EarthScope Project March 6, 2009

Las Cruces, NM – Friday, March 6, 2009 will be a busy night at Branigan Cultural Center. In addition to opening receptions for two new exhibits, a program on the EarthScope Project is slated. John W. Geissman, Professor and Chair, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of New Mexico will speak at 7 pm. Geissman will share information about his work with the EarthScope Project.

EarthScope is a decade-long national geoscience program whose purpose is to better understand the structure and evolution of the North American continent. EarthScope is using a multidisciplinary approach to address fundamental questions such as how continents form, how movement takes shape along faults, and how volcanoes behave. It is funded by the National Science Foundation and conducted in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey. Geissman will provide information on specific research in New Mexico including Rio Grande Rift, Basin and Range Province and volcanoes.

This program is presented in conjunction with the Museum of Natural History. Following up on the lecture, the MNH will host a Geology field trip to Aden Crater Saturday morning, March 7th. Pre-registration for the Desert Trek is required as space is extremely limited. For more information or to register for the trip, call MNH at (575) 522-3120.

Both programs are free and open to the public. The Branigan Cultural Center, 501 N. Main Street, is located at the north end of the Downtown Mall in Las Cruces. For more information about programs and exhibits, contact the Branigan Cultural Center at (575) 541-2154 or the Museum of Natural History at (575) 522-3120. Additional information is posted on the City of Las Cruces Museums website at www.las-cruces.org/museums