Distinguished Lecture Series | Dr. Linda Kah

3rd Annual
Robert L. Read, Jr. Distinguished Lecture Series
Benefiting PBS-SEPM Scholarships and Continuing Education

Curiosity and Perseverance: Expanding our Understanding of the Martian Surface

Keynote Speaker, Dr. Linda Kah

Carbonate Sedimentology and Geochemistry

Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

University of Tennessee

Thursday, March 6, 2025, 6:00p - 9:00p

Petroleum Club of Midland, 501 West Wall Street, Midland, Texas 79701

Schedule

6:00p - Cocktail/Networking Hour

7:00p - Dinner

7:45p - Keynote Talk by Dr. Linda Kah

"Curiosity and Perseverance: Expanding our Understanding of the Martian Surface"

abstract

The Viking missions to Mars in the mid-1970s fundamentally changed our understanding of the planet. Prior to that time, generally blurry images of long, linear “canals” fed our imaginations as we concocted visions of cities. But once Viking sent back a single high-quality image of the surface, our views changed. It was clear that the martian surface was nowhere near as habitable as we had hoped. Now, 50 years later, we continue to develop our picture of Mars. Mars is, once again, showing its Earth-like side: complex stratigraphy, vertical and lateral facies changes, and unconformities whose duration is indeterminate. In this talk, we will focus on some of these changing paradigms, but will also critically explore the development and dangers of bias in interpretation of extraterrestrial planetary surfaces.

keynote speaker

Dr. Linda Kah

Dr. Linda Kah is a Kenneth R. Walker Professor of carbonate sedimentology and geochemistry in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She earned her B.S. (1990) and M.S. (1990) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her Ph.D. (1997) at Harvard University, with her Postdoctoral Fellowship (1998-1999) at the University of Missouri. With her students, she focuses on integrating sedimentology, stratigraphy, geochemistry, and microbial ecology in understanding the evolution of the Earth's biosphere. Dr. Kah's primary research projects include reconstructing the ocean-atmospheric oxygenation and the redox structure of Mesoproterozoic shallow marine systems, exploring the effects of changing ocean circulation on the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE), characterizing microbe-mineral interactions in the mineralization of Holocene lacustrine microbialites, and investigating the process of early diagenetic silicification in Proterozoic microbial systems. After more than 20 years as an Earth-based field geologist, Dr. Kah reached out and began investigating potential habitable environments in extraterrestrial systems. She serves as a coinvestigator on both the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover mission and the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission. On these missions, she strives to understand how we can best constrain our interpretations of martian environments with only limited data.

Sponsorship Opportunities

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PBS-SEPM graciously asks for your help to make our Robert L. Read, Jr., Distinguished Lecturer Series fundraiser a success. By supporting this event as a sponsor, you will receive recognition before and during the event. However, most importantly, your support demonstrates your commitment to helping make a difference in the geologic community, especially as it relates to continuing education for professionals as well as supporting students in their studies of the earth sciences. Your sponsorship will be advertised via direct email to hundreds of Permian Basin Operators, Management, Geologists, Geoscientists, and Decision Makers. We are highly active with our promotion and marketing on social media. The sponsorship levels are outlined below.

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ABOUT ROBERT L. READ, JR.

Robert L. Read, Jr. was a bright, young geologist who was tragically killed by a drunk driver in 2005. Robert was born in Houston, Texas, on June 19, 1980. After moving to Midland in 1987, he attended Midland Public Schools and graduated from Lee High School in 1998. He attended Midland College and graduated from UT-Permian Basin with a Bachelors of Science degree in Geology. He was employed by Unit Petroleum in Midland, Texas. He was an active member of the Permian Basin Section - SEPM, West Texas Geological Society, and the Gem & Mineral Society. At the time of his death, Robert was working on his Master's Degree and planned to continue with doctorate studies.

The Robert L. Read, Jr., Distinguished Lecture Series and the Robert L. Read, Jr., Distinguished Lecturer Memorial Fund was established by PBS-SEPM in 2009 to honor and memorialize the life, spirit, and contributions of the late Robert L. Read, Jr..

All proceeds will benefit the Permian Basin Section - SEPM, a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation focused on promoting the science of geology through luncheons, core workshops, field trips, scholarships, and more. Sponsorships are tax deductible under IRS rules. Reach out to us for more information if you or your company would like to sponsor this event.