Signature talks and presentations at GSA Connects 2026.
Attend these lectures and engage with big ideas in geoscience.
Sunday, 11 October, 12 PM
Location: CCC, Bluebird 1AB
Presented by GSA President Glenn Thackray and Executive Director and CEO Bridgette Moore.
Geologists in the Critical Zone...in a Critical Time with Paul Doss
Wednesday, 14 October | 12:15–1:15 p.m.
Location: CCC, Bluebird 1AB
GSA Inbound: James B. Thompson, Jr., Distinguished International Lecturer | Monica Riva
GSA Outbound: James B. Thompson, Jr., Distinguished International Lecturer | Nigel Hughes
More details below.
Kelsey Young, Artemis II to the Moon and Back: The First Step in a New Era of Crewed Scientific Exploration
Monday, 12 October | 12:15–1:15 p.m.
Location: CCC, Bluebird 1AB
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Marilyn Russell and Sabrina Kainz: Connecting People to Place: A Community Engagement Model for Advancing Geoheritage Stewardship
Tuesday, 13 October | 12:15–1:15 p.m.
Location: CCC, Bluebird 1AB
Connect with leading voices shaping the future of geoscience.
The Outbound GSA James B. Thompson, Jr. Distinguished International Lecturer, Nigel Hughes, is a dynamic speaker of established scientific stature living within North America who can present stimulating and cutting-edge geoscience research through lectures outside of North America on topics that are at the forefront of research to raise visibility for The Geological Society of America within the international geoscience community.
The Inbound GSA James B. Thompson, Jr. Distinguished International Lecturer, Monica Riva, is a dynamic speaker of established scientific stature living outside of North America who can present stimulating and cutting-edge geoscience research through lectures in North America on topics that are at the forefront of research to raise visibility for The Geological Society of America within the U.S. geoscience community.
Frank S. Spear: The Rocky Road to Equilibrium
Monday, 12 October, 1:30–2 p.m.
Location: CCC, Bluebird 2A
During Session No. 153: T153. Crustal Petrology: from subduction zones to orogenic systems (Part II)
Cin-Ty Lee: Crustal thickness, heat flow, and the Martian Paradox
Monday, 12 October | 8:10–8:30 a.m.
Location: CCC, Bluebird 2H
During Session No. 100: T169. Shake and Bake: Volcanism and Tectonism across the Solar System
David Hernández Uribe: Elemental Cycling and Critical Mineral Formation at Convergent Margins: Insights from Petrology
Monday, 12 October, 8–8:30 a.m.
Location: CCC, Bluebird 2A
During Session No. 93: T153. Crustal Petrology: from subduction zones to orogenic systems (Part I)
Katharine Hayhoe: From Worried to Activated: Effective Climate Communication in an Online World
Sunday, 11 October, 1:40–2 p.m.
Location: CCC, Bluebird 3D
During Session No. 75: T95. Effective Science Communication in an Age of Information Overload and Misinformation
At Connects 2026, GSA celebrates transition, dissolving borders, and reaching for the stars.
Presenters
Anke Friedrich, GSA President-elect
Bridgette Moore, GSA Executive Director and CEO (Interim)
Sean O’Brien, GSA Foundation Executive Director
Join us as we honor individuals whose contributions have advanced the geosciences. This is more than a ceremony—it’s a celebration of vision, achievement, and community.
Marilyn Russell, President, La Veta Trails, Colorado and Sabrina Kainz, Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle
Scientific research has the greatest potential to influence conservation when it is accessible, relevant, and connected to the communities who live within the landscapes it seeks to understand. The Geoheritage of Huerfano and Las Animas Counties Initiative is a partnership between La Veta Trails and the University of Colorado Thermochronology Research and Instrumentation Laboratory (CU TRaIL) that demonstrates how university-community collaboration can translate geoscience research into meaningful public engagement and long-term stewardship.
The initiative combines current geologic research with public trails, interpretive storytelling, regional history, and local culture to help residents and visitors develop a deeper understanding of the landscapes they experience. Community engagement efforts include a dedicated geoheritage web resource, interpretive trail guides that connect geologic processes to on-the-ground trail experiences, public presentations, guided hikes, and youth learning opportunities developed in partnership with the La Veta School. Together, these efforts help people move from experiencing a landscape to understanding its geologic story, strengthening their connection to place and encouraging stewardship.
This presentation introduces a community engagement model that positions geoheritage as a catalyst for education, collaboration, and conservation. By integrating scientific research with place-based learning and local partnerships, the initiative demonstrates how geoscience can foster community investment in protecting significant landscapes while offering a replicable framework for translating research into lasting public impact.
