Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center director

• Jim Hein: Marine minerals laboratory

• Carolyn Degnan: Infobank, data archiving

• Peter Swarzenski: Radiochemistry; submarine groundwater discharge

• Renee Takesue: Environmental geochemistry

• Peter Dartnell: Coastal mapping projects