The GCAGS/GCSSEPM held their 53rd Annual Convention in Baton Rouge, Louisiana Oct. 22-24, 2003. This convention was also the 50th Anniversary of the GCSSEPM. Although the turnout was low with less than 500 attendees, the convention attracted an enthusiastic crowd. On Wednesday, Oct. 22nd, the Opening Session and Awards Ceremony was held in the Cypress I room of the Radisson Hotel between 5:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The GCAGS President Chacko J. John and General Chairman Dave E. Pope presided. President John and GCSSEPM President Richard H. Fillon gave brief addresses. Following an introduction of the AAPG candidates currently running for office the awards ceremony began.

Mike Nault, the GCSSEPM Judging and Awards Chairman presented the 2002 GCAGS/GCSSEPM Grover E. Murray Best Published Paper Awards to the senior authors; 1st Place to Charles Kerans, 2nd Place to Alton A. Brown, and 3rd Place to James Gibeaut, Roberto Gutierrez, and Tiffany L. Hepner.

Richard Fillon was pleased to present the 2002 GCSSEPM Honorary Membership Award to Marc Edwards. Marc is shown with Mike Nault congratulating him later at the GCSSEPM booth. Nancy L. Engelhardt-Moore received the GCSSEPM Distinguished Service Award from Richard Fillon following a biographical summary given by close friend Mike Nault.

On Friday Oct. 24, GCSSEPM held a special 50th Anniversary Biostratigraphy technical session in the Cypress I room of the Radisson Hotel. GCSSEPM Past-President Ron Waszczak and Barry Kohl presided. Past-President Edward Picou Jr. began the session by giving an outstanding presentation on the history of the Section entitled "Fifty Years of Achievements and Service to the Geologic Community of the Gulf Coast Section of SEPM". A series of excellent talks focusing on the applications and integration of biostratigraphy followed.

On Friday at 11:30 a.m., John Anderson, President of the national SEPM gave an excellent talk for the GCSSEPM Luncheon at the Embassy Suites on "Rapid Response of Gulf Coastal Environments to Sea-level Rise and Climate Change of the Past 15,000 years".

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