Over 70 geoscience professionals from industry, academia and government have descended on Capitol Hill for the next 24 hours to push members of Congress for increased federal investment in earth and space sciences. The message being delivered by state-specific delegations is that steady investment in geoscience R&D will provide for better public health and safety as well as support for economic and national security. I will be meeting with Colorado's Democratic Senators Udall and Bennett and Democratic Rep. Jared Polis to talk about these issues and federal R&D investment for U.S. mining schools.
Conservation International is the final NGO to commit to participate on SME's keynote panel in Salt Lake City next February. Marielle Weikel, senior director for responsible mining and energy sector, will be on the panel along with Newmont, Freeport McMoRan, the International Finance Corporation, the Wildlife Habitat Council and Africare. This should be a great panel on raising awareness of local impacts of global mining operations.