The Geochemical Society is a nonprofit scientific organization founded to encourage the application of

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

to solve problems involving

geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ear ...

and

cosmology Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount (lexicographer), Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', and in 1731 taken up in ...

. The society promotes understanding of

geochemistry Geochemistry is the science that uses the tools and principles of chemistry to explain the mechanisms behind major geological systems such as the Earth's crust and its oceans. The realm of geochemistry extends beyond the Earth, encompassing the e ...

through the annual Goldschmidt Conference, publication of a peer-reviewed journal and electronic newsletter, awards programs recognizing significant accomplishments in the field, and student development programs. The society's offices are located on the campus of the

Carnegie Institution for Science The Carnegie Institution of Washington (the organization's legal name), known also for public purposes as the Carnegie Institution for Science (CIS), is an organization in the United States established to fund and perform scientific research. Th ...

in Washington, DC.

Organization and meetings

The Geochemical Society was founded in 1955 at a meeting of the

Geological Society of America The Geological Society of America (GSA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the geosciences. History The society was founded in Ithaca, New York, in 1888 by Alexander Winchell, John J. Stevenson, Charles H. Hitchco ...

. Its first president was Earl Ingerson and dues started at two dollars per year. In 1990 it was incorporated as a

501(c)(3) A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 50 ...

nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

in 1990. In 1988, the Geochemical society created the Goldschmidt Conferences in honor of the geochemist

Victor Goldschmidt Victor Moritz Goldschmidt (27 January 1888 in Zürich – 20 March 1947 in Oslo) was a Norwegian mineralogist considered (together with Vladimir Vernadsky) to be the founder of modern geochemistry and crystal chemistry, developer of the Golds ...

(1888–1947), "considered to be the founder of modern geochemistry and crystal chemistry". It was soon joined by the European Association of Geochemistry, and at the 2014 meeting the two organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the governance and trademark protection of the meeting. The conference is one of the world's largest devoted to geochemistry. The society's board of directors holds its annual meeting during the conference.

Membership

The Geochemical Society has nearly 4,000 members from more than 70 countries. Most members are students, researchers and faculty of geochemistry related fields, although anyone with an interest in geochemistry may join. Membership is calendar year and dues are US$35 for a Professional, US$15 for Student, and $20 for Seniors. Membership includes a subscription to ''Elements Magazine'' and also offers discounts on Geochemical Society publications, Mineralogical Society of America publications and conference registration discounts at the Goldschmidt Conference, Fall AGU, and the annual GSA conference.

Publications

The Geochemical Society publishes, co-publishes, or sponsors the following: * ''

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta ''Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta'' (GCA, for, , Latin, Geochemical and Cosmochemical Journal) is a biweekly peer-reviewed scientific journal published by Elsevier. It was established in 1950 and is sponsored by the Geochemical Society and the ...

'' (''GCA'') – peer-reviewed journal with 24 issues per year, co-sponsored with the

Meteoritical Society The Meteoritical Society is a non-profit scholarly organization founded in 1933 to promote research and education in planetary science with emphasis on studies of meteorites and other extraterrestrial materials that further our understanding of the ...

. * '' Elements: An International Magazine of Mineralogy, Geochemistry, and Petrology'' – 6 issues per year * ''Geochemical News'' – electronic newsletter published weekly * ''Special Publications Series'' – published at various times * ''

Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry ''Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry'' is the official review journal of the Mineralogical Society of America and The Geochemical Society. It was established in 1974 as ''Mineralogical Society of America Short Course Notes'' and renamed to ' ...

'' (''RiMG'') – peer-reviewed multi-author volumes on topics approved by the governing councils of the Geochemical Society and the Mineralogical Society of America. * ''Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems'' (''G-cubed'') – online journal with peer-reviewed original research papers. 12 issues per year published in collaboration with the American Geophysical Union.

Awards

The Geochemical Society presents the following annual awards: * V. M. Goldschmidt Award – the society's highest honor, it is awarded for major achievements in geochemistry or cosmochemistry. * F.W. Clarke Medal – named after Frank Wigglesworth Clarke (1847–1931), a chemist who determined the composition of the Earth's crust, it goes to an early-career scientist for an outstanding contribution to geochemistry or cosmochemistry. *C.C. Patterson Medal – named after

Clair Cameron Patterson Clair Cameron Patterson (June 2, 1922 – December 5, 1995) was an American geochemist. Born in Mitchellville, Iowa, Patterson graduated from Grinnell College. He later received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and spent his entire profe ...

(1922–1995), who developed

uranium–lead dating Uranium–lead dating, abbreviated U–Pb dating, is one of the oldest and most refined of the radiometric dating schemes. It can be used to date rocks that formed and crystallised from about 1 million years to over 4.5 billion years ago with routi ...

, it recognizes an innovative breakthrough in environmental geochemistry, particularly one of value to society. *Alfred Treibs Medal – Named after

Alfred E. Treibs Alfred E. Treibs (1899–1983) was a German organic chemist who is credited with founding the area of organic geochemistry. He received his PhD under Hans Fischer at the Technical University of Munich. Fischer had received the Nobel Prize in Che ...

(1899–1983), whose papers on

porphyrins Porphyrins ( ) are a group of heterocyclic macrocycle organic compounds, composed of four modified pyrrole subunits interconnected at their α carbon atoms via methine bridges (=CH−). The parent of porphyrin is porphine, a rare chemical compo ...

were the beginning of the field of

organic chemistry Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds and organic materials, i.e., matter in its various forms that contain carbon atoms.Clayden, J.; ...

, it is awarded by the Organic Geochemistry Division (OGD) for major achievements in organic geochemistry. The OGD also presents an annual Best Paper Award for a publication in the previous year. *Geochemical Fellows – Starting in 1996, the Geochemical Society and the European Association of Geochemistry (EAG) bestow this honor on outstanding scientists who have made a major contribution to the field of geochemistry. Holders of the Goldschmidt and Treibs medals, as well as the

Urey Medal The Urey Medal is given annually by the European Association of Geochemistry for outstanding contributions advancing Geochemistry over a career. The award is named after the physical chemist Harold Urey, FRS. Urey Medalists See also * List ...

of the EAG, are automatically inducted. The Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes outstanding service to the Society or the geochemical community, is not awarded every year. The Geochemical Society sponsors a special lecture at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America. Called the F. Earl Ingerson Lecture Series, it honors the first president of the Geochemical Society. At the Goldschmidt Conference, the Paul W. Gast Lecture is awarded to a mid-career scientist (under 45 years old) in honor of the first Goldschmidt medalist.

References

External links

Geochemical Society homepage
{{authority control Geochemistry organizations Geology societies Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C. Scientific organizations based in the United States Scientific organizations established in 1955