Speakers:

• Brian Anderson, Director of Strategic Research in Energy and Professor, West Virginia University
• Patrick Dobson, Staff Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
• Chad Augustine, Geothermal Analysis Team Lead, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

In this briefing, speakers will highlight recent successes in geothermal research and address questions, including:

Rare-earth elements (REE) and other critical mineral resources are essential to daily life, jobs, and national security. From cell phones to renewable energy to jet fighters, these resources are the building blocks of modern civilization. World population growth and rising standards of living in countries like China, India, and Brazil have increased the demand for mineral resources – raising the potential for supply disruptions and international conflict. Pending Congressional legislation and daily news headlines indicate a pressing need for action.

Finding Stable Ground: Using Science and Partnerships to Manage Landslides Hazards was a congressional briefing sponsored by the Hazards Caucus Alliance, the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists, the Association of American State Geologists, and the American Society of Civil Engineers Geo-Institute. On Monday, June 23, four landslides experts from across the U.S. came to Washington, D.C.

Energy from the Earth: Practical Geoscience to Inform Energy Legislation was the first in a series of briefings meant to highlight how geoscience information contributes to effective energy and environmetnal decision making. Held on November 21, 2013, the briefing was hosted by the Geoscience Energy Briefing Consortium.