Student support for 2019 GSA Thompson Field Forum in Grand Canyon; September 14-21, 2019

该提案为五名学生和两名早期职业专业人员参加第17届美国地质学会汤普森现场论坛提供了支持，该论坛的主题是“大峡谷的年龄和雕刻：争取解决140年的辩论”。“该论坛将汇集28名研究人员和科学家，在最近的进展和正在进行的辩论的背景下讨论大峡谷的年龄和切割历史的证据。目标是促进关于这一主题的下一代研究，这对科学界和公众都有广泛的兴趣。人们对这个似乎是一个古老的课题产生了相当大的兴趣，但最近的科学进展引发了关于峡谷的年龄和形成的争议和新的想法，并在《科学》和《自然》杂志上发表了引人注目的文章。有待讨论的有争议的观点包括：1）地幔与地表水文联系的证据; 2）科罗拉多高原正在进行的地幔驱动的隆起; 3）科罗拉多高原侵蚀的有争议的“靶心”; 4）由于切口瞬变和/或强度可变的岩石层导致的主要转折点的原因。这次会议是及时的，因为社会需要审查和评估第一手的证据，并制定更好的综合方法来测试这些和其他辩论。学生和早期职业专业人员（包括四名妇女）将得到这项活动的支持，他们积极参与大峡谷研究，因此将了解和接受讨论的细微差别。他们还将有机会在一般性讨论中介绍他们的新工作。他们将接触到高水平的综合科学，这将对他们的职业生涯产生潜在的变革性影响。与现场论坛相关的一个独特的机会将是沿着科罗拉多河穿过大峡谷的河流之旅，有机会讨论露头上的科学问题和晚上的研讨会。该奖项体现了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The proposal provides support for the participation of five students and two early career professionals in the 17th Geological Society of America Thompson Field Forum on the "Age and carving of the Grand Canyon: Towards a resolution of 140 years of debate." The forum will bring together 28 researchers and scientists to discuss evidence for the age and incision history of the Grand Canyon in the context of recent advances and ongoing debates. The goal to promote the next generation of research on this subject, which is of broad interest both to the scientific community and the general public. There has been considerable interest in what seems to be like an old subject, but recent scientific advances have provoked controversy and new ideas regarding the age and formation of the canyon with high-profile publications in the journals, Science and Nature. Controversial ideas to be discussed include: 1) evidence for mantle-to surface hydrologic connections; 2) ongoing mantle-driven uplift of the Colorado Plateau; 3) the contested "bulls-eye" of erosion of the Colorado Plateau; and 4) Causes of major knickpoints as due to incision transients and/or variable strength rock layers. The conference is timely in that the community needs to examine and evaluate the evidence first hand and develop better integrated methodologies to test these and other debates. The students and early career professionals (including four women) will be supported by this activity are actively involved in Grand Canyon research and hence will be knowledgeable and receptive to the nuances of the discussions. They will also get a chance to present their new work for the general discussions. The exposure they will get to high level integrative science will be potentially transformative for their careers. A unique opportunity associated with the Field Forum will be a river trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon with opportunities to discuss scientific questions on the outcrop and at evening seminars. Society benefits from this activity include contributions to STEM education and educator development; development of a diverse, globally competitive workforce; and contributions to the broadening of participation of underrepresented groups in STEM.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.