Conference Description
The Geobiology GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes a diverse range of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.
Geobiology investigates the co-evolution and interdependencies of life and Earth. This knowledge can be applied to solving societal problems and searching for life beyond Earth. We explore the role of microbes and multicellular life in geochemical transformations, the environmental factors that test the limits of microbial activity, the signals of this biological activity in the geologic records, and the potential for geobiological systems to mitigate anthropogenic problems and inform astrobiology. The major goal of the conference is to facilitate interactions among different sub-disciplines such as geochemistry, geomicrobiology, paleontology, sedimentology, astrobiology, environmental/biological engineering, and Earth system modeling and bring them together to understand the ongoing co-evolution of life and the environment. We invite contributions that describe current questions and challenges in the field, present novel tools, techniques and approaches, or uncover novel insights about the past and the present, and how they inform our future.
The topics, speakers, and discussion leaders for the conference sessions are displayed below. The conference chair is currently developing their detailed program, which will include the complete meeting schedule, as well as the talk titles for all speakers. The detailed program will be available by September 16, 2023. Please check back for updates.
Nitrogen Evolution and Dynamics
Discussion Leaders
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Alyson Santoro (U. California Santa Barbara, United States)
Speakers
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Anne Dekas (Stanford University, United States)
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Sebastian Kopf (University of Colorado Boulder, United States)
Geobiology for a Changing Planet
Discussion Leaders
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Jeffrey Marlow (Boston University, United States)
Speakers
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Oliver Warr (University of Ottawa, Canada)
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N. Cecilia Martinez-Gomez (University of California, Berkeley, United States)
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Linta Reji (Princeton University, United States)
Coevolution of Multicellular Life and Ecosystems
Discussion Leaders
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Russell Shapiro (California State University Chico, United States)
Speakers
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Kathleen Ritterbush (University of Utah, United States)
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Victoria Petryshyn (University of Southern California - Los Angeles, CA, United States)
Innovative Culturing to Access Novel Physiologies
Discussion Leaders
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Annette Rowe (University of Cincinnati, United States)
Speakers
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Brett Baker (University of Texas Austin, United States)
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Andrew Roger (Dalhousie University, Canada)
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Masaru Nobu (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Japan)
Early Branches on the Tree of Life
Discussion Leaders
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Phoebe Cohen (Williams College, United States)
Speakers
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Fengping Wang (Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China)
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Caroline Ajo-Franklin (Rice University, United States)
Geochemical Tracers of Life and Habitats
Discussion Leaders
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Paula Welander (Stanford University, United States)
Speakers
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Kate Freeman (Pennsylvania State University, United States)
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Julio Sepúlveda (University of Colorado Boulder, United States)
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Kimberly Lau (Penn State, United States)
Life on Other Worlds: Habitability and Biosignatures
Discussion Leaders
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Aaron Regberg (NASA Johnson Space Center, United States)
Speakers
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Matthew Schrenk (Michigan State University, United States)
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Kennda Lynch (Lunar and Planetary Institute / USRA, United States)
Life and Minerals
Discussion Leaders
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Jasquelin Pena (University of Lausanne, Switzerland)
Speakers
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Arash Komeili (University of California, Berkeley, United States)
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Gabriela Farfan (Smithsonian Institution, United States)
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Alexandra Turchyn (University of Cambridge, United Kingdom)
Survival and Persistance
Discussion Leaders
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Elizabeth Trembath-Reichert (Arizona State University, United States)
Speakers
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Sunita Walter (University of Delaware, United States)
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Gurol Suel (University of California, San Diego, United States)
The GRC Power Hourâ„¢
Organizers
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Phoebe Cohen (Williams College, United States)