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Standing Committee

Board on Earth Sciences and Resources

The Board on Earth Sciences and Resources (BESR) coordinates National Academies' activities on Earth science issues, including studies of important national issues in the Earth sciences. BESR interacts with agencies, identifies opportunities for advancing basic research and understanding of Earth science information for policy decisions and reports on the applications of Earth sciences to important societal issues.

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News and Updates

Precompetitive Geoscience Data in the United States: Benefits, Barriers, and Opportunities for Progress

Update

Register to join a June 17 virtual discussion exploring the value of precompetitive geoscience data sharing. Sessions will examine U.S. and international case studies, industry perspectives, and the potential for AI-enabled modeling and analysis using shared subsurface datasets.

Jun 1, 2026
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Derisking the Future: Continental Drilling for Resource Exploration and Management

Update

The critical minerals needed for advanced technologies, the energy to power advanced manufacturing, and the groundwater resources to support AI and advanced computing all lie in the subsurface. Join our spring meeting on June 15

Jun 5, 2026

Paleoenvironmental Data 101: Using Earth’s Past to Prepare for the Future

Announcement

While data collected by modern instruments can provide information on decades of Earth’s extreme events, paleoenvironmental data found in natural archives such as ice cores and tree rings can extend that record by hundreds, thousands, or millions of years into the past. Drawing on a new National Academies report, this interactive webpage offers an introduction to different paleoenvironmental archives and how they are being used to develop a deeper understanding of disasters in the past and plan for a more resilient future.

May 4, 2026
Rock core samples at the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland. Used on the cover of: A Synthesis Center for Paleoenvironmental Records of Extreme Events
About Events Projects Publications/Resources News and Updates

Description

The Board on Earth Sciences and Resources (BESR) was established in 1988 to provide a focal point for activities related to Earth science policy including natural resources, geologic hazards, geospatial sciences data, and workforce development.
BESR identifies opportunities for advancing basic research and understanding of Earth science information for policy decisions and reports on the applications of Earth sciences to important societal issues. The Board and its committees also serve as fora for discussions and exchange of information among scientists, engineers, and policy makers from government, universities, and industry.

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Contributors

Committee

Chair

Member

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Deborah Glickson

Staff Officer

Sponsors

Department of Energy

NASA

National Science Foundation

United States Geological Survey

Staff

Deborah Glickson

Lead

Jonathan Tucker

Lead

Noel Walters

Lead

Charles Burgis

Lead

Cynthia Getner

Samuel Kraft

Maya Frey

Dominique Jenkins

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