GS Strategic Planning Process
May 29, 2019
In 2018, the GS board identified a need for the society to examine its activities and how well they are serving the international geochemistry community. The organization has a broad mission statement: The Geochemical Society is a nonprofit scientific society founded to encourage the application of geochemistry to improving our understanding of the Earth and solar system. How effective is the society at achieving this mission? To answer that question, the board decided to undertake a strategic planning process this year.
Marc Norman to Receive GS Distinguished Service Award
May 28, 2019
Dr. Marc Norman, an Emeritus Fellow in the Research School of Earth Sciences of the Australian National University, will receive the 2019 Geochemical Society Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Norman is recognized for his service to the scientific community as the executive editor of Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta from 2012-2018. GCA is the journal of the GS and the Meteoritical Society. During his tenure, the journal continued to grow in size and stature, achieving an impact factor of 4.690 in 2017 and a 5-year impact factor of 5.052.
Meet the Scientist: Orit Sivan
May 23, 2019
Name: Orit Sivan
Title: Professor
Institution: Ben-Gurion University
Place of residence: Lehavim, Israel
Website: http://oritsivansgroup.weebly.com/
What kind of science do you do?
Environmental geochemistry. My group uses isotope geochemistry to learn about biogeochemical cycles and redox couplings of globally important species (as carbon, iron and sulfur) in natural aquatic systems. We focus on interfaces, such as the sediment-water and the fresh-saline groundwater in coastal aquifers. We combine field-work, laboratory experiments, chemical measurements, and reactive-transport models.
Three GS Members Elected to US National Academy of Sciences
April 30, 2019
Three Geochemical Society members have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences in the United States: James Farquhar of the University of Maryland, College Park; Marilyn Fogel of the University of California, Riverside; and John Valley of the University of Wisconsin, Madison. All three are Geochemistry Fellows of the GS and the European Association of Geochemistry. We congratulate them on this great honor!
Learn more on the National Academy's website.
Meet the Scientist: Bumsoo Kim
April 25, 2019
Name: Bumsoo Kim
Institution: Texas A&M University
Place of residence: College Station, Texas, USA
What kind of science do you do?
I am a graduate student studying organic geochemistry to understand the past climate change during the Earth's geological history. I collect marine sediment samples from the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) and analyze lipid biomarkers, so-called "molecular fossils". Lipid biomarkers are powerful tools in providing direct evidence of the microorganisms and understanding the climate variations in the present and in the past. I enjoy playing with analytical instruments, such as gas/liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, to trace lipid biomarkers which are archived in marine sediments for millions of years.
Meet the Scientist: Fang Huang
March 24, 2019
Name: Fang Huang
Title: Professor of Geochemistry
Institution: University of Science and Technology of China
Place of residence: Hefei, Anhui, China
What kind of science do you do?
I am a geochemist. I want to understand how the Earth works and improve our environment using the knowledge of geochemistry.
Meet the Scientist: Zie Ouattara
February 21, 2019
Name: Zié Ouattara
Title: Assistant Professor
Institution: University of Man, Côte d'Ivoire
Place of Residence: Man, Côte d'Ivoire
What kind of science do you do?
I am a metallogenist and geochemist. My work is to better understand the mineral resources (particularly gold) and define the footprints that can be helpful to the exploration teams as well as the academic researchers. My daily challenge is to realize field work, collect samples, undertake laboratory work and synthetize data from several origins including lithostratigraphy, alteration, fluids inclusion, structural, metamorphism and geochemistry in order to build a model that can summarize a mineral deposition history.
Meet the Scientist: Dominique Weis
January 24, 2019
Name: Dominique Weis
Title: Professor, Canada Research Chair Tier I, FRSC
Institution: University of British Columbia
Place of Residence: Vancouver
Website: http://pcigr.eos.ubc.ca/Dominique-Weis/
What kind of science do you do?
I am a geologist by training and a geochemist in practice applying geochemical fingerprinting to constrain the geochemical evolution of our planet and its main reservoirs, to evaluate the impact of pollution on the environment, and to train young scientists in geochemistry to be leaders in the workforce. Such research requires unprecedented precision and sensitivity for the analysis of elemental concentrations and isotopic ratios in rocks, minerals, water, and organic matter that can only be provided by modern instruments (e.g., mass spectrometers). Importantly, these tools can be applied to many areas of study, including the relationship between our environment and human health.
GS Adopts Code of Ethics
January 15, 2019
The GS board of directors approved the society's first code of ethics in December, following more than a year of research and discussion. The code helps define the values of scientific and professional integrity that the society has been committed to since its founding. All members are encouraged to read it.
CORES Study Seeks Community Input
January 10, 2019
The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is now conducting a study on Catalyzing Opportunities for Research in the Earth Sciences (CORES), sponsored by the National Science Foundation's Division of Earth Sciences.
The purpose of the CORES study is to (1) identify a concise set of high-priority scientific questions for the next decade, (2) assess infrastructure needed to address these questions, and (3) determine opportunities for greater collaboration with other NSF divisions and directorates, federal agencies, and domestic and international partners.
The CORES committee is soliciting input through a questionnaire about upcoming research priorities and GS members are encouraged to submit their ideas: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4717567/CORES-Community-Input
Learn more about the study: http://nas-sites.org/dels/studies/cores/