Page 42 - i1052-5173-32-7

• GSA members should emphasize the importance of including geo- decision makers regarding the value of the geoscience community
scientists in the process of developing and implementing energy in developing energy policy.
policy, because it is the geoscience community that understands • Can raise awareness of the role of geology and government in
Earth’s natural processes, Earth’s capacity to produce energy from mineral and energy resources by publishing articles and conduct-
fossil and renewable resources, and the impact of energy use on ing symposia, technical sessions, and workshops at annual and
the environment. sectional meetings on these subjects.
• Can help GSA members rise to the challenge of informing
The Geological Society of America the public and decision makers about energy and climate
• Can provide members with readily accessible print, web, and per- policy by supporting access to objective and reliable energy
sonnel resources that support geoscientists’ communications with and climate data.

Three Position Statements Updated

In April 2022, GSA Council approved minor revisions to three THE VALUE OF GEOLOGIC MAPPING
position statements: Geoheritage, The Value of Geologic Mapping, To improve the scientific basis for public and private natural
and Freedom of Scientific Expression. Summary statements are resource and land-use decisions, GSA supports comprehensive
below; full versions of all position statements are online at geologic mapping on local, state, and national scales and advo-
www .geosociety.org/positionstatements. GSA members are cates increased public investments for current state and national
encouraged to use the statements as geoscience communication geologic mapping programs.
tools when interacting with policy makers, students, colleagues,
and the general public. FREEDOM OF SCIENTIFIC EXPRESSION
GSA supports the principles outlined in the American
GEOHERITAGE Meteorological Society’s Freedom of Scientific Expression state-
GSA supports the conservation of Geoheritage sites to meet ment including, and in particular, the role of scientists in presenting
present and future educational, scientific, aesthetic, cultural, their results and interpretations. GSA also strongly believes that
and economic needs. science and society benefit greatly from careful and ample technical
peer review of scientific findings, and subsequent communication
of scientific results must be permitted freely and without concern by
the scientist for censorship, intimidation, or political interference.

42 GSA TODAY | July 2022