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Noontime Lecture: Culture and Ethics

of Geologic Sampling Town Hall

Marjorie A. Chan and David Mogk important/unique collections be saved and made available
for new types of collaborative research?
Endorsed by the U.S. National Committee on Geological Sciences C. Archiving and maintaining current sample collections. What
(USNC-GS); American Geosciences Institute (AGI); Mineralogical is the long-term fate of legacy collections (can departments
Society of America (MSA); International Association for Promoting and museums assimilate samples)? For example: life after
Geoethics (IAPG). retirement or project completion? What are the lessons from
state and federal agencies?
Monday, 10 Oct., 12:15–1:15 p.m. D. Legal and liability issues: permitting, permissions, licenses.
What is legal may not be ethical. Who enforces guidelines
Come explore contemporary attitudes and practices of the geo- (are they only aspirational)? How do sampling guidelines
science community about sampling natural sites and review rel- differ internationally and at specific sites?
evant policies and guidelines that already exist from related pro- E. Culturally sensitive areas. How do we respectfully propose
fessional societies. This session builds on liaisons with American research and gain permissions on indigenous lands or other
Geophysical Union (AGU) and their town hall on geological sam- sensitive areas? Identify best practices.
pling at their 2021 fall meeting. F. Should there be limits to sampling? Who reviews and enforces
This GSA Connects 2022 interactive town hall will examine sampling guidelines? For example: Would it help to have some
our current culture and ethics of geologic sampling, as well as sort of institutional review board or a process for oversight,
guidelines and aspirations for the future. We will use this feed- particularly for sensitive geoheritage sites?
back to begin to formulate recommendations for a future GSA G. Impacts and consequences of sampling (even if unintended),
Position Statement and possible educational materials for the including tagging outcrops.
geoscience curriculum.
We welcome the input of geoscientists from diverse back-
A. Experiences, levels of priorities/needs for samples. For exam- grounds and experiences and at all career stages, from interested
ple: What are the needs for in situ versus float, different types students to experienced professionals. Responsible sampling is
and quantities of samples? How should samples be collected relevant to protecting exemplary sites, being respectful of indig-
(hammer vs. drill, etc.), and is remediation appropriate? enous cultures, and other societal issues. Sampling is a global
B. Alternatives to renewed or continuing sampling? issue related to geodiversity and geoconservation and is important
Opportunities and multi-use purposes for samples, sample to all geoscientists. Although a range of guidelines exists in
repositories, sample exchanges? For example: Can we various societies (e.g., Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, the
re-purpose samples during times of COVID or cooperate Geological Society of London), GSA has yet to adopt any sam-
with the U.S. Geological Survey National Geological and pling guidelines. The goal of this town hall is to open up more
Geophysical Data Preservation Program? How should communication and have community participation on this relevant
topic that affects teaching, research, and our geoheritage.

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