Northwest Geological Society

The Northwest Geological Society is a non-profit educational organization which provides a forum for information and discussion on Northwest geology and related topics. The Society sponsors talks by leading academic and professional geologists at its monthly meetings, conducts field trips to locales of regional geologic interest, and publishes meeting summaries and field guides based on those activities. The Geological Society holds its monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of each month, from October through June. These meetings are held at the Talaris Conference Center in Northeast Seattle, and are preceded by an optional dinner and social hour. Dues are $30 per year for non-students and $5 per year for student members. The monthly meetings feature talks on regional geoscience issues, given by leading authorities in their field. Topics are generally on regional issues, but occasionally include broader subjects or more distant settings. They include discussions by academic and government researchers, talks by professionals in the field, and presentations from industry practitioners. Summaries of these talks are compiled, edited, and are published for the membership. The meetings are open to all, but field trips and Geology Society publications are available to members only. Advance reservations are required for dining, and members receive a discount on this service. Membership is open to anyone interested in regional geoscience issues, and includes professionals, teachers, students, and others who have an interest in this field. The Society sponsors two overnight field trips each year, in the fall and the spring, to locales of regional geologic interest. These trips are conducted by leading researchers and practitioners in the field, and are an outstanding opportunity to experience the geology of the Northwest in a small-group setting. These trips are open only to members, and are offered at a modest cost. Space on field trips is limited, and is awarded on a first-come basis. The Society publishes the field guides developed for these trips, along with summaries of the talks given at our monthly meetings. These publications are available only to members, as a benefit of membership. Our current publications list includes 20 field trips, along with the meeting summaries, published as PDF files on a CD disc. The Society also sponsors annual poster sessions, provides student scholarships, maintains an employment-contact bulletin board, participates in local and regional geoscience conferences, and provides a forum for organizations of similar interests. It maintains a website which serves as its central source of information. The Society also enjoys affiliations with a number of other local and regional geoscience organizations.

The Northwest Geological Society was founded in 1987, and is chartered as a private non-profit organization under applicable state and federal statutes. It is governed by an elected Board of Directors, which meets monthly. Board meetings are open to all members, and are a matter of public record.