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Greetings!

We’re excited to welcome you to Portland for GSA Connects 2021, 10–13 October. So much has changed
since we hosted in 2009, which means there’s even more to see and do. Portland and its surrounds offer a
broad and spectacular range of accessible geology: two hours’ drive can take you into the Cascades, the
Columbia Gorge, the Oregon Coast, and the rolling hills and thick sediments of the Willamette Valley. Our
landforms reflect flood basalts, violent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, glacial floods, and part of the
world’s largest temperate rain forest.
We’d love to guarantee an in-person meeting, and will do everything to make that possible, but whether
in the newly renovated Oregon Convention Center, on a field trip, or by online participation, we can still
share science and each other’s company.
Speaking of science, we’re offering 177 topical sessions, 37 short courses, 24 field trips, and five Pardee
Symposia, all conducted under GSA’s Respectful Inclusive Scientific Events umbrella.
Oh—and of course we’ll have the networking, mentoring, and other community events that you want, and
you’ll be able to make your own spontaneous connections. We’re the hosts—it’s your conference!
Want to take a break? Enjoy diverse restaurant and food-cart offerings, our surrounding wine country,
performing and visual arts, public gardens, and more than 10,000 acres of public parks just within the
city limits—and a populace that actually shows up for public science presentations! The same light-rail
system that serves our conference venue stretches across three counties from award-winning Portland
International Airport to the suburbs.
See you in October!

Jeff Rubin and Ian Madin,
Local Organizing Committee
General Co-Chairs

10 GSA Today | May 2021