Education Related Sessions at the Joint Cordilleran-Rocky Mountains GSA Meeting in Bozeman Montana May 19-21, 2014

From the GSA Education Section:

Please consider submitting an abstract to one of the four education sessions at the forthcoming joint meeting of the Rocky Mountain and Cordilleran Sections of the Geological Society of America. Many faculty teach geology using the iconic sites in the western United States and we welcome contributions with examples at all instructional levels. Place-based instruction is also a demonstrated instructional practice to help recruit students from underrepresented groups. We are also convening sessions on Field-Based Research Experiences for Undergraduates and Education and Outreach activities related to the EarthScope Program. Authors can submit abstracts for an education session in addition to another theme session.

The Rocky Mountain/Cordilleran Section meeting will be held on May 19-21 at Montana State University, Bozeman MT. There is also an extensive pre- and post-meeting field trip program. Abstract deadline is February 11, 2004. More details about this meeting can be found at: http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/rm/2014mtg/

Please forward this announcement to any interested contributors. We'll look forward to seeing you at springtime in the Rockies. Dave Mogk, Cathy Manduca, Basil Tickoff, Emily Geraghty Ward, Derek Sjostrom, Kim Hannula Education Session Conveners

T25. Teaching the Geology of Western North America. Cosponsored by National Association of Geoscience Teachers. David Mogk, Montana State University; Basil Tikoff, University of Wisconsin; Cathy Manduca, SERC at Carleton College

This session will feature teaching strategies that focus on the geology of western North America from introductory courses to “core” geoscience courses for majors. Examples and case studies that cover geoscience resources, hazards, geology of the national parks, use of geoscience databases, and EarthScope science are encouraged.

 T27. Field-Based Research Experiences for Undergraduates. Cosponsored by Council for Undergraduate Research (CUR); National Association of Geoscience Teachers. Emily Geraghty Ward, Rocky Mountain College; Derek Sjostrom, Rocky Mountain College; David Mogk, Montana State University; Kim Hannula, Fort Lewis College

This session will highlight the variety of undergraduate research projects happening in the geosciences and how they are being implemented at different types of institutions. The session is open to students who would like to present their research findings and faculty mentors who can speak to the effectiveness of these research experiences on student learning.

 T28. Teaching Geoscience in the Context of Place and Culture for Sustainability and Diversity. Steven Semken, Arizona State University; David Mogk, Montana State University

 Our senses of place and cultural perspectives influence—and provide relevant context and meaning for—the ways that we teach about geoscience. Place-based and culturally informed geoscience teaching is that which intentionally leverages the diverse meanings people make in geologically illustrative places, the attachments students and instructors affix to such places, and the cultural knowledge of groups that reside in these places (whether indigenous, historically resident, or recent arrivals). These methods, applied in formal or free-choice learning contexts, are advocated to better engage underrepresented minority students, enrich the senses of place of all learners, and to promote environmental and cultural sustainability in places and regions. This session welcomes presentations that highlight current practices, theoretical models, and authentic assessment of place-based and culturally informed geoscience teaching.

 T24. EarthScope: Innovative Research, Education, and Outreach Activities. Steven Semken, Arizona State University

The EarthScope Program began its scientific journey in the western United States, then traversed eastward over the past decade, and will soon cover Alaska. Data from this unprecedented high-definition, continental-scale study of crust, mantle, and other Earth systems, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, have already led to new findings on the evolution and dynamics of the Cordillera and Rocky Mountains (including the overlying cryosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere). EarthScope education and outreach programs are sharing these findings with diverse stakeholders in the region. This session welcomes presentations by all geoscientists and geoscience educators who use EarthScope science and products in their work, in any and all ways.

Full Time Geology-Environmental Sciences Teaching Position at Santa Rosa Junior College

From the CCC Registry...

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Santa Rosa Junior College is seeking an individual with demonstrated instructional skills to join an outstanding team of faculty and instructional administrators to provide high quality services to our district, our community, and most importantly to our students. This is a full-time, regular contract position, located at the Petaluma Campus, beginning Fall Semester, August 2013. Appointment is contingent upon funding and Board approval.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Earth and Space Sciences Department of Santa Rosa Junior College is seeking an interdisciplinary instructor to teach in the Earth Sciences at the Petaluma Campus. This position requires teaching in at least two of the Earth Sciences disciplines (environmental science, geography, geology, meteorology and/or oceanography), with a preference that at least one of the two disciplines be environmental science, geography or geology. A typical assignment might include lecture and lab courses, and both day and evening classes; specific assignments will vary depending upon department needs and instructor expertise. The new faculty member will be joining one other Earth and Space Sciences faculty member at the Petaluma campus, and will be expected to support the department on this campus, in addition to department-wide responsibilities on both campuses.

Details below the jump...

"I'm a Geologist": Why That's Important

(From Geotripper) The following words are not mine, but I wish I had said them. Allen Glazner is a professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and a former classmate at Pomona College (in another century). He has written a number of excellent books on the geology of California, including a beautiful book on Yosemite National Park (with Greg Stock). Geology is not about rock collecting, it's about the sustainability of living on planet Earth. This is part of a column from NewsObserver.com. Please give the whole editorial a look.

"If I were to ask average people where gasoline comes from, most wouldn't really know. They might have a mental image, from a children's book, of a black pool of oil underground with a pipe sticking into it, but this is far from the truth. Many think drinking water comes "from the faucet," with little idea of what the source is. The average American home has more than 400 pounds of copper in it. Where does that come from? Even the sources of the sand and gravel vital to construction are a mystery to most people.

Well over 90 percent of the power used in the U.S. comes from fossil fuels and nuclear energy. Thank a geologist - we're the ones who find oil, natural gas, coal and uranium. Even if you think that these energy sources are loathsome, we're stuck with them for some years to come. Geothermal energy? That's an easy one - thank a geologist.

We all take clean, fresh water for granted. Thank a geologist - we find that fresh water and monitor its quality and inventory. Many "green power" devices, such as high-capacity batteries, LEDs and superstrong magnets, depend upon rare, obscure elements such as dysprosium, neodymium and indium. Thank a geologist - we're the ones who know how those elements are cycled in the Earth and where to find them.

The prices of many of these metals, including all that copper in your house, have doubled or tripled in recent years, and the price of oil has quadrupled in the past decade. Business people would benefit from learning a little geology so that they could understand this better.

Geologists are the go-to people for natural hazards. We monitor earthquakes and map faults so that buildings and bridges can be sited as safely as possible. We advise on where to put roads and houses to avoid landslides, and where to put tunnels for roads, pipelines and other infrastructure. We monitor volcanoes for risks to the local populace and aviation. We map areas susceptible to flooding. When the gasoline storage tank at the corner gas station starts to leak, we figure out where that underground gasoline plume is going and how to fix the problem."

Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/03/05/1029942/geology-can-you-dig-it.html#ixzz1FmXtLCUD . Thanks to Lockwood and Anne Jefferson for the tip.