Initial Publication Date: September 23, 2026
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Volume 15, Issue 3 | Fall 2026

Foundations

NEWSLETTER OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GEOSCIENCE TEACHERS GEO2YC DIVISION

In this Issue:

  • President's Column
  • 2026 NAGT, GSA GER, & GeoCUR Virtual Joint Awards Ceremony - Friday, Sept 25
  • Earth Educator's Rendezvous roundup
  • Fall professional meetings - support our undergrads
  • GSA Connects 2026 highlights
  • Applications due October 18 for geoscience advocacy
  • Data visualization via quilting
  • Travel stipends (particularly if you are going to EER or GSA)
  • Geo2YC wants to hear from you
  • Geo2YC pencil pictures
Geo2YC Website

President's Column

Beth A. Johnson, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Welcome back for another academic year!

The start of a new semester is always a bit awkward for me. There are so many new students in my classroom and I have to learn their names, I have a different schedule I need to settle into, and that adjustment from the less-structured summer to the highly-structured fall is always a challenging one. But with new faces come new opportunities and new things to learn, even if that learning is about each other.

With that segue, my time as president of the Geo2YC Division is coming to a close and I will be stepping down at the end of my term. So, I want to take this opportunity to introduce the new Geo2YC Division president, Christopher Berg! Chris comes to us from Orange Coast College in California and has been a long-time member and contributor to NAGT. (Check out his collaborative work on plate tectonics for Project EDDIE on the SERC webpage!) I look forward to seeing how he brings his experience and perspectives into this position.

The Geo2YC Division is such a close-knit group and does so much to make sure all students, regardless of where they study, have the opportunity to get hands-on, thought-provoking experiences in geology. It also puts a strong emphasis on providing a community where people can share experiences, ask questions, learn new teaching techniques, and be supported. But we cannot do any of this without you.  We are always on the lookout for people interested in serving as division officer – email me at johnsonba@uwosh.edu and we'll be in touch!  We are always on the lookout for new fireside chat topics – send along ideas for the next discussion! We are always looking for people to propose and chair geoscience education-themed sessions at conferences – propose one to the conference and reach out to Geo2YC for sponsorship! We are here for you! Good luck in the new academic year!

Join Us for the 2026 NAGT, GSA GER, & GeoCUR Virtual Joint Awards Ceremony!

The 2026 NAGT, GSA GER, & GeoCUR Virtual Joint Awards Ceremony is this Friday! Please join us as we celebrate the incredible achievements of this year's awardees and welcome our new officers.

This virtual event is open to everyone — please feel free to share this invitation with your friends, family, and colleagues. We look forward to celebrating with you!

Date: Friday, September 25, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM Pacific / 1:00 PM Mountain / 2:00 PM Central / 3:00 PM Eastern
Location: Zoom

Connection Info:

Join Zoom meeting via this link:
https://zoom.us/j/95111849697?pwd=ds3taAIeE7dPkcZQXvGy02e2ucnbtv.1

Supporting the next generation of geoscientists at fall meetings

Kelsey Druce, EarthScope

Whether or not you have students presenting, we encourage you to stop by the undergraduate poster sessions at GSA Connects 2026 and AGU 2026. These sessions showcase research, outreach, and classroom projects from undergraduate students at community colleges, four-year institutions, and research universities. The GSA Connects session is co-convened by Wake Technical Community College and the EarthScope Consortium, while the AGU session is co-convened by the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) Geoscience Division and the EarthScope Consortium. For many students, this is their first professional conference presentation, and your questions, encouragement, and feedback can make a lasting impact. We hope you'll join us in celebrating their accomplishments and supporting the next generation of geoscientists.

GSA Connects annual meeting

This year's annual GSA meeting is in Denver, Colorado from October 11-14, 2026. There are a number of geoscience education sessions, and a poster session for 2YC student research. Check out the GSA Connects site for more info.

Visit NAGT at Booth #801 in the exhibit hall. Keep an eye out for NAGTeas - informal gatherings focused on a variety of topics! Hot water, tea, and mugs will be available, or bring your own! Gatherings will happen at the table at the NAGT booth or adjacent tables in the exhibit hall.

NAGT is proud to endorse a robust lineup of topical sessions at the 2026 Annual Meeting.

Sunday, October 11

  • T88. Geoscience Research Poster Showcase by 2YC and 4YCU Undergraduate Students
  • T89. Iris Moreno Totten Research in Geoscience Education Session

Monday, October 12

  • T101. The Astro-Geoheritage of the Solar System: Past Explorations and Future Considerations
  • T86. Diversifying Geoscience Education Across the Academic Playing Field: Using Creative Methods to Foster the Current and Next Generations of Geoscience Professionals (Posters)

Tuesday, October 13

  • T86. Diversifying Geoscience Education Across the Academic Playing Field: Using Creative Methods to Foster the Current and Next Generations of Geoscience Professionals (Part I)
  • T92. Technology and tools for 3D visualization of field and lab data in teaching and research
  • T167. Planetary Exploration and Education: How We Learn About Our Solar System and Beyond
  • T86. Diversifying Geoscience Education Across the Academic Playing Field: Using Creative Methods to Foster the Current and Next Generations of Geoscience Professionals (Part II)
  • T91. Making Sense of Methodologies and Theoretical Frameworks in Geoscience Education Research
  • T92. Technology and tools for 3D visualization of field and lab data in teaching and research (Posters)

Wednesday, October 14

  • T85. Developing and Assessing Workforce Skills in Geoscience Courses and Programs

Member Discount

GSA and NAGT have collaborated to make attending GSA Connects more affordable. NAGT members are eligible to receive a 15% discount on registration for GSA Connects 2026. To receive your discount, enter the code CONNECTS26_NAGT when registering for the meeting. As this is a member benefit, we ask that you do not share this code with others.

Be an advocate for geoscience!

Mike Phillips, Illinois Valley Community College

The AGU Local Science Partners program is accepting applications for next year (deadline: October 18, 2026). I have been a participant in the program since 2022 and have found that it provides useful support and encouragement for anyone interested in engaging their local Congressional officeholders (US Senators and Congressperson).  The program includes training and information on issues to discuss.  In addition, active members are provided with free registration to AGU's Annual meeting and travel support for participation in AGU-sponsored Congressional Visit Days in Washington, DC. I strongly encourage NAGT Geo2YC members to participate in the program because we bring an important perspective as well as the ability to translate our science for non-scientists (this is very useful for elected officials and their staffs); in addition, our students and colleges resonate as important constituents in a way that 4YC institutions do not.  I have found my interactions in my local district and in DC to be very rewarding and informative. For more information and to apply, visit AGU Local Science Partners. You can also contact Mike Phillips (mike_phillips@ivcc.edu) with any questions.

Piecing it all together: data visualization via quilting 

Laura Guertin, Penn State Brandywine

It's not a secret on my campus that I do science storytelling through quilts, but I had yet to meet a student that was a quilter until this past academic year. I had the amazing opportunity to mentor a student in the construction of a data visualization quilt. DJ Woodward was a second-year student pursuing a major in finance. While enrolled in my Maps and the Geospatial Revolution course, he stayed behind one class period and we started discussing quilting and sharing photos. The pieces started to fall together - his interest in polar bears, his desire to make another quilt, and my desire to work with a student constructing a data visualization. DJ even took the project further and constructed a StoryMap with links to the data and a description of his process in making the quilt. The quilt was showcased in our campus library during World Polar Bear Week, and DJ went on to win second place in the STEM category at our campus research symposium, and even a ribbon at a local quilt show! I hope DJ's work can show other students on my campus that no matter which major they pursue, they can still have an interest and work towards combining science and the arts. Read on about DJ and his quilt here.

Let us support your attendance at EER (or GSA)

Apply for a Geo2YC Faculty Development Grant! Next deadline is April 15. 
The Geo2YC Division is here to support our members financially - we offer $500 to help facilitate workshops or activities for 2YC faculty that are planned by our members, and $100 travel grants for professional meetings, including GSA, AGU, EER, regional NAGT meetings, and more. Historically, we've received few applications - so the likelihood of funding is high - let us help you. Rolling deadlines annually are on April 15 and September 15. Apply here.

Fireside Chats 

No additional Fireside Chats are currently scheduled, but we'd love to hear from our members - what would you like to talk about next?  Send your ideas on topics and ideal days/times for your and your colleagues using our newsletter submissions link and select general contributions on the pulldown menu.

Earth Educators Rendezvous roundup

Thanks to Scott Brande for sharing some photos from this summer's EER in Columbia, South Carolina!

 

 

 

 

 

We want your stories!

Please share your Geo2YC experiences with us - we are always looking for:

  • Field Notes - tell us (and show us with pics) about field trips you do with students, especially if it's outside on your campus or in urban areas.  If you are conducting field work with colleagues, tell us about that too.
  • Geoscience/geology/STEM clubs/professional society chapters - how are you encouraging your students to engage beyond the classroom?  Tell us about meetings or outreach events...show us your t-shirts!  Consider getting your students to write about it for us.
  • Grant projects - have you had a funded grant? We would love to hear about your projects.
  • Teaching experiences - have you tried a new activity that went well? Did you try something that totally flopped?  Do you love a particular lesson from the SERC collection?  Let's talk about what we do best.
  • Favorite rocks and fossils - we all have favorite samples in our teaching collections - share yours with us!
  • Book reviews - have you enjoyed a good geo-related book (fiction or non-fiction?) lately?  Tell us about it.

Please note, you don't have to write a lengthy, fully perfect article.  A picture and a paragraph or two can tell the full story.

Where in the world are NAGT Geo2YC pens and pencils?

Email any of the Geo2YC officers to get your own Geo2YC writing pens/pencils - we'll even send some to share with students.  Send us your pen and pencil pictures to share in the newsletter.