American Quaternary Association

American Quaternary Association
Name	American Quaternary Association
Founded	1970
Location	United States
Focus	Quaternary science

American Quaternary Association is a professional association focused on the study of the Quaternary period. It brings together researchers from fields such as United States Geological Survey, Smithsonian Institution, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, and University of California, Berkeley to synthesize work on late Cenozoic changes. The association links investigators affiliated with National Science Foundation, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Royal Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and regional institutions to promote interdisciplinary exchange.

History

The organization emerged from meetings that included participants from National Academy of Sciences, European Geosciences Union, International Union for Quaternary Research, Paleontological Society, and the Geological Society of America in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Early conveners included scientists associated with Harvard University, Yale University, Columbia University, University of Chicago, and Stanford University. Major historical moments parallel international efforts such as the International Geophysical Year and programs led by Royal Society-affiliated expeditions and committees like those at Smithsonian Institution. The association's institutional development mirrored trends at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and national academies in Australia, Canada, and Germany.

Mission and Objectives

The association's mission aligns with priorities emphasized by organizations like National Science Foundation, European Commission, and United Nations Environment Programme to understand Quaternary environmental change. Objectives include fostering collaboration among investigators from Princeton University, Cornell University, University of Michigan, Ohio State University, and University of Minnesota; promoting research consonant with programs at Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, Max Planck Society, and Pew Charitable Trusts; and supporting data synthesis linked to projects at British Antarctic Survey, Australian National University, and McGill University.

Organization and Membership

Governance structures echo models used by National Academy of Sciences, Royal Society, and the American Geophysical Union, with elected officers, committees, and regional representatives from institutions such as University of Wisconsin–Madison, Michigan State University, University of Arizona, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Pennsylvania State University. Membership categories accommodate professionals from Natural History Museum, London, Canadian Museum of Nature, Field Museum of Natural History, New York Botanical Garden, and government labs including United States Geological Survey and regional geological surveys in British Columbia, New South Wales, and Saskatchewan.

Activities and Publications

The association supports publication and data sharing initiatives comparable to those of Journal of Quaternary Science, Quaternary Research, Earth-Science Reviews, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, and proceedings similar to volumes from Geological Society of America special papers. It encourages contributions that intersect research from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, International Continental Scientific Drilling Program, Integrated Ocean Drilling Program, European Geosciences Union, and university presses at Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press. Members produce syntheses that reference work by investigators at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory.

Conferences and Meetings

The association organizes regional and international meetings in coordination with bodies like Geological Society of America, European Geosciences Union, International Union for Quaternary Research, and national conferences at venues including Smithsonian Institution, American Museum of Natural History, Royal Society, and university campuses such as University of Cambridge and University of Oxford. Workshops often feature collaborations with projects like the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme, PAGES (Past Global Changes)],] and field campaigns linked to Antarctic Treaty-supported research and Greenland Ice Sheet investigations.

Awards and Recognitions

The organization confers awards and travel grants modeled after honors from National Science Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Guggenheim Fellowship, Fulbright Program, and society medals similar to those from Geological Society of America and American Geophysical Union. Recipients often hail from institutions such as Harvard University, University of Cambridge, University of Copenhagen, Australian National University, and Université Paris-Saclay and are recognized for contributions to topics addressed in collaborations with International Union for Quaternary Research and PAGES (Past Global Changes).

Outreach and Education

Outreach efforts parallel initiatives at Smithsonian Institution, American Museum of Natural History, Natural History Museum, London, Royal Society public programs, and university summer schools at Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Educational collaborations include partnerships with museums and centers such as Field Museum of Natural History, New York Botanical Garden, Canadian Museum of Nature, British Antarctic Survey, and regional parks and reserves in Yellowstone National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and Denali National Park and Preserve to translate research for public audiences.

Category:Quaternary science organizations Category:Scientific organizations based in the United States