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2020 GSA PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS
Geology in an Online World

J. Douglas Walker, Dept. of Geology, few ounces, that have vastly more power than was contained in desk-
University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas tops and computing centers just 30 years ago. Not only are mobile
66045, USA, jdwalker@ku.edu devices such as phones and tablets powerful computers, but they are
also integrated with cameras, LiDAR, GPS, magnetometers, and
INTRODUCTION accelerometers, again of capabilities unobtainable in such compact
The earth sciences, all sciences, are and digital forms until recently. We now have ways to collect data
doing more and more of their activities that we did not in the past. In his presidential address to the Geological
online. Although moving online was Society of America, “New Technology; New Geological Challenges,”
previously a well-established trend, the Clark Burchfiel (2004) made a compelling case that the geological
J. Douglas Walker COVID-19 crisis has accelerated this, as community must embrace new modes of data collecting. When
faculty, teachers, and students came to Burchfiel gave his address, precise GPS measurements were revolu-
understand all too well during 2020. Ordinary activities, such as tionizing active tectonics and opening entirely new avenues of
field trips, field camps, and even professional meetings like GSA research. Today, developing and adopting new mobile technology
2020 Connects Online, have moved mostly online (Tikoff et al., can advance our ability to perform basic geology at the individual
2020). We have had to devise new ways of teaching that are entirely level, beyond the unprecedented connectivity.
outside of our experience. Rather than wistfully wishing for a GSA has led the charge for mobile computing and mobile devices
return to times past, the current situation is an opportunity to in field geology and geology in general. Just looking at the last few
explore change and depart from our old ways of doing things, years of GSA Today shows the Society and its members’ emphasis
striving to make our science and our geology richer to each other. on using phones and tablets in research and education, with articles
Returning to and reliving the past is what we do in our geology, but about virtual rocks by De Paor in 2016, augmented reality by
it should not be what we do as geologists and scientists. Bursztyn et al. in 2017, and data collection from images by Glazner
At the same time, it is becoming more critical for earth scientists, and Walker in 2020. Geosphere has also become an outlet for much
and all scientists, to better engage the public and stakeholders in their information on mobile devices and geology (Pavlis et al., 2010;
work, their data, and their insights and conclusions. We have been Walker et al., 2019). GSA and its members are developing applica-
facing not only a pandemic of disease but also a pandemic of climate tions and best practices for collecting data in the field unobtainable
change accompanied by the malady of denying science. Because the with earlier technologies.
subject of geology is our shared planet and environment, geoscien- Another enormous influence on how we work is the move toward
tists can present much of their work in a way that is relevant to the open access (see the impact on GSA [GSA, 2020]). Scientists of all
public. We have an advantage in that the public can see what we do, kinds are under pressure to make their data and papers available to
look directly at what we study, and appreciate where samples come the general public and other scientists. This pressure is intensifying
from for our analyses. The basis of our science surrounds us. The and, shortly, will fundamentally change how we work with journal
online world further opens our science, whether in geologic maps, articles, whatever those turn out to be in the future.
pictures of thin sections of rocks, or a numerical age for a sample, to Although the access to consume information and data will be
general observation. This new openness and connectedness can give open, we must remain vigilant that the science we produce is vetted
us the power of remote participation and access. and reliable. Publishing scholarly articles is a process that GSA
does well, and our journals are respected and provide trusted infor-
WHAT IS DRIVING THIS? mation. Much of this is based on the peer-review process. It is
Besides the current pandemic, what are the forces driving this tempting in the online world to post information before it is ready
change? One easy answer is that we can connect more easily to each or reviewed. All data online look alike to the person who is not a
other and resources. Connectivity is critical and foundational. It is trained scientist or does not appreciate the scientific method. Even
a revolution we have been living for a long time. experienced scientists may have difficulty separating the wheat
Mobile devices connected to the Internet give the user access to from the chaff.
data and information almost anywhere and anytime. You can look up Our ideas and conclusions must be open and rely on a careful
references in the field or the lab. You can ask questions and instantly review process before they are “published.” Furthermore, published
get answers and sometimes expert advice. In most cases, you can use today and in the future no longer means showing up in your mailbox
cloud resources and computing power. We all know that access to in a magazine. Although anyone, anywhere can post an article online,
language translation is available almost anywhere, not because we those connected with GSA should remain of the highest quality.
have a translator or program installed on our devices, but because we We should not fear airing controversial and challenging ideas if
employ cloud and server resources by passing small amounts of well-posed. On the other hand, we should not give refuge to those
information. The heavy lifting of translation is done on the other end wanting to publish wrong or incorrect findings. GSA cannot
and then communicated back to us in a compact and useful form. become an online avenue for climate change or evolution deniers to
However, not only do we have more and more advanced connectiv- peddle misinformation and lies. It is ok to say something is incor-
ity, but we all carry with us computers, in something weighing just a rect based on our methods and judgments as scientists.

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4 GSA Today | February 2021