Paper No. 79-7
Presentation Time: 9:35 AM
THE AGES2 (AWARDS FOR GEOCHRONOLOGY STUDENT RESEARCH 2) PROGRAM: AN UPDATE AND SEEKING COMMUNITY INPUT ON ITS FUTURE (Invited Presentation)
FLOWERS, Rebecca M., Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, ARROWSMITH, J. Ramon, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State Univ, Tempe, AZ 85281-1404, MCCONNELL, Vicki S., Executive Director, Geological Society of America, PO Box 9140, Boulder, CO 80301, METCALF, James R., Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, RITTENOUR, Tammy M., Department of Geosciences, Utah State University, 4505 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322, SCHOENE, Blair, Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544 and ERIKSSON, Susan C., Eriksson Associates LLC, 3980 Broadway, Suite 103 #168, Boulder, CO 80304
The AGeS program is a collaborative strategy for supporting access to geochronology data and expertise. The goals of AGeS are to broaden access to geochronology data and training, promote synergistic science by fostering new relationships between labs, students, and scientists in different disciplines, and to provide strategic geochronology data for projects in which both the users and producers of the data are intellectually engaged. The program offers opportunities for US-based graduate students to develop the scientific rationale for projects involving geochronology, and then provides them with up to $10,000 to acquire data in labs while being mentored by geochronologists. AGeS2 is supported by a 3-year, cross-programmatic award from the NSF that expands the AGeS1 program into a wider initiative. Unlike AGeS1 projects, AGeS2 projects are not restricted to North American research problems. Sixty geochronology labs and >85 senior geochronologists are now part of the AGeS lab network. AGeS2 includes a new partnership with GSA, a new website hosted by GSA (http://www.geosociety.org/ages), and a new online proposal submission and review system implemented over the last year to facilitate efficient handling of the increasing AGeS proposal pressure.
In 2019, during the first AGeS2 proposal cycle, the program saw 78 complete submitted proposals, and funded 20 projects at an average cost of $8,186. The review committee consisted of 10 geochronology experts familiar with the application of geochronology. AGeS2 awardees will participate in teleconferences with the cohort of funded AGeS students over a 2-year interval. Each awardee will receive an additional $500 to attend an AGeS cohort workshop preceding the 2020 or 2021 GSA National Meeting, and will be encouraged to present their results at the meeting.
A key question for AGeS moving forward is how to make the program financially and administratively sustainable into the future. One possibility is to promote synergies between the Geochronology Division and AGeS community efforts, and capitalize on potential future opportunities for oversight and administration by the Division. However, additionally identifying ongoing sources of funding for AGeS will be key for ensuring its continued success.
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