KU News Release

Regional chapters of national geological society to meet at KU

LAWRENCE — A range of geology-related topics from dinosaurs to energy resources will be discussed at the annual meeting of regional sections of the Geological Society of America. The meeting will take place on the University of Kansas campus.

Sponsored by the Kansas Geological Survey and the KU departments of geology and geography, the joint meeting of the north-central and south-central sections of the society will be held April 11-13 in the Kansas Union. Approximately 600 scientists and earth-science students are expected to attend. The Geological Society of America is one of the largest global organizations of earth scientists in the world. Through its meetings, members from academia, government, business and industry share research.

James Kirkland, Utah state paleontologist, will be a keynote speaker. He will discuss evolutionary patterns and Asian-North American connections during the Early Cretaceous period at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 12, at the KU Museum of Natural History. Kirkland has been involved in the discovery of many new dinosaurs and has appeared in several Discovery Channel documentaries.

Dozens of technical and poster sessions by scientists and earth-science students from throughout the country will be presented on such topics as groundwater flow and water quality in aquifers, geoarchaeology, glaciation, systematic paleontology, geochemistry and earth-science education.

Six field trips will also be conducted in Kansas and the surrounding states, including trips to the Claussen archaeological site near Paxico in Wabaunsee County, fossil sites in Missouri and ancient delta deposits in Oklahoma.

“Section meetings are about local outreach,” said Greg Ludvigson, Kansas Geological Survey geologist and co-chair of the joint section meeting. “They provide a chance for professionals and students to connect in a personal environment that isn’t available at the larger national GSA annual meeting.”

Information on the meeting is available at the Kansas Geological Survey's Web site. For additional information, contact Greg Ohlmacher, (785) 864-2194, or Greg Ludvigson, (785) 864-2734.

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