»Discovery, Technology, Leadership and Education«
As General Chairman and on behalf of the Houston Geological Society and the entire convention volunteer team, I am honored to host the 65th Annual Convention of the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies in partnership with the Gulf Coast Section of SEPM. We invite you to join us September 20th – 22nd at this special and exciting anniversary event.
As we celebrate the 65th anniversary of GCAGS, we continue to honor the principles that the seven founding fathers created for this fine organization in the fall of 1950. These principles still apply today as we continue our ongoing quest to explore the geology of the Gulf Coast. Aided by technological advances, we can now see and unravel previously hidden structures at previously unreachable depths. For 65 years, GCAGS and GCSSEPM have witnessed and chronicled these advances.
Our theme for this year’s conference is Discovery, Technology, Education, and Leadership. I encourage you to explore the contents of the website or the 2015 GCAGS Announcement Brochure (PDF), as I am certain you will find numerous social, educational, and technical opportunities for enhancing your knowledge, networking with the outstanding professionals of our member societies, and improving the odds for your next discovery.
The GCAGS convention isn’t all seriousness; there are fun aspects as well with ample opportunities for renewing old friendships and making new ones. These start with the Opening Session Sunday evening, where we will recognize our awardees. Following that, the Icebreaker Party provides time for conversations and for viewing the offerings of the exhibitors. Other occasions for meeting your contemporaries and networking are the Young Professionals’ Reception, Monday’s Presidents’ Reception, where an award will go to the member who has the oldest GCAGS bag, and the Monday evening entertainment at Saint Arnold’s Brewery.
We are also excited about this year’s partnership with the AAPG-SEG Student Expo. The students will exhibit their research posters, and we will recognize the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners at the Presidents’ Reception. We also provide opportunities for them to volunteer for various roles at the convention and encourage them to attend our technical sessions.
This announcement includes information on the technical talks, posters, short courses, field trips, host hotel, registration, luncheons, entertainment, and spouse activities. Those of you who register early are assured of the opportunity to attend the event(s) you wish, as some of them have limited seating. The information and registration form in this announcement and any future updates can be found on the two GCAGS websites (www.gcagshouston.com and www.gcags.org).
I wish to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors who in this year of limited budgets have once again graciously stepped forward to provide the funds required to hold this convention.
So, make plans to attend, register early, and participate in as many of our activities as possible. We are sure you will agree that this is an invaluable opportunity for you to expand your knowledge of the Gulf Coast, enhance your career, and help you make your next discovery.