AUGC 2022

Welcome to the Atlantic Universities Geoscience Conference 2022 at Acadia University October 27 – 29

The Atlantic Universities Geoscience Conference (AUGC) is the oldest geology conference in Canada, with the exception of the Geologic Association of Canada. Every year the AUGC hosts a conference where undergraduate students have the opportunity to present their current work, learn about local geology, meet members of the Atlantic geologic community and enjoy the company of like minded students.

This year's conference, hosted by the Acadia University's Fletcher Geology Club was a huge success! The conference had over 100 registrants representing students and faculty from all 6 universities that are part of AUGC (MUN, SMU, Dal, St. FX, UNB, Acadia) as well as guests from Mount Allison University and the Maritime geoscience community. The organizing team thanks the sponsors, judges, and participants for their contributions to the success of the conference.

Registrants participated in:

• Thursday night mixer at the University U-Club
• Friday Field trips to
  • (1) The Story Beneath the Scenery - Going Back in Time in the Wolfville Area
    • Join Acadia professor Sandra Barr for a field trip that begins in the morning in the late Triassic, looking for amethyst and zeolite minerals along the shore of the Bay of Fundy in the Scots Bay limestone/chert and North Mountain basalt, and continues into the early Triassic by searching for evidence of gypsum and salt crystals in playa lake deposits of the Cape Blomidon area and for evidence of early dinosaurs in the river deposits of the underlying Wolfville Formation. The afternoon stops will take you down through the early Paleozoic of the enigmatic Meguma terrane, including Devonian granite of the South Mountain Batholith and the lower Paleozoic rocks that it intruded, including quartzite and graptolite-bearing metasiltstone and slate.
  • (2) South Shore of Nova Scotia geology (NOW FULL)
    • Join Acadia adjunct professor John Waldron for a field trip down to the picturesque south shore. This trip will dominantly explore the most outboard component of the Appalachian mountains: the Meguma terrane. Visit the Ovens Provincial Park, where panning for gold can enrich your minds while also enriching your bank account. The trip will continue through the Halifax and Goldenville Groups exposed from Green Bay to Lunenburg. The trip will examine the effect of contact metamorphism on rocks of the Halifax Group as a result of the intrusion of the South Mountain Batholith.
  • (3) Surficial features and geohazards around the Annapolis Valley
    • Join Acadia professors Mo Snyder and Aaron Taylor as we trek around the Annapolis Valley looking for (or avoiding) cliffs, hills, and valleys. The day will start at Kingsport Beach, where coastal erosion and archaeological materials abound in equal measure. We will then venture up to Medford to get an overall view of the Annapolis Valley. The afternoon will be investigating evaporite-related geohazards associated with the Carboniferous Windsor Group. These spectacular features are exposed on river banks, roadsides, and in quarries. We will then travel to Irishmans Road Recreation Site and take a scenic hike in-and-around more sinkholes than any one person could count.
• Friday Challenge Bowl at the Lions Club in Wolfville
  • CSEG sponsors this fast-paced Jeopardy-style geoscience/geophysics-based quiz game
  • Groups of two are invited to compete for two chances for an expense-paid trip to Calgary to compete in the national Challenge Bowl competition during Geoconvention in May 2023
• Saturday talk and poster session at the KC Irving Centre
  • Lunch speaker Carla Skinner P.Geo
• Saturday evening banquet at Fountain Commons
  • Banquet speakers Dr. John Waldron and Sydney Lancaster

Early-bird registration ended October 14 (students $60, professionals $75). After October 14 the registration cost was $75 for students and $90 for professionals.

Poster Guidelines

• Academic posters are often 36" x 48", but other sizes are acceptable.
• Posters will be displayed on poster boards and can be set up after 8:15 AM on Saturday October 29
• Posters will be judged by two volunteers from industry and academia

Presentation Guidelines

• Talks are 15 minutes. There will be an additional 5 minutes for questions and time for changeover to the next speaker (i.e., 20 minute slots)
• Presentations will be judged by four volunteers from industry and academia

Accommodations

A block booking in the name AUGC has been made at the Old Orchard Inn in Greenwich, near Wolfville. You must make your booking by October 1^st to receive these rates – much higher rates will come into effect after that date.

• Thursday: $130 & $140 + HST/night, based on single/double occupancy (1/2 people per room)
• Fri/Sat nt: $145 & $155 + HST/night, based on single/double occupancy (1/2 people per room)

*Each additional person is $15 + HST/night and rates are based on standard rooms with 1 Queen or 2 double beds. We do have rooms with 1 king available at an increased rate.

Notes: Participants should book directly with the hotel by calling the toll-free reservation line (800) 561-8090. Refer to the AUGC conference when making the reservations to get the preferred rate.

We do require proof of double vaccination/ID upon check-in and any remaining rooms will automatically be released on Oct. 1st/22. Even if you are not exactly sure who is attending at this time, you should go ahead and book the rooms that you think your group will need. Note that the conference organizers will cover the cost of some rooms, as outlined in the AUGC constitution.

The dining room remains closed for breakfast & lunch service, but an option to ADD a takeaway breakfast for an additional cost (currently $10 plus tax) when you check-in.

Website for Old Orchard Inn: https://oldorchardinn.com/