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| North American Cordillera Workshop | |
|---|---|
| Name | North American Cordillera Workshop |
| Formation | 19XX |
| Type | Conference |
| Purpose | Geological and tectonic research coordination |
| Region | North America |
North American Cordillera Workshop
The North American Cordillera Workshop is a recurring scientific meeting focused on the geology, tectonics, stratigraphy, and geodynamics of the Cordillera region encompassing the western margin of North America including parts of Alaska, Canada, and the United States. The Workshop convenes researchers, students, and policy advisers from institutions such as United States Geological Survey, Geological Survey of Canada, Smithsonian Institution, University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford University to synthesize field data, geochronology, and geophysical models. It serves as a nexus linking field-based groups like the Society of Economic Geologists, analytic centers like the Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, and funding agencies including the National Science Foundation and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.
The Workshop addresses tectonic processes across the Cordillera, from the Aleutian Arc and Alaska Range through the Canadian Rockies, Columbia River Basalt Group, Basin and Range Province, and the Sierra Nevada (U.S.). It integrates datasets from projects such as EarthScope, Large Igneous Provinces research, Tectonics of the North American Plate initiatives, and regional surveys by the British Columbia Geological Survey. Stakeholders include agencies like the U.S. Forest Service, commissions such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and universities like University of British Columbia, University of Arizona, and University of Colorado Boulder.
Origins trace to collaborative meetings among researchers affiliated with United States Geological Survey, Geological Survey of Canada, the University of Washington, and the University of Montana in the late 20th century, responding to debates sparked by studies on the Sevier orogeny, Laramide orogeny, and hypotheses by workers at institutions like California Institute of Technology and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Early conveners included scientists associated with the American Geophysical Union, the Geological Society of America, and the Royal Society of Canada. The Workshop evolved alongside major programs such as Plate Tectonics Revolution, Radiometric dating advances, and initiatives by the U.S. Department of Energy investigating geothermal systems.
Primary objectives are to synthesize stratigraphic correlations, refine magmatic and metamorphic chronologies, and resolve kinematic reconstructions of terrane accretion across the Cordillera. Themes routinely include paleoenvironmental reconstructions related to the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary, links to Sevier thrust belt mechanics, mantle dynamics informed by work from Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and resource-related studies connected to the USGS Mineral Resources Program and the Petroleum Research Fund. Workshops frequently emphasize integrated approaches combining field mapping, U–Pb geochronology, seismic tomography from Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology, and thermochronology methodologies developed at places like Oregon State University.
Governance is typically administered by steering committees drawn from universities such as University of California, Los Angeles, McGill University, and Arizona State University; professional societies including the Geological Society of America and the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists; and governmental agencies like NOAA and the Bureau of Land Management. Organizers coordinate funding proposals to agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the Natural Resources Canada, and foundations like the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Secretariat functions rotate among host institutions such as University of Nevada, Reno and University of Idaho.
Meetings have been held at venues spanning the Cordillera: academic campuses (e.g., University of Alaska Fairbanks), national parks (e.g., Glacier National Park (U.S.), Jasper National Park), and symposium settings at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting and the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting. Sessions often feature field trips to landmarks like the Franciscan Complex, San Andreas Fault, Yukon–Tanana Upland, and the Coeur d'Alene district combined with poster sessions modeled on protocols used by European Geosciences Union and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.
The Workshop has advanced understanding of terrane accretion models applied to regions like Wrangellia and Insular Superterrane, refined age constraints for magmatic belts such as the Talkeetna Arc and Peninsular Ranges Batholith, and influenced hazard assessments for subduction zones exemplified by the Cascadia subduction zone and the Aleutian megathrust. Outcomes include collaborative publications in journals like Geology (journal), Tectonics (journal), and Journal of Geophysical Research, community white papers to agencies like the National Research Council (United States), and datasets integrated into portals such as the Paleobiology Database and USGS National Geologic Map Database.
Participants encompass principal investigators from universities (e.g., University of California, Santa Barbara, University of Utah), government researchers from USGS, Geological Survey of Canada, and international collaborators from institutions such as University of Oslo and University of Tokyo. Collaborations link industry partners like Chevron Corporation and Rio Tinto Group with academic labs at Caltech, Imperial College London, and research networks such as International Continental Scientific Drilling Program.
Educational efforts include student-focused field courses affiliated with Society for Sedimentary Geology, workshops for K–12 outreach coordinated with museums like the Royal Tyrrell Museum, public lectures at centers such as the California Academy of Sciences, and training modules for resource managers from agencies like the Bureau of Land Management and Parks Canada. The Workshop supports theses and dissertations at universities including Arizona State University and University of British Columbia, and contributes teaching resources to platforms used by Coursera and edX providers.
Category:Geology conferences Category:Geology of North America