11 July 2023

The Geological Society of America

Release no. 23-25

Contact: Justin Samuel

+1-303-357-1026

jsamuel@geosociety.org

For immediate release

GSA Connects 2023: A Premier International Scientific Meeting

The Geological Society of America visits Pittsburgh

Boulder, Colo., USA: Media registration is open now for The Geological Society of America’s Connects 2023 meeting, to be held 15–18 October 2023 at the David L Lawrence Convention Center (1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. The organizing committee is pleased to be planning a dynamic meeting centered around the themes of ‘Diverse Science for a Sustainable Future’ and ‘Climate and Energy Transition.’

General Meeting Co-Chairs, Gale Blackmer (Pennsylvania State Geologist) and Jessica Moore (West Virginia State Geologist), along with the entire local organizing committee, cordially invite members of the media to attend, participate, and cover science presented at the meeting. The conference will feature exciting new research, emerging issues, and context and sources on the geoscience that underpins modern society.

Review media eligibility requirements, request complimentary media registration , and prepare to be welcomed, inspired, and productive.

Pittsburgh is a city built on geology and steeped in history. Located at the point where the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers join to form the Ohio, this confluence forms a part of human history spanning millennia. 18 field trips will explore geologic heritage sites around Pittsburgh and the surrounding region, including the geologic setting and organic architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece Fallingwater, visits to the Drake Well and the Kinzua Dam, as well as an accessible field experience for persons with disabilities.

Meeting Highlights
Pardee Keynote Symposia : Five Symposia with invited speakers cover topics of broad interdisciplinary interest, including addressing society’s urgent need for critical minerals, the past, present, and future of waste management, encouraging positive mental health in the geosciences, and spotlighting positive and diverse female role models.

Special Lectures
● Presidential Address and Awards Ceremony: Incoming GSA President Christopher “Chuck” Bailey (College of William & Mary) gives his address, “Geoscience at the Confluence” on Sunday, 15 Oct., from noon to 1:30 p.m.

● The 2023 Michel T. Halbouty Distinguished Lecture features Susan L. Brantley (Pennsylvania State University), on “How Fracking Affects Our Water” Tuesday, 17 Oct., from 12:15–1:15 p.m.

Noontime Lecture from 12:15–1:15 p.m. Monday, 10 Oct.: “Sea-level Rise: The Solid and the Scary,” with Richard Alley (Pennsylvania State University).

Special Session Sunday, 15 Oct. Are We Alone in the Universe? The Science and Strategies to Search for Evidence of Past Life on Earth, the Solar System, and Beyond

In Memory of Jack Farmer—Father of Exopaleontology, Face of Astrobiology, Teacher to Thousands Around the World

Technical Program
Technical Program Chair Patrick Burkhart (Slippery Rock University) reports that 176 topical sessions have been organized in addition to general sessions in 41 geoscience disciplines.

Schedule-at-a-Glance
Oral Sessions run Sun. 15 Oct.–Wed., 18 Oct., 8 a.m.–noon and 1:30–5:30 p.m.
All-Day Poster Sessions: 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m., with presenting authors at their poster from either 9–11 a.m. or 3:30–5:30 p.m.

Search topical sessions for areas of interest by discipline categories or sponsors from the drop-down menus, or use your browser’s “find” feature to search for keywords or convener names. The complete technical program schedule will be available in mid-August 2023, after the abstract submission deadline.

Along with all topical, discipline, and special sessions, GSA will record all Pardee Keynote Symposia, the Presidential Address & Awards, Noontime Lectures, Special Lectures, and the Halbouty Distinguished Lecture for on-demand viewing after the meeting has ended. The Presidential Address & Awards, Pardee Keynote Symposia, Noontime Lectures, Special Lectures and the Halbouty Distinguished Lecture will be live streamed as part of the on-demand registration.

Complete meeting information will be updated regularly on the GSA Connects 2023 website.

** HELPFUL TRAVEL LINKS **
● Lodging : Make hotel reservations early for best selection.
● Explore Pittsburgh . The Steel City has an abundance of attractions, activities, sightseeing, and tours for visitors to enjoy.

The Geological Society of America (GSA) unites a diverse community of geoscientists in a common purpose to study the mysteries of our planet (and beyond) and share scientific findings. Members and friends around the world, from academia, government, and industry, participate in GSA meetings, publications, and programs at all career levels, to foster professional excellence. GSA values and supports inclusion through cooperative research, public dialogue on earth issues, science education, and the application of geoscience in the service of humankind.

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