Media Invitation: GSA Connects 2026 in Denver There’s Still Time to Register to Cover the Conversations Shaping the Future of Geoscience

Boulder, Colo., USA: There’s still time to register for media credentials for GSA Connects 2026, the Geological Society of America’s annual meeting, taking place 11–14 October 2026 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado, USA.

Thousands of geoscientists will gather in Denver this October to share new research, discuss emerging challenges, and explore developments across the geosciences. Working journalists, freelance science writers, and public information officers are invited to register for media credentials and take advantage of opportunities to connect directly with researchers and cover the science presented at the meeting.

What to Expect at GSA Connects 2026

GSA Connects 2026 is more than just a meeting—it's an electrifying hub for scientific discovery, tailored for geoscientists at all stages of their careers. We welcome you to the foot of the Colorado Rockies, one of the world's most geologically puzzling mountain ranges.

GSA Connects 2026 is where the latest advances in geoscience will be presented and discussed. Connects offers a unique opportunity for media representatives to cover cutting-edge technical sessions, engage with top-tier professional education, and connect with both scientists and passionate science journalists and communicators. Thousands of geoscientists will be in attendance, making this event a prime venue for capturing the innovations, insights, and connections that drive the geosciences field forward.

From Colorado's rich mining heritage to the region's pressing water challenges, Denver offers an extraordinary backdrop for this year's meeting themes—Celebrating a Century of Continental Drift: Understanding Earth in Motion; Riverscapes in Transition: Dynamics, Hazards, and Human Futures; and Innovations in Exploration from Deep Earth to Deep Space. These are three tines on the same fork, separate yet interrelated, working together to accomplish a goal—in this case, our shared goal of understanding and appreciating the workings of Earth and other planets.

Event Highlights (Locations TBA; Dates TBA where not listed)

• Sunday: 11 October, noon: Presidential Address: The Many Paths of Geoscientists by GSA President Glenn Thackray and Awards Ceremony (livestream available)
• Noontime Lectures:
  • Monday, 12 October: Kelsey Young, Artemis II to the Moon and Back: The First Step in a New Era of Crewed Scientific Exploration (livestream available)
  • Tuesday, 13 October: Marilyn Russell and Sabrina Kainz: Connecting People to Place: A Community Engagement Model for Advancing Geoheritage Stewardship (livestream available)
• Pardee Keynote Symposia:
  • Geoheritage Values in a World of Resource Extraction
  • Mineral Resources and Society
  • From Deep Earth to Digital Twins: Artificial Intelligence and Predictive Groundwater in Earth System Science
  • Bottoms Up: Perspectives from “Bottom-up” and “Top-down” Approaches to Tectonic Reconstructions
• Michael T. Halbouty Distinguished Lecture with Dr. Paul Doss: Geologists in the Critical Zone...in a Critical Time
• Topical sessions for journalists and PIOs covering critical topics:
  • Fire
  • Climate Change
  • Volcanoes
  • Planetary Geology
  • Complete list of topical sessions
• SciComm sessions of interest:
  • Sunday, 11 October, 5 p.m.: From Research to Bookshelf: Bringing Science to the Public panel discussion moderated by GeoGirl Rachel Phillips, with panelists panelists Amy Atwater (author of The Fossil Keeper’s Treasure), Paul Bierman (author of When the Ice Is Gone), David Montgomery (author of ReGen), and Rob Thomas (author of GSA’s Montana Rocks!). Book signing to follow.
  • Monday, 12 October, early evening (time TBA): join author Paul Bierman for a screening of the Emmy Award–winning film The Memory of Darkness, Light, and Ice, based on his book When the Ice Is Gone. Discussion and book signing will follow.

Who Can Register

• Working Press: Journalists, photographers, videographers, bloggers, authors, and filmmakers representing bona fide news media organizations with a press card, letter, or business card from the publication.
• Freelance Science Writers: Those presenting a current membership card from NASW, ISWA, regional affiliates of NASW, ISWA, CSWA, ACS, ABSW, EUSJA, and evidence of their reporting on science published in 2024, 2025, or 2026. Note: Authorship on technical research does not qualify for press credentials.
• Public Information Officers (PIOs): Institutional communicators from scientific societies, educational institutions, and government agencies.

[Register Now]

Registration Details

• Media preregistration is encouraged before Friday, 2 October 2026. Onsite registration will be available after this date. Please contact klandow@geosociety.org after 2 October.
• All press registrations are issued at the discretion of the GSA Press Office and are non-transferable.
• Working media will receive complimentary registration, which permits access to technical sessions, the exhibit hall, and the on-site Media Resource Center.
• If you are a Connects 2026 presenter, you must pay the meeting registration fee to attend.
• Journalists and PIOs must pay for any additional events they wish to attend.
• Media representatives are welcome to book a hotel room (at their expense) in one of the GSA hotel blocks. Find details here.

Interested in covering the event but unable to attend in person? Use the form to register for press releases, daily tip sheets, and noontime lecture livestream information.

Media Resource Center

The on-site media resource center and pressroom is available exclusively for working press to conduct interviews, write stories, and take a break between sessions. Coffee and snacks will be available. Pre-registered media representatives will receive a welcome gift upon arrival on site.

[Register Now]

We look forward to welcoming you to Denver for GSA Connects 2026! For more information, please visit the GSA Connects 2026 website or contact Kalen Landow.

The Geological Society of America (GSA) is a global professional society with more than 18,000 members across over 100 countries. As a leading voice for the geosciences, GSA advances the understanding of Earth's dynamic processes and fosters collaboration among scientists, educators, and policymakers. GSA publishes Geology, the top-ranked geology journal, along with a diverse portfolio of scholarly journals, books, and conference proceedings—several of which rank among Amazon’s top 100 best-selling geology titles.

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