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Welcome!

I’m thrilled to welcome you to the GSA Connects 2021 meeting
10–13 October, which is planned to be held in person in Portland,
Oregon, USA. As we (hopefully) exit the worst of the COVID-19
pandemic, GSA’s resilient and nimble leadership, the dedicated orga-
nizing committee, and all of you will bring back the excitement that
only comes with in-person geoscience meetings. GSA Connects 2021
offers opportunities for renewed scientific engagement, synergistic
networking with colleagues, mentoring opportunities, visits with
vendors and sponsors, and hundreds of exciting, ground-breaking
Barbara (Barb) symposia and topical sessions.
L. Dutrow Geoscientists confronting the climate crises are now more important
than ever. Providing solutions to the climate crises is the topic of the Halbouty lecture and a
Pardee symposium linking the climate crises to diversity, equity, and inclusion and practices
of leadership and inclusivity. Another Pardee Symposium underscores the need to elevate
the voices of geoscientists at local, national, and international levels.
Listen to our 2020 Bromery Award winner speak about other worlds—and planetary
habitability—or stick closer to home and attend sessions focusing on Cordilleran subduction
dynamics or even with our own gift to the public in Geoheritage opportunities. Elevate your
community outreach by bringing art to your science—in a special lecture on joining visual
culture and scientific evidence.
GSA’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is woven throughout the program.
There is a bounty of field trips, a hallmark of GSA, and other sessions of interest. For the
full program and our commitment to care, go to https://community.geosociety.org/gsa2021.
A highlight of GSA Connects 2021 is the awards ceremony, where we celebrate the out-
standing achievements of our GSA members and fellows, who encompass early career pro-
fessionals to senior scientists. I strongly encourage as many to attend as possible, especially
students. Following the awards ceremony is my presidential address, which focuses on the
unique role that minerals play from archiving billions of years of Earth’s history to seques-
tering carbon to their role as chemical reservoirs for critical minerals to a tool for enriching
spatial and penetrative thinking skills in the next generations of geoscientists and more.
We recognize the importance of offering online meeting options for those who will not
be able to participate in person. Stay tuned for updates on the sessions and Symposia to be
streamed live. I am excited to participate and am looking forward to seeing you all in
Portland, in person or via a small box on a video screen.

Barbara L. Dutrow, GSA President

12 GSA Today | July 2021