Page 48 - i1052-5173-31-5

STUDENT AND EARLY CAREER PROFESSIONAL UPDATE
Be a Part of the On To the Future Community

Increasing diversity and inclusivity is critical to innovation, sci- Participant Comments
entific advancement, and solving tomorrow’s geoscience challenges.
Don’t miss the opportunity to apply to the On To the Future (OTF) “My favorite part about OTF was that I loved having a mentor.
program if you are a student. The OTF program supports students Being able to ask all the questions and concerns about graduate
from diverse backgrounds to attend their first GSA Connects meet- school and future opportunities was amazing. Learning the next
ing, which is 10–13 October this year, in Portland, Oregon, USA. steps that I am supposed to take to be better prepared for my
As an OTF awardee, you will be paired with a mentor, have oppor- career in geosciences helps me a lot.” —Santa Lucía Pérez Cortés
tunities to interact with GSA leadership, learn about future opportu-
nities, attend a professional development workshop, and experience “I feel like OTF captures this quite well, the program gathered
the meeting with a cohort of first-time attendees. people in similar situations who are also succeeding in their
GSA Connects 2021 is currently being planned as an in-person fields, which gave me a great sense of community. Ultimately,
meeting with online components, but we are ready to pivot to a fully I feel like I gained more confidence in myself and my ability to
online meeting if needed. You can read GSA’s official statement at conduct meaningful research through the unity and community
https://community.geosociety.org/gsa2021/information/planning. this program provides.” —Tiffani Cáñez
Nevertheless, OTF will award full meeting registration, member-
ship, and other costs that may include travel and/or lost wages for “While this was not my first conference that I’ve attended, I felt
attending the meeting should the meeting be fully online. the tools, workshops, mentoring, and opportunities discussed
Join more than 647 participants who have completed the pro- through the OTF program were a huge benefit.” —Samsideen Ajala
gram and apply by 28 May to attend GSA Connects 2021. GSA
welcomes applications from low-income, underrepresented, first- https://www.geosociety.org/OTF
generation, non-traditional, women, veterans, LGBTQ+, students
with disabilities, and others.

Start your job

search online.

Check out the Geoscience Job GeoCareers Webinars
Board at www.geosociety.org/ Register for upcoming webinars to explore careers
GSA/GSAToday/Job_Board. in a variety of geoscience sectors and topics.
It includes opportunities for
students and fellowships. https://www.geosociety.org/webinars

48 GSA Today | May 2021