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LETTER FROM GSA’S PRESIDENT

A Year of Renewal, Exploration, and Affirming Values

The members of the Geological Society of America (GSA) have had a long and Second, we formed an ad hoc commit-
challenging year. I hope you came through it well. This year we faced a twin set of tee to evaluate the awarding of fellow-
pandemics. The first was COVID-19 and the second was an acute awareness of and ships by GSA. The group did not find any
reflection on systematic racism in our country. Both were met by the membership, disparities between our membership pro-
leadership, and the professional staff of GSA, with members, leaders, and staff file and the awarding of fellowships with
emerging stronger and more vital than before. We had numerous opportunities to any basis on race or background. Still, it
make the organization stronger, and I hope that these will be felt for a long time. did recommend changes to ensure that
future Fellows are likewise fairly chosen.
THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 REDOUBLING OUR EFFORTS ON Again, this was adopted unanimously at
The workings of GSA had to change DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION the Council meeting.
almost completely owing to the dangers GSA has been involved in diversity, Last, we are looking at how GSA awards
of the COVID-19 pandemic. We canceled equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts for its medals of distinction and recruits
Section Meetings, changed the annual almost 40 years. Last spring’s events, leadership at all levels. This is being done
meeting, which was to have been held in starting with the murder of George Floyd, by another ad hoc committee, which
Montréal, to an online format, and contin- made us rethink and amplify our efforts. reported its results over the summer, to
ued to modify our spring 2021 Section Executive Director Vicki McConnell and be discussed and implemented at the
Meetings as dictated by local and national I organized the annual leadership retreat Council meeting this fall.
conditions. Did the lack of in-person in August to focus on DEI. We engaged a
meetings kill off meetings? No. Although professional facilitator, Nita Mosby Tyler HELPING MOVE INTO THE ONLINE
somewhat smaller, GSA Connects Online of The Equity Project, to lead a group of 35 WORLD
2020 went well. There were a few growing geoscientists through a workshop. Out of GSA firmly moved to the online world
and adjustment pains, of course, but over- this effort, we established new goals and last year with its meetings. As president,
all, the experience was good for our mem- evaluated our existing processes. I had hoped to foster moving more of the
bers and students and increased the pres- There were several action items defined Society’s publication activities online and
ence of international participants. The at the workshop, and we have nearly com- to promote GSA to the stature of defining
technical challenges were there, but no pleted all of them. First, we had a working standards for data reporting and data
worse than a projectionist dropping a car- group of the GSA Council, the voice of mem- products related to the earth sciences.
ousel of slides or a speaker talking much bership in our leadership, define goals and I tried to challenge the Divisions to take
longer than allowed. definitions for our efforts. This group came intellectual ownership of publication stan-
The other enormous impact was on GSA up with several recommendations the rest dards for their domains. Unfortunately,
operations. The headquarters building in of GSA leadership embraced. This included this effort fell short. The other events last
Boulder was mainly empty, and staff embedding DEI in GSA’s governance struc- year took precedence in keeping our meet-
worked remotely. This was a trend that ture and operations; institutionalizing cul- ing afloat and our organization moving
was already starting with some folks but ture change and responsibility for action, toward fairness and fostering DEI. I will try
greatly accelerated. The staff adjusted well beginning with GSA leaders; enhancing ori- to take up this effort by working with GSA
and without incident, and business mainly entation, training, and expectations for GSA leadership in the future.
ran as expected. But a lot of GSA is done by elected and appointed leaders, including the There was stormy weather this year, but
volunteer committee chairs and members, GSA Executive Committee and Council, the GSA flotilla of members, leaders, and
continuing an ongoing trend, and this work Section and Division leaders, and editors; staff navigated the heavy seas and treach-
moved to 100% online. The adjustment was increasing funding for diversity staff, pro- erous shoals with alacrity and aplomb.
amazing, and all the work of the Society got grams, and service-leadership, including We took the required steps to create a new
done. Helping with this was the training funding a full-time diversity officer; redou- and better course to follow over the next
most folks got from their work environ- bling our efforts to make meetings and pub- few years.
ments on working online and remotely. lications diverse and inclusive; charging
Although it was a somewhat confusing the Annual Program Committee and other
year for meetings, our scholarly publica- applicable committees with promoting
tions shined brightly for our members. diversity among conveners and presenters
Submissions were up this year across the when organizing panels, keynotes, and
board, and the profile of our journals other invitational sessions; forming a stand-
gained significantly (as measured in ing GSA DEI advisory group to help advise Doug Walker,
independently compiled impact factors). GSA staff, Council, committees, leaders, GSA President
July 2020–June 2021
As a big supporter of geologic mapping, and other groups; and cultivating diversity
I was delighted to see a submission and among future GSA leaders. GSA unani-
publication process using Geosphere mously adopted these recommendations
appear for membership. during its spring council meeting.

14 FY21 Annual Program Report