500Earth Sciences

About the club

Dedicated to the education of its members in geology, mineralogy and paleontology.

Our members are diverse in age, interests and educational background, and come together for fellowship and instruction, to promote the study of the earth and its inhabitants. Related subjects get their share too — lapidary, archaeology, micromounting.

48Annual shows run
427In the Facebook group
501(c)(3)Registered public charity
Four club members standing behind a display table of Indiana fossils at an outreach event

Indiana outreach

We bring the state's fossils to people who have never held one.

Members set up displays of Indiana fossils and minerals at Geofest at the Indiana State Museum and at events around the state, and talk anyone through what they are looking at. We also carry litter out of the sites we collect from — the rocks are not the only thing that leaves.

From the collection

Photographed by club members
A complete sea lily crinoid fossil on a limestone slab, stem curving away from the calyx
Elegantocrinus hemisphaericus
Mississippian · Montgomery County, Indiana
Photograph by K. Armstrong
A small fossil crinoid calyx held between two fingertips, showing its plated dome
Crinoid calyx
Collected on a club field trip
Approximately 25 mm across
Two halves of a quartz geode opened in cupped hands at a collecting site
Quartz geode, opened
Found, split and photographed in the field
[LOCALITY TO CONFIRM]

Officers

2026

President

Lisa Goldman

Vice President

James Yarber

Secretary

Sue Brutkiewicz

Treasurer

Cheryl Hamilton

Officers are elected annually. Committee chairs and the show committee are listed each month in the Tumbler.

A not-for-profit club

The 500 Earth Sciences Club of Indianapolis, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) public charity. EIN 52-1329898.

Proceeds from the annual show fund scholarships and awards for local universities, museums and youth organisations studying the earth sciences. Donations are deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Affiliations

Midwest Federation of Mineralogical and Geological Societies
American Federation of Mineralogical Societies

Membership in the club carries federation membership, which brings insurance on club field trips and access to federation events.