The Paleontological Society Council approved in March 2001 a
plan to
partially support PS-sponsored short courses and topical sessions at
annual meetings of the Geological Society of America. We recognize the
value of these events for our membership and other scientists, and we
would like to make them less burdensome to develop and also increase the
diversity of participants. Short course organizers may request up to
$3000 per year to defray the travel expenses of visiting speakers on the
program. These funded speakers must be individuals who are not normally
expected to attend the annual GSA meetings, with the Council looking most
favorably on individuals from outside the geological sciences. Organizers
may apply to the PS Council for these funds at the time they submit the
short-course proposals, justifying the qualifications of the speakers and
emphasizing the educational value to our membership of the resulting
presentations. The application need be only a few paragraphs accompanied
by a proposed travel budget. The organizer must be a member of the
Paleontological Society to receive funding. In the same manner, the PS
Council has allocated up to $2000 per year for PS-sponsored topical
sessions at the annual GSA meetings. The rules are the same as for
short-course funding, except that topical sessions may be competing for
the limited funding, and that no single session will receive more than
$1000. This funding program will be in place for the next three years,
starting with the 2001 short course (Brachiopods) and the 2002 topical
sessions. At the end of this interval, the PS Council will reconsider the
value of the program and the allocated amounts.
We always encourage short course and topical session proposals, and we
are
excited about the new ideas and speakers this funding makes possible. If
you are considering a short course or topical session proposal, please
contact the PS Program Coordinator, Mark Wilson
(mwilson@acs.wooster.edu).
The next opening for a short course is in November 2004. Topical session
proposals for the 2002 GSA meeting (October 27-30, 2002, in Denver) must
be submitted by the session organizers to GSA by January 17, 2002. PS
sponsorship should be obtained prior to submitting a proposal to GSA. To
facilitate consideration of sponsorship by the PS Council, please submit
ideas to Mark Wilson by November 1, 2001 (especially if you wish to
request funding for the session).
Dr. Patricia H. Kelley
President, Paleontological Society
Chair, Department of Earth Sciences
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
601 South College Road
Wilmington, NC 28403-5944
Phone: (910) 962-7406
Fax: (910) 962-7077