GeoFutures: bridging the gap between geoscience and (dis)engaged audiences for the 21st century

'GeoFutures' is the Geological Society of London’s flagship conference series focussing on 21st century geoscience and solutions that geoscientists can offer to global challenges. The series cycles through the Society’s five strategic science themes, with the inaugural 2023 meeting centred on the theme of 'Digital Geoscience' and the 2024 meeting focussed on the theme of ‘Planetary Geoscience’.

Both meetings have sought to foster collaboration within and out of the geoscience community by bringing together researchers, engineers, citizen scientists, policymakers, funders and representatives from government agencies. We actively seek to encourage attendance by groups and individuals who do not traditionally attend scientific meetings. The series aims to cultivate networks and research partnerships, as well as to spark innovative ideas to shape the response of geoscientists to future issues.

In addition to the disciplinary topics, sessions have focussed on the application of breakthrough technologies and methods, as well as considering how geoscientists might apply these to scientific and societal problems both current and future. Fundamental to this is consideration of how best to ensure that subsequent generations of geoscientists and geoscience facilities are adequately prepared, as well as the importance of communicating geoscience issues and solutions to the public effectively. A large part of both conversations involves promoting open data and science, and collaboration between the many varied interested parties.

In 2025, the series turns to the Society’s ‘Climate and Ecology’ theme, integrating themes from a series of talks and discussions, around the UK, related to climate and ecological research and issues. On a continuing basis, we aim to demonstrate that bringing together contributors and organisations from diverse sectors at novel, discipline-specific meetings is an effective measure to support the UK and wider international geoscience communities to tackle current and future challenges.