I presented at the Geological Society of America (GSA) 2022 meeting, a professional conference held in Denver, CO. The conference was from October 9-12th, 2022. The research I conducted and later presented on was facilitated by the Scripps College Virginia Judy Esterly Award, providing funds for educational research projects that a student proposes and conducts during the summer. Under the Scripps College Esterly Award, I conducted geochemical research under mentorship at the Pomona College Geology Department. The project focused on the use of geochemistry applications to give indications of past climate. This was done through whole rock and bone geochemistry comparisons from different locations globally including Northeast Nevada, Oregon, Southern California, and Kyrgyzstan.
The Geological Society of America (GSA), a global scientific society, that hosts professional conferences annually. GSA is a professional society with global membership of thousands in over 100 countries, promoting values in geoscience research, service to society, and professional communication. Attending the GSA 2022 fall meeting was a wonderful experience. I was able to collaborate with other scientists across different backgrounds and fields, and expand my knowledge of the geosciences among a diverse and supportive community. At the conference, I listened to talks given on a variety of interesting subjects in geology, such as the paleoecology of localities in Nevada. Attending the brief talks was a wonderful way to learn about a new subject and area in the geology field. Aside from presenting a poster, I also attended poster sessions throughout the meeting. I found listening to other poster presentations offered a great avenue to learn more about different research in a variety of different study areas. The ability to have a discussion and ask questions to the presenter was a wonderful opportunity to learn more about different aspects of research and collaborate with scientists.
GSA also featured a large number of exhibitor booths, including booths for universities and colleges, educational nonprofits, geoscience careers and agencies, and more. I enjoyed exploring the wide range of companies, agencies, campuses, etc during the meeting, and talking with a variety of people interested in the many aspects of geology. Overall, my time at the GSA 2022 meeting led to a discovery, collaboration and insight into geoscience research, careers, and knowledge. I valued attending and presenting at the conference, growing in my curiosity and leadership.
