The 51st AGS Colloquium and Annual Meeting is being planned for the Delta Hotel in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, on February 7-8, 2025.

Planning for the 51st Colloquium is underway and the organizing committee is requesting Special Session and Workshop/Short Course proposals to be submitted by Friday, November 15, 2024.

Organizing Committee

The 2025 colloquium is being organized by a group of AGS members: Carla Skinner, Maureen Matthew, Deanne van Rooyen, Rob Fensome, Jared Butler, Vania Correia, and Lynn Dafoe. If you are interested in helping with any aspect, please contact Carla or Maureen.

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Sponsors of the Colloquium

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Transportation

We are looking into providing a shuttle from SMU & DAL to and from the Colloquium. Please answer the poll HERE on whether you would take advantage of free transportation.

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Registration

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Abstract Submission

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Program

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Posters

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Workshops and Short Courses

Workshops and short courses are a good way to keep existing skills sharp or learn new ones. If you (or you and colleagues) are interested in helping to organize a workshop/short course, please email the organizers Carla Skinner (carla.skinner@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca) and Maureen Matthew (Maureen.Matthew@dal.ca) with the proposed title, description, and timeline. The deadline for submission of workshop/short course proposals is 15 November 2024.

Once we have the workshops/short courses confirmed, more information for each will be available here and on Fourwaves.

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Special Sessions

The Colloquium is centered around special sessions that comprise oral and poster presentations. If you (or you and colleagues) are interested in helping to organize a special session, please email the organizers Carla Skinner (carla.skinner@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca) and Maureen Matthew (Maureen.Matthew@dal.ca) with the proposed title and a short description to attract presenters. As a special session organizer, we will ask you to solicit abstracts from colleagues and other experts in the field (and their students) and to chair the session at the Colloquium. Special sessions are great opportunities to get researchers together with a common interest to advance the topic. The deadline for submission of special session proposals is 15 November 2024.

Once we have the special sessions confirmed, a list with a title and brief description for each session will be available here and on Fourwaves.

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General sessions

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Student Evaluations

If you are a student, here is some guidance on what the judges are considering when evaluating your oral presentation or poster. Please note that posters may be assessed without students present – posters should allow for brief and efficient communication that can be self-contained.

Oral Presentations
• Abstract is well written with good grammar
• Presentation has a logical flow, speaking is clear and confident, and on time
• Slides are clear, sensible graphics, appropriate number
• Scientifically sound, able to answer questions

Poster Presentations
• Abstract is well written with good grammar
• Sections are well-defined with balanced content and space
• Graphics are effective
• Scientifically sound

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Call for Nominations for AGS Awards

The Atlantic Geoscience Society is accepting nominations by 8 January 2025 in the following categories:

AGS Distinguished Scientist Award (Gesner Medal)
AGS Distinguished Service Award (Laing Ferguson Award)
AGS Nelly Koziel Award

The call for nominations contains the criteria for each award and the requirement for each nomination package, details linked HERE. Nominations, supporting letters, and all documentation should be submitted by email to the Vice Chair to allow easy dispersal to award adjudicators.

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Student Travel Grants

The AGS Student Travel Grant enables up to 4 students to attend and present at the AGS Annual Colloquium. Students can apply for up to $400 in funding in the first instance. Priority will be given to students who are travelling more than 500 km to attend the conference, presenting talks or posters and who wish to attend a workshop offered as part of the conference. Students should send their applications directly to Rob Raeside, attaching a single pdf with a short cover letter including a statement indicating their degree program, why they wish to attend the meeting and how they expect to benefit from it, a copy of the abstract as planned to be submitted to the AGS Colloquium and a budget of the costs associated with attendance, including travel, and other sources of funding available. The submission deadline for a travel grant is 8 January 2025 and applicants will be informed of the results soon after to provide time for travel planning and conference registration. Successful applicants will be required to provide receipts after travel (or a travel claim from their institution). The funds will be provided to the student at the Colloquium.

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Accessibility

Accessibility is important for AGS and is a priority for the Colloquium. Accessibility means being able to access information, services, and places without barriers. We have chosen our conference location for its physical accessibility – the entire Colloquium will occur on the main floor with no stairs or obstacles between spaces, and washroom facilities are on the same floor as well. We kindly remind presenters to consider the size and colours of their text and graphics to ensure the information is available for all to learn – 5-10% of the population experience some level of colour perception differences. Accessible colour palettes and accessible font lists are available online with a quick internet search. When registering for the luncheon and/or banquet we have provided options for various food considerations but please contact us or use the blank option in the form if we have overlooked something that would make nutrition more accessible for you. We will also have a few spaces on the floor if you need a less crowded and quieter place. If you have any requests or suggestions on what we can do to increase the accessibility of the Colloquium, please reach out to organizers Carla Skinner (carla.skinner@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca) and Maureen Matthew (Maureen.Matthew@dal.ca).

Disabilities can be visible or invisible, chronic or fluctuate. Respect and science are for everyone.

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Colloquium location

Accommodations at the Delta Hotel in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia are being held in a block for $149 (standard) to $189 (king suite) until 7 January 2025, whereupon they will be released. After this date availability cannot be guaranteed. To receive the conference rate, please indicate when booking that you are part of the Atlantic Geoscience Society event. The hotel is located at 240 Brownlow Avenue, Dartmouth. Reservations can be made by calling 1-902-468-8888.