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GSA Position Statement Revisions
The Geological Society of America (GSA) Council approved
minor revisions to five position statements at its spring 2016
meeting. In addition to the summary statements on this page,
full versions of these and all position statements are online at departments and programs at all institutions of higher
www.geosociety.org/positions/. In addition, a new Critical
Issue on Induced Seismicity was created and the Hydraulic
Fracturing Critical Issue has been updated. GSA members are
encouraged to use the statements as geoscience communication
tools when interacting with policy makers, students, colleagues, protecting communities from natural hazards, managing soils
and the general public.
Diversity in the Geosciences Community
GSA affirms the value of diverse scientific ideas and the
connection between diverse scientific ideas and a diverse group
of contributors of those ideas, including those who comment
and criticize.
Public Investment in Earth Science Research
GSA supports strong and growing public investments in
earth-science research. Earth-science research requires
substantial increases in public funding from all levels of
government to promote the general welfare of all citizens; to
ensure the health, vitality, and security of society; and to
provide sound stewardship of Earth. These investments address
such issues as energy and mineral resources, water resources,
climate change, and natural hazards. Earth-science research
forms the basis for training and educating the next generation
of earth-science professionals.
Role of Government in Energy and Mineral Resources
GSA strongly advocates that sound scientific knowledge
guide public decisions about the exploration, exploitation, and
stewardship of finite energy and mineral resources. Sustaining
and enhancing that knowledge requires more public invest-
ment in energy and mineral resource research, education, and
stewardship.
w w w. ge os o c ie t y.or g / p osit ion s /
Expanding and Improving Geoscience in Higher Education GSATODAY | www.geosociety.org/gsatoday Position Statement Revisions
GSA affirms the need for strong support for geoscience
learning. Robust geoscience programs equip students with the
scientific literacy required to address crucial societal issues and
planetary challenges, including the rising demand for minerals
and energy, guaranteeing ample supplies of clean water,
to ensure secure food supplies and resilient infrastructure, the
opportunities and threats from a changing ocean, confronting
climate variability, and managing waste to maintain a healthy
environment. Providing geoscience instruction that is acces-
sible to all higher education students is vital to developing the
scientific literacy that all of society needs in order to address
the significant challenges facing the planet.
The Importance of Teaching Earth Science
GSA recognizes that basic knowledge of Earth science is
essential to meeting the environmental challenges and natural
resource limitations of the twenty‐first century. It is critical
that earth-science education begin at the kindergarten level and
include advanced offerings at the secondary school level, and
that highly qualified earth-science teachers provide the instruc-
tion. GSA recommends that the study of earth science be an
integral component of science education in public and private
schools at all levels, from kindergarten through twelfth grade.
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