Brent Owens and Christopher M. Bailey, William & Mary

Friday, October 26th – Saturday, October 27th, 2018

This year’s field trip will focus on the geology of the Southside Virginia Piedmont.  Yes, Virginia there are rocks exposed in the Southside Piedmont! The 2018 conference will highlight new geochemical, geochronological, and structural insights into the geologic history of terranes in the southeastern-most Piedmont including the Roanoke Rapids, Raleigh, and Carolina terranes.  The conference will be based out of Petersburg, and the field trip will venture as far south as Skippers, near the Virginia-North Carolina state line.

CONFERENCE INFORMATION

The 48th Virginia Geological Field Conference will meet in Petersburg, Virginia at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Petersburg/Dinwiddie. The hotel is located off I-85 and near US Rt. 460 on the southwest side of Petersburg.

EVENTS

Student Geoscience Career Mentoring Workshop—3 to 5 p.m., Friday, October 26, hotel conference room.  Open to all two-year, four-year, and graduate college students.

Reception, Business Meeting, and Field Trip Introduction – 6 to 8 p.m. at the hotel meeting room

The Field Trip – Saturday, Oct. 27 departure at 7:30 a.m. from Holiday Inn Express & Suites Petersburg/Dinwiddie. Return by 6 p.m.

The field trip will include a traverse across the Southside Virginia Piedmont, stops will include the Petersburg Granite, mafic and felsic rocks in the Roanoke Rapids terrane, Skipper Granite quarry, and the Falls of the Nottoway.  We’ll have lunch in Emporia, Virginia. Participants should wear sturdy shoes, and dress for Fall weather in the Piedmont.  Hard hats are needed for the quarry visit.  Weather permitting, participants may wish to immerse themselves (or some part of themselves) in the Nottoway River.  There will be some walking over rough terrain, the longest walk will be ~1/2 mile.

COSTS

Professionals – $75 or $80                           Students – $25 or $30

Participants can pay beforehand with check for $75/$25 students (payable to Virginia Geologic Field Conference, c/o Mark Carter, 3391 West Old Mountain Road, Louisa VA), or use Eventzilla for $80/$30 students. Register early as there will not be on-site registrations. Students, if paying by check, please indicate whether or not you are planning to attend the Friday afternoon Student Forum/Workshop in addition to the Saturday Field Trip.  Also, be prepared to show a current Student ID at check-in.

Registration fees include food/drink at the reception, transportation for the field trip, lunch, beverages, and snacks on Saturday.