EVENTS

Business Meetings | Special Events | Guest Activities

BUSINESS MEETINGS

South Central Section Management Board Meeting.
Friday, 5 April, 7:30–830a.m., AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center.
South Central Section Business Meeting.
Friday, 5 April, 8:30–9:30a.m., AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Wednesday, 3 April

Keynote Speaker: Geologist Cliff Frohlich, 5:30–6:30 p.m.
AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center, Room 204
Texas Earthquakes: Natural and/or Man Made?
Cliff Frohlich, Associate Director of and Senior Research Scientist at the Institute of Geophysics at the University of Texas at Austin. This special talk will center on the controversies surrounding the presence, nature and potential sources of earthquakes in the State of Texas.

Welcoming Reception, 6–9 p.m.
AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center
Interior Courtyard and Tejas Dining Room.

Thursday, 4 April

Keynote Speaker: Dr. John Dewey, 9–10 a.m.
AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center, Room 204
The Ophiolite Enigma Resolved
This special talk focuses on origins of ophiolite, and suggests that none represent obducted sheets from the young oceanic crust and mantle of large oceans.
John Dewey received his doctorate from the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London, UK. He had a distinguished career at the University of Cambridge, the State University of New York at Albany, Durham University, The University of Oxford and the University of California, Davis. He has played, and continues to play a leading role in integrating the tectonics of ocean basins and continents throughout the history of the Earth. He is a Member of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States and a Fellow of the Royal Society of London.

Luncheon for Two-Year College Educators and Interested Students
11:30 a.m.–2 p.m. US$15 per person, limit 20.
Cosponsored by the Supporting and Advancing Geoscience Education at Two-year Colleges (SAGE2YC) Project and SherpaLux.
Join your fellow two-year college educators and students interested in pursuing a career in teaching at a two-year college for a special networking lunch at a local Austin hotspot. Share ideas and experiences. For more information and to reserve your space, contact Bob Blodgett.

Keynote Speaker: Derek C. Briggs, 4–5 p.m.
The Limits of Fossilization
Jackson Geosciences Building Boyd Auditorium (JGB 2.324)
Derek C. Briggs is G. Evelyn Hutchinson Professor of Geology & Geophysics at Yale University and Director of the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. His primary research interest is in the preservation and evolutionary significance of exceptionally preserved fossil biotas. This involves a range of approaches from experimental work on the factors controlling decay and fossilization, through studies of early diagenetic mineralization and organic preservation, to field work on a range of extraordinary fossil occurrences and their taxonomic description and analysis. The Thursday talk will be followed by a reception on the 6th floor of the Jackson Geosciences Building in the Dean’s suite and patio.

Educators' Social Hour & Share-A-Thon with a Focus of K–12 and Two-Year College
5:30–6:30 p.m.
Network with other educators and participate in demonstrations of education lesson plans. Pick up FREE lesson plans and materials. The materials are donated by formal and informal educators. If you have questions about the workshops, Educators’ Social Hour, or the Share-a-thon, or if you or your organization would like to donate educational materials for the Share-a-thon, please contact Michael R. Brunt, Eagle Pass Jr. High School, at . Cash bar provided.

Map Blast: Maps Through Time, 6:30–7:30 p.m.
All are invited to participate in this informal evening session—no abstract needed! Bring your in-progress geologic map, newly published geologic maps, and/or digital images and post them for comments and discussion. We are also interested in maps through time. Contributors display maps of their most interesting geologic areas and show how they have evolved over time. The best examples will be selected for display at the GSA Annual Meeting. Cash bar provided.

Friday, 5 April

Keynote Speaker: Derek C. Briggs, 12:15–1:15 p.m.
The Silurian Herefordshire Fauna—Soft–Bodied Fossils in Volcanic Ash
AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center, Room 204
Derek C. Briggs is G. Evelyn Hutchinson Professor of Geology & Geophysics at Yale University and Director of the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. His primary research interest is in the preservation and evolutionary significance of exceptionally preserved fossil biotas. This involves a range of approaches from experimental work on the factors controlling decay and fossilization, through studies of early diagenetic mineralization and organic preservation, to field work on a range of extraordinary fossil occurrences and their taxonomic description and analysis. The Thursday talk will be followed by a reception on the 6th floor of the Jackson Geosciences Building in the Dean’s suite and patio.

HydroDays!
The HydroDays Workshop will begin Friday afternoon, 5 April through 7 April, in the surrounding karst areas of Texas. We invite karst researchers, educators, students, policy makers, cavers, and karst lovers of all persuasions to join Hydrodays. We encourage you to take part in all of the activities that your schedule will permit. Contact Marcus Gary, Edwards Aquifer Authority, , for more information.

Download the Guest Activities Brochure

GUEST ACTIVITIES

Deadline to register for all SherpaLux events listed below is 20 March.

Harry Ransom Center. A private, behind-the-scenes tour of the Harry Ransom Center can be arranged by contacting Jessica Smith. The central mission of the Center is to advance the study of the arts and humanities and the museum is considered a gem on The University of Texas at Austin campus. Some highlights of the collections include the original Watergate papers and dresses from the movie Gone with the Wind. More information.
SherpaLux Tours. This Austin company specializes in unique tours, has offered to provide a true taste of what Austin has to offer for those participating in the meeting and guests. Several uniquely Austin experiences are planned. For more information about these tours, contact Joseph McMahan, , +1-512-712-5620. See Brochure.
Live the Day as a Local. Wed., 3 April, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. US$50/person, Price includes transportation, coffee, breakfast, and lunch.
Start your day off as the locals do at one of the best coffee shops in town, Mozart’s Coffee Roasters, which is nestled next to Lake Austin. There you will enjoy your coffee and breakfast as you take in the peaceful environment that Lake Austin provides. Once you are fueled up, you’ll shop ‘til you drop at stores and boutiques exclusive to the South Congress and Second Street District. From there, we will take you to get a sampling of some of the much buzzed about cuisine from the local food trailers.
Austin Live Music & Dive Bar Crawl. Wed., 3 April, 8:30 p.m.–midnight. US$50/person, includes transportation, admittance to a live music performance and a personal guide to the area’s entertainment venues for the evening, excludes alcohol.
After the welcoming ceremony, experience why Austin is known as “The Live Music Capital of the World!” We’ll take you to one of Austin’s iconic live music venues to hear some local bands rock out. The evening continues with stops at some of the area’s liveliest dive bars.
Botanical Gardens and Tour of the State Capitol. Thurs., 4 April, 9 a.m.–noon. US$50/person, includes transportation, entry to the garden, a guided tour of the capitol, and lunch.
Before heading off to the meeting, take a daytime tour of Austin. The morning begins with a nice stroll through Zilker Botanical Gardens, a lush, hidden gem abundant with vibrant and fragrant vegetation indigenous to the area. From there, you will enjoy a tour of the majestic Texas State Capitol where you will receive a great history lesson on the state of Texas. Before heading back to the hotel, you will enjoy a nice, hearty lunch at a favorite, local hot spot.
Beer, Barbecue and Live Music. Thurs., 4 April, 7 p.m.–midnight. US$65/person, includes transportation, dinner, beer and cover charge for the band.
After the Map Blast and Educators Share-a-Thon, let us take you to the scenic Hill Country for some worldrenowned barbecue, at the famous Saltlick, washed down with a cold beer. From there, we’ll take you to see a live music performance at a fun and lively venue.
Austin Brewery Crawl. Friday, 5 April, 1–5:30 p.m. US$60/person, includes transportation, private tastings, water and snacks.
Some of the country’s best craft beers are made right here in Austin. Meet the brewmasters and sample handcrafted beers at three local breweries.
Culinary Crawl. Friday, 5 April, 7–10:30 p.m. US$70/person, includes transportation, appetizer, entrée and dessert, excludes alcohol.
Consider staying the night in Austin and celebrating a successful conference! Enjoy a progressive-style dinner and indulge at three of Austin’s best restaurants. This package allows you to taste a little bit of what Austin’s much buzzed about culinary scene has to offer.

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