Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
GSA Cordilleran Section 2013
May 20, 2013 - May 22, 2013
The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) was the host of the annual
meeting of the Cordilleran Section of the Geological Society of America held May 20-22,
2013 at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in downtown Fresno with associated
field trips before (May 18-19) and after (May 23-24) the meeting. The Cordilleran
Section meeting is usually a "regional" geoscience meeting drawing geoscientists from
across western North America, but this meeting, following its theme of "Local Geology,
Global Connections", was a truly world-class international meeting attracting top
researchers from around the world. Participants included prominent geoscientists
from France, Italy, Turkey, China, Korea, Japan, Costa Rica, and Peru, as well as
the usual Cordilleran Section countries of USA, Canada, and Mexico. There were over
280 talks and posters presented on a range of topics from processes including active
plate margin processes (several sessions with the largest international participation),
igneous processes and volcanology, vertebrate paleontology, critical zone processes
(Earth surface processes featuring interaction between atmosphere, biosphere, and
geology), water and water supply, and engineering geology (including geohazards).
EES faculty formed the organizing committee for the meeting and very actively participated
in it, along with many of their students. John Wakabayashi was the general meeting
chair, technical program chair (most of the international attendees came upon his
personal invitation), convened four technical sessions, led the largest field trip
of the meeting, gave two talks, and was co-author on five additional presentations
given by current or former students. Keith Putirka was the field trip chair, gave
a talk, and was co-author on two additional talks given by collaborators or his students.
Bob Dundas was the student volunteer coordinator, convened a technical session, led
a field trip, gave a talk, and was co-author on five additional presentations given
by his students. Zhi Wang gave three talks and was co-author on three additional
presentations given by his students. Chris Pluhar convened a technical session and
was co-author on three presentations given by current or former students. Beth Weinman
gave a talk and was co-author on four presentions given by her students. Mara Brady
convened a technical session and gave a talk. John Suen convened a session, gave a
talk, and was co-author of two presentations given by former students or colleagues.
Peter Van De Water was co author on two presentations by students or collaborators.
Steve Lewis was the community liason. The College of Science and Mathematics also
supported a special reception at this meeting for alumni of the EES Department (known
as the Geology department in earlier times). A number of other EES department students
worked as student volunteers during the meeting as well. Clearly, the EES Department
made a major impact on this global meeting.
- by Dr. John Wakabyashi