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GSA Tomorrow: An Open Challenge to Promote
the Future of Geoscience

Kristin M. Dorfler, Macromolecules Innovation Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA, kmdorf@vt.edu;
Anke M. Friedrich, Ludwig-Maximilians–University Munich, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences,
Luisenstr. 37, Munich, Bavaria 80333, Germany, friedrich@lmu.de

INTRODUCTION PROGRESS IS A GOOD THING rather than risking their safety on danger-
The future of geoscience rests on your The world has changed since GSA was ous cliffs or simply inferring an inacces-
shoulders. Geologists are passionate about founded in 1888. Integrated circuits have sible terrane. The results from science
their science and discuss their interests allowed us to use personal computers, we conducted with modern tools can be just
with vigor, firmly understanding why use antibiotics to fight deadly infections, as accurate, if not more so, than work
geoscience is as important to society as wireless communication provides global conducted with conventional technology.
physiology, agriculture, or engineering. access, and we can instantly transmit It’s analogous to the way art has changed
In many cases, non-geologists don’t see high-resolution videos to our friends. over tens of thousands of years—the tools
the clear importance and implication of Technology advances because of society have changed from carbon ash and hands,
the profession, outside of natural disasters and society advances because of technol- to mineral-based dyes and horse-hair
and events that have immediate and ogy. Yet, technological advancement brushes, pencils and ink pens, to com-
apparent human effects. Countless would not be possible without the discov- puter software. The end product (from a
geoscientists , including professionals, ery, understanding, and properties of raw petroglyph to a Monet) is still considered
1
academics, and students, are already materials, a direct outcome of the unend- art but comparing pictographs to 3D
vocal self-advocates; however, in our ing commitment of the geoscience com- graphics is like comparing William
currently digital world, where informa- munity. We are all driven by an insatiable Smith’s 1815 geologic map of Britain with
tion can be instantly disseminated at the human desire for a better understanding the British Geological Survey’s iGeology
push of a button, it is time we took a of our world and everything it contains— app, which provides multiple layers of
collective effort as the Geological Society not strictly speaking of geoscience, but all geologic information, photos, and text
of America to actively emphasize the science, technology, engineering, and about the country’s geology at the touch
importance of science to the non-geolo- mathematics fields, and the humanities. of a screen. If our profession will continue
gist, forming a movement to assertively What we learn now is different than what to evolve based on discovery and innova-
advocate for our field. We invite you to we learned in 1888. What university stu- tion (both internal and external to geosci-
contribute to this discussion by respond- dents learn in their geology courses today ence), how do we visualize geoscience in
ing with succinct, measurable, and clear is different than what the authors of this the next 50 years? The next 100 years?
reasons on how what you do affects soci- contribution learned, and what the authors
ety. Our collective views could be used of this contribution learned is quite differ- THE GEOSCIENCE DISCIPLINE
to guide non-geologists to advocate for ent from each other. This is the nature of It’s important to briefly reflect on how
geoscience just as non-physicians advo- progress. This is a good thing. geoscience developed into what it is
cate for medical advances. GSA is as The tools we use to study geoscience today. Ask a geoscientist “Who was the
effective as its members, who make up are adapting, innovating, and moderniz- first geologist?” and the same few names
21 Scientific Divisions, which have ing the way we carry out our observa- are likely mentioned: Werner, Hutton and
numerous, tangible impacts on society. tions, research, and achievements. Instead Smith, or Steno. Yet, Werner’s paid pro-
As GSA continues focusing efforts on of carrying a compass, paper topographic fession was as a mining and mineralogy
the advancement of the Society into the map, and notebook, students today have instructor, Hutton was a retired physician
twenty-first century, we are taking a the option to download applications on a and farmer when he began to explore
critical look at what the Society is doing, single smartphone to carry out the same geology, Smith was a canal worker, and
whom it is doing it for, and how it could functions. Many research groups use Steno was a professor of anatomy. Early
be doing it better. drone technology to assist with mapping “renaissance men” including Aristotle,

GSA Today, v. 29, https://doi.org/10.1130/GSATG377GW.1. Copyright 2018, The Geological Society of America. CC-BY-NC.

1 Geoscience/geoscientists is defined as all subdisciplines that are recognized as Scientific Divisions of GSA (geoarchaeology, karst, planetary geology, etc.),
and may be extrapolated to areas that cross over to other subdisciplines that may not be strictly recognized as a GSA Scientific Division.

44 GSA Today | January 2019