293 Deliver the Message: Harness Diverse Media and Divergent Methods to Describe and Depict Geoscience Information (Posters)

A wide-ranging mix of posters providing thought-provoking ways to communicate geoscience information using diverse media (written, video) and divergent methods (paper, digital) to encourage and engage a broad range of communities.

Wednesday, 22 October 2025
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
HBGCC, Hall 1

Working Across Borders Through the Co-Creation and Translation of Educational Materials: The Geology of Plate Tectonics, 3rd Edition

Paper number: 293-0
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 8:00 AM

Authors

Abstract

 

In 1986, the GSA published “The Geology of Plate Margins” (MCH059), a wall chart that summarized plate tectonic features on a global scale. A second edition in 2005 was retitled “The Geology of Plate Tectonics” (MCH059REV). In one form or another, that chart has been in print for 39 years, which is remarkable for a single geologic publication.

In time for this meeting, a third edition will be released that includes an update of the science as well as versions in both English and Spanish.  This poster presentation will highlight the making of the third edition and is intended to supplement a parallel invited oral presentation at session T80 - Best Practices for Developing International Collaborations in the Geosciences.

To accomplish updating and translating the chart, we arranged with the Sociedad Geológica Mexicana (SGM), through a working agreement between the GSA, to collaborate on a bilingual update of this chart, with the hope that the third edition will last another 40 years.  We also hope that by making the information accessible to a larger audience, it will be a good example of how we can work across borders and language barriers to gain economies of scale by sharing educational resources and co-creating innovative approaches to teaching geoscience. The greater goal is to help facilitate local resilience and sustainability by expanding geoscience education at all levels.

To create the third edition, we assembled a team of experts to review and modify the text and illustrations prior to translation. Those experts included co-authors from the United States, Mexico, Chile, and Argentina. Each was asked to review and update those portions of the chart for which they had the most knowledge. Some concentrated on oceanic features, some on collisional settings, others on geologic hazards or mineral resources, and so on. We collectively edited the English text and figures first, learning from each other as we went, and then translated the final edited text, all while working through emails and Zoom meetings. The new edition is being presented here for the first time.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-412249

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