Thursday, January 27, 2011

From the Far Western Section of NESTA (National Association of Earth Science Teachers)

From Wendy Van Norden, NESTA Far West Regional Director:

I have some news and some questions for California NESTA members

Question: The 2012 American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) national convention will held in Long Beach. They are trying to a meaningful session for K-12 teachers. The theme for this convention is “Creative Ideas + New Technology = The Future. Do you have any suggestions?

News: Many of you signed a petition to the Academic Council of the University of California, asking them to include Earth Science as a “d” laboratory course. The petition was rejected. However, they are open to discussion about the topic, and I have organized a task force to put together recommendations for Earth Science curricula that should be considered.

Question: I am teaching a dual credit course with UCLA (my high school students receive credit on a UCLA transcript). My course is for Juniors and Seniors and it receives “d” lab credit

Do you know of any similar courses in California?

Do you know of anyone teaching an honors level Geology or Earth Science course in CA?

Do you know of Geology/Earth Science courses that do receive “d” lab credit?

Wendy Van Norden
Harvard-Westlake School
3700 Coldwater Canyon
No. Hollywood, CA 91604
818 487-6665
wvannorden@hw.com

Monday, January 24, 2011

Earth Science Full Time Tenure Track: Yuba Community College District

There have been not a great many full time Earth Science/Geology openings in California of late, but one has been announced in the Yuba Community College district:

Earth Science/Physical Science Instructor
Closing Date: April 8, 2011 Yuba Community College District ,
Marysville Faculty $52,592 - $100,879/YR.

Check out the CCC Registry here (search words Earth Science or Geology) for more details, and part-time opportunities in Marin, Monterey, Cerritos, Anaheim, San Francisco, and Bakersfield.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone Maps Now Online


A note from Cindy Pridmore at the California Geological Survey:

Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone Maps

CGS now offers online access to AP Fault Zone Maps: www.quake.ca.gov/gmaps/ap/ap_maps.htm

Individual maps can be viewed on screen; PDF images and GIS files can be downloaded by selecting a specific quadrangle map. Other CGS online map updates: both the geology and fault activity maps for the state are viewable online as well as the regional 1:250K and 1:100K geologic map series. The older Geologic Atlas series of maps will soon be made available as well. See http://www.consrv.ca.gov/cgs/information/geologic_mapping/Pages/googlemaps.aspx

On a different note, March 20-26, 2011 is National Tsunami Awareness and Preparedness Week. CGS has lots of downloadable educational/outreach materials available at http://www.tsunami.ca.gov/ . Scroll down the main page to see links to both the inundation maps (CGS) as well as the CalEMA MyHazards website. We provide numerous links to K12+ tsunami curriculum and activities. For more information on availability of printed educational materials contact:

Cindy Pridmore

cpridmore@consrv.ca.gov

916 324-5572

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Note from the GSA Geoscience Education Division

From our colleagues at the GSA Geoscience Education Division:

Hi Folks!

Happy New Year to you all. Just a friendly note from the Geoscience Education Chair with reminders about a couple of upcoming deadlines:

1) Tuesday January 11, 2011. Deadline for proposals for the Technical Program, GSA national meeting in Minneapolis. We had a great turnout at the last meeting, with nearly a record number of posters and oral sessions. Make sure that your teaching and research interests are represented at the 2011 meeting. Be sure to contact me if you would like the division to sponsor your proposal. Submit your session proposals here.

2) February 1, 2011. Deadline for nominations for the Biggs Earth Science Teaching Award. The Biggs award is the only named award in our division, and therefore merits special consideration of our membership. In the past three years, the number of nominations has been 3 or 4 per year. And keep in mind that you can self-nominate. Click to find more information about the award, past recipients, and nomination procedures.

This year, the contact for the nominations is:

Sadredin (Dean) C. Moosavi
STEM Department
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
smoosavi@charter.net

That’s all for now. I’ll send another note when we’ve had a chance to check out all of the session proposals.

Paul Baldauf
Chair, Geoscience Education Division
Nova Southeastern University
Ft. Lauderdale, FL

CalPaleo Conference at Sierra College in Rocklin, May 14, 2011



A Note from CalPaleo:

Sierra College and Sierra College Natural History Museum are pleased to host the 2011 meeting of CalPaleo on Saturday May 14.

Don't miss this great opportunity to present your own research and learn about the latest research of others. CalPaleo meetings have typically emphasized the research of students from California colleges and universities, with a sprinkle of research papers by professors and other researchers. The cohesive factor that makes us CalPaleo is that we are California Paleontologists -- either we live here and do research here, we live here and do research elsewhere, or we live elsewhere and do research here. Regardless, we are all California Paleontologists. CalPaleo meetings bring us all together in a way that GSA, BSA, AAPG, AASP, or even SVP meetings cannot.

The 2nd CalPaleo meeting announcement, planned for January, will include info on the CalPaleo 2011 website, registration fees (if any), local housing ideas, publication of abstracts, and the first Call for Papers (both oral and poster). We hope by then that you will be able to download an attractive, colorful Call for Papers to give to your friends. In the meantime, please forward this simple and plain 1st announcement to everyone that you think needs to know about the 2011 CalPaleo meeting and encourage them to be here. Offer to let them ride along with you!

You will love the Rocklin area, located in the foothills of the Sierras just 20 minutes east of Sacramento right off I-80. Unlike much of California, we have trees, lakes, and permanent streams! In other words, our environment is much more like the late Tertiary. Plan ahead. You may just want to spend an extra day or two here in the Pliocene!

Expect a reminder with Call for Papers in March. Abstract deadline is 01 April. April Fool! Actually the deadline is 02 April 2011. Put the date on your calendar now. Be prepared. Help us capture the diversity of paleontological research underway in California. Remember that not all fossils have bones and teeth! Be present to ensure that your area of expertise is represented -- be it ichnofossils, microfossils, invertebrates, plants, fish, birds, other dinosaurs, or those warm fuzzy guys!

What's most important right now is that you Save the Date! Saturday 14 May 2011. We hope to see you at CalPaleo in 2011 at Sierra College in Rocklin, .


CalPaleo 2011 Organizing Committee

Dick Hilton Lanny Fisk
Sierra College PaleoResource Consultants

Charles Dailey Dave Haasl
Sierra College PaleoResource Consultants

Holly Dodson Susan Bowman
Sierra College PaleoResource Consultants

George Bromm Tina Campbell
Sierra College PaleoResource Consultants

Chantal Decavel Donna Lowenthal
Sierra College PaleoResource Consultants