Full-Time Tenure Track Geology Teaching Position at Santa Barbara City College

It's something to think about...two retirees with about 80 years of geology experience between them. That's the story at Santa Barbara City College this year. I noted a few weeks ago that a geology technician position was available at SBCC (application deadline is December 30). Now they have announced an opening for a full-time tenure-track position for a geology instructor. The department at SBCC has a strong tradition of field instruction, excellence in teaching, and community involvement. I deeply appreciated the four years I spent with the department in the 1980's. Deadline for the teaching position is February 3. Details of the position can be found at this link, and are listed below the fold...

The Subaru Minority Student Scholarship Program for 2012

From the GSA Education Division:

GSA is pleased to announce that Subaru of America, Inc., in partnership with GSA, has funded a scholarship program to encourage minority undergraduate GSA student members to continue their studies in the geosciences. The Subaru Minority Student Scholarship Program provides US $1,500 to one student at an accredited university or college in each of the seven GSA Sections as nominated by the GSA Campus Representatives. The funds are to be used to purchase text books, pay college fees, or attend GSA field trips or conferences.

In addition to the cash award, a complimentary student membership for 2013 will be granted. Meeting registration for this year’s GSA Annual Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina will also be provided where a student awards reception will be held.

We are asking our Campus Reps to nominate one (1) minority student whom they believe will benefit and be encouraged to continue their studies in the geosciences by receiving this award.

Student Requirements for Nomination:
• Be a U.S. citizen and a member of a minority group (a ‘minority’ is described by the U.S. Census Bureau as being of Hispanic or Latino, African-American or Black, Asian, American-Indian, Alaskan Native, or Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander ethnicity/race);

• Has taken at least two (2) introductory (first year) geoscience courses;

• Be enrolled in additional geoscience courses in the upcoming academic year; and

• Be a current undergraduate student member of GSA. Students who cannot afford the cost of membership may apply for a dues waiver through the membership assistance program.

Campus Rep Responsibilities and Timeline:

• Verify with the student that he/she is a member of a minority group as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau;

• Verify that the student has completed two introductory geoscience courses and is enrolled in geosciences classes for the upcoming academic year;

• Complete and return the nomination form (from GSA Campus Representatives) via email to awards@geosociety.org no later than 9 April 2012;

• Nominations will be forwarded to the GSA Diversity in the Geosciences Committee for review; and

• All awards will be announced by 1 June 2012.

We hope you take advantage of this opportunity for your minority undergraduate students to be sponsored by Subaru of America, Inc.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions that you may have.

Diane Lorenz-Olsen
Grants, Awards, and Recognition
The Geological Society of America
3300 Penrose Place, Boulder, CO USA 80301
awards@geosociety.org
(303) 357-1028

Paid Geoscientist Opportunities on National Parks, National Forests, and BLM Lands

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah

GeoCorps America is a program of the Geological Society of America , in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the National Park Service. The program offers paid short-term geoscience positions in some of the most beautiful natural areas in the world. GeoCorps project areas include geology, hydrology, paleontology, mapping and GIS, minerals, soils, glaciology, geo-hazards, karst, education, interpretation, and more.

Spring/summer 2012 positions have been posted, and candidates may begin applying now! Additional positions will be posted over the next week. The 2012 positions include more Guest Scientist positions and GeoCorps Diversity Internships than in 2011, and will soon feature positions with the State of California Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Program.

For more information, click here: http://rock.geosociety.org/g_corps/index.htm

Earth and Planetary Science Lab/Field Tech Position at Santa Barbara City College

There have not been many openings posted for geology/earth science positions in the California Community College system in the last few months, but an interesting one just crossed my desk, for an Earth Science Laboratory and Field Technician post at Santa Barbara City College. SBCC is a nice place to work (I was there from 1984-88), and their earth science program is excellent. If you are a jack-of-all-trades in the geological sciences, and enjoy organizing and conducting field and lab studies, this position is worth your attention. Application deadline is December 30, so act fast. Official information can be found here, while a more detailed description can be found beneath the jump...

High School Honors Earth Science and the University of California

Notice to California High School teachers and staff

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce that a high school course, entitled Honors Earth Science, has been approved by the UC Academic Senate Board on Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS), and also by the UC Office of the President. The course was designed principally by Wendy Van Norden with help from the rest of us. It is listed on https://doorways.ucop.edu/list/, under the listings for Harvard Westlake School, North Hollywood, CA. The course outline appears on the website of Harvard Westlake School, at http://www.hwscience.com/Geology/Honors/ESS%20course%20outline.doc. There is also an Honors Geology curriculum available at Harvard-Westlake that also has "d" certification at http://www.hwscience.com/Geology/Honors/index.html.

The Honors Earth Science course is intended for high school juniors and seniors. It has received an “honors” designation by the UC, so it confers and extra point to a student’s GPA. The course has the same level of rigor as most AP science courses, and it is possible to work with a local university to turn it into a dual credit course. Honors Earth Science has prerequisites of algebra, biology, and chemistry. In principle, any high school that adopts this course should receive UC's "d" Laboratory Science credit for it. Widespread adoption of this course in CA high schools should significantly increase the awareness of Earth Science by CA high school graduates, UC's entering students, and the public at large.

This course does not conflict with existing 9^th grade Earth science classes. It is intended as a third-year science class for college-bound students. BOARS has made clear that 9^th grade Earth science classes will not receive "d" certification.

There are, of course, several advantages for students to take a third science course in high school, for several reasons:

• UC's "d" laboratory science requirements states "two and preferably three years" of high laboratory science are required"; Three years are better than two; nearly all (more than 90%) entering first-year UC students have 3 or even 4 years of science in high school
• In this increasingly technically oriented world, students will benefit from as much science as they can get;'
• Earth science underlies any understanding of the landscape, agricultural patterns , the location and character of towns cities, and resource and economic issues, and earth hazards. Especially in California, all people need a background in Earth science in order to become informed citizens because of California's Earth hazards, including earthquakes, landslides, floods, and tsunamis.
• In this increasingly crowded world, resource and hazard issues are at the forefront of many events and conditions on Earth, e.g. the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, the Thailand and Pakistan floods, the East African droughts, the climate crisis. A knowledge of Earth science is essential for every citizen, including those that attend UC!

We hope that this new development will encourage high schools throughout California to offer this course, and thus better prepare their students to function as informed citizens in the 21^st century.

We encourage you to look at this course outline carefully, and we encourage you to consider adopting the course in your own school. Widespread adoption of this course would go far towards the spread of Earth Science courses eligible for "d" Laboratory Science credit at UC throughout California. It would benefit all present and future Californians.

Cordially,

Wendy Van Norden, Harvard-Westlake School, North Hollywood, CA

Ray Ingersoll, Earth and Space Sciences, UCLA,

Bruce Luyendyk, Geological Sciences, UCSB,

Tom Traeger, La Canada High School, La Canada High School

Eldridge Moores, Geology, UCD

More Scenes from the Joshua Tree Conference

Some more scenes from the recently concluded fall meeting of the Far Western Section. Thanks to Randy Adsit for these great photos (comments are his)! And thanks again to Bruce Bridenbecker and Copper Mountain College for sponsoring...

My new ride! An abandoned car near the Wall Street Mine.

There are 3 plutons visible in this scene from near the Wall Street Mill. The White Tank "monzogranite" is the easiest to pick out -- it's the light colored unit making boulders in the middle ground on the left.

The interior of the Wall Street Mill. A two stamp mill is in the back. The tray in the middle originally had a copper sheet covered with mercury, for separating gold from the crushed rock. In the foreground is a shaker table, which separates ore minerals from non-ores based on specific gravity.

A "green" water pump, powered by renewable wind energy.

Past issues of "California Geology" Available for Free Download!

(From a post on Geotripper)
How many of you remember or know of a publication by the California Geological survey called California Geology? It was a marvelous magazine written mostly for lay people, and it always had great articles on all aspects of the wonderful geology of our fair state. It was an early victim of our state budget troubles, and ceased publication in 2001 after a 53 year run (originally as the Mineral Information Service).

I especially appreciated the field guides they occasionally published including an excellent series on the geology of the Sierra Nevada Mother Lode in 1997. They also had plenty of articles about the teaching of the earth sciences that were handy for classroom exercises.

Cynthia Pridmore of the California Geological Survey has notified me that the entire 53 year inventory of California Geology issues is now available for free download as PDF files from the CGS site (click here for the search page). If you are at all interested in the geology of our state, check it out. There is some good stuff here!

Many thanks to the California Geological Survey for making the database available!

A Soggy Day in Joshua Tree National Park: On the road with the NAGT

(Cross posted from Geotripper)

I spent the last weekend geotripping in Joshua Tree National Park with fellow members of the Far Western Section of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers. We hold these meetings twice a year at locations throughout California, Nevada and Hawaii. They are a great way to share teaching ideas and to collect samples and photos of some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet.

Part of our trip was an exploration of the Geology Road Tour in the middle of the park. The road is an unpaved track that is recommended for four-wheel drive vehicles. We would try to see if that was true on a rainy day!

It was only sprinkling at first, as we crossed the Queen Valley pediment. Here and there inselbergs rose from the flat valley floor. These 'islands' of rocks that are remnants of mountain ridges that eroded away long ago.

The process of erosion continues into the present day. Can you see the horizontal scars across the boulders in the pictures above and below? These are areas of intense chemical weathering that formed when the soil levels were about 6-7 feet higher than today. The soils have eroded away within the last 20,000 years or so.

Another interesting form of erosion on these granite boulders is the development of tafoni, the hollows and honeycomb pits that occur on some boulders. The origin of the pits is somewhat unclear, but is no doubt a phenomenon of chemical weathering, possibly when the rock was still buried in the soil.

The hollow above was big enough to sit in. Others have had the idea of using the hole for shelter, as there was a grinding hole in the floor of the shallow cave. I also noticed a lot of charcoal in the soil at the site, meaning that the site was also utilized as a campsite by the local Native Americans.

We passed Malapai Hill, a 400 foot high basaltic intrusion. The volcanism resulted from decompression and partial melting of mantle material during a "reorganization" of the crust of southern California as the San Andreas fault system was taking shape. We didn't have time to check it out, but a climb of the hill reveals some nice examples of columnar jointing and fragments of mantle materials in the basalt.

Malapai Hill, photo by Mrs. Geotripper

We dropped down into Pleasant Valley, although with the building storm it was looking less and less pleasant by the moment. The abrupt valley wall marks the trace of the Blue Cut fault, a left lateral strike-slip fault that trends eastward through the park.

We stopped for a look at the Gold Coin Mine (not much equipment left), and searched for a few petroglyphs on the dark metamorphic rocks at the mine site.

At the contact with the granite, I saw a very nice example of a xenolith ('alien stone'), a piece of older rock that was incorporated into the granite when it was still molten. The xenolith was more resistant to erosion, and now stands out.

The weather was getting nastier by the second. The road crossed a playa surface in the center of Pleasant Valley. After the first eight cars passed through, the surface had become 'unstable', for lack of a better term. For the first time in five years of driving my Subaru, I went fishtailing on a road. My car has been stable on all manner of icy and snowy surfaces, but this was...fun. When we left two hours later, other cars were driving down the one way road. I wonder how they fared.

At the other end of the valley we found some of the most interesting rocks, a series of aplite dikes cutting across the Proterozoic Pinto Gneiss. These rocks are part of a complex that includes the oldest rocks in California (and part of an extensive belt of mountains that once extended across the southern United States).

The rocks have been intricately folded and intruded by small granite veins. The complex chemical interactions have resulted in mineralization, leading many miners to seek out valuable ores in these rocks, mostly without success.

We continued around the one-way loop, on not too unreasonable roads while the rain continued to pour down on us. Luckily the playa surface did not extend to the other end of the loop, and we had no problems crossing the valley.

The view across the valley was interesting...our road out could be seen meandering up the alluvial slope. The inselbergs from the first part of the road tour can be seen on the skyline through the falling rain.

We made it back to the paved highway without incident, but the trip was cut a bit short because our last destination was Key's View. On a normal desert day, the view is incredible, looking across the Coachella Valley to Salton Sea, the San Andreas fault, and the San Jacinto Mountains. But not on this particular afternoon. The 30% chance of showers had turned into a full-fledged storm, so we headed back to town.

A trip spoiled by rain? Absolutely not. There is nothing quite like the sights and smells of a rainstorm in the desert. It was a great day!

If you would like to join us on another exploration of the Mojave Desert, you have an opportunity on March 2-4 when El Camino College sponsors a meeting at Zzyzx near the Mojave National Scenic Area. Information on the meeting can be found here.

Scenes from the Far Western Section meeting at Joshua Tree National Park

We will be happy to post pictures from attendees at the fall meeting at Joshua Tree National Park. Thanks to Randall Adsit for the first of the pictures below! If you want to learn more about the geology of Joshua Tree National Park, watch for an announcement about the availability of the meeting guidebook in a few days.

White Tank granodiorite and yucca. Photo by Randy Adsit

Yucca blooms by Randy Adsit

Pyrolusite dendrites in the mineralized zone of the Desert Queen Mine. Photo by Randy Adsit

"Polka dots" from the Desert Queen Mine. Photo by Randy Adsit

 

Rattlesnake Canyon area in Indian Cove, Joshua Tree. Photo by Garry Hayes

Exploring Rattlesnake Canyon near Indian Cove, photo by Garry Hayes

Porphyritic granitic rock at Indian Cove in Joshua Tree National Park, photo by Garry Hayes

Exploring Rattlesnake Canyon. Photo by Garry Hayes

Exploring the Skull Rock area at Joshua Tree. Photo by Garry Hayes

Trip leader Bruce Bridenbecker discusses Skull Rock weathering. Photo by Garry Hayes

Bizzaro Rocks Day and a Roadrunner: an update from the Fall Meeting of the Far Western Section

(Cross-posted from Geotripper)

We were on the road this weekend, attending the fall meeting of the Far Western Section of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers. When geologist-teachers get together, we may talk about teaching, but we make sure our activities revolve around geology. We explore.

The sponsor of our meeting was Copper Mountain College, which serves the towns of Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms. The towns are right next to Joshua Tree National Park which sits astride the boundary between the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts in Southern California. One group explored the scarps produced by the 1992 Landers Earthquake, a 7.6 temblor that produced a prominent scarp that is still visible today. The other trip was a tour of a park named for an odd tree, but whose other distinction is the bizarro rocks it has. Joshua Tree is a showcase for plutonic processes, with thousands of acres of weirdly weathered granitic boulders.

This is a brief post before I hit the long road home, but here are a smattering of photos of my favorite outcrops. They include the very colorful lichens I found in sheltered spots. Lichens are an entire ecosystem of lifeforms in miniature, a symbiotic relationship between algae and fungi.

And then there was the Triassic megacrystic Twentynine Palms quartz monzonite. I've seen plenty of porphyritic granitic rocks before, but a canyon filled with giant boulders of this stuff was just extraordinary.

I could swear I heard a little "beep-beep", and there it was, a little roadrunner wondering what we were up to. More pics later!

Don't Take Joshua Tree for Granite: The Fall Meeting of the Far Western Section of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers

There is still time to see one of California's most unique national parks!

(Reposted from October 1: Registration forms and more information available at the Far Western Section website)

Joshua Tree National Park is one of the most unique desert environments to be found anywhere in North America (See a representative journey with Geotripper here). Sitting astride the boundary zone between the Mojave and Sonoran deserts, the park displays a startling variety of plant and animal species, and stunning displays of a Proterozoic metamorphic complex and Mesozoic plutonic rocks. It is a great place to learn about geology.

Copper Mountain College will be the host for the Fall 2011 meeting, which will include explorations of the park, and a journey to the interior of the Mojave to see the scarps from the 1992 Landers earthquake, still starkly obvious after two decades. The magnitude 7.3 quake killed two and produced a fracture that crossed fifty miles of desert.

The Far Western Section of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers invites anyone interested in the geological sciences to join them, including students (especially students!). Membership in NAGT is not required. This is a wonderful opportunity to see a fascinating corner of California's geology, and a chance to meet earth science teachers from all over California and Nevada (Hawaii is in our section too). It is an exciting and economic way to see some of southern California's most incredible geology.

Friday November 11, 2011

6:00 PM Meet at Copper Mountain College Bell Center Community Room for Registration 

(On-site registration cost estimate is $50.)

7:00 PM NAGT Far Western Section Board Meeting

8:00 - 9:00 PM Registration

Saturday November 12, 2011

8:00 - 10:00 AM Meet at the Bell Center Community Room for Registration

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Field Trips (Choose One)

Field Trip Number 1

Landers Earthquake: Scarps still visible after 20 years plus Pioneer Town: Dating of a Miocene(?) erosional surface – Bob Reynolds

Field Trip Number 2 

Geology of Joshua Tree National Park – Bruce Bridenbecker

Presentation: 6:00 – 9:00 PM Evening Social with Lecture on Mines and Mining in Joshua Tree National Park - Dee Trent

Sunday November 13, 2011

8:00 AM Meet at Bell Center Parking Lot for Field Trip to Desert Queen Mine – Dee Trent

Field Trip should conclude by 2:00 or 3:00 PM.                                           

Logistics:

Joshua Tree Area Services

For a directory of area motels and restaurants visit the Joshua Tree Chamber of Commerce Web Site at http://www.joshuatreechamber.org/.

Joshua Tree Area Camping

Indian Cove is located 13 miles east of Joshua Tree Village and 10 miles west of Twentynine Palms on the north side of the Wonderland of Rocks. Indian Cove Road dead-ends at this secluded area. Campers register at the ranger station located at the entrance to the Indian Cove area. Water is also available there.

Contact Bruce Bridenbecker for additional information.

Some Earth Science/Geology Teaching Positions Announced

Several notes crossed my desk concerning openings. See below for details...

First, from Dirk Baron at Bakersfield State:

The Department of Geological Sciences at California State University Bakersfield has two tenure-track faculty openings to be filled by fall 2012. We would appreciate it if you could forward the announcements to postdoctoral fellows, research associates, and other qualified individuals in your department who may be interested in applying.

The positions are

1. Structural Geology/Neotectonics http://www.geosociety.org/classiads/ads/web18.htm

2. Petroleum Geology http://www.geosociety.org/classiads/ads/web17.htm

We will be conducting preliminary interviews at the upcoming GSA Annual Meeting in Minneapolis.

We appreciate your help in this matter.

Best regards,

Dr. Dirk Baron
Professor of Geology
California State University, Bakersfield
9001 Stockdale Highway
Bakersfield, CA 93311
Tel.: 661-654-3044; Fax: 661-654-2040
--------------------------------------------------

From Peter McDonald at the University of Toronto....

I am writing to ask for your assistance in identifying candidates for a faculty position opening at the Assistant Professor level in the field of Geology at the University of Toronto. A copy of the advertisement is shown below. If I could trouble you to bring this opportunity to the attention of any postdoctoral fellows, or research associates, or other qualified individuals in your department who might be interested, I would be most grateful. Thank you in advance and I hope that one day I might repay the favour !

Regards

Peter M. Macdonald, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Chemistry
Chair, Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences
University of Toronto Mississauga
3359 Mississauga Road North
Mississauga ON Canada L5L 1C6
tel: 905 828 3805
fax: 905 828 5425

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, GEOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL & PHYSICAL SCIENCES

The Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences at the University of Toronto Mississauga is seeking applications for a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level from scholars with research interests in Geochemistry, Geophysics, Sedimentology or related fields. The successful applicant will complement an Earth Sciences research cluster at UTM specializing in paleoclimatology, climatetectonic interactions, and petrology. Candidates for this position should have received their Ph.D. by the starting date, and should demonstrate potential for excellence in teaching and research. The successful applicant will be expected to develop and maintain an active, externally funded program of research and to contribute to the education and training of undergraduates at UTM and graduate students in the Department of Geology, University of Toronto. The position will commence July 1, 2012 at a salary commensurate with qualification and experience.

We encourage you to submit your application online by visiting us at www.jobs.utoronto.ca/faculty.htm, and refer to job number 1100767. Please ensure that you include a current CV, statement of research and teaching interests, materials relevant to teaching experience, and copies of representative publications. Individuals lacking computer access may submit application materials to Chair of Earth Sciences Search Committee, Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road North, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 1C6. Three letters of recommendation should also be sent under separate cover. Materials must be received by November 1, 2011.

For more information about the Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences at the University of

Toronto Mississauga, please visit our home page at www.utm.utoronto.ca/cps.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from visible minority group members, women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, members of sexual minority groups, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

---------------------------------------------------------------

The CCC Registry lists two part-time teaching positions under "geology", and one full-time tenure-track position at Canada College in the San Mateo District under the "earth science" search.

Announcement: Fall Meeting of the Far Western Section, Nov. 11-13, Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park is one of the most unique desert environments to be found anywhere in North America. Sitting astride the boundary zone between the Mojave and Sonoran deserts, the park displays a startling variety of plant and animal species, and stunning displays of a Proterozoic metamorphic complex and Mesozoic plutonic rocks.

Copper Mountain College will be our host for the Fall 2011 meeting, which will include explorations of the park, and a journey to the interior of the Mojave to see the scarps from the 1992 Landers earthquake, still starkly obvious after two decades.

We invite anyone interested in the geological sciences to join us, including students (especially students!). This is a wonderful opportunity to see a fascinating corner of California's geology.

Friday November 11, 2011

6:00 PM Meet at Copper Mountain College Bell Center Community Room for Registration 

(On-site registration cost estimate is $50.)

7:00 PM NAGT Far Western Section Board Meeting

8:00 - 9:00 PM Registration

Saturday November 12, 2011

8:00 - 10:00 AM Meet at the Bell Center Community Room for Registration

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Field Trips (Choose One)

Field Trip Number 1

Landers Earthquake: Scarps still visible after 20 years plus Pioneer Town: Dating of a Miocene(?) erosional surface – Bob Reynolds

Field Trip Number 2 

Geology of Joshua Tree National Park – Bruce Bridenbecker

6:00 – 9:00 PM Evening Social with Lecture on Mines and Mining in Joshua Tree National Park - Dee Trent

Sunday November 13, 2011

8:00 AM Meet at Bell Center Parking Lot for Field Trip to Desert Queen Mine – Dee Trent

Field Trip should conclude by 2:00 or 3:00 PM.                                           

Logistics:

Joshua Tree Area Services

For a directory of area motels and restaurants visit the Joshua Tree Chamber of Commerce Web Site at http://www.joshuatreechamber.org/.

Joshua Tree Area Camping

Indian Cove is located 13 miles east of Joshua Tree Village and 10 miles west of Twentynine Palms on the north side of the Wonderland of Rocks. Indian Cove Road dead-ends at this secluded area. Campers register at the ranger station located at the entrace to the Indian Cove area. Water is also available there.

Contact Bruce Bridenbecker for additional information.

New NAGT Division: Geoscience at Two-Year Colleges

The Geo2YC Organizational Committee is pleased to announce that the Geoscience at Two-Year Colleges (Geo2YC) Division has become the first professional interest division of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT). The Geo2YC Division has received start-up funding from the NAGT Executive Committee to launch its mission to:

1) serve as a forum for exchanging information about 2YC geoscience programs
2) create a professional network for geoscience education at two-year colleges and other institutions with shared interests
3) sponsor NAGT 2YC activities and make recommendations to the NAGT Council
4) support and coordinate research on 2YC geoscience education
5) advocate for 2YC geoscience education within NAGT and other organizations

We welcome all NAGT members, including four-year college and university faculty with similar interests and concerns, to join the Geo2YC Division.

For Geo2YC to become a success we need your ideas and participation. One way to participate is to nominate yourself or a colleague to become an officer. Below are the primary duties and requirements for Geo2YC officers:

President - current or former 2YC professor serves 1-year term followed by 5 years on the Nominating and Election Committee
a. Convenes and chairs Executive Board meetings
b. Attends NAGT Council meetings or designates an alternate
c. Writes Division newsletter column and annual report for NAGT
Vice-President - current or former 2YC professor serves 1 year-term before becoming President
a. Participates in Executive Board meetings
b. Coordinates with liaisons to NAGT sections
Secretary/treasurer - serves 3-year term
a. Takes Executive Board meeting minutes
b. Tracks budget and maintains financial records and bank account
Newsletter Editor - serves 3-year term
a. Participates in Executive Board meetings
b. Edits quarterly electronic newsletter and sends news to other media
Webmaster - serves 3-year term
a. Participates in Executive Board meetings
b. Maintains and updates Division website on NAGT server
Archivist - serves 3-year term
a. Participates in Executive Board meetings
b. Archives documents, records, and images, and maintains membership roster

Please send the names and contact information for officer nominations to me at this address by Thursday, September 15. Membership sign-up, election of Geo2YC officers, and adoption of Division bylaws will occur later this month on the NAGT website.

We'd love to have you join Geo2YC!

Regards,

Bob Blodgett

UPDATE: Here is the URL for Geo2YC: http://nagt.org/nagt/divisions/2yc/ . The actual page is http://nagt.org/nagt/divisions/2yc/index.html but you can access it within out adding index.html.

Celebrate National Earth Science Week 2011!

From Missy Holzer at NESTA...

National Earth Science Week is around the corner! The celebration will take place October 9-15, 2011 and this year’s theme is “Our Ever Changing Earth.” Not sure what to do for that week? Go to National Earth Science Week Homepage http://www.earthsciweek.org and you will find numerous ideas related to this year’s theme. You may also purchase an Earth Science Week kit for $6.95 which is filled with posters and resources to use during the celebration and the rest of the year.

The first day of the school year can set the tone for the entire year, and we as Earth Science teachers have the best resources to ensure a terrific opening to the new school year. We have access to images and animations of exciting events, fascinating phenomenon, and perplexing puzzles in the Earth Sciences. We can stop our students in their tracks as they ask “why do we have to learn Earth Science?” by using video clips like "Why Earth Science" from AGI and available on the AGI website http://www.agiweb.org/education/resource/index.html and on YouTube. This free 7 minute video will give your students a taste of what’s in store for them for the school year, and will entice them to choose a career in one of the many fields of Earth Science. They will be captivated by the footage and the message it has that Earth Science includes everything everywhere! Best Wishes for a new school year!

Geoscience Teaching Opportunities in the California Community Colleges

Canada College in the San Mateo Community College District is seeking applicants for a full-time Earth Science Instructor. The position is open until filled, but the first screening date is 8/15/2011. There are four other part-time positions being advertised on the CCC Registry: https://www.cccregistry.org/jobs/searchForm.aspx, with the search terms "earth science" or "geology".

NSF Announces $10 Million grant to Improve Geoscience Education and Integrate with other Disciplines

"The National Science Foundation (NSF) today announced a $10 million grant for a new center to improve geoscience education and integrate the geosciences across other academic disciplines.With the support from the five-year grant, "Interdisciplinary Teaching of Geoscience for a Sustainable Future," or InTeGrate, will develop teaching materials and model programs for use in undergraduate education.

InTeGrate activities specifically target the large majority of undergraduates who do not elect to take geoscience courses, with the goal of improving overall geoscience literacy and increasing the number and diversity of graduates who will utilize this literacy to address societal issues ranging from water resource management to hazardous waste disposal."

For more information, see the announcement here

AGU Abstract Deadline - August 4

NAGT is pleased to outline a variety of geoscience education sessions planned for the Fall 2010 AGU Meeting held in San Francisco, CA, from 5-9 December, 2011. There are more than 50 education sessions at this year's meeting and you can easily see all the session names, abstracts, and conveners by going to the NAGT website - http://nagt.org/nagt/programs/meetings/AGU2011.html  .
Please submit abstracts (http://agu-fm11.abstractcentral.com/) and take part in the sessions highlighting key issues of importance to geoscience educators

The deadline for submitting an abstract to the AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco is 11:59PM EDT Thursday, August 4.

(from John McDaris)

News from National NAGT (From John McDaris)



Eastern Mojave Desert (see announcement below about Far Western Section Spring Meeting, 2012)

 1. NAGT Outstanding TA Award Deadline: June 1
The deadline for nominations for NAGT's Outstanding TA Award is June 15. NAGT recognizes outstanding teaching assistants in geoscience education with up to 30 awards annually. Both undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants are eligible for the award which consists of a one year membership in NAGT, a one year subscription to the Journal of Geoscience Education, and a certificate. If there is a TA in your department that you think deserves recognition for their efforts in the classroom, nominate them using the form on the program's webpage (http://nagt.org/nagt/programs/ta.html ).
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2. NAGT Activities at GSA: Meetings, Receptions, Sessions, Workshops, and Field Trips

http://nagt.org/nagt/programs/meetings/GSA11.html

NAGT Meetings and Receptions have been added to the Activities page for the 2011 GSA Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, MN. Dates and times for these meetings still need to be confirmed but are available now so that members can begin making their plans to attend. Location information for the events will be added to the page as soon as it becomes available. In addition, the Activities page lists lists topical sessions, workshops, and field trips being sponsored by NAGT or it's sponsored projects.

Abstract submission for topical sessions is ongoing with a deadline of July 26 and registration for the meeting and workshops is now open as well with an Early Registration deadline of September 6. So check out the great offerings and join your fellow educators by taking part in several of these wonderful opportunities.
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3. New NAGT Officers for 2011-12

Please join us in congratulating the new officers that were elected in this year's election.

Aida Awad (Maine East High School) - 2nd Vice President

Tamara Shapiro Ledley, PhD (Center for Science Teaching and Learning, TERC) - Councilor

Karl Wirth (Macalester College) - Councilor

You can read more about each of the new officers on the new officers biography page (http://nagt.org/nagt/news/54555.html). Their terms in the NAGT leadership will begin with the Annual Meeting held in conjunction with the GSA meeting this October in Minneapolis.
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4. Draft Position Statement on High School Earth Science Instruction

In keeping with NAGT's core mission "to foster improvement in the teaching of the earth sciences at all levels of formal and informal instruction, to emphasize the cultural significance of the earth sciences and to disseminate knowledge in this field to the general public," a new draft position statement on High School Earth Science Instruction has been developed to establish NAGT's perspective on this important issue.

The Executive Committee invites all NAGT members to comment on the draft statement during the open comment period running from June 6 - September 6, 2011. The draft statement, along with all submitted feedback, will be presented to NAGT Council and voted upon at the Annual Meeting held in conjunction with the GSA meeting in October, 2011, in Minneapolis.

You can read and download the text of the draft position statement by going to http://nagt.org/nagt/policy/high-school.html. Comments can be left in discussion threads at the bottom of the page or emailed directly to the Executive Director.
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5. 2011 Award Announcements
Some of the NAGT awards programs have announced their winners for 2011. Be sure to check out the program pages on the website for more information about the awards and recipients.

Neil Miner Award (http://nagt.org/nagt/programs/miner.html)

Dr. Marjorie J. McKinney and the late Dr. F. Kenneth McKinney

James H Shea Award (http://nagt.org/nagt/programs/shea.html)

Dr. Naomi Oreskes, University of California San Diego

Bob Christman Distinguished Service Award (http://nagt.org/nagt/programs/christman.html)

Dr. Bob Ridky, US Geological Survey

USGS/NAGT Cooperative Field Training Program (http://nagt.org/nagt/programs/usgs_field.html)

44 students have been selected as the 2011 class of USGS interns. These individuals will be hired by USGS for a period of up to 5 months and work on projects and be mentored by USGS scientists. Check out the program page for a full listing of the 2011 interns and the projects they will be working on this year.

Dottie LaLonde Stout Professional Development Grants (http://nagt.org/nagt/programs/stout.html)

Pete Berquist, Thomas Nelson Community College, Hampton, VA

Shelley Jaye, North Virginia Community College, Fairfax, VA

Kimberly Thompson, Annistown Elementary School, Snellville, GA

Christine Witkowski, Middlesex Community College, Middletown, CT

Scholarships for Field Study (http://nagt.org/nagt/programs/field_scholarships.html)

For 2011, scholarships were granted to 18 undergraduate students studying geoscience to help offset the cost of attending a field camp or other field-based course. Included in the total are two scholarships awarded in conjunction with the Association of Women Geoscientists. See the Field Scholarship page for a listing of the students and their institutions.
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6. North Central Section Meeting and Field Trip: Sinks Canyon Area, Lander, Wyoming, July 20-22

Share curriculum ideas with other geoscience educators in the peaceful setting of Sinks Canyon. Followed by an optional, two-day field trip. Information and registration materials are available on the North Central Section website (http://nagt.org/nagt/organization/north-central/11meeting.html). Contact Suki Smaglik with any questions or comments.
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7. Far West Section Spring 2012 Meeting: El Camino College, Torrance, California, March 2-4, 2012

El Camino College will be hosting the spring 2012 National Association of Geoscience Teachers Conference at the Desert Studies Center in Zzyzx, California on March 2 - 4, 2012. Field trips will focus on various aspects of the Mojave Desert and are currently being planned. Zzyzx (which is pronounced zy - zicks with emphasis on the "zy"), California has a colorful history of its own and once was a resort which featured mineral springs and mud baths, and was renowned as a health resort. Some of these facilities are partially preserved and make for wonderful photographic opportunities with the background of Soda Dry Lake. Today, the California State University system has established a consortium which administers the Desert Studies Center, facilitates research in a variety of disciplines, and aids the preservation of the endangered Mohave tui chub.

Baker, California is located 11 miles to the north east from the Desert Studies Center and has a variety of motels, restaurants, gas stations, and other facilities, some of which are quite unique. "Home of the World's Tallest Thermometer" is Baker's claim to fame and the height of the thermometer at 134 feet or 41 meters was selected when the community recorded the highest temperature ever recorded in the United States (in Death Valley) at 134 degrees Fahrenheit in 1913. However, it is also a gateway to Death Valley and other scenic areas of the Mohave Desert. Many travelers come to know Baker as they fill their gas tanks during their excursions to and from Las Vegas, Nevada to Los Angeles, California. Baker, California is approximately 177 miles or 285 kilometers north east of Los Angeles, California. Las Vegas, Nevada is located about 88 miles or 142 kilometers to the north east of Baker, California.

The Desert Studies Center has a meeting room, an area for social gatherings and poster sessions, audio visual capabilities with wireless internet, dormitory facilities (advanced registration required and individuals bring their own bedding or sleeping bag), shower facilities, a chef who will prepare the hot breakfasts, dinners and packaged lunches, a store which features items related to Zzyzx, wonderful star gazing opportunities (clear skies permitting), and a wonderful view of Soda Dry Lake, the California Fan Palms and the Chub Pond. All of the field trips will leave from the Desert Studies Center.

In addition to the field trips, workshops, the banquet, and the NAGT Far Western Section business meeting, student posters are strongly encouraged. It is hoped that each school with faculty in attendance will have at least one student poster. The best posters will receive special recognition. Please plan to attend!

Please contact Lynn Fielding with any questions about the spring 2012 NAGT Meeting.
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8. Field Experience for Earth Science Teachers - Learn About Groundwater and Wells - Flagstaff, AZ

NGWA, Arizona Project WET (part of the University of Arizona), and Northern Arizona University, as well as practicing groundwater professionals are collaborating to provide this nontraditional, insightful, and memorable educational opportunity taking place in the shadow of the Grand Canyon.

During the course, participants will:

Conduct an aquifer (pumping) test

Observe the influence of surface water/groundwater interaction in actual field conditions

Identify geologic formations and recognize their capacity for groundwater production

Experience the drilling, construction, and development of a water supply well

Interact and confer with practicing groundwater professionals in real-world circumstances

Learn how to infuse 21st century learning, communication, and collaborative learning skills into classroom instruction

Deepen your content knowledge about the groundwater resource

Discover how to model the inquiry process using problem-solving and critical-thinking skills with local, regional, and national content

More detail on the course is available at http://info.ngwa.org/events/137jul11.cfm.
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9. NESTA Survey of Earth and Space Science Teachers
In order to better serve Earth and space science teachers, the National Earth Science Teachers Association has prepared an anonymous survey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NK7ZDGX) to gather information about your Earth and space science education needs and concerns, your satisfaction with NESTA services (if you are a member), and your ideas about how NESTA can serve you better. Please take a moment to complete this survey at your earliest convenience. You may receive notice about this survey from a variety of sources, but please be sure to only complete the survey once! Thanks so much for your time and effort!
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10. Community Advertisements

Freelance Writer Editor/Science

Words & Numbers (http://wordsandnumnbers.com/ ), a leading developer of educational content, is seeking contract or freelance writers and editors to work on a variety of projects.

http://nagt.org/nagt/news/ads/51260.html

Postdoctoral Research and Teaching Associate, Maine Center for Research in STEM Education (RiSE Center) at the University of Maine

The Maine Center for Research in STEM Education (RiSE Center) at the University of Maine seeks applicants for postdoctoral positions in physical sciences education research (chemistry, physics, Earth sciences). Candidates must have a Ph.D. in science, science education, or a closely related field; have a strong research record in discipline-based education research; and have demonstrated excellence in teaching.

http://nagt.org/nagt/news/ads/52381.html  

Historic Narrow-gauge Railroad Geology Train Trip

Geology Train Excursion on the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad along the Colorado-New Mexico border with stops to examine geologically interesting sites. The day-long trip will be on June 26th, 2011.

http://nagt.org/nagt/news/ads/53032.html