Adieu to the Anthropocene? Debating the Formality of Geologic Time in the Face of Accelerating Changes in Earth Processes

Endorser: GSA Geochronology Division
Discipline: Geomicrobiology, Geochronology
Advocates: Brad E. Rosenheim, Tiffany Rivera, Elizabeth Neispolo, Robin Trayler

Geologic time is first delineated by profound, expansive changes identified in our rock record and then quantified by chemical and isotope changes within those rocks. Over the last 24 years, much debate has centered around whether we are still in the Holocene epoch, or if the Holocene has met its demise after only 11,700 years due to the rapidly accelerating activities of human society and its imprint on Earth systems. During the time of this debate about the delineations of geologic time, Earth’s average temperature has increased by nearly 1°C, human population has increased 32% to 8.1 billion, human extraction of minerals and metals has increased 52%, the level of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased 15% to its highest level since the mid Pliocene epoch, and the term “Anthropocene” has become entrenched in scientific literature, popular publications, and even our conversational vernacular. However, a subcommittee of the International Commission on Stratigraphy has voted against adding the Anthropocene as a new delineation of the International Chronostratigraphic Chart or Geologic Time Scale. This decision has been met with both joy and derision. This session seeks presentations that assess the role of the term “Anthropocene” in our scientific literature and our society. We seek to address the following questions:

1. Does the exclusion of an official delineation of the “Anthropocene” mean anything if the term is already widely accepted and used?
2. How will scientific journal editors, reviewers, and publishers handle scholarly work concerning recent Earth system changes that have been informally called the “Anthropocene” for 2 decades?
3. Is the “Anthropocene” a useful construct for teaching Geology?
4. How does geology as a field of study remain relevant to diverse audiences and talent pools if it seems to ignore the palpable events lending colloquial credence to the term “Anthropocene”?
5. How will the sanctity of the field of geology be protected from initiatives that some see as political?
6. If not the Anthropocene, then what?

Join us for a lively debate and dialogue. Popcorn included!

Beyond the Degree: Making an Impact with Geology & Twenty-Five Years of GSA Mentoring Programs

Endorser: GSA Geoscience Education Division, GSA Soils and Soil Processes Division
Discipline: Geoscience Education
Advocates: Kathryn Murdock; Scott Burns; Roy Shlemon: Robert Sydnor; Jennifer Nocerino

This session presents students and faculty information on what is required for a career outside of academia, how academic departments can assist students, and personal stories and career tips from a diverse group of industry, consulting, and government geologists.

This session has been spearheaded by both GSA’s Academic & Applied Geoscience Relations (AAGR) Committee and Roy Shlemon as an extension of our traditional meeting mentoring opportunities. Mentors are essential at all career levels and GSA has been offering programs for over 25 years. Our first program was initiated in Southern California in 1996 by Roy Shlemon and to date over 25,500 students and 6,000 mentors have participated. In this session attendees will learn essential skills necessary to follow these career options, along with tips for success. We welcome faculty, students, previous GSA mentors, and early career professionals.

Exploring Earth: Integrating Geosciences Across the K-12 Curriculum

Endorsers: National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT), National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) K-12 Committee
Discipline: Geoscience Education
Advocate: Nancy M. Chen

This session aims to empower K-12 educators by showcasing existing curriculum resources and fostering partnerships with scientists to seamlessly integrate cutting-edge research into lesson plans, either by adapting existing materials or creating new ones.