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Why GSA Membership
Is Important to Me
Jubilant geology students from Dhaka University, Bangladesh, were enjoy-
ing field investigation. The participation of an astounding number of female
students (almost half) highlighted this trip and broke the gender barrier.
Deformed Tertiary clastics and carbonates in the background. Sylhet,
Bangladesh, 6 Jan. 2016. Photo credit: Nazmus Sakib.
Nazrul Khandaker and Elizabeth Wuyep. As a GSA Serving society and science with validated and established
International travel grant recipient, Wuyep deeply data and connecting congressional members to keep them
appreciated funding that enabled her to come all aware of the pivotal role geosciences play in terms of combat-
the way from Nigeria to present research and build ing present-day extreme weather-related events and preparing
international collaboration. GSA Annual Meeting, a well-informed and trained workforce to undertake future
Minneapolis, 2011. tasks are significantly aligned with GSA’s mission, vision,
and objectives.
With ~25,000 members worldwide and several core-
discipline-based Divisions, Sections, Aside from dissemination of sound geological knowledge,
Interdisciplinary Interest Groups (IIGs), and glob- the outreach involving mentoring, supporting students’
ally connected Associated Societies, GSA, being a multi-fac- research, travel to the Annual/Section meetings, providing
eted organization, is meeting numerous expectations relevant students representation at the Division level, etc., are impor-
to disseminating cutting-edge science, encouraging funda- tantly becoming a normal mode of operation. K–16 educators,
mental and applied research, connecting with societal needs, preservice teachers, and caregivers find themselves immersed
advocating the dire need to enhance the knowledge base and with pedagogically sound lesson plans much needed for gen-
allow effective communicating at the congressional level, edu- erating motivation, interest, and curiosity and creating pipe-
cating next generations of working geoscientists and educa- lines for college-bound geoscience students both in urban and
tors, and fostering international collaborations. non-urban setting.
Membership with GSA opens up a plethora of geoscience- Nazrul I. Khandaker
related opportunities and, given the current status of the inter- Professor, York College (City University of New York)
disciplinary nature of the discipline, finding the right resource GSA Member since 1985
at the right time—GSA is becoming the cornerstone for scien- GSA International Secretary
tific resource retrieval. Members are exposed to a variety of
online resources via the Member Community and online post-
ing of timely and strategic topics relevant to their needs.
As part of the scientific exchange of knowledge-sharing,
Annual, Section, and specialty meetings (Penrose, international
meetings, etc.) are welcoming meeting of minds internationally
and domestically. Spreading GSA’s global mission is ensuring
rapid assimilation of cultural and geoscientific information for
wider usage. GSA is promoting fundamental research focusing
on basic geologic processes, natural resource development, and
environmental aspects.
28 GSA Today | December 2017
