Elements: Cascadia Subduction Zone
January 02, 2023
The canonical Cascadia subduction zone runs along the west coast of North America from Canada to northern California. The issue will emphasize the region as a historically important location for the development of ideas in subduction zone science, a place for understanding the compound hazards of a subduction zone in a populous region, and as a location where science is now moving beyond the traditional disciplinary confines to embrace multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches. The Cascadia subduction zone is a natural laboratory for exploring ideas related to evolving subduction zone geometry and seismicity, melt transport, and the controls on eruptions. This issue will describe our current understanding of the combined tectonic and magmatic systems in this important subduction system.
Current Geochemical Society members can access this issue now via the Elements website using your email address (UserID) and member number (Password).
Vote in the GS Board Election
December 08, 2022
All current GS members are entitled to vote in the annual Board of Directors election. The board governs the society throughout the year and represents the interests of the membership. Please take a moment to review the slate of candidates and vote. The election is open until 22 December 2022. If you have not received your ballot by email, please let us know at gsoffice@geochemsoc.org.
Elements: Organic Biomarkers
November 17, 2022
Biomarkers are molecular fossils that are preserved in a wide range of environmental archives (e.g., soils, sediments, sedimentary rocks, and petroleum systems). This issue introduces biomarkers and their compoundspecific stable isotope compositions to study fundamental biogeochemical processes and their application as proxies for environmental and climate reconstructions. Molecular biosignatures can be used to study the evolution of life, transitions in ocean plankton over time, the microbiota of extreme environments such as hydrothermal systems and the deep crustal biosphere, and to search for signs of life beyond Earth. Important new discoveries are typically the result of the development and deployment of improved instrumental techniques, multidisciplinary research approaches, and the combination of organic biogeochemistry with the new tools of molecular biology.
Current Geochemical Society members can access this issue now via the Elements website using your email address (UserID) and member number (Password).
Elements: Halogens: From Planetary Surfaces to Interiors
October 06, 2022
The halogen-group elements (F, Cl, Br, and I) are common in the terrestrial inventory, though often present in trace amounts in many Earth and planetary materials. The halogens play a key role in a variety of geologic environments and processes, from mineralization to their influence on the composition of Earth's atmosphere when released as oceanic, volcanogenic, and anthropogenic emissions. Halogens act as "fingerprints" of fluidmediated processes on Earth and other planetary bodies. These "bioessential" elements are also critically important to human health. In this issue of Elements, we explore the role that the halogens play in shaping diverse planetary systems, from the surface of planets to their interiors. We also review the techniques that are suitable for the analysis of halogen elements and of isotopes of Cl and Br in terrestrial and extraterrestrial materials.
Current Geochemical Society members can access this issue now via the Elements website using your email address (UserID) and member number (Password).
Nominate Yourself or a Colleague for an Early Career Board Seat
August 12, 2022
Students, postdoctoral scholars, and other early career scientists form a crucial segment of the Geochemical Society's membership. To make sure that we consider the needs of this population, last year the society began adding two new seats on its board specifically for early career researchers (ECR). The board is responsible for governing the organization and determining how our programs can best serve the international geochemistry community. Serving on the board is an opportunity to develop as a leader, meet colleagues from around the world, and make a real contribution to the society and larger community.
Early career scientists may self-nominate or be nominated by others for this role by September 2, 2022.
Definition of ECR: Early career researchers are defined as higher degree (beyond Bachelors level) students in good standing who 1) have completed at least 2 years of a PhD program (e.g., equivalent to having passed qualifying or mid-term exams where applicable) OR 2) postdoctoral researchers or faculty within 4 years of being awarded their PhD, OR 3) employees in a geochemistry-related industry within 4 years of last degree completion at the year of nomination.
Term of Service: ECR directors will serve 1 or 2 years at the discretion of the individual. This reflects the competing heavy demands on ECR time at this stage of their careers and also allows for broader participation of ECRs on the GS Board.
Duties: The duties of the ECR directors will be the same and with full Board voting and participation rights equivalent to other Non-Officer/Directors and they will be expected to attend all Board meetings, including at Goldschmidt Conferences either in-person (preferred) or virtually. Financial assistance for travel to in-person meetings will be available. It is also expected that the ECR directors will serve on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and other GS committees as needed.
Selection Process: Candidates may self-nominate or be nominated by others. The terms of the two ECR directors will be staggered, with one ECR director elected last year and one this year. As part of the process, each potential nominee will be asked to write a 500-word statement indicating why they wish to serve on the Board and what they would like to accomplish, along with a brief description of their experience, which may include a website link. At least two candidates to stand for election will be selected by a sub-committee comprising members of the Executive and the Board. These candidates will be presented to the entire society membership during the board election in November.
Submit a nomination: To self-nominate, send your statement of interest to: nominations@geochemsoc.org. To nominate someone else, send their name and email address and a member of the committee will follow up with the nominee. Nominations for the position are due by September 2, 2022.
Annual GS Members Meeting
June 17, 2022
The GS will hold its annual meeting of the membership on Sunday, July 10 at 4:00p.m. HST. The meeting will be available in-person and online. GS President Sumit Chakraborty will present an update on society programs followed by time for discussion.
Recent Articles and Blog Posts from the GS/EAG DEI Writing Teams
May 03, 2022
- Strengthening Geochemistry Through Community Action and Wider Influence: http://www.elementsmagazine.org/archives/e17_4/e17_4_soc_EAG.pdf
- Professional Culture: Let’s talk tackling of inequity, injustice, and absent talent: https://blog.eag.eu.com/news/professional-culture-lets-talk-tackling-of-inequity-injustice-and-absent-talent/
- Pourret et al. 2021. Diversity, Equity, and inclusion: Tackling under-representation and recognition of talents in geochemistry and cosmochemistry. GCA 310, pp 363-371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2021.05.054
- Pourret et al. 2021. Diversity among editorial boards of Elements and other selected geochemistry, cosmochemistry, mineralogy, and petrology journals. Elements, June 2021. http://elementsmagazine.org/2021/06/01/diversity-among-editorial-boards/
- Check out the EAG DEI blog for more: https://blog.eag.eu.com/categories/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/
Stuart Wakeham Receives Treibs Award from OGD
April 27, 2022
Prof. Stuart Wakeham, Emeritus Professor of the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, was recently named the 2021 recipient of the Alfred Treibs Award. Presented by the society's Organic Geochemistry Division, the award is given for major achievements, over a period of years, in organic geochemistry. Prof. Wakeham is recognized for pioneering work on fluxes and compositional changes of marine organic matter at the molecular level, on microbial biomarkers in marine oxygen-deficient zones, and on molecular proxies.
GS Statement on Ukraine Crisis
March 10, 2022
The Geochemical Society condemns the war, violence, and the loss of civilian life in Ukraine. We stand by the country's citizens and our Ukranian colleagues and their families who are affected. Our greatest desire is for peace and an end to the suffering and displacement caused by this crisis.
While issues of survival are taking precedence for many people, the work of science also continues, so we offer these resources as a small contribution to cooperation and goodwill. To the extent it is possible for scientists in Ukraine to participate in a conference, the EAG and GS will offer free participation for them at the upcoming 2022 Goldschmidt Conference.
A growing list of research institutions in Europe and elsewhere are offering to host refugee scientists through a community initiative. Learn more
Heavy Stable Isotopes: From Crystals to Planets
March 03, 2022
Stable isotopes are formidable tracers of physicochemical processes at all scales. Steady advances in mass spectrometry have allowed isotopic inquiries to move from the so-called “traditional” systems (i.e., H, C, N, O, and S) to heavier “nontraditional” systems (e.g., Fe, Mo, Ti, Zr, U) whose diverse geochemical characteristics are providing novel and complementary insights. Moving from micron-size systems (single crystals) to planetary-size bodies, the articles in this issue explore the enormous range of temporal and physical scales over which heavy stable isotopes have provided paradigm-shifting insights into the evolution of our planet and solar system. Also highlighted are new frontiers where novel stable isotope systematics appear particularly promising for unraveling long-standing questions. Current Geochemical Society members can access this issue now via the Elements website using your email address (UserID) and member number (Password).