IAG Memorandum of Understanding with the Geological Society of America


Memorandum of Understanding between
the GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA (GSA) and
the INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GEOMORPHOLOGISTS (IAG)
October 2025


(PDF version)

This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is entered into by and between the Geological Society of America (GSA) and the International Association of Geomorphologists (IAG) to further our shared goals of advancing geoscience discovery and supporting the geoscience professions. 

Reciprocal Terms

  1. Identification as Associated or Affiliated Societies. In recognition of our mutual desire to work together in cooperation and friendship, we will identify each other as associated or affiliated societies on our respective websites along with a link to the other society’s website. By identifying each other in this way, we aim to further the common goals and objectives of our societies. Neither organization shall have any financial obligations to the other without a separate specific agreement.
  2. Promotion of Events and Activities. Upon request, we will take reasonable steps to promote each other’s sponsored programs and/or activities. Examples include announcements of scientific events, calls for the submission of abstracts, requests for honors and award nominations, and solicitations of applications for editors, travel grants, and scholarships. Promotion requests generally will be deemed reasonable if they are made thirty (30) days in advance and can be carried out using either society’s existing online calendars, e-newsletters, social media accounts, and/or similar digital communication vehicles.
  3. Complimentary Annual Meeting Registration for Leaders. We will offer two (2) complimentary registrations to leaders of our respective societies to attend each other’s (annual) meetings. Generally, these registrations will be offered to the current President and Executive Director, if applicable, of our societies. If these leaders are not available, they have the discretion to offer the complimentary registrations to different society leaders.
  4. Exhibit Booth Discounts. We will offer each other a fifty percent (50%) discount for an exhibit booth at our respective annual meetings.
  5. Cooperative Scientific Meetings and Programming. We will seek opportunities to cooperate in presenting at each other’s scientific meetings, conferences, and other events. We also will seek opportunities to organize and sponsor new scientific meetings, conference sessions, training events, thematic workshops, and conferences. Any joint organization or sponsorship of new events will be detailed in a separate agreement. We will consider the possibility to provide a defined number of travel grants for young researchers for participation in scientific events organized by the societies. The existing collaboration between the GSA Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division and IAG shall be further deepened through the organization of joint events.
  6. Cooperative Publication Projects. We will seek opportunities to share the responsibility and expenses for jointly publishing journals, books, and/or other materials. Any such cooperative publication projects will be detailed in a separate agreement.
  7. Member Discounts for Meetings and Publications. We will extend the following benefits to each other’s members at our own society’s member rate:
    • Reduced registration fee to attend annual scientific meetings or conferences. The host society may limit such registration discounts to certain categories and condition them on the non-hosting society’s agreement to help promote the annual event.
    • Discounts to buy and/or subscribe to each other’s publications when ordered directly from the other society.
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  1. Periodic Review. Officers, Executive Directors, and/or other designated representatives from our societies will meet at least once annually to review our progress and discuss ways to improve our collaboration. While GSA has many different relationships with Associated Societies, a few examples of activities, not listed above, that we may wish to consider as part of our periodic review include:
    • Participating in periodic meetings and webinars to exchange ideas and best practices related to society operations/challenges, policy issues, mentoring, student travel grants, ethics, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and other topics of mutual interest.
    • Offering representatives from each society a voice to help influence technical or topical scientific programming at their respective meetings.
    • Organizing joint award programs.

 

Effective Date and Term. This agreement will take effect as of the date it is signed by both societies and will last for a term of five (5) years. This agreement may be dissolved by either society at any time with thirty (30) days written notice.