Geoscientists from the southeastern United States and beyond will convene in Chattanooga on March 19-20 to discuss new science, expand on existing science, and explore the unique geologic features of the region. Topics include the Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone, teaching evolution in the southeastern U.S., energy geology, and geology’s role in protecting infrastructure. Meeting conveners are anticipating a relatively large meeting, with 389 oral and poster presentations and nine field trips.
Widely known as “The Scenic City,” Chattanooga owes this distinction to its geologic setting. The city lies along the Tennessee River, among the valleys and ridges of the southern Appalachian fold-and-thrust belt, and within view of the Cumberland Plateau and Blue Ridge. Its name derives from “cató,” the Muskogean word for “rock,” giving due emphasis to the geology of the area and the ideal setting it provides for this meeting.
Considering that Chattanooga is prone to rockslides, sinkholes, and flooding, the keynote address for this meeting will be: “Rockslides, Sinkholes and Flooding, Oh My! The Geologist’s Role in Protecting Infrastructure” and will be delivered by Vanessa Bateman, chief, Geology Section, Nashville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
A dedicated field guide has been written for this meeting: Diverse Excursions in the Southeast: Paleozoic to Present, edited by Ann E. Holmes of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. This volume’s nine field trips explore geological history and visit four regional geologic provinces -- Blue Ridge, Valley and Ridge, Cumberland Plateau, and the Nashville dome.
Selected Highlights of the Scientific Program:
The scientific program is composed of oral and poster presentations organized into three symposia and 14 themed sessions plus an array of research in general discipline areas. Go to http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/se/2015mtg/techprog.htm to learn more.
THURSDAY, 19 MARCH
Session: Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone and Paleoseismology in the Southeastern United States
Abstracts: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2015SE/webprogram/Session36812.html
Presentation of interest: The Mw 4.2 Perry County earthquake of 10 November 2012: Evidence of the Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone in southeastern Kentucky: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2015SE/webprogram/Paper252585.html. Lead author: Seth N. Carpenter, Kentucky Geological Survey, seth.carpenter@uky.edu
FRIDAY, 20 MARCH
Sessions: Teaching Evolution in the Southeast I and II
Abstracts: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2015SE/webprogram/Session36813.html and https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2015SE/webprogram/Session37258.html
Presentation of interest: Lessons of the Scopes trial in the fight for science education: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2015SE/webprogram/Paper252992.html. Lead author: William D. Witherspoon, georgiarocks.us, billspoon1@gmail.com
Session: Gas Shale and Oil Sands Resources of the Southeastern United States
Abstracts: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2015SE/webprogram/Session36802.html
Presentation of interest: The oil sands of Alabama: An untapped resource: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2015SE/webprogram/Paper252172.html. Lead author: Christopher H. Hooks, Geological Survey of Alabama, chooks@gsa.state.al.us
View the complete session schedule by day or search the program by keywords at https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2015SE/webprogram/start.html. Click on session titles for a list of presentations, and click on presentations for the individual abstracts.
Complete meeting information: http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/se/2015mtg/index.htm.
Local contact information: http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/se/2015mtg/contact.htm.