This coming Monday Feb 24 will be the next GSM lecture; it is virtual via Zoom. Below are the details of this lecture, as well as the Zoom link that you will need to attend. We recommend signing on between 6:50 and 6:55 PM on Monday so the lecture can start promptly at 7 CT.

Next GSM Seminar: Monday, February 24, 2025

Rachel Phillips, Ph.D., (GEO GIRL), Postdoctoral Researcher and Instructor, U. of South Carolina

Greatest Mass Extinctions in Earth's History (V)

Virtual lecture 7:00 PM CT.

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://minnstate.zoom.us/j/96392467591

Summary: Most people know about the mass extinction that took out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. However, a lot of people are unaware of the other significant mass extinction events in Earth's past that have shaped biological evolution. In this talk, I will cover the 5 largest mass extinctions of all time; specifically, what caused them, what effects they had on life, and what we can learn from them. 

Biography: Rachel Phillips is an NSF Postdoctoral Researcher and Instructor at the University of South Carolina. She received her Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from the University of Texas at El Paso, where her research was aimed at improving reconstructions of Earth's ancient atmospheric and oceanic conditions. Her current postdoctoral research is focused on increasing geoscience enrollment and engagement through identifying and transforming misperceptions of geoscience. Alongside her research, Rachel works to promote global inclusivity and engagement in the geosciences through her YouTube channel, GEO GIRL, on which she shares educational geoscience videos (channel link: https://www.youtube.com/@GEOGIRL; website link: geogirlscience.com). Having posted about 300 videos with over 3.5 million views from around the globe, Rachel has made significant progress toward improving the accessibility and perceptions of geoscience.