Bentley Assistant Professor of Geology David Szymanski was elected chair of the Geological Society of America (GSA) Geology and Public Policy Committee for a one-year term that will begin in July 2011. The announcement was made at the GSA annual meeting recently held in Denver, CO. He is currently serving as chair-elect for 2010-2011.

In his new role as committee chair, Szymanski will set the agenda for all committee work and meetings. He will be responsible for facilitating the development of new public policy position statements on behalf of the society, and the revision of outdated and expired statements. In this capacity, he will also serve as chair of the Congressional Science Fellowship Selection Subcommittee. This subcommittee is responsible for interviewing and selecting candidates for the GSA-US Geological Survey congressional science fellowship, which sends earth scientists to Capitol Hill for one year to work as special legislative assistants in the United States Congress.  The fellowship is part of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Congressional Science and Engineering Fellows Program.

The Geological Society of America (GSA) is a global professional society of earth scientists with a growing membership of more than 22,000 individuals in 97 countries. The Geology and Public Policy Committee of GSA oversees development of GSA's Position Statements, which serve as the foundation for public policy actions by the society.