Lowell Braxton

September 1962 through October 1963: Peace Corp Volunteer, Dominican Republic, water development projects, drilled irrigation wells.

October 1963 through August 1964: Peace Corps Volunteer, Ecuador, rural school construction projects.

September 1964: drove a motorcycle from Panama to Colorado.

August 1965-June 1968: Graduate Studies in Geology, Indiana University, MAT, Earth Science 1967, additional graduate studies in Geology.

June 1968: joined Gulf Oil Corporation’s Nuclear Fuels Division as an Exploration Geologist.

July 1968: married my wife, Jean.

June 1968 through February 1985: various assignments with Gulf Mineral Resources Co., all in the western US, focused on uranium, coal, oil shale and tar sands. Opened an office in Salt Lake City in 1976. The 1983 purchase of Gulf by Chevron eliminated my position as Exploration Manager of Alternative Fuels in 1985.

March 1985 through March 2005: various positions with the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining. This state division is responsible for issuing and enforcing environmental permits related to oil, gas and mining operations and ensuring post activity reclamation of disturbed lands on state, federal and private lands in Utah. Retired in March 2005 as Division Director.

April 2005: retired?? I am also doing government relations and other consulting activities for the oil and gas industry. One recent project has involved drafting regulations for the geologic storage of CO₂ which should provide regulatory guidance to coal burning electrical utilities who wish to reduce atmospheric CO₂ emissions.

August 2006: Jean retired and I’m looking more seriously at post-consulting retirement.

Jean and I have 2 children and 3 grandchildren. Our daughter Nina, an RN, and her husband have a small daughter. Our son Dave, an Exploration Geologist, and his wife have a son and daughter.

We’ve done a lot of family camping in out-of-the-way places in the western US. In 1987 I bought a whitewater raft and have run many of the western whitewater rivers, including the Grand Canyon and the Main Salmon in Idaho (the River of no Return). Three trips of note include:

• 1988 trip down Desolation Canyon on Utah’s Green River with EC classmates, Dan Derr, Andy Merritt and Wilson Baker.

• ca 1994 trip down the Main Salmon with EC classmates Kris and Dick Louden.

• 1997 Grand Canyon trip with Andy Merritt, sister Jane Braxton Little (EC 65), son Dave Braxton (EC 92)

Jean and I have traveled in China, Peru, Mexico, Australia, the Dominican Republic, and just got home from a month in Spain. Hopefully there’s more of this to come!

Sometime in the late 1990s I started submitting articles to two magazines that specialize in hobby metal working and machine shop techniques. I’m still doing this.

Come see us!!

vanbrax@juno.com