The 2015 GSA Annual Meeting is coming to Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Here in “the land of pleasant living,” Baltimore is also known as “Charm City.” I invite you to come during the first week of November to discover why.

Nestled on the fall line between the Coastal Plain and the Piedmont, GSA 2015 will visit a classic passive-margin tectonic setting. But there’s nothing passive about Baltimore, or the greater Baltimore-Washington metropolitan region! Activity will abound as we kick off the meeting with a Halloween icebreaker followed by a broad selection of technical sessions. Many pre- and post-meeting field trips will be offered, along with pre-meeting short courses to provide anyone a professional development tune-up.

This year is the bicentennial of William “Strata” Smith’s revolutionary geological map of England, Wales, and portions of Scotland, published in 1815. The historical implications of this “map that changed the world” and its continuing relevance today to the success of geological investigations on Earth and across the Solar System will be highlighted throughout the meeting.

Our proximity to Washington D.C. affords opportunities for field trips to the Smithsonian Institution and the National Mall. It also positions GSA 2015 as a natural forum for exploring the interface between the geological sciences and public policy. From climate change to hydraulic fracturing, look for technical sessions and field trips that tie into this critically important theme.

Need more reasons to attend GSA 2015? How about Career Pathways events for women in geology, geology in industry, and geology in government? Or the employment interview service? What about lunchtime “Feed Your Brain” events? And don’t forget to get out of the convention center to visit the National Aquarium, Ft. McHenry, the Inner Harbor, and loads of nearby restaurants and watering holes. I look forward to your contributions to GSA 2015 in Baltimore!

David A. Vanko, Towson University
Annual Meeting General Chair