Welcome to the Geological Society of Minnesota

The Geological Society of Minnesota is a nonprofit educational organization in operation since 1938. Our mission has been to promote public interest and to supply educational support in the geological sciences. We sponsor free lectures and labs at the University of Minnesota, conduct statewide and regional field trips, hold classroom presentations for schools, maintain a media library, publish relevant information for public distribution, and maintain and expand upon a series of geological markers throughout the state.

 

GSM Seminars

GSM seminars with slide show presentations are free and open to the public. They are presented by leading professionals in their fields and are aimed at learners from high school to adult. A question-and-answer session follows each seminar. The labs, also free and open to the public, allow a hands-on learning experience and demonstrate the ideas and principles of geology and earth science. Live lectures and labs require no registration; just show up a few minutes early on the evening of the lecture. These lectures and labs are eligible for Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits. 

Except as noted, live lectures during winter/spring 2024 are Mondays at 7:00 PM CT on the University of Minnesota campus, Keller Hall Room 3-210. A lecture with (V) following its title is an online virtual lecture. For these, free registration is required by non-members; the instructions are supplied with the lecture description.

The schedule of seminars and labs for 2023-2024 is here. For a printable version of our schedule of seminars and labs, click here. Our schedule is planned over 6 months in advance, so changes may occur. Always check this website shortly before each lecture for the latest seminar information.

Winter weather will come and snow might impact our lectures. The GSM will make any decision about cancelling or postponing a lecture due to inclement weather no later than 3:00 PM the day of the lecture. This information will be posted on this page. So check our home page shortly before each lecture in case there is a cancellation or a last-minute change. Also, we will e‐mail lecture postponement and cancellation information to our members.

Recordings of some past GSM lectures are available on the Geological Society of Minnesota YouTube channel. Subscribe to this channel for updates.

Next Seminar: Monday, March 25, 2024
Jill Mickelson, Principal Engineer, Braun Intertec
Josh Kirk, Principal Engineer, Braun Intertec
From Formations to Foundations: The Geology of Bridge Construction

In-person only at U of Minnesota, Keller Hall Room 3-210

Lecture start time 7:00 PM CT

Summary: TBS

Biography: Jill Mickelson has more than 19 years of experience in the environmental field, providing professional consulting services to private and municipal clients, including the St. Paul Port Authority, City of Waite Park, City of Rochester and the Minnesota Department of Transportation. As a principal engineer, Jill’s experience includes managing environmental construction management, preparing plans and construction documents for demolition and brownfield redevelopment projects, conducting compliance assessments and regulatory permitting, providing coordination of field operations, supervising due diligence Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) and Environmental Assessment Worksheets (EAW), and evaluating remediation strategies for soil and groundwater cleanup.

 

Minnesota's Geology Markers

Discover Minnesota’s fascinating 3 billion years of geological history by visiting 70-plus geology markers placed around the state by the Geological Society of Minnesota since 1949. Observe and learn about a rift valley, volcanoes, agates, inland seas, glaciers, rivers, caves, sinkholes, iron mining, and more. Click Minnesota’s Geology Markers to see where these markers are located. You can see most markers from your car.

 

Field Trips

GSM conducts professionally guided geology field trips. These excursions visit locations not usually experienced by the casual traveler. Local field trips can be a few hours long, encompass a weekend, or last longer than a week. Find more information here.

  

GSM's Student Outreach

Speakers for metro area elementary schools are available through the Public Service Committee to help enrich the education of young learners, particularly the 2nd to 8th grade levels. Find more information here.

 

Membership

Membership Information

Membership in the society is open to anyone with an interest in geology. The benefits of membership include:

  • The opportunity to meet others of who share an enthusiasm for learning and a curiosity for the natural world.
  • The rewarding feeling of supporting a nonprofit organization dedicated to public education.
  • GSM Newsletter - A quarterly publication contains announcements of upcoming activities, articles on the earth sciences, and GSM projects and activity reports. Past issues
  • Extensive Media Library - GSM maintains a collection of more than 330 geological DVDs. These are available to the members at lectures or through the mail for a nominal rental fee. Catalog
  • GSM Directory - This annual book is a handy resource and makes it easy to access the organization.