About us
The Geological Society of Minnesota is a nonprofit educational organization in operation since 1938. Our mission is to promote public interest, and to supply educational support in, the geological sciences. We sponsor free lectures and labs at the University of Minnesota, conduct statewide and regional field trips, maintain a media library, publish relevant information for public distribution, and maintain and expand upon a series of geological markers throughout the state.
GSM Seminars/Lectures & Labs:
GSM seminars/lectures with slide show presentations are free and open to the public. They are presented by leading professionals in their fields and are aimed at learners from high school to adult. A question-and-answer session follows each seminar. The labs, also free and open to the public, allow a hands-on learning experience and demonstrate the ideas and principles of geology and earth science. These lectures and labs are eligible for Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credit.
Except as noted, in-person lectures during fall 2025 are Mondays at 7:00 PM CT on the University of Minnesota campus, Keller Hall, Room 3-230. In-person lectures and labs require no registration; just show up a few minutes early on the evening of the lecture. For online virtual lectures, free registration is required by non-members; registration instructions are supplied with the lecture description.
The schedule of seminars and labs for fall 2025 is here. For a printable version of our schedule of seminars and labs, click here. Our schedule is planned over 6 months in advance, so changes may occur. Always check GSM's home page shortly before each lecture for the latest information.
Winter weather will come and snow might impact our lectures. The GSM will make any decision about cancelling or postponing a lecture due to inclement weather no later than 3:00 PM the day of the lecture. As with other changes, this information will be posted on GSM’s home page (above), so please check it shortly before each lecture in case there is a cancellation or a last-minute change. Also, we will e‐mail lecture postponement and cancellation information to our members.
Recordings of some past GSM lectures are available on the Geological Society of Minnesota YouTube channel. You can subscribe to that channel for updates.
Minnesota's Geology Markers
Discover Minnesota’s fascinating 3 billion years of geological history by visiting 70-plus geology markers placed around the state by the Geological Society of Minnesota since 1949. Observe and learn about a rift valley, volcanoes, agates, inland seas, glaciers, rivers, caves, sinkholes, iron mining, and more. Click Minnesota’s Geology Markers to see where these markers are located. You can see most markers from your car.
Field Trips
GSM conducts professionally guided geology field trips. These excursions visit locations not usually experienced by the casual traveler. Local field trips can be a few hours long, encompass a weekend, or last longer than a week. Some field trips are limited to GSM's dues-paying members only, while other trips are open to the public. Find more information here.
Dues-Paying Membership:
Membership Information
Dues-paying membership in the society is open to anyone with an interest in geology. The benefits of membership include:
- The opportunity to meet others of who share an enthusiasm for learning and a curiosity for the natural world.
- The rewarding feeling of supporting a nonprofit organization dedicated to public education.
- GSM Newsletter - A quarterly publication contains announcements of upcoming activities, articles on the earth sciences, and GSM projects and activity reports.
- Extensive Media Library - GSM maintains a collection of more than 330 geological DVDs. These are available to the members at lectures or through the mail for a nominal rental fee.
- GSM Directory - This annual book is a handy resource and makes it easy to access the organization.
Upcoming events
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In-person only Lecture: My Adventures in Glacier Bay
Kenneth H. Keller Hall, Minneapolis, MN 55455, Minneapolis, Mi, USPresenter: Kent Syverson, Ph.D., Professor, Geology and Environmental Science Department, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire
Link to Presenter: https://www.uwec.edu/profiles/syverskm
2nd Link to Presenter: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kent-SyversonSummary: Professor Kent Syverson conducted his PhD research in Glacier Bay, Alaska, as part of the National Geographic Society’s Burroughs Glacier Expedition. In 1989-90, he spent two summers living 50 miles from the nearest human outpost in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. He studied eskers, glacial lake sedimentation, and complex deglaciation patterns associated with calving glaciers. Syverson, who was then a young graduate student, made numerous mistakes and learned many things through hardships in the wilderness. In his presentation, Professor Syverson will tell his favorite (and humorous) adventure story excerpted from his book “Adventures in Glacier Bay,” talk about living “off the grid” in the Alaskan wilderness, briefly discuss some of his research in Glacier Bay, and reflect on life lessons learned in the backcountry. No geological background is necessary to enjoy his talk! Signed copies of “Adventures in Glacier Bay” will be available at his talk ($25, cash, check, or PayPal).
This lecture will be recorded for GSM's YouTube Channel.
Biography: Kent M. Syverson is a Professor of Geology and Environmental Science at UW-Eau Claire and a talented storyteller. He grew up in Barnum, Minnesota, received his BS in geology from UM-Duluth, and earned his MS and PhD in glacial geology from UW-Madison. He has conducted glacial geology research with UW-Eau Claire undergraduate students in Maine and Wisconsin, including projects along Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail. Syverson is the 2012 recipient of the UW-Eau Claire Excellence in Teaching award and author of the book “Adventures in Glacier Bay” (2020, Amazon).
General Info: GSM lectures/seminars with slide show presentations are free and open to the public. They are presented by leading professionals in their fields and are aimed at learners from high school to adult. A question-and-answer session follows each seminar. In-person lectures require no registration; just show up a few minutes early on the evening of the lecture. These lectures are eligible for 1 hour of Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credit.
Except as noted, in-person lectures during the winter-spring 2026 semester are Mondays at 7:00 PM CT on the University of Minnesota campus, Keller Hall, Room 3-210.
Our full schedule of lectures and labs is posted at Current Year Lectures, and a printable (PDF) version is posted here. Our schedule is planned over 6 months in advance, so changes may occur; always check our home page shortly before each lecture for the latest seminar information.
Winter weather will come and snow might impact our lectures. The GSM will make any decision about cancelling or postponing a lecture due to inclement weather no later than 3:00 PM the day of the lecture. This information will be posted on the GSM home page, so check that page shortly before each lecture in case there is a cancellation or a last-minute change. Also, we will e‐mail lecture postponement and cancellation information to our dues-paying members.
2 attendees
Past events
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