SS-26 History of Geosciences in Canada

Convenors: David Orenstein (Toronto DSB), Raphaël Pelletier (UQAM & CIRST), Matthew Wiseman (St. Jerome’s College, University of Waterloo)

The Geosciences in Canada have long been a major part of the Geosciences internationally and a leading component of our nation’s scientific community. As early as 1913 Canada hosted an International Geological Congress (President Frank Adams) and our Geological Surveys predate Confederation (William Logan).

Geoscience has been vital to Canada’s economic development (the Klondike Gold Rush), our understanding of biological evolution (the Burgess Shale Biota and the early land vertebrates from Joggins), and the globe’s tectonics (the Newfoundland Atlantic Sandwich). Geoscientists from around the world (Charles Lyell, Peter Kropotkin, Simon Conway Morris) have been coming to Canada both to learn from our rocks and our scientists (the Dawsons – John William and George Mercer, A.P. Coleman, Tuzo Wilson).

This session is in preparation for the semi-centennial of the 1972 Montreal International Geological Congress. For more information and especially if you are interested in submitting an abstract by the July 12, 2021, deadline, please visit the GAC-MAC 2021 website: https://gacmac2021.ca/