Saturday, March 21, 2026
9 AM - 4:30 PM
MEMBERS: $35 | NON-MEMBERS: $50
Recommended for ages 8+ with astronomy background and general astronomy knowledge.
Prepaid reservations are required. Cost includes all presentations, breakfast social and lunch, as well as Museum admission. Registration ends Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at 5 PM or when the program reaches maximum capacity.
Prepaid reservations are required. Cost includes all presentations, breakfast social and lunch, as well as Museum admission. *Edited 03/03/26 per email from Ryan.*
As far back as Georgia’s earliest days as a state, its rich geology was seen as worthy of extensive study. Since then, years of research have increased our understanding of Geology’s influence on the state’s history, society, and economy. During this symposium, you will hear from scientists currently working to further knowledge of Georgia’s geology. Improved field mapping techniques, geophysical study, and new approaches in geochemistry and paleontology hold great promise in understanding not just the past but in identifying both the promises and risks in our future.
SPEAKER LINEUP TBD – updated 02.17.26
From Ancient Rocks to Modern Resources: How Georgia’s Geology Shapes Energy, Materials, and the Future
Yuanzhi Tang, PhD - Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia’s geology tells a story that spans more than a billion years, from the formation of the Appalachian Piedmont to the coastal plain sediments that continue to shape the state’s landscape and economy. This talk will explore how these deep geological foundations underpin Georgia’s modern resources, including kaolin, heavy mineral sands, industrial clays, and emerging unconventional feedstocks relevant to energy and advanced materials.
Drawing on examples from mineralogy, geochemistry, and biogeochemical processes, this talk will show how understanding rocks at the molecular and mineral scale informs everything from resource exploration and environmental stewardship to new pathways for critical materials used in advanced energy technologies. The talk will also highlight how Georgia’s unique geological endowment positions the state to play a growing role in national discussions around critical minerals, sustainable resource development, and resilient supply chains.
By connecting Georgia’s deep past to today’s energy and materials challenges, this presentation aims to bridge geology, society, and innovation, demonstrating why Earth science remains central to Georgia’s future.
Bio: Dr. Yuanzhi Tang is the Georgia Power Professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. She serves as the executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute and founding director of the Center for Critical Mineral Solutions. She is a biogeochemist with a research focus on mineral-water-microbe interactions, sustainable resource systems, and the molecular-scale processes that govern Earth material reactions. Her work spans fundamental mineralogy and biogeochemistry to applied challenges in critical minerals, energy materials, and resource sustainability. Through research, education, and public-private partnerships, she works to connect Georgia’s geological resources to innovation, workforce development, and resilient energy and materials systems.
Unveiling the Sun: How the Dunn Solar Telescope Reveals Solar Mysteries
Christine Voudy - Georgia Environmental Protection Division
Christine Voudy is the Assistant State Geologist in the Georgia Environmental Protection Division – Watershed Protection Branch. She has been with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division for 24 years. She splits State Geologist responsibilities with the State Geologist (Mr. Edward Rooks) and heads up all groundwater modeling work conducted within the Georgia EPD. She oversees all activities related to water audits for the State of Georgia, all record retention schedules for the Watershed Protection Branch, is the Regional Water Planning Liaison for the Coosa North Georgia Planning Council, and handles permitting of groundwater withdrawals for roughly 1/3rd of the State. Before joining the State, she worked as a Consultant at Bradburne, Briller & Johnson, a small environmental consulting firm based out of Chicago. She was the lead consultant for any projects in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Texas, Washington State, Hawaii, and England. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Geology from the State University of West Georgia.
New Fossil Resources Assessment at Fort Pulaski National Monument (Chatham County, Georgia, USA)
Kelly Cronin, PhD – Perimeter College
Fort Pulaski National Monument (FOPU), located on Cockspur Island in coastal Georgia, is best known for its military history as the site of the first use of rifled cannons in battle during the Civil War and over 200 years of cultural history. Nearby sites on the Georgia coast have yielded a variety of fossils of interest to professional paleontologists and amateurs alike, including fossil shark teeth, Pleistocene mammals, and various invertebrates; however, FOPU is not known for its fossil resources. Field inventories were conducted in 2023 and 2024 at the request of the park to better understand the fossil resources at the park.
Previously known fossils from FOPU were limited and only documented from several cores drilled on Cockspur Island between 1954 and 2010. Stratigraphic units dating from Paleocene to Recent included fragments of mollusks and bryozoans as well as various microfossils including foraminifera, diatoms, phytoliths, sponge fragments, calcareous nanofossils, and dinoflagellates. Field surveys as part of this research resulted in the addition of several new fossil taxa to the list of those previously reported from FOPU, including Pleistocene megafauna and marine vertebrate fossils.
Bio: Dr. Cronin is a paleontologist who has studied modern molluscan paleoecology in North Carolina and the sclerochronology of Antacrtic scallops. She received her PhD in 2020 from UGA and has taught geology at UGA and Georgia Southern. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Geology at Perimeter College.
Student Senior Thesis Projects using Geophysics at Georgia Southwestern State University, 2001-2019
Dr. Samuel T. Peavy - Professor of Geology/Geophysics at Georgia Southwestern State University
Dr. Samuel T. Peavy is a Professor of Geology/Geophysics at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus Georgia, where he has taught geology, geophysics, physics and astronomy classes since 2000 and has taught as the college level for 35 years. He is currently serving the institution as a department chair and a full-time faculty member. He earned a B.S in Physics from McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana (1983), an MSc. in Earth Sciences (Geophysics) from the Memorial University of Newfoundland (1985) and a PhD in Geophysics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1997). Dr. Peavy’s main interest is in the application of geophysics to explore the subsurface and to teach the next generation about the importance of understanding how our planet works.
Geophysics became an official part of the geology curriculum at Georgia Southwestern in 2010 but was being used by students for research projects as early as 2001. The availability of a gravimeter, magnetometer and an old Strata-Scout resistivity meter made it possible to collect high quality geophysical data in the field. Geophysics as a formal course was taught seven times and incorporated transit surveying with these geophysical instruments in field-based lab experiences. Understanding the utility of geophysical data in geological studies was the major focus of the class.
This talk summarizes the results of GSW Senior Thesis projects using a variety of geophysical methods to investigate a wide range of problems at multiple scales. Gravity, magnetic, seismic, electrical and/or electromagnetic methods were used by the students over the years to explore 1) the potential for sink hole development; 2) the Andersonville Fault; 3) the extent of Triassic basin sediments in Southwest Georgia; 4) subsurface conductivity variations and relationship to surface weather conditions; 5) Volcanic earthquake time/depth variations and eruption probability; 6) finding gopher tortoise burrows; and 7) exploration for kaolin and bauxite deposits near Eufaula, Alabama.
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do Stars Go?
Dr. Sebastien Lepine
Georgia State University
Our Milky Way is constantly in motion, with stars—including our Sun—traveling at incredible speeds. Using data from the GAIA telescope, astronomers have mapped the movements of millions of nearby stars, revealing surprising patterns and diverse origins. Join us to explore the ever-changing cosmic neighborhood around us!
Planetary Defense (virtual presenter)
Rob Landis
NASA Planetary Defense Coordination Office
Join Rob Landis from NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office for a fascinating look at how we detect and respond to potential asteroid and comet impacts. From tracking near-Earth objects to monitoring space for possible threats, Landis will explore the cutting-edge science behind planetary defense and what’s being done to protect our planet.
Supermassive Influence: How Black Holes Shape their Galaxy
Maura Shea
Georgia State University
In this talk, Maura will explore the cutting-edge techniques used to observe and study super massive black holes and share insights from her research on the impact of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) on galaxies beyond their own.
Full Georgia Geologic Survey map references are as follows:
Brantley, J.E. 1916. A report on the limestones and marls of the coastal plain of Georgia. Environmental Protection Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Henderson, J.T. 1885. The Commonwealth of Georgia.
Lawton et. al. 1976. Geologic map of Georgia. Environmental Protection Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
McCallie, S.W. 1908. A preliminary report on the underground waters of Georgia. Geological Survey of Georgia. Bulletin No. 15
Nesbitt, R.T. 1895. Georgia: Her Resources and Possibilities.
Stose et. Al. 1939. Geologic map of Georgia. Georgia Division of Mines, Mining, and Geology.
White, George. 1849. Statistics of the state of Georgia.
UPCOMING EVENTS
