The Ⅷ International Geological Congress, Paris 1900

France wanted to be the world centre of science and culture at the time of the Universal World Exhibition in 1900 and therefore welcomed several international con- gresses to Paris that year, including the VIII Interna- tional Geological Congress. Some of the participants and organisers of this meeting are described and the participants and contributions are analysed by country. Topics in physical geography, tectonics and mineral deposits attracted particular attention. The main Con- gress themes are described and details of the numerous field excursions are also provided. No major scientific advances occurred as a result of the Congress but it pro- vided the opportunity for valuable exchanges of infor- mation and ideas and impetus to several fields.     

The International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH): reflecting on 60 years of contributions to groundwater science and water management

The 60th anniversary of the founding of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) is an important milestone that allows pause for reflection on how the association has evolved over the years and the contributions it has made to groundwater science and water management. IAH was founded in 1956 at the 20th International Geological Congress and developed rapidly during the 1980s and 1990s in response to a growing global interest in groundwater mapping and in sound approaches to resource protection and sustainable aquifer management. Incorporated in 2000, IAH has now secured its position as the world’s leading international association specialising in groundwater with over 4,100 members in 131 countries. Much credit for this success must go to members, past and present, whose individual efforts and collaboration with sister institutions are documented here. These members have shaped the association’s goals and contributed selflessly to its scientific programmes, publications and educational and charitable activities. Looking ahead to the next 60 years, it is essential that IAH does not rest on past achievements but listens and adjusts to the needs of members while continuing to pursue its mission of furthering the understanding, wise use and protection of groundwater resources throughout the world.     

Nordic Geoscience and the 33rd International Geological Congress： Introduction

Geology has been of profound importance for the Nordic countries since the Middle Ages. Strong economies were built on an understanding of the occurrence in bedrock of minerals containing metals, e.g., silver, copper, zinc and iron, and eventually led to the establishment of the first Geological Surveys in Norway and Sweden in the middle of the nineteenth century. The geology of Norden ranges from the oldest to youngest rocks on the planet. Based on the papers in this special issue, this introduction provides a brief summary of the geological evolution of Norden, from the Archean of Greenland and northern Fennoscandia to the on-going volcanicity in Iceland on the MidAtlantic Ridge. It also refers to aspects of Geoscience that are particularly important for society in Norden, including geo-resources （petroleum, geothermal energy, nuclear energy, metals, industrial minerals and groundwater） and environmental geology （including natural and anthropogenic processes, medical geology, geo-hazards and climate）. Information on the early history of geology in Norden and the geological surveys is also included and, finally, an outline of the 33rd International Geological Congress with its main theme “Earth System Science： Foundation for Sustainable Development”.     

The Association of Geoscientists for International Development （AGID） ： Adapting to a changing world

It is just two years since a profile of AGID appeared in Episodes ( Vol 25, No 3, p. 218).At that time we recounted the many achievements of the organization, first established in 1974, but also noted that ‘an awareness of the relevance of geoscience to many aid projects, and the proliferation of NGO‘s, both large and small, working in the environmental and resource sectors has radically changed the world in which AGID seeks to operate‘. We also noted that the change has happened to such an extent that AG1D has ‘to address the question as to whether the time has come either for it to wind up its operations and retire gracefully from the international scene or to continue‘.     

32nd International Geological Congress field trip （PR01）： A traverse through Himalaya-Karakorum of Pakistan

Several pre- and post-congress field trips were organized in connection with the 32nd International Geological Congress held in Florence, Italy, during August, 2004. One of these, the Prestige Field Trip (PR01--A traverse through Central Asia ranges, from the Indian plate to the Karakorum) lasted for 16 days from 21 June to 6 July. M. Gaetani of the University of Milan (Italy) acted as Leader and overall Organizer, with A. Zanchi(Univ. Milano-Bicocca), M.Q. Jan (Univ. of Peshawar, Pakistan) and M.N. Chaudhry(Punjab University, Pakistan) as Associate Leaders. Local logistics were taken care of by the Adventure Tours, Pakistan.     

Three sessions of the International Geological Congress held in Russia and the USSR （1897,1937, 1984）

Editorial note--The International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences has undertaken to organize a series of short articles for Episodes on the history of the different Sessions of the International Geological Congress. These were held as follows:France (1878), Italy (1881), Germany (1885), UK (1888), USA(1891), Switzerland (1894), Russia (1897), France (1900), Austria(1903), Mexico (1906), Sweden (1910), Canada (1913), Belgium(1922), Spain (1926), South Africa (1929), USA (1933), USSR(1937), UK (1948), Algeria (1952), Mexico (1956), Denmark/Finland/Norway/Sweden/Iceland (1960), India (1964), Czechoslovakia(1968), Canada (1972), Australia (1976), France (1980), USSR(1984), USA (1989), Japan (1992), China (1996), Brazil (2000). Any authors wishing to offer contributions on the meetings in Mexico(1906), Canada (1913), Belgium, Denmark, India, Canada (1972),and Brazil are invited to contact the INHIGEO Secretary-General at: doldroyd@optushome.com.au. The papers will not appear inchronological order.     

Science and Honour： The 11th International Geological Congress in Stockholm 1910

In the late 19th and the early 20th century, with expanding industrialism and urbanisation, the idea of the nation state grew strong in Sweden. In this nationalistic environment, nature and the natural sciences assumed an important unifying role. The search for natural resources and sources of energy inspired political support and research. The exploitation of nature was looked upon as a prerequisite for the modernization of the country, and indeed was to become the basis for Sweden‘s welfare. It was under these circumstances that, in 1906, the 11th IGC was invited to Stockholm in 1910. A request for a Government grant focused on the international development of science but also stressed the national importance. Sweden had, it was said, its ranking position among nations to defend, to uphold its position among civilized nations, and to maintain its distinguished tradition in the spheres of natural sciences and mining operations. The main topics of the Congress were iron ore resources, post-glacial climate change, glacial erosion, the Cambrian fauna, geology of the Precambrian, and geology of the polar regions. Three exhibitions and 24 excursions were arranged, and 41 guidebooks printed. The number of members present was 625, from 37 countries and six continents. The final cost for arranging the 11th IGC was SEK 125,000 (approximately ∈540,000 today). A novel experience in the tradition of the IGCs was the world-wide inquiries about the resources of iron ore and about climate change. Such thematic, worldwide investigations subsequently came to attract the attention of many IGCs. A proposition to establish a commission for the publication of an international stratigraphic dictionary was approved by the Congress, and a subcommission was set up with commissioners from ten countries, but it was not until 1956 that the first volumes of Lexique Stratigraphique International appeared. From a Swedish point of view, the Congress compelled Swedish geologists to carry out an inventory of the results of Swedish geological research of about half a century. The Congress was, in other words, an incentive to finish ongoing projects and bring together summaries of the major research areas. In the history of Swedish geosciences there is thus reason to speak about a pre- and a post-1910.     

Dr. Lawrence Drew—International Association for Mathematical Geosciences Krumbein Medalist 2010

Association Announcement

Dr. Lawrence Drew—International Association for Mathematical Geosciences Krumbein Medalist 2010     

The 33rd International Geological Congress --Earth System Science： Foundation for a Sustainable Development

The 33rd IGC was hosted jointly by the five Nordic countries, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, and held in Oslo in the period 6-14 August 2008. This was the third IGC ever held in one of the Nordic countries after Stockholm in 1910 and Copenhagen in 1960. Over 6,000 delegates enjoyed the nine days of congress activities and social events.     

Recent Advances on Non-Marine Late Paleozoic Strata and Floras： Outcome of the 16th International Congress on the Carboniferous and Permian

The 16th International Congress on the Carboniferous and Permian （ICCP XVI） orga- nized by the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology under the Chinese Acad- emy of Sciences, the Institute of Geology under the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, the China University of Geo- sciences and the Nanjing University took place in Nanjing, June 21-24, 2007. More than 150 colleagues from over 20 countries attended the quadrennial conference.