News Release

GSA, the Paleontological Society, and SEPM in STEPPE together

Business Announcement

Geological Society of America

Boulder, Colorado, USA – STEPPE is a newly established, NSF-supported consortium involving the Geological Society of America (GSA), the Paleontological Society (PS), and the Society for Sedimentary Geology (SEPM) -- designed to coordinate research, teaching, and learning in the areas of sedimentary geology and paleobiology. STEPPE stands for "Sedimentary geology, Time, Environment, Paleontology, Paleoclimate, and Energy," promoting study of Earth's past for our common future.

Predictions of the future require a detailed understanding of the past, and realistic expectations for biotic response to the environmental changes we know to be coming require a deeper understanding of life-environment linkages in the past.

Sedimentary strata in Earth's crust contain most of humankind's natural and energy resources. These also provide the principal long-term archival record of biological evolution and evidence for the causes and ecological consequences of global environmental change. Sedimentary geology and paleontology provide critical benchmark studies of global climate change and its effects on life and the environment through the history of the earth.

STEPPE's mission is to be a voice for and to communicate the results of investigations into these geological records for the benefit of society. This includes training a critically needed sedimentary geology and paleontology workforce to develop energy and environmental applications. STEPPE aims to support these geoscience disciplines by facilitating development of key research infrastructure that will improve acquisition of and access to data, information, and integrative models. STEPPE will help (1) articulate priorities for research in associated disciplines; (2) promote sharing of observations; and (3) publicize new scientific advances to inform energy management and climate policy.

"STEPPE is a major initiative integrating sedimentary geologists and paleontologists, one of the largest global geoscience communities, into a more cohesive research effort with benefits to society world-wide," said Howard Harper of SEPM.

###

For more information about STEPPE please contact:

Jack Hess, Geological Society of America, jhess@geosociety.org

Sandra Carlson, Paleontological Society, sjcarlson@ucdavis.edu

Howard Harper, Society for Sedimentary Geology, hharper@sepm.org

http://www.geosociety.org


Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.