Current Year Schedule
GSM seminars with slide show presentations are free and open to the public. They are presented by leading professionals in their fields and are aimed at learners from high school to adult. A question-and-answer session concludes each seminar. The labs, also free and open to the public, allow a hands-on learning experience and demonstrate the ideas and principles of geology and earth science. Live lectures and labs require no registration; just show up a few minutes early on the evening of the lecture.
Click on date of any seminar for attendance information and other details. For a printable version of our schedule of seminars and labs, click here.
Except as noted, in-person lectures during winter/spring 2026 are Mondays at 7:00 PM CT on the University of Minnesota campus, Keller Hall, Room 3-210. A lecture with (V) following its title is an online virtual lecture. For these, free registration is required by non-members; the instructions are supplied with the lecture description.
Our schedule is planned over 6 months in advance, so changes may occur. Always check this website shortly before each lecture for the latest seminar information.
Winter weather will come and snow might impact our lectures. The GSM will make any decision about cancelling or postponing a lecture due to inclement weather no later than 3:00 PM the day of the lecture. This information will be posted on the GSM home page (http://www.gsmn.org/). So check our home page shortly before each lecture in case there is a cancellation or a last-minute change. Also, we will e‐mail lecture postponement and cancellation information to our members.
Past seminars marked with * were recorded and the recording is available on the Geological Society of Minnesota YouTube channel. Subscribe to this channel for updates.
Seminar Details
Seminar Lab Date: February 23, 2026
Seminar Lab Subject: Integrating GIS & Geoscience: A Capstone Project on Geology of the Ice Age Trail (V)
Seminar Lab Presenter: Lisa Siewert, M.Sc., Senior Lecturer, University of Wisconsin Stevens Point
Link to Presenter https://www.iceagetrail.org
Second Link to Presenter https://home.wgnhs.wisc.edu/
Seminar Lab Location:
Virtual lecture 7:00 PM CT.
Participation instructions will be e-mailed to GSM members. If you are not a member of GSM and wish to attend this free seminar online, register as follows by 8 AM CT Monday, Feb 23: Go to the Contact menu above and select “Ask GSM”. In the form that appears, enter your name and e-mail address. Enter “Feb 23 lecture” in the subject line. In the message body, please enter the city and state or country from which you will view the seminar. You will receive instructions by e-mail prior to the lecture. Check your spam folder if the instructions do not appear in your in-box at least one hour prior to the lecture.
Seminar Lab Detail:
Links to Wisconsin’s Ica Age Trail:
Link to Presenter https://www.iceagetrail.orgLink to Presenter https://www.iceagetrail.org
Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey: https://home.wgnhs.wisc.edu/
Summary: This presentation showcases the creation of an interactive geologic map of Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail, developed as the capstone project for Lisa’s Master of Science in Cartography and GIS (Geographic Information Systems). The map focuses on glacial features such as moraines, kettle lakes, outwash plains, and exposed bedrock across Lincoln, Marathon, Langlade, and Portage counties. Designed for public use, the map provides accessible descriptions, layered visualizations, and mobile-friendly features to enhance the hiking experience. Lisa will share the tools and techniques used, and how user feedback from Ice Age Trail hikers helped shape the final design. Beyond the map itself, she’ll reflect on how this project connects geoscience, cartography, and public education. Attendees will leave with insights into both the glacial history of Wisconsin and the potential of digital mapping for community engagement. Biography: Lisa Siewert is a Senior Lecturer in Geography and Geology at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, where she teaches physical geography, geology, and geospatial science courses. She recently completed her MS in Cartography and GIS from UW–Madison, with a capstone project focused on developing an interactive geologic map of Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail.