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GSA 2017 ANNUAL MEETING & EXPOSITION

President’s Welcome

Join your colleagues and friends in Seattle for GSA’s 129th Annual Meeting. Seattle is most befit-
ting as the site of this year’s meeting because it is truly a hotbed of geology and geologic activity.
The meeting will offer a near record 257 Topical Sessions spanning the geoscience disciplines and
addressing issues of diversity, science communication, and education. There will be six Pardee
Keynote Symposia, particularly fitting given Joseph Thomas Pardee’s contributions to reconstruct-
ing Glacial Lake Missoula.

Participate in one or more of the 23 field trips that capitalize on the geologic diversity of the Seattle
region, with its proximity to the Cascade Range and Olympic Mountains, some of the best Pleistocene
glacial landscapes, and multiple natural hazards, as well as its rich archeological history. Enroll in a
short course to hone your skills in topics ranging from nano-scale imaging to simulating magma cham-
bers to 3D visualization of terrestrial landscapes. Visit the exhibit hall to view scientific posters and
engage with publishers, vendors, and representatives of geoscience organizations and graduate school
programs. And students: There will be multiple venues for you to interact with one another and to net-
work with academic and professional mentors.

A stimulating program awaits you in Seattle. Don’t miss the opportunity to share your research,
enrich your mind, interact with colleagues and friends, and enjoy the cultural, recreational, and gastro-
nomic offerings of Seattle.

I look forward to seeing you in October.

Isabel P. Montañez, GSA President
Distinguished Professor, Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Davis

GSA Presidential Address

“Mind the Gap”: GSA’s Role in an Evolving Global Society
Isabel P. Montañez, GSA 2017 Presidential Address

Sun., 22 Oct., noon–1:30 p.m., Washington State Convention Center, Ballroom 6A

We are at the cusp of a historic time regarding the interface of science and society. Over two decades
ago, GSA President Eldridge Moores addressed the “gulf in perception separating geoscientists from
many other people” and presaged the growth of the divide (Moores, 1996). Facets of this issue have
been the focus of several subsequent GSA presidential addresses highlighting its importance to the
Society’s mission. The gap has multiple dimensions, including those between the subdisciplines of
geosciences, unfulfilled potential for cross-disciplinary research, and the broader divide between the
science literate and others less knowledgeable or appreciative of the relevance of the earth sciences to
their lives. Most notable is the apparent growth of the science-society gap in recent years. In this talk,
Montañez will address the role of GSA in this evolving global landscape and the opportunities to con-
tribute to mending the gap. As GSA undergoes strategic planning over the next year we will explore
innovative ways to build on and enhance the Society’s efforts to advance, communicate, and promote
our science and its benefit to humanity.

12 22–25 October 2017 • Seattle, Washington, USA

Shi Shi Beach and Point of the Arches, Olympic Peninsula Pacific Coast, Washington, USA.