Technical Sessions

This session features stratigraphic studies that resolve the geological history of modern and ancient sediment routing systems, and their processes, within the Colorado Plateau using data from field, analytical, experimental and/or numerical modeling investigations.

Laramidia’s Campanian deposits reveal vertebrate diversification, geographic isolation, and provincialism, and its fossil record informs paleoecology and biogeography. This session synthesizes research on evolution, endemism, WIS dynamics, and underexplored geochronology across this Late Cretaceous landscape.

This session welcomes research on contaminant occurrence, fate and transport, and impacts on human and environmental health. Interdisciplinary contributions with implications for environmental remediation and natural resources management are encouraged.

This session explores climate change and extreme heat in the Rocky Mountain Southwest, emphasizing geoscience research, education, and community-based adaptation strategies. We welcome scientists, policy experts, educators, and planners addressing regional climate resilience.

This session invites and examines recent field-based geomorphology studies in the West. Contributions regarding soils geomorphology, neotectonics, pediments, fluvial terraces, and landscape development are invited.

We welcome contributions ranging from geological/geochemical investigations of CM mineralization to fundamental experimental and theoretical approaches to investigations of critical elements that can be applied to extraction of CMs from various types of resources.

Many Phanerozoic climates and ecosystems serve as potential analogues for the future; others highlight the Earth system response to tectonic and climatic forcings. We invite abstracts that probe the paleoclimate/ecosystems of the US Southwest

Global demand for critical minerals is increasing. These non-fuel minerals are essential for clean energy and high-tech industries. New Mexico's future critical minerals potential is being re-evaluated through USGS Earth MRI surveys and DOE-funded efforts.

This session invites research integrating geologic, geomorphic, and paleoclimate data to advance understanding on orogenesis, seismic hazards, and global change.

Advances in the characterization of the subsurface for applications in both oil and gas, and geothermal energy (conventional, AGS, and EGS), carbon capture and storage (CCS), energy storage, and other low-carbon technologies. 

Geologic controls in the Rocky Mountains and other analogous environments that influence geothermal systems—from fault and fracture dynamics to stratigraphic and lithologic influences, heat flow, and fluid flow pathways

Alpine snow and ice play seminal roles in the environmental, geomorphic, and hydrologic processes. This session welcomes abstracts on scientific studies of the past and present cryosphere in the Rocky Mountains and beyond.

This session integrates research on coupled tectonics, volcanism, and sediment dispersal in the Rio Grande Rift and southern Rockies. We examine how extensional faulting controls volcanic processes and reshapes sediment routing from Colorado through Texas.

This session will focus on elevating the importance of geoscience through geoscience education (e.g., curricula development, leading fieldwork experiences, etc.) and/or convergence research (e.g., using community-focused research frameworks/methods, community-engaged research, etc.).

This session highlights recent developments in understanding of the Proterozoic tectonic record of western Laurentia, particularly its relation to critical mineral resources. Insights derived from all disciplines and approaches are welcome.

The Rocky Mountain region preserves a complex tectonic history shaped by multiple contractional and extensional events from the Proterozoic to present. This session examines the role of structural inheritance in guiding deformation across superposed orogens.

Advances in data acquisition, management, and analytics are transforming water-resources research in semi-arid, data-sparse regions. This session highlights the integration of geophysics, data systems, and modeling, including AEM, legacy data digitization, and cloud platforms. Contributions demonstrate how advances in data collection, management, analysis, and modeling  approaches improve the characterization of fresh and brackish groundwater to support management, recharge, and long-term planning.

This session invites submissions from various disciplines (e.g., petrology, tectonics, geophysics, geochronology) that explore distributed volcanism in the southwestern U.S. Topics of interest include spatio-temporal trends, magma compositions, and mantle and/or crustal controls on volcanism.

This session welcomes the submission of geobiological and astrobiological studies, including the investigation of microbe-mineral interactions and biogeochemistry in modern and ancient environments.

Paleontology is increasingly drawing upon insight from other disciplines to solve complex problems and generate more accurate reconstructions of past life. This session will illustrate novel interdisciplinary research and provide tools to develop such approaches.

This session focuses on environmental impacts of historical and modern mining, with an emphasis on remediation practices, community partnerships, and innovative approaches to reclaiming and monitoring impacted landscapes.

This session invites research that leverages GIS and spatial analysis in geology, hydrology, resource management, and hazard assessment. Projects that explore new data visualization techniques or integrate multiple datasets are encouraged.

Paleontology is increasingly drawing upon insight from other disciplines to solve complex problems and generate more accurate reconstructions of past life. This session will illustrate novel interdisciplinary research and provide tools to develop such approaches.