Part of the learning process is conversing with colleagues in an informal setting. That is why we have built numerous social and networking opportunities (including coffee breaks during the technical sessions); many of which are included in the registration fee. You will also have the opportunity to register for optional events, such as the Featured Speaker Luncheon and Golf Tournament, either online beginning the first week of June or by using the registration form PDF.
The AAPG European Region will host a golf tournament at Glyfada Golf Club, one of Greece’s premier golf courses. Spots are limited, so register early. Golf club rental and wardrobe facilities are available onsite. More Information Visit www.golfglyfada.com for additional information on the course.
There’s no better way to kick-off your encounter with Athens than by attending Sunday’s Opening Ceremony – the official start of what is certain to be, in the spirit of Prometheus, a memorable event.
Everyone who registered is invited to this colorful and important session. General Chairman Geir Lunde will preside over a ceremony that will introduce our theme as well as spark the challenge to “think outside the box” via the meeting’s outstanding, myth-busting technical session.
There will be welcomes and words from dignitaries and honored guests, plus a look at the historic past and sampling of exciting present-day Greek culture.
Here’s one tradition that doesn’t need to be challenged, but enjoyed: the annual Icebreaker reception. This colorful and entertaining social event, which starts immediately at the end of the opening ceremony, will be held in the Megaron’s impressive Exhibits Hall.
Join us, and you’ll be able to tour the Exhibition, visit with exhibitors and enjoy time with your peers, all while sampling the finest of Greek food, drink and culture.
Don’t miss the chance to start your Athens experience off in style. This Icebreaker is not to be missed.
The geographical description of Ithaca in Homer’s Odyssey has long provoked controversy and remains very puzzling.
“Around are many islands, close to each other, Doulichion and Same and wooded Zacynthos. Ithaca itself lies low, furthest to sea towards dusk; the rest, apart, face dawn and sun.”
--Odyssey 9.19-26
While Zacynthos continues to exist today, and almost all experts regard ‘Same’ as present-day Kefalonia, the island of ‘Doulichion’ has never been traced: it has remained a mystery for 3000 years. The application of modern geoscience entered the analysis in 2003 in an attempt to address the allimportant question: could a marine channel, subsequently described by Strabo as a low-lying isthmus, have separated Paliki, the westernmost peninsula of Kefalonia, from the rest of the island during the late Bronze Age? If it did, Paliki would then have been a free-standing island that precisely met Homer’s description: ‘lies low, furthest to the sea towards dusk’.
John has been leading the geological, geophysical and geomorphological tests of the theory that the Paliki Peninsula in Western Kefalonia might have been a freestanding island as recently as 3,000 years ago. Confirmation of that hypothesis would have dramatic ramifications for our understanding of Classical Greece.
Underhill has been an AAPG member since 1983, a Matson Award recipient and an AAPG Distinguished Lecturer and Award winner. He holds a BSc in Geology from Bristol University and a PhD from the University of Wales. He worked for Shell International for five years before joining the University of Edinburgh, where he holds the Chair of Stratigraphy. He has done significant research into the geology and geomorphology of Greece, and in his spare time referees football matches in the Scottish Premier League.
All registered students and faculty are invited to attend the Students Reception, to be greeted by ExxonMobil (Students Reception sponsor) and AAPG and European Region representatives. This is a great opportunity to join AAPG and learn about the benefits of membership and the Student Chapter program, so active in Europe.
The European Region wishes to thank the exhibitors for their generous sponsorship of this event! Complimentary lunch for all attendees and registered guests will be available throughout the Exhibition on Tuesday. Take advantage of this opportunity to converse with exhibitors in a relaxed atmosphere, while enjoying an informal lunch.
You won’t want to miss this exciting event – an official closing ceremony that celebrates and gives perspective to your Athens’ experience.
European Region President István Bérczi and conference Chairman Geir Lunde will offer a concise review of the conference’s significant moments; recognize the top oral and poster presentations that best meet the spirit of “challenging our myths;” and offer their views on what this meeting means – and what’s next for the science and the profession.
Immediately afterwards we’ll start the “sundowner” – a joyful celebration offering food, drink and one last chance to visit exhibitors and reflect on the meeting’s accomplishments and your own personal experiences.
Staying to the very end never felt so good!