The Eastern Section of the AAPG will host its 50th Annual Convention in Pittsburgh, Pa. on Oct. 2-6, 2021. The meeting, themed “Unconventional Wisdom,” is planned as an in-person event that will feature a range of subjects for geologists from all aspects of the petroleum industry and beyond. It will be held in downtown Pittsburgh at the Point – the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers.
Two field trips are planned and should entice both the geo-curious as well as seasoned geoscientists. On Saturday, Oct. 2, Dan Billman will lead “Climate Change as Seen in Glacial Landscapes” in the vicinity of Moraine Park, north of Pittsburgh.
On Wednesday, Oct. 6, Randy Blood will lead “Marine Zones of the Glenshaw Formation: Fossil Collecting in the Greater Pittsburgh Area.” No promises are made, but the potential to find anything from a gastropod to a cephalopod is on the table!
Sunday, Oct. 3 is Student Day. Among the offerings is a panel discussion with practicing professionals as well as hiring managers who will talk about how to gain entry into a career as a geologist. That will be followed by the convention icebreaker and an opportunity to view Marcellus and Utica cores from the Appalachian Basin.
Technical sessions from Monday and Tuesday will be themed:
- The Hunt for Critical Minerals
- Basin Analysis/Tools of the Trade
- Geochemistry/Reservoir Characterization
- Topics in CCUS and Energy Transition
The talks will be in a single track, so all of the presentations will be held in one room.
Our keynote speaker will be Scott Tinker, director of the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology. We will also have an evening screening of Tinker’s documentary film, “Switch On,” about energy and innovation in the developing world.
Pun intended: Monday night, Oct. 4, the Rolling Stones will be in concert across the Allegheny River at Heinz Field.
What good would a geoscience convention be without a rock concert?
Early bird registration pricing ends September 17.
Note that you can register with the Wyndham at the conference rate of $164 per night until 5 p.m. EST on Sept. 17. The Wyndham has informed us that they are sold out for Monday night, so after our block of rooms is released, the price and availability cannot be guaranteed.
Early registrants will be entered into a drawing for two tickets to the Stones. One lucky registrant will win them both. There will be two more tickets awarded to another registrant at the Sunday Night Icebreaker (Need not be present to win). If you register early, you are in both drawings. If you register late, you are still in the second drawing, but may have to sleep in your car.