View online supplements for In the Trenches at http://nagt.org/nagt/publications/trenches/index.html.
In This Issue
News & Announcements
- The 2018 Earth Educators' Rendezvous is Here!
- Announcing the Winners of the Outstanding TA Awards
- Seeking Nominations for JGE Awards: Deadline August 1
- New Issue of In the Trenches
- AGU and GSA Abstract Deadlines
Upcoming Webinars
- Recordings of complete InTeGrate 2018 Spring Webinar Series now available
- PolarTREC Live-Stream Event on August 23
Deadlines
- Register now for the AGU Heads and Chairs Workshop
- AGU 2018 Data Visualization and Storytelling Competition
- Register for Paleontological Society short course by October 15
- AGI Seeking Nominations for Officers and Awards
Section and Division Highlights
- Award opportunities
NAGT Community Kudos
- Cheryl Manning
- Joshua Villalobos
NAGT Career Hub
- USGS/NAGT Cooperative Field Training Program
Rock and Mineral Exchange
1. See You at the Earth Educators' Rendezvous!
We are very excited about the 2018 Earth Educators' Rendezvous kicking off next week. If you're attending this year, we can't wait to see you in Lawrence! Be sure to familiarize yourself with the program of sessions. The week is filled with top-notch workshops, posters, and presentations showcasing the incredible breadth and depth of geoscience education knowledge in this community. There are also evening activities each night of the conference, such as a special behind-the-scenes tour of the University of Kansas Natural History Museum on Tuesday, an LGBTQ+Allies Meet-up on Wednesday evening, and other varied cultural opportunities throughout the week.
Follow EER Action on Social Media
Even if you're missing this year's Rendezvous, you can still follow some of the action on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter by searching the hashtag #EarthER18. Participants, use this hashtag to share your experiences with others.
Rendezvous 2019
Whether you are attending this year's conference or not, you can already start planning for the fifth annual Earth Educators' Rendezvous in 2019! Next year's Rendezvous location and dates will be announced soon. Sign up to receive Rendezvous notifications to stay in the loop!
Earth Educators' Rendezvous Challenge
NAGT is excited to announce that we have received $4000 in pledges for the first ever NAGT Challenge. This Challenge will raise funds for travel stipends to the 2019 Earth Educators' Rendezvous. In order to 'unlock' these pledged funds, we must fundraise an additional $4,000 for a dollar-to-dollar match. If we are successful, we will have $8,000 to provide travel stipends to help participants attend next year's Rendezvous. Give now through your NAGT Membership account and select the Professional Development Fund. Every donation helps along the way to matching these pledged funds!
2. Announcing the Winners of the Outstanding TA Awards
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. Award winners receive a one-year membership in NAGT, which includes an online subscription to the Journal of Geoscience Education and the In the Trenches quarterly magazine.
The undergraduate student awards are the gift of Thomas Hendrix, Grand Valley State University. Tom was the recipient of the 1994 Neil Miner award and he also served as President of NAGT as editor of the Journal of Geoscience Education. The graduate student awards are funded by NAGT. NAGT is proud to congratulate the June 2018 recipients of the Outstanding TA Award:
- Wolfgang Ashley, University of South Carolina
- Rachel Atkins, North Carolina State University
- Andrew Bean, University of South Carolina
- TJ Daniel, Clemson University
- Bailey "Zo" Kreager, Northern Illinois University
- Florian Lustenberger, University of Zurich
- Franziska Mohr, University of Zurich
- Christian Pullano, Clemson University
- Nick Soltis, Auburn University
- Wesley Tucker, University of Illinois at Chicago
- Bart Yeates, Baylor University
3. Seeking nominations for JGE Awards: Deadline August 1
Outstanding Paper Award
Papers in all categories published by the Journal of Geoscience Education (Research, Curriculum & Instruction, Commentaries, and Literature Reviews) in the previous year (2017, Volume 66) are eligible to be nominated for the 2018 Outstanding Paper Award. In order to be nominated, a paper must exhibit, as relevant, at least some of the following characteristics: (1) innovative enhancement of student learning, which is documented and assessed, (2) advancement of the discipline of geoscience education, and (3) broad societal impact of vital and significant high-quality geoscience education.
Any JGE reader, author, reviewer, associate editor, or editor may submit a nomination for Outstanding Paper.
To submit a nomination, send an email to the Editor-in-Chief (jge-editor@nagt.org) with a complete citation and a discussion of how the nominated paper is an outstanding scholarly contribution, exhibiting one or more of the characteristics described above.
Outstanding Reviewer Award
The Outstanding Reviewer Award recognizes a reviewer who: (1) provided reviews of exceptional quality, (2) completed reviews more quickly than average, and/or (3) completed more reviews than average. The award will be based on the quality and quantity of reviews completed in the previous year.
JGE authors, associate editors, and editors may submit a nomination for Outstanding Reviewer.
To submit a nomination, send an email to the Editor-in-Chief (jge-editor@nagt.org) with the name and contact information of the nominee and a discussion of how the reviewer made an outstanding contribution to the peer-review process of JGE, highlighting the criteria described above.
Recipients of both awards will receive a plaque and a $500 cash prize, and will be recognized at GSA and in NAGT publications. For more information about the selection process and to see past recipients, click here.
4.New issue of In The Trenches Now Available
The July 2018 issue of In The Trenches has published and will soon arrive in the mail for all NAGT members. The online edition of the journal is also available and accessible to members only here. The theme of In The TrenchesVol. 8 No. 3 is "Making Earth Science Visible, Accessible, and Engaging." The article topics range from Mexican middle schoolers mapping their watershed to art-science collaborations in a liberal arts setting. Plus, check out the new Letter to the Editor section and consider submitting your own letter to In the Trencheshere.
5. AGU and GSA Abstract Deadlines
Before heading off on your summer breaks and adventures, don't forget that the deadlines for submitting abstracts to the AGU Annual Meeting and the GSA Fall Meeting are August 1 and August 14, respectively. Extensive information about sessions, workshops, and other events for educators that will take place at each of these meetings is available on the NAGT website:
NAGT Members are a crucial piece of the education community at both AGU and GSA, so submit abstracts to share your work with the rest of the community. Also don't forget to stop by the NAGT booth at each meeting to say hello and meet other members and officers, or better yet volunteer to staff the booths! Staffing the NAGT booth is a great way to connect with others and contribute to your association. Email Krista Herbsrith at kherbstr@carleton.edu if you are interested.
1. Recordings of Complete InTeGrate 2018 Spring Webinar Series Now Available
The InTeGrate 2018 Spring Webinar Series is now complete, and recordings of all eleven webinars are available online. The webinars range in subject from taking a transdisciplinary approach to teaching environmental science; integrating GPS, SfM, and TLS into geoscience field courses; addressing landslide hazards in introductory graduate courses; and more. If you missed these webinars, now is a great time to catch up on the shared expertise and insight available in these resources. And keep an eye out this coming fall, when the InTeGrate webinar series will continue!
2. PolarTREC Live-Stream Event on August 23
Join educator Dr. Lauren Neitzke Adamo, Dr. Lucas Zoet, and the PolarTREC research team as they broadcast live from the mountains of Switzerland on August 23 at 10 AM CT. The team will discuss their ongoing research on glacier sliding for all audiences (but targeted at students middle school and older). To register, click here.
1. Register now for the AGU Heads and Chairs Workshop
The AGU Heads and Chairs Workshop will take place on December 9, just prior to the Fall Meeting in Washington, D.C. You do not have to be an AGU member to attend this workshop. The preliminary workshop program is now available. Please register now, as space is limited to the first 60 participants and is offered at no cost to the attendees.
2. AGU 2018 Data Visualization and Storytelling Competition
AGU's Data Visualization and Storytelling Competition invites students to apply and demonstrate how they can creatively present data pertaining to the Earth, solar system, and the universe. Winners will receive the opportunity to present their visually based story on the NASA Hyperwall, travel grants, and complimentary registration to the AGU Fall Meeting. The deadline to apply is August 31.
3. Register for the Paleontological Society Short Course 'Pedagogy and Technology in the Modern Paleontology Classroom' by October 15
The Paleontological Society is pleased to offer a short course titled 'Pedagogy and Technology in the Modern Paleontology Classroom on Saturday, November 3 from 9am-5pm at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Organized by Phoebe Cohen, Lisa Boush, and Rowan Lockwook, this free workshop is open to all paleontologists and educators. Those interested in participating should register in advance by October 15 by submitting your name and sample syllabus here.
The goal of this workshop is to get the entire paleontological community excited about education and to help participants brainstorm effective strategies for teaching paleontology and Earth history. The program includes a combination of lectures and breakout sessions with a focus on general teaching topics in the morning, and teaching with online databases (including PBDB, Macrostrat, and Neotoma) in the afternoon. Topics to be presented include active learning strategies, flipped classrooms, incorporating research into teaching, kinesthetic learning, how students learn, diversity and inclusion in the classroom, and confronting prior conceptions. The workshop will cater to both early career participants (including students and post-docs) and later career participants. The target audience includes two and four year college faculty who teach (or are interested in teaching) introductory geology, historical geology, and/or paleontology courses.
4. AGI Seeking Nominations for Officers and Awards
AGI (American Geosciences Institute), of which NAGT is a member society, had its first Call for 2019 Nominations at last month's Member Society Council meeting in Salt Lake City. AGI is looking to expand its pool of candidates for AGI officers and awards for the 2019 nominations cycle. The strength of the Federation is dependent on having participation from Member Societies in the form of nominations from within their membership to serve on AGI's Executive Committee or receive AGI awards. More information about submitting nominations prior to the February 1 deadline is available here.
See Division award opportunities below!
GER Division
- AWARD OPPORTUNITY: The GER Division is pleased to announce two new awards to honor individuals who have propelled geoscience education research forward. The Transformation Award recognizes a GER colleague that has made significant contributions to the development of and capacity for geoscience education research. The Collaboration Award recognizes a non-GER colleague who has infused the GER community with new approaches to GER. For more information please visit this webpage. Applications will be received until September 15 for this first award cycle, and awardees will be notified by October 1. For more information, please contact Past-President Nicole LaDue (nladue@niu.edu).
- At the 2018 Earth Educators' Rendezvous, the GER division will host a breakfast on Tuesday morning, July 17 at 7:45 AM before the Advancing Trans-disciplinary Dialogue in Geoscience Education Research workshop led by Cory Forebes and Caitlin Callahan.
- The Geo2YC and the GER divisions will be co-sponsoring a happy hour event at McClain's Market (located north right across the street from the Geography & Atmospheric Science building on KU's campus) from 5:30pm-7:30pm on Wednesday, July 18 at the Earth Educators' Rendezvous. Appetizers will be provided.
- Know a researcher worth spotlighting, have an article worth reading, or an opportunity worth sharing? Submit to the GER Exchange using this queue. Self nominations are welcomed. Check out the latest edition of the GER Exchange for even more division highlights.
Geo2YC Division
- The Geo2YC and the GER divisions will be co-sponsoring a happy hour event at McClain's Market (located north right across the street from the Geography & Atmospheric Science building on KU's campus) from 5:30pm-7:30pm on Wednesday, July 18 at the Earth Educators' Rendezvous. Appetizers will be provided.
- Deadlines for future Foundations issues:
- Friday, Sept. 8
- Friday, December 8
- Friday, March 2
- Submit your stories, experiences, experiments, photos, awards, etc. to the editor sukismaglik@gmail.com any time prior to each deadline.
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AWARD OPPORTUNITY: Do you work with an adjunct faculty member who does great work and deserves to be recognized? Are you an adjunct faculty who has done something worth recognition? Please fill out the nomination form to recognize the great work our adjunct faculty do to support student learning at two-year colleges. The form must be filled out in one session. We ask for brief descriptions of reasons for nominations and contact information at the department and school level to assure full recognition. Anyone may nominate a faculty member for the Award, including self-nominations. Winning adjuncts will be featured in the future editions of Foundations and will receive a complimentary one year membership to the Geo2YC division.
Do you have good news related to your geoscience education work that you would like to share with your NAGT Community? Would you like to call attention to a paper, presentation, or resource you developed or helped develop to share with your fellow Earth educators? Submit to NAGT's Community Kudos!
Cheryl Manning of Evergreen High School is one of the fourteen accomplished K-12 STEM teachers from around the US to be named a 2018-2019 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow. Cheryl will serve at the National Science Foundation, Geosciences, Office of the Assistant Director. Other fellows will spend their 11 month appointment serving in a U.S. Congressional office, NASA, the Library of Congress, the Department of Energy, and other NSF offices. The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program provides a unique opportunity for accomplished K-12 STEM educators to apply their extensive classroom knowledge and experiences to their host offices to inform federal STEM education efforts.
Joshua Villalobos, current Dean of El Paso Community College (EPCC)'s Mission del Paso Campus, as well as current NAGT Councilor-at-Large, is one of 27 individuals that the White House has named as recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM). Villalobos was recognized for his work to bring an Associate of Science in Geology degree back to EPCC as well as his engaged role in mentoring students. More information is available in the PAESMEM award announcement.
Congratulations, Cheryl and Josh!
USGS Cooperative Field Training Program
Started in 1965, the NAGT-USGS Cooperative Summer Field Training Program is the longest continuously running internship program in the earth sciences. Over the past fifty years, more than 2,300 students have participated in this program with an impressive number of these individuals becoming full-time employees of the USGS. The deadline for nominations is October 16, 2018.
Need help getting the word out about your position opening, event, or field trip? Submit your posting to the new NAGT Career Hub!
Available Samples
Desired Specimens
Are you looking for new specimens for your collection? Do you have extra samples to share with colleagues?
Post in the Rock and Mineral Exchange.
