Welcome to Western!
On behalf of the Geological Association of Canada (GAC®), the Mineralogical Association of Canada (MAC), and the Local Organizing Committee, Roberta and I welcome you to the 2021 GAC®-MAC Join Annual Meeting. For many reasons, this is not your regular GAC-MAC! Faced with a worsening COVID-19 pandemic in the Spring, we made the difficult decision to postpone this meeting.
Thankfully, at least here in London, Ontario, Canada, the pandemic has waned to the point that we can now welcome many attendees to our beautiful campus of Western University for an in-person program that will run November 3rd to 5th 2021, with an opening Icebreaker on November 2nd – for those attending the Icebreaker, bring your jacket as we will be holding this in a tent so that we can enjoy a drink together!
Recognizing that many would not be able to join us here in London, we have put together a fully virtual program to open GAC®-MAC on November 1st. We are also delighted to be able to offer the “regular” program November 3rd to 5th 2021 in a hybrid format, accessible to virtual and in-person attendees. With a number of short courses running on the weekend before GAC®-MAC and an Educators Workshop on Saturday November 6th, this promises to be an action-packed week of geoscience.
With the theme of Exploring Geosciences Through Time and Space, two Canadian Associations with national and international members have joined forces to promote life-long learning through this meeting. The program of this joint meeting, with over 300 abstracts, provides a glimpse of the research conducted by the GAC® and MAC geoscience community whose contribution is vital to the economic prosperity and social well-being of the nation.
The GAC®-MAC 2021 meeting could not happen without exhibitors and sponsors, which we thank for their financial contribution. Roberta and I would also like to thank the Local Organizing Committee and the Western Conference Services team for their unwavering dedication and hard work throughout the past few years in the lead up to this meeting. Our sincere thanks also go to the GAC® and MAC Councils, employees, and volunteers. Thank you to all who contributed ideas for symposia, special sessions, short courses and field trips, which allowed the Local Organizing Committee to put together a strong and diverse scientific program. Finally, thanks to all attendees, both virtual and in-person, that make this meeting a success.
In closing, Western University, GAC®, and MAC are dedicated to providing an equal-opportunity experience for attendees regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, religion, or age. Please join the Local Organizing Committee in making GAC®-MAC 2021 a Respectful, Inclusive Scientific Event (“RISE”).
LOC Chair (GAC): Gordon Osinski
LOC Co-Chair (MAC): Roberta Flemming
GAC-MAC 2021 :: Local Organizing Committee
LOC Chair (GAC) – Gordon Osinski
LOC Co-Chair (MAC) – Roberta Flemming
General Secretary – Erika Gongora, Vesna Jarvis
Finance – Catherine Neish
Exhibits, Sponsors, Fundraising – Bob Linnen
Science Program & Publications – Phil McCausland
Field Trips – Patricia Corcoran
Workshops / Short Courses – Roberta Flemming
Outreach and Education – Alysha McNeil
Communications and Website – Cindy Mora Stock, Carolyn Hill-Svehla
Abstracts and Registration – Nigel Blamey
Venue, Technical Services – Eric Pilles
Special Events / Social Events – Cassandra Marion
Integrated Hybrid Meeting Development – Cliff Fielder
Virtual Posters and Networking – Gavin Tolometti
W: https://gacmac2021.ca/ :: E: gacmac2021@uwo.ca :: T: #gacmac2021
