GCR Upcoming Workshops
SODCO-GCR XRF Training Workshop
April 12–16, 2027
Gulf Coast Repository
College Station, TX, USA
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Non-destructive X-Ray fluorescence (XRF) core scanning is an integral part of most scientific ocean drilling expeditions and is widely used in other fields of marine geology. Thus, the aim of the workshop is to familiarize participants with these important tools and to build a basic understanding of procedures for data collection and interpretation. Throughout the workshop we will address the background of XRF core scanning, teach lab procedures, and follow established ocean drilling protocols for core measurements and data quality assurance and control. Participants will work collaboratively on projects related to sediment and hard rock analyses and will learn to interpret and visualize the data generated throughout the workshop. Using the GCR’s two Avaatech XRF core scanners, we aim for a workshop size of 10 to 12 participants.
If you are interested in participating in this workshop, please complete the application.
We welcome applications from a range of specialties (e.g., paleoceanography, sedimentology, petrology, volcanology, and others) and encourage graduate students and early career scientists to apply. No previous XRF-experience required to participate.
Funding for travel, housing, meals, and incidentals will be provided for all U.S. participants.
The application period closes at 11:59 pm U.S. Central Time on January 15, 2027. Application review will start right after the deadline.
If you have any questions about the workshop or the application process, please contact Laurel Childress.
GCR CORE School
Summer 2027
Gulf Coast Repository
College Station, TX, USA
CORE (COres for Research and Education) School is a five-day workshop hosted by the Gulf Coast Repository (GCR). The overarching goal of CORE School is to provide a mechanism to maintain expertise in scientific ocean drilling methods and subseafloor core analysis.
Additional goals of the workshop include:
- Improving knowledge in scientific ocean drilling methods,
- Increasing awareness of the scientific potential of legacy cores,
- Training a new generation of scientists in the analytical techniques available,
- Providing training on data analysis and correlation of different data sets,
- Providing networking opportunities for early career scientists and geosciences faculty, and
- Possibly identifying potential topics for legacy projects and drilling proposals.
The workshop will include the collection of new data using the instrumentation of the GCR and the exploration of related legacy data and the integration of legacy and newly collected data.
We welcome applications from a wide range of specialties (e.g., sedimentology, physical properties, paleomagnetism), and we encourage graduate students, early career scientists, and faculty from non-R1 institutions, including two-year colleges, to apply.
Funding (including travel, meals, and incidentals) is provided for all U.S. participants. Applications will open in late Fall 2026 and close in early 2027.
If you have any questions about the workshop or the application process, please contact Laurel Childress.