Join us at GSA Connects in Denver, Colorado on October 11-14, 2026 for: “More than just wet feldspar: Developments on the Origin, Properties and Evolution of Continental Lower Crust” The past fifteen years of research has provided revolutionary insights into the origin and evolution of the lower crust of Earth’s continents. Recent studies have emphasized that the deep crust may be much more felsic than previously thought and characterized by dramatic heterogeneity in rock type, density, seismic velocity, and structure. These heterogeneities and recent evidence of episodes of extraction or addition of water and/or melt and in widely varying amounts (pervasive to trace quantities) indicates that current models may oversimplify bulk lower crustal rheology. This session aims to bring a large cross-section of workers together to highlight these advances and foster discussion about ways to make new advances in continental lithospheric evolution. We are excited to announce invited talks by Dr. Francisco Apen (Northern Arizona University) and Dr. Benjamin Klein (University of Lausanne)! Advocates: Gregory Dumond (University of Arkansas), Caleb W. Holyoke, III (University of Akron), Kevin H. Mahan (University of Colorado), Andrew J. Smye (Penn State University), Michael L. Williams (University of Massachusetts Amherst) Abstract deadline is August 6, 2026. Submit at https://connects.geosociety.org/ <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fconnects.geosociety.org%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cmlw%40cns.umass.edu%7C0bbe2bf936584936a43c08dee5b51e5c%7C7bd08b0b33954dc194bbd0b2e56a497f%7C0%7C0%7C639200763243780974%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=QiENSXt%2BRY28%2Bq7ABrlobEqE4w63ZWg1dGd1E%2BzdChs%3D&reserved=0> . -- Michael L. Williams Department of EGCS Earth, Geographic, and Climate Sciences 627 North Pleasant St. University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003