EAG Early Career Science Ambassador crosses continents to attend the Gordon Research Conference on Rock Deformation
Between the 4th and the 9th of August 2024 I had the opportunity to attend the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on rock deformation. This year’s theme was ‘Capturing Timescales of Rock Deformation’ and brought together a wide variety of experimentalists, field geologists, seismologists and geophysicists. My research is focused on low temperature deformation and fluid flow at the shallow subduction interface. I mostly study exhumed accretionary wedges and use them as analogue for the active shallow subduction interface to study seismic and aseismic processes. At this year’s GRC, I presented a poster with my most recent results from the exhumed accretionary prism on Kenai in Southern Alaska. With the use of U-Pb geochronology on detrital zircon as well as zircon cooling ages from (U-Th)/He thermochronology, I was able to demonstrate the timing and cyclicity of underplating and accretion and erosional episodes in this wedge. This has implications for our understanding of the evolution of the rheology of the plate interface in space and time.
Attending this event allowed me to present my work to a large community interested in the rheology of weak sediments that define the shallow plate interface. Doing so, I was not only able to demonstrate my work at this specific community, but also to extend my scientific network and lay the basis for future collaborations. Due to the small size of this conference and informal and open culture, it was easy to meet and discuss science with other researchers in my field. This included people from all levels, from graduate students to established professors. I expect that the new connections, which I made this week, will have a positive impact on my career, and is the largest benefit from attending this conference. Personally, I developed my understanding of rock rheology, mostly from the large experimental community present at this conference. With my future work planned in the field of experimental fluid-rock interaction, I could use the extended presentations and posters to deepen my knowledge about experimental rock deformation.
On Tuesday afternoon, we had the opportunity to join a field excursion to the metasedimentary rocks exposed at the Two Lights State Park, located in Cape Elizabeth, in Maine. Besides new insights in the coastal geology of the northeast of the USA, this also provided another informal way to make new connections and was also a good moment to just relax and enjoy the nature.
I would definitely recommend attending any Gordon Conference, because of the small and informal nature it is an excellent way to meet and discuss science with your peers. I really enjoyed this meeting and I would like to thank the EAG for sponsoring me through the Early Career Science Ambassador Program!
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