On June 24-27, 2024, six representatives of the Polish Geological Institute-NRI participated in the international conference of the International Association of Sedimentologists - IAS 2024 in Aberdeen, Scotland.

The aim of the event is to provide an opportunity to meet and exchange scientific ideas, particularly in the field of sedimentology, with specialists from other research centres around the world.

The sessions were held over 20 thematic sessions, 3 poster sessions and 3 workshops. Thematic sessions covering topics such as deep-sea sediments, shallow-sea sediments, fluvial sediments, lake sediments, clastic sediments, carbonate sediments, volcanic sediments and diagenesis were held simultaneously in several halls.

Opening of the conference. On stage: Alex Brasier from the University of Aberdeen and Cathy Hollis from the University of Manchester. Photo A. Becker

Four one-hour and four half-hour commissioned lectures were delivered during the conference. Of particular interest was a lecture by prof. S. Gupta entitled “Divergent trajectories of early Mars sedimentary systems as recorded at Gale and Jezero craters and their palaeoclimate implications”.

Representatives of PGI-NRI presented three papers and two posters.

During the poster session. Photo A. Kozłowska

The event also included two field trips before and five after the conference. Anna Feldman-Olszewska and Anna Becker took part in the “Isle of Skye” excursion, and Aleksandra Kozłowska and Maria I. Waksmundzka in the excursion “Carboniferous Sediments of the Kingdom of Fife”. Tour participants had the opportunity to learn about Jurassic and Carboniferous sediments in the spectacular exposures of the Scottish cliffs.

Bearreraig Bay, Isle of Skye, Middle Jurassic shales and sandstones photo A. Becker

The Five Coastal - Carboniferous sandstones in the modern intertidal zone. Photo A. Kozłowska

The conference was a large-scale, interesting scientific event of international scope, bringing together participants from European and non-European countries. IAS conferences are organised every year. In 2025, the event is planned for Huelva, Spain.

Text: Aleksandra Kozłowska, Anna Becker, Anna Feldman-Olszewska, Weronika Nadłonek, Beata Naglik, Maria I. Waksmundzka