New Mexico Geological Society Annual Spring Meeting — Abstracts

Letter send to the NMGS membership on March 13, 2020:

We are writing to inform you that the New Mexico Geological Society (NMGS) has cancelled the 2020 Annual Spring Conference “Our Common Future: Reliability, Robustness, and Resiliency for Effective Risk Management” previously scheduled for April 16 at Macey Center, New Mexico Tech campus, Socorro, due to the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Governor Lujan Grisham has declared a state public health emergency and has invoked the powers provided by the All Hazard Emergency Management Act and the Emergency Licensing Act. The New Mexico Department of Health has issued Public Health Emergency Order prohibiting mass gatherings that bring together 100 or more people in a single room or connected space like auditoriums, stadiums, arenas, conference centers, and theaters.

The health and safety of the NMGS members, presenters, and event attendees are our highest priority. With the public emergency we have determined that we cannot, in good conscience, continue with the conference, especially a conference with Risk Management as a core theme. The presence and spread of the novel coronavirus within New Mexico makes it irresponsible to encourage participation and offer participation at an event where attendees could be exposed to a communicable disease and return home transmitting an illness to family and friends before it manifests itself.

Although an in-person 2020 Annual Spring Conference will not take place in April, we are exploring ways for the sessions and abstracts to be presented at a later date. As we work out those details, we will share that information with all those presenters. The abstract submission portal will remain open until the postponed conference date is announced.

Registration for the event has been cancelled. NMGS will be issuing full registration refunds for the meeting to all attendees via check. The NMGS Executive Committee will be in touch should they need anything in order to issue the refunds. We also recommend to those who made hotel reservations that they cancel their reservations before there are any penalties.

This decision is not an easy one for the conference co-chairs Diane Agnew and Susan Lucas Kamat, but we feel it is the right one given the current situation. Thank you in advance for your understanding and patience as we work together for the health and safety of all our members.

The NMGS Executive Committee