nrcan.gc.ca
The GAC-MAC Ottawa, 2011, presents the Canadian Earth Science community with the opportunity to air and discuss new and exciting ideas regarding all aspects of geoscience, and to present the societal relevance of the Earth Sciences to current and potential users of geoscience in other scientific communities, such as Environment, Agriculture, Fisheries and Oceans, Health, as well as to federal decision makers who can impact on Earth Science in Canada.
Building on the concept of communicating the societal relevance of the Earth Sciences, the organisers have selected Navigating Past & Future Change as the Ottawa 2011 motto. A number of vehicles can be used to ensure successful cross-disciplinary communication without impinging on the fundamental, science-based mission of a GAC-MAC meeting, including breakfast talks and discussions and public lectures.
The Ottawa 2011 motto provides 4 overarching umbrellas under which we have grouped a preliminary series of potential themes, which will be confirmed at a later date.
Navigation (informing present policies) -Water - local to national -Geological hazards - local to global
Past (technical geoscience program) -Early Earth - ancient past -Quaternary geoscience - recent past -Global tectonics - past and present -Geoarcheology - e.g. Peopling of the Americas -Earth resources - likely emphasis on mineral deposits after GeoCanada 2010 -Life - from fossil record to predictive astrobiology, evolution
Future (highlighting innovation in geoscience) -Planetology - from rocks to ice -Marine geoscience - from seabed mapping to Neptune -Impact of new technology on Earth materials science - e.g. synchrotron -Links between geoscience and big science initiatives
Change (informing future policies) -Arctic geoscience - e.g. environment, UNCLOS -Earth systems science - e.g. climate change -Geology and health -Urban geology - emphasis on aspects linked to the federal purview
In addition to the foregoing, the event will proactively foster communication regarding Geoscience Education, especially in schools, and public awareness of Earth Science.