2020 Geobiology GRC/GRS: January12-17, 2020 - Galveston, TX

Gordon Research Conferences, East Greenwich RI

Investigators

Abstract

This is a request to support the participation of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from U.S. institutions in the 2020 Geobiology Gordon Research Conference (GRC) that will bring together scientists from across the globe to Galveston, TX between January 12 to 17, 2020. The field of geobiology investigates the coevolution of life and the environment over Earth history, including studies of life and the environment today and the title of this conference is "The evolution of a living planet: Outstanding and emerging questions in the field of Geobiology". Over the past decade, the field of geobiology has produced a strong cohort of scientists who greatly benefit from a meeting of their own to exchange ideas, tools, and expertise. The Graduate Research Seminar (GRS), a two-day meeting for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, will immediately precede the GRC and give early career scientists an opportunity to organize and participate in focused meetings. GRC and GRS actively promote diversity and request that researchers share the latest and greatest ideas and questions during the poster and discussion sessions. Because the attendances of GRC and GRS, respectively, are limited to 200 and 60 people, respectively, these meetings will stimulate thoughtful and engaging discussions and spontaneous interactions as well as offering numerous networking opportunities for junior scientists. By supporting the attendance of GRS and GRC by graduate students and postdoctoral scholars from the U.S., the requested funding will strengthen the sense of community, train junior scientists, promote collaboration and diversity in the field. Geobiology uses the tools of paleontology, geology, geochemistry and microbiology, but is separated from these more traditional disciplines by an interest in the complex relationships and feedbacks among biological, chemical, and physical processes. The scientific programs for Geobiology GRC and GRS 2020 will investigate interactions among biological, chemical and physical processes on Earth?s surface in daily poster sessions and oral sessions, each with two or three invited speakers and a discussion leader. These sessions will highlight open questions, novel experimental and conceptual approaches and active areas of research within the field. Both meetings will encourage open and honest intellectual debate and ask each session chair to encourage rigorous analysis of all science presented or discussed in a manner respectful to all conferees. GRC and the preceding GRS will offer numerous opportunities to socialize and network for early career scientists. These interactions will advance discovery, disseminate results, and train attendees in methods, approaches and presentation skills. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.