News & Announcements
- Honor your Students by Nominating them for NAGT's Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award: Deadline is June 15
- Place Your Online Election Ballot for NAGT Officers: Elections Open Through July 1
- Honor your Colleagues by Nominating them for JGE Awards: Deadline is August 1
- Important Updates and Deadlines for Earth Educators' Rendezvous and Traveling Workshops Program
- Get Involved in NAGT! NAGT Seeks In the Trenches Editor-in-Chief, and Volunteers for Diversity and Donor Committees, Rendezvous Travel Challenge
- Make your Voice Heard in NAGT: Provide Feedback on your Experiences with Teach the Earth
- Submit Abstracts to NAGT-sponsored Events at GSA
- GSA Recorded Webinars on Career Exploration Now Available
- The National Park Service (NPS) Seeks Geoscientists-in-the-Parks (GIP)
- Help Inform the Development of Educational Resources and Activities Around Polar Topics for K12 Students
- Ocean Sciences Meeting 2020 Abstract Submissions Open July 10
Upcoming Webinars and Workshops
- Bring the Experts to Your Institution: Apply by June 15 to Host a Traveling Workshop
- MATLAB Workshop: "Teaching Computational Thinking Skills with MATLAB" October 20-22
- Project EDDIE: "Module Development Workshop" October 28-30
Deadlines
- Approaching Deadlines for the 2019 Earth Educators' Rendezvous
- NAGT Award Nominations for Outstanding Teaching Assistant are due June 15
- Traveling Workshop Application Deadline is June 15
- Career Hub: Ongoing
Section and Division Highlights
NAGT Career Hub
Rock and Mineral Exchange
1. Honor your Students by Nominating them for NAGT's Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award
Do you know an outstanding teaching assistant? Thanks to a generous gift from Thomas Hendrix, Grand Valley State University and NAGT member donors, NAGT is able to recognize outstanding teaching assistants in geoscience education with up to 30 awards annually. Both undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants are eligible for the award. The deadline to nominate students is June 15.
2. Place Your Online Election Ballot for NAGT Officers: Elections Open Through July 1
The annual NAGT Elections are now open! Voting in the election will close on Sunday, July 1, and the results will be released ahead of the Annual Business Meeting at GSA this fall. Members are encouraged to go to the Elections page on the NAGT website, where you can read the bios for all the candidates for office and cast your vote through the online ballot. This election covers National and Division Officers, so if you're a member of a Division be sure to check out those candidates as well. Thank you for your participation!
3. Seeking Nominations for JGE Awards: Deadline is 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 (2018) are eligible to be nominated for the 2019 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. Important Updates and Deadlines for Earth Educators' Rendezvous and Traveling Workshops Program
Rendezvous Updates and Deadlines
We look forward to seeing participants in just over a month! A few friendly reminders and info:
- Book your lodging soon for the best rate. Hotels are filling up fast and our room blocks with specially-negotiated rates are expiring soon. There are still hotel rooms available at the Holiday Inn, Nashville Vanderbilt which is only 2.2 miles from Tennessee State University and .8 miles from Vanderbilt University. Make sure to book by June 19 in order to receive our discounted rate by calling the hotel directly at (615) 327-4707. Please reference the group code "EER" when speaking with reservations to get our special group rate of $159 before taxes. Holiday Inn offers a complimentary shuttle within a 3-mile radius on a first-come, first-serve basis. Check out the Travel and Accommodations page for more information about additional lodging options.
- Reserve your Rendezvous t-shirt by the June 16 deadline. This year's shirt shows the topography and rivers of Nashville metropolitan area. Check them out and pre-order yours today to get your preferred size at the best price of $16. There will be a limited number of t-shirts available at Rendezvous for $20, but pre-ordering now will ensure that you get the size you'd like.
- Connect with other participants. Looking for a roommate or for carpooling options? Use the Rendezvous Message board to connect with other participants.
Haven't registered yet?
- Secure your spot at the 2019 Earth Educators' Rendezvous in Nashville! The standard registration deadline is July 4, and as an NAGT member, you get a $100 registration discount!
- Check out this year's workshops, mini-workshops, roundtables, plenaries, and more on the program and contributed program. Register to reserve a spot in the quickly-filling morning workshops, and learn about a grant that helps support participants in three morning workshops that focus on incorporating active learning into the classroom.
- Are you a K12 educator? Our workshop Connect with Students by Leveraging Phenomena and Incorporating Modeling into the K-12 Earth Science Classroom led by Kim Kotowski (Wilson County Schools) focuses on leveraging scientific phenomena and aligning them to appropriate NGSS standards to help bring your students' worlds and experiences back into science. Check out additional Rendezvous programming for K12 educators. If you're able to participate in multiple days of the Rendezvous, we are also able to provide Continuing Education units.
Looking for Other Rendezvous-Related Opportunities?
- If you're able to sponsor the Rendezvous, the Rendezvous offers four sponsorship levels. Please take a look and see which level best fits your institution or organization. We are committed to ensuring that all Rendezvous participants and NAGT members are aware of the generosity of our supporters. If have any questions about Sponsorship, or if you wish to simply make a Donation to help defray the costs of Rendezvous, please contact csmith3@carleton.edu.
- We're seeking volunteers for the Rendezvous Travel Challenge. Read below for more information.
Traveling Workshops Program (TWP)
- The TWP brings environmental, sustainability, and geoscience education leaders right to your campus, regional, or national event. In April, leaders from the Traveling Workshops Program (TWP) convened a highly successful workshop on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Earth and Environmental Sciences, focused on supporting the success of all students. Workshop sessions addressed the diversity of undergraduate student populations, evaluating and strengthening program design, and incorporating inclusive and equitable teaching practices. If you interested in addressing these or other topics in your department, program, or course, we invite you to apply to host a Traveling Workshop sponsored by NAGT.
- Application deadlines are June 15, 2019 for Fall/Winter workshops and October 15, 2019 for Spring/Summer workshops.
5. Get Involved in NAGT! NAGT Seeks In the Trenches Editor-in-Chief, and Volunteers for the Diversity and Donor Committees, Rendezvous Travel Challenge
Apply to be In the Trenches Editor-in-Chief
Join the NAGT Diversity and Donor Committees
Are you or someone you know interested in getting further involved in NAGT? The Diversity Committee and Donor Development Initiative Committee seek nominations for new committee members.
The Diversity Committee promotes the development of a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive geoscience education committee and is looking first within NAGT and its programs. Learn more about this committee and its current members.
The Donor Development Committee guides the fundraising and development operations of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers. Learn more about this committee and its current members.
If you are interested or would like to nominate someone to serve on either committee, please use this nomination form. Self-nominations are welcome.
Rendezvous Travel Challenge Seeking Volunteers
Did you benefit from the travel stipends, or are you interested in helping enable more participants to attend the Rendezvous? As you know, Rendezvous endeavors to provide a learning opportunity for Earth Educators of all types. However, the resources supporting participation are not evenly distributed around our community. Last year NAGT members successfully raised more than $7,000 to support travel stipends for participants in need for the Rendezvous this year. We are currently seeking volunteers to help lead a similar challenge. If you are interested in helping organize this year's drive or in contributing to the challenge grant fund, please contact Heather Macdonald (rhmacd@wm.edu).
6. Make your Voice Heard in NAGT: Provide Feedback on your Experiences with Teach the Earth
Have you ever searched Teach the Earth (or elsewhere online) for high quality, ready-to-go activities or topics that are suitable for your geoscience course, only to come up empty handed? This is your chance to tell the Teach the Earth website committee more about what you are looking for. We want to identify gaps in the geoscience content housed in the Teach the Earth portal and you can help us do that by contributing your ideas to our discussion. If you aren't sure where to start, consider these questions: What educational resources (supporting your courses or teaching) have you searched for online but haven't been able to find? What new Earth education topics and resources would you like to see incorporated into Teach the Earth in the future? Thank you for your feedback!
7. Submit Abstracts to NAGT-sponsored Events at GSA
NAGT is pleased to sponsor a wide variety of short courses and sessions at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America held in Phoenix, Arizona from September 22-25. NAGT-sponsored sessions feature a rich array of topics including an active learning NGSS-aligned session, and a session that highlights the programs of the International Geoscience Education Organization (IGEO). We hope you'll consider submitting abstracts to these sessions that highlight key issues of importance to geoscience educators at all levels. View the list of sponsored sessions here. Abstracts are due June 25. More information about NAGT activities at GSA will be added to the NAGTNews as it becomes available.
8. GSA Recorded Webinars on Career Exploration Now Available
GSA has two new webinar recordings that examine careers in the paleontology and environmental consulting fields. Learn about daily responsibilities and how best to prepare for a career in these fields. Check them out through these links: Exploring a Career in the Paleontology Field and Exploring a Career in the Environmental Industry.
9. The National Park Service (NPS) Seeks Geoscientists-in-the-Parks (GIP)
The National Park Service (NPS) is offering more than 30 Geoscientists-In-the-Parks (GIP) opportunities for fall/winter 2019 to 2020. The NPS GIP program places college students and early career professionals ages 18 to 35 years in NPS units to assist with geology and integrated science projects for three months to one year. This program is a partnership between the NPS, GSA, and the Stewards Individual Placement Program. Learn more and apply here by June 17.
10. Help Inform the Development of Educational Resources and Activities Around Polar Topics for K12 Students
Are you teaching about the Arctic, Antarctica, sea ice, ocean, glaciers, polar bears or penguins? Please take this anonymous 12-minute online survey that is being conducted through the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) Education and Outreach program at the University of Colorado Boulder. The project is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in conjunction with a large Arctic research expedition, MOSAiC.
11. Ocean Sciences Meeting 2020 Abstract Submissions Open July 10
The Ocean Sciences Meeting (OSM) is the flagship conference for the ocean sciences and the larger ocean-connected community. The meeting will be held February 16-21, 2020 in San Diego, CA. Abstract Submissions will be open July 10 through September 11, 2019.
Traveling Workshops Program
We invite you to host a Traveling Workshop sponsored by NAGT. Through the Traveling Workshops Program (TWP), sponsored by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, you can bring two trained facilitators right to your institution to lead discussions and action planning around strengthening your educational program. Since 2014, the TWP has visited over 50 institutions and reached more than 650 faculty members in the Earth and environmental sciences. Application deadlines are June 15, 2019 for Fall/Winter workshops and October 15, 2019 for Spring/Summer workshops.
MATLAB Workshop
Teaching Computational Thinking Skills with MATLAB
October 20-22, 2019 at Carleton College, Northfield, MN
For students to succeed at research and careers in STEM, they require quantitative thinking and computational skills. This workshop brings together faculty who teach computation in their courses and are interested in strengthening and developing their teaching skills and MATLAB based materials. Working in sessions and 1-on-1 with faculty peers and MATLAB experts, participants will discuss teaching strategies, tools, and resources. Participants will spend time during the workshop evolving and improving their course materials based on give-and-take with and colleagues. Because the workshop includes educators from multiple disciplines, from Biology to Engineering to Math; the workshop enables sharing of ideas and best practices across fields of study. The workshop sessions include a keynote speaker, presentations of effective lessons and teaching methods, panel discussions, and working in groups. Application deadline has been extended to Monday, July 1, 2019.
Project EDDIE Workshop on Module Development, October 28-30
October 28-30, 2019 at Carleton College, Northfield, MN
This 3-day face-to-face workshop will focus on the design and development of teaching modules that address the community identified needs and barriers associated with environmental content and quantitative reasoning. Module topics will span topics such as ecology, limnology, geology, hydrology, and environmental sciences. Each module will focus on specific scientific concepts and address a set of quantitative reasoning or analytical skills, using high-frequency datasets that are publicly available online. Workshop attendees will include faculty members from different disciplines and institution types and will be selected through an application process. Application deadline is August 25, 2019.
1. Approaching Deadlines for the 2019 Earth Educators' Rendezvous
- Order your Rendezvous t-shirt by the June 16 deadline.
- Secure your spot at Rendezvous! Standard registration deadline is July 4.
- Book your lodging soon. Click here for lodging information. Deadlines are as follows:
- On-campus lodging: June 15
- Holiday Inn Nashville Vanderbilt: June 19
2. NAGT Award Nominations for Outstanding Teaching Assistant are due June 15
Do you know an outstanding teaching assistant? Thanks to a generous gift from Thomas Hendrix, Grand Valley State University and NAGT member donors, NAGT is able to recognize outstanding teaching assistants in geoscience education with up to 30 Outstanding Teaching Assistant awards annually. Both undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants are eligible for the award. The deadline to nominate students is June 15.
3. Traveling Workshop Application Deadline is June 15
The Traveling Workshops Program (TWP) brings environmental, sustainability, and geoscience education leaders right to your campus, regional, or national event. TWP features expertise from numerous NSF funded projects including On the Cutting Edge, InTeGrate, SAGE, and GeoNeeds, and is part of NAGT's integrated Workshop Program. We invite you to apply to host a Traveling Workshop sponsored by NAGT. Application deadlines are June 15, 2019 for Fall/Winter workshops and October 15, 2019 for Spring/Summer workshops.
4. NAGT Career Hub: Ongoing
We welcome advertisements of geoscience education related job openings, postdoctoral positions, internships, assistantships, and undergraduate research opportunities that might be of interest to the wider NAGT community. Distribution of these postings include posting the ad on the NAGT Career Hub web page, distribution via the NAGT Facebook page, inclusion in the monthly NAGTNews email newsletter to members. The cost of posting a job opening or a postdoctoral position to the Career Hub is $75 per month (multiple months can be purchased at one time). Payment must be received before these postings will be published. It is free to post an internship, assistantship, and undergraduate research opportunity to the Career Hub. You can use this form to submit a posting for the Career Hub.
GEO2YC Division
- GEO2YC division announces that SAGE 2YC has funds available to help support two-year college faculty to participate in the GSA Short Course #524: Inclusive and Effective College Science Classrooms: Engaging Students, Designing Lessons, and Integrating Diversity into Curriculum, and/or to give a presentation (you must be the presenting author) in topical session #201: Celebrating the Role of Heather Macdonald in Geoscience Education at the Fall 2019 GSA Meeting in Phoenix, AZ.
- If you are interested in applying for support, please review the application form and the GSA 2019 website to learn more.
- Awards will be limited to the cost of reasonable airfare, actual registration cost for the short course and meeting (no field trips), abstract submission (if presenting in the topical session), housing, and/or other travel expenses via the lowest cost-option up to a maximum of $1,500.
- We welcome applications from geoscience adjunct instructors and hope that you will forward this to any other two-year college geoscience instructors you know.
- Sage 2YC GSA Short Course Stipend Application Deadline is June 14. Apply here.
- Register for GSA here.
- Questions: Contact Norlene Emerson via email: emersonn@uwplatt.edu
- GEO2YC Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award committee is always looking for nominations of exceptional adjuncts. If you have a great adjunct instructor teaching geoscience at a two-year college, please nominate them through this link. Self nominations are always welcome!
- GEO2YC invites everyone to a social held at this year's Earth Educators' Rendezvous. Join us Wednesday night (July 17) from 7 to 9pm.
- Foundations Newsletter submissions are due September 6. Please submit your stories, experiences, experiments, photos and awards to the editor sukismaglik@gmail.com prior to the deadline.
Pacific Northwest Section
- The Okanagan College Department of Geography, Earth and Environmental Science is hosting the 2019 National Association of Geoscience Teachers, PNW Section Annual Conference and Field Tour in Penticton British Columbia, Canada. The meeting will be held June 25-27, 2019. Visit the conference website here for more information.
- The Pacific Northwest Section is seeking nominations for:
- 2nd Vice President: Assists VP in organizing annual conference. Becomes Vice President when Vice President becomes President.
- Website Editor: Updates section website (at national), uploads latest newsletters and links and coordinates with national (SERC) where the site is hosted.
- State Councilors: One (1) each for ID, OR, and BC; provides newsletter editor with timely news in the section.
- Submit your nominations by June 15 to: Frank Hladky, fhladkys@gmail.com
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!
Full Time Instructor Position, Earth Sciences Department, University of South Alabama
The Department of Earth Sciences at the University of South Alabama invites applications for a full-time, twelve-month, non-tenure-track geology Instructor position, starting August 15, 2019. We seek a broadly trained geoscientist to teach introductory Physical Geology and Earth History sections.
Instructional Faculty Position, Department of Geology, University at Buffalo
The Geology Department at University at Buffalo seeks an instructional faculty member who is eager to play a key role in Department programs starting August 2019. The successful candidate will primarily teach courses related to sedimentary geology in the undergraduate and graduate curriculum.
Available Samples
Retired Amateur Geologist Seeks Donation Recipient for Valuable Rock and Minerals Collection
Dr. Phillip Ellis Jackson Ph.D. (University of Chicago, Retired; Amateur Geologist) is requesting applications from Colleges and University Geology Departments across the U.S. to become the recipient of his extensive private rock and minerals collection. This collection consists of over 1000 samples (to date) of geographically-diverse rocks and minerals from the continental United States. The recipient institution may wish to keep the entire collection intact, or select a smaller number of representative samples for each site to constitute the permanent collection. Any remaining materials could be utilized for classroom research or demonstrations (which might include their partial or full destruction), or made available to deserving faculty or students to utilize for their individual research or future teaching purposes. Read more about the collection here.
Contact Dr. Jackson directly for more information:
Phillip Ellis Jackson, Ph.D.pejackson@outlook.com
(972) 816-6371
Ophiolite, Tertiary sedimentary, misc metamorphic
Desired Specimens
Precambrian chert. Stromatolites.
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.
