INFORMATION FOR PRESENTERS
Speaker Ready Room
The Speaker Ready Room is located in the Peck room on the second floor of the Little Rock Marriott, and is available at the following times:
Sunday 11 March 4–7 p.m.
Monday 12 March 7–5:30 p.m.
Tuesday 13 March 7 a.m.–noon
Computers and assistance are available to view presentations. All presentations are displayed as PowerPoint presentations in technical sessions, and presentations should be prepared using a 16:9 ratio. The Speaker Ready Room can also be used to check presentations prior to uploading files. We ask that oral presenters upload their presentations the night prior for morning sessions, and at least 2 hours prior to the beginning of their session for afternoon sessions.
Posters
Each poster board is 4 feet × 8 feet (landscape), and posters can be hung with stickpins or Velcro. Pins and Velcro will be available in the exhibit hall. Posters will be located in Salon A & B adjacent to the exhibitors. Presenters are expected to have their posters up by 8:30 am, and are expected to be at their posters during the afternoon poster sessions (4:30 – 6 pm, Monday or Tuesday). Presenters should take down their posters at the end of the session. Any posters not taken down will be discarded.
TECHNICAL PROGRAM
Please direct questions related to the following sessions to Technical Program Chair Laura Ruhl.
Theme Sessions
T1. Late Paleozoic Tectonic Framework of the South-Central USA and the Evolution of the Ouachita Orogen.
Co-sponsored by GSA Sedimentary Geology Division.
Principle Organizer: Robert Stern, Univ. of Texas at Dallas, rjstern
utdallas.edu.
Co-Organizers: Daniel Rains, Arkansas Geological Survey, daniel.rainsarkansas.gov; Majie Fan, Univ. of Texas at Arlington, mfanuta.edu.
Description: The Ouachita-Marathon orogen of the southern United States tells us about a great continental collision that happened in Pennsylvanian time. It is buried for most of its 2000 km length from Birmingham, Alabama, to far-west Texas but is superbly exposed in Arkansas and Oklahoma. This session welcomes a wide range of contributions, including those that shed light on the nature of this mountain-building event, the sediments that it produced, and the associated hydrocarbon and coal deposits.
T3. Paleontology of the South-Central Region.
Principal Organizer: Joseph Daniel, PaleoAERIE, paleoaeriegmail.com.
Co-organizer: René Shroat-Lewis, Univ. of Arkansas at Little Rock, rashroatlewualr.edu.
Description: The south-central section of North America has an abundance of paleontological treasures. Even though parts of the section, such as Texas and Kansas, are well known for the significance of their paleontological discoveries, important work is being done in all five states and the parts of Mexico encompassed by the section. New researchers to the section in the last few years have expanded upon the work by previous researchers and opened new paths of exploration and science communication. In honor of Arkansaurus being voted the official state dinosaur of Arkansas and new research on the specimen being produced, this session will highlight the paleontological research happening in the south-central section while showcasing the diversity of its fossils and rich paleobiological history.
T5. Structure and Stratigraphy of the Mid-Continent Region: Mountain Building and Related Sedimentation.
Co-sponsored by GSA Sedimentary Geology Division.
Principal Organizers: Keith Gray, Wichita State Univ., k.graywichita.edu; Xiangyang Xie, Texas Christian Univ., x.xietcu.edu.
Co-organizers: William Parcell, Wichita State Univ., william.parcellwichita.edu; Matthew McKay, Missouri State Univ., matthewmckaymissouristate.edu.
Description: This session seeks papers linking intra-plate deformation and depositional processes to orogenies and the stratigraphic record.
T6. Karst Development and Karst Hydrogeology in the Mid-Continent Region of the United States.
Co-sponsored by GSA Hydrogeology Division; GSA Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division; GSA Sedimentary Geology Division.
Principal Organizer: Phillip Hays, U.S. Geological Survey and Univ. of Arkansas, pdhaysusgs.gov.
Co-organizer: Matthew Covington, Univ. of Arkansas, mcovinguark.edu.
Description: Karst aquifers are of key importance in the mid-continent region of the United States. Karst systems present one of the most complex examples of hydrogeologic framework, and these complexities are mirrored in the challenges presented in collecting data, managing, and protecting karst aquifers. Advancements in data collection methodologies and in conceptualization of karst systems are improving our understanding of karst and our ability to effectively manage karst aquifers. This session will provide a forum for describing our current state of knowledge of karst and the aquifers hosted in these systems.
T8. Carbon in the Geosphere.
Co-sponsored by GSA Sedimentary Geology Division.
Principal Organizer: Omar Harvey, Texas Christian Univ., omar.harveytcu.edu.
Description: This session will cover the occurrence, reactions, and cycling of inorganic and organic carbon in the geosphere. Presentations within the session may include experimental or modeling studies of carbon at the nano- to global-scale and natural or anthropogenic systems.
T9. Geologic Mapping in the South-Central Region of the United States (Posters).
Co-sponsored by GSA Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division; GSA Sedimentary Geology Division.
Principal Organizer: Richard Hutto, Arkansas Geological Survey, richard.huttoarkansas.gov.
Co-organizer: Garrett Hatzell, Arkansas Geological Survey, garrett.hatzellarkansas.gov.
Description: This poster session highlights recent geologic mapping in the south-central region of the United States.
T10. Holistic Approaches to Coping with Induced Seismicity in the Mid-Continent.
Principal Organizer: Casee Lemons, Texas Bureau of Economic Geology, casee.lemonsbeg.utexas.edu.
Co-organizers: Tandis Bidgoli, Kansas Geological Survey, tbidgolikgs.ku.edu; Jake Walter, Oklahoma Geological Survey, jwalterou.edu; Scott Ausbrooks, Arkansas Geological Survey, scott.ausbrooksarkansas.gov.
Description: The rate of seismicity associated with wastewater disposal has increased dramatically in the south-central United States over the last decade. Many researchers are now collaborating to build models that integrate geological, geophysical, and engineering data, leading to a more complete understanding of injection-induced seismicity mechanisms, triggering thresholds, and strategies for mitigation. We welcome a range of contributions broadly related to induced seismicity, including but not limited to, research efforts identifying causal factors for inducing seismicity (i.e. volume, rate, local stress, local geology), integrated subsurface studies, probabilistic forecasts of seismicity hazard, analyses of past regulatory actions, and recommended injection management applications. This session also aims to promote cooperation among industry, academia, and governmental organizations to develop best practices for injection well siting, operations, and hazard mitigation.
T14. Geological Survey Support to Emergency Management.
Principal Organizer: Brian Blake, Central United States Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC), bblakecusec.org.
Co-organizer: Martha Kopper, martha.kopperarkansas.gov.
Description: Overview of Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC) effort to integrate geological surveys into emergency management response plans/procedures. This session will include a review of mission-ready packages developed in partnership with the CUSEC State Geological Surveys and the National Emergency Management Association and tested during an exercise led by the Arkansas Geological Survey.
T16. Geology and Health Research on Trace Elements in Drinking Waters, and Outreach and Education Activities.
Co-sponsored by GSA Hydrogeology Division; GSA Sedimentary Geology Division.
Principal Organizer: Saugata Datta, Kansas State Univ., sdattaksu.edu.
Co-organizers: Robert Finkelman, Univ. of Texas Dallas, bobfutdallas.edu; Darcia Routh, Arkansas Dept. of Health, Darcia.Routharkansas.gov.
Description: Medical geology is the discipline that pertains to elements, minerals, naturally occurring radioactivity, and organics and their interactions with the environment and human health. This emerging field has gained significant scientific and social attention in recent years. At the same time, medical geology has initiated outreach and educational activities in both developing and developed countries. This session covers a broad spectrum of such topics that serve to advance the scientific and educational understanding of the behavior of trace elements and their cycling through the lithosphere and hydrosphere to ultimately affect human populations. This session will focus on studies related to known cases of toxicities within human populations caused by trace elements in both rural and urban environments, primarily in drinking waters. Emphasis will be placed on the health impacts of toxic trace elements (e.g. As, Se, Sb, Cr, W, Hg, Pb, REEs, among others) and the various uptake/intake mechanisms that may lead to human consumption, as well as any potential tracing or remediation techniques. We also encourage submissions along the lines of various outreach and educational activities that are being undertaken to stimulate awareness of these issues.
T18. Earth and Space Science K–Higher Education.
Co-sponsored by GSA Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division.
Principal Organizer: Margaret (Beth) McMillan, Univ. of Arkansas at Little Rock, memcmillanualr.edu.
Co-organizers: Wendi Williams, Univ. of Arkansas at Little Rock and Northwest Arkansas Community College, wjwilliamsualr.edu; Michele Snyder, Arkansas Department of Education, michele.synderarkansas.gov.
Description: Geoscience education with a focus K–higher education on pedagogy in Earth and space science (in memory of Dr. Philip Kehler, UALR emeritus professor).
T19. Undergraduate Student Research (Posters).
Co-sponsored by GSA Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division.
Principal Organizer: Joshua Spinler, Univ. of Arkansas at Little Rock, jxspinlerualr.edu.
Description: This poster session is designed to showcase undergraduate research efforts. The session is open to students working in all areas of the geosciences. All submissions should include a faculty mentor as co-author.
Discipline Sessions
D1. Hydrogeology and Water Quality of the Mid-Continent U.S. and Mexico.
Co-Organizers: Ralph K. Davis; Brian E. Haggard; Phillip D. Hays; Katherine J. Knierim; Samantha R. Wacaster; Javier Vilcae
Description: Water quality throughout the mid-continent region of the United States is impacted by a myriad of anthropogenic sources as well as natural sources that are exacerbated by human activities. These range across a spectrum of contaminants including fertilizers and pesticides, animal waste, treated and untreated human waste, commercial and industrial contaminants, and contaminants associated with extraction of water, oil, natural gas, ore minerals, construction materials, and other resources. This session aims to provide a snapshot of the primary impacts and drivers to water quality throughout the region, including observed trends.
D2. Sediment, Stratigraphy, and Climate (Posters)
D3. Climate and Landscape Evolution.
Co-Organizers: Randel T. Cox; Alex Breeding
D4. Igneous and Tectonic Activity.
Co-Organizers: Adriana Potra; Michael G. Davis