An international symposium on the Geochemistry of the Earth Surface will be held at University Park, Pennsylvania on August 1- 6, 1993. The symposium is the third meeting of the Working Group on Geochemistry of Weathering and Diagenesis of Sediments, (GWDS-3) which is affiliated with the International Association of Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry. Past meetings have been held in Granada, Spain (1986) and Aix-en-Provence, France (1990). The scientific sessions will cover a wide range of topics in surficial geochemistry: paleoclimates and paleosols, chemical weathering and denudation at scales from the watershed to global, early diagenesis and organic geochemistry of sediments, geochemical kinetics at low temperatures, global cycles, and environmental geochemistry. A prominent theme of the symposium will be the role of surficial geochemical studies (of both modern and paleoenvironments) in the international global change effort. Past meetings have been truly international, and we will continue the tradition. In addition, the GWDS-3 encourages the participation of students, and of scientists from developing nations. To achieve these goals we are requesting support (primarily for travel and meeting expenses of students and foreign participants) from the National Science Foundation. We will defray part of the costs of the distinguished foreign invitees, as well as to establish a NSF-sponsored, travel assistance award for students and foreign participants.
