In This Issue
News & Announcements
- NAGT Welcomes New NAGT Executive Director
- Apply to Host the 2021 Earth Educators' Rendezvous: Proposal Deadline Extended to December 18, 2019
- NAGT Announces Interim Editor of the Journal of Geoscience Education
- National Geoscience Teachers Survey Report Now Available
- Renew Your NAGT Membership for 2020
- Consider an End-of-Year Donation to NAGT
- Open access to articles from JGE theme issue: New Developments in Diversity and Inclusiveness in the Geosciences
- NAGT Activities and Workshops at AGU
- Suggest Topics and Speakers for NAGT Webinars
- Looking for NAGT Sponsorship?
- News from Our Members
Upcoming Webinars and Workshops
- NAGT Webinar Series: Improving Earth Education One Hour at a Time
- Workshop: Geoscience Career Ambassador Training (GeoCAT)
Deadlines
- NAGT Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards Nomination Deadline is December 15
- Next Traveling Workshops Program Application Deadline is January 15
Section and Division Highlights
NAGT Career Hub
Rock and Mineral Exchange
1. NAGT Welcomes New Executive Director
NAGT is thrilled to welcome Anne Egger as the Executive Director of NAGT. Egger will provide strategic leadership for NAGT, help advance the organization's mission, and provide guidance toward new growth opportunities. "NAGT is such a strong, dedicated, and innovative community, and it has provided a foundation for me throughout my career," said Egger. "The organization has had incredible leadership from Cathy Manduca, who dramatically increased our influence both within the geosciences and beyond, and I look forward to building on her efforts."
A member of NAGT since 1998, Egger is an Associate Professor at Central Washington University, where she holds a joint appointment in Geological Sciences and Science Education. She received a B.A. in Geology and Geophysics from Yale University, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Geological and Environmental Sciences from Stanford University. Egger previously served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Geoscience Education, President of NAGT, and Chair of the Professional Development and Teach the Earth committees.
"Anne's experience in the geological sciences and science education sector will serve NAGT well as we continue our work in raising the quality of and emphasis on Earth education," said Cathy Manduca, who concluded her 12-year term at the end of October. Manduca stated, "In light of Anne's involvement in NAGT over the years, her substantial contributions to geoscience, and her deep knowledge of NAGT's mission and goals, I am delighted to pass the torch to Anne and to support her leadership."
2. Apply to Host the 2021 Earth Educators' Rendezvous: Proposal Deadline Extended to December 18, 2019
The National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) looks forward to hosting the 2020 Earth Educators' Rendezvous at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA, from July 13-17, and the wheels are already in motion to begin the selection process for the 2021 Rendezvous site host. NAGT would like to hear from those interested in hosting the conference at their home institution around the third week of July, 2021. The application deadline has been extended to December 18, 2019. Hosting the Rendezvous offers a unique opportunity to showcase your institution to more than 350 researchers and practitioners working in all aspects of Earth education including a mix of college faculty, graduate students, and K-12 teachers from all disciplines who are interested in improving their teaching about the Earth. Rendezvous has rapidly become a highly sought-after and celebrated event for geoscientists and Earth educators. The Rendezvous site host is an important member of the planning committee and works with, and has full support from, the entire Rendezvous committee and NAGT staff.
Site host selection is based upon the following criteria:
- Reasonably close to a major airport/transportation hub and access to public transportation
- Availability of affordable lodging, both hotels and on-campus housing
- Dining options within walkable distance
- A variety of meeting room spaces with adequate capacity, as well as plenary session/reception space
Take a look at more detailed information on host site requirements. We hope that you will consider hosting the 2021 Earth Educators' Rendezvous and allow your institution to play a critical role in yet another successful annual gathering of Earth educators. Apply here by December 18, 2019.
3. NAGT Announces Interim Editor of the Journal of Geoscience Education (JGE)
NAGT is pleased to announce that Dr. Eric Riggs of Texas A & M University has been named interim Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Geoscience Education. JGE is the premier peer-reviewed publication for geoscience education research at the undergraduate and pre-college levels. JGE is the publication of record for NAGT, and it serves as the only international forum for the publication of research concerning the pedagogy, assessment, and philosophy of teaching and learning about the geosciences. Dr. Riggs assumed interim responsibility for the journal on December 1.
4. National Geoscience Teachers Survey Report Now Available
We are pleased to announce the publication of the National Geoscience Faculty Survey Report (2004-2016). The National Geoscience Faculty Survey was designed to gather information about how faculty teach in undergraduate geoscience courses, learn about pedagogy and content, and participate in the geoscience education and research communities. The survey has been administered four times: 2004, 2009, 2012, and 2016, and is a unique and valuable longitudinal resource. The report includes aggregate frequency data that include demographics of survey respondents, the teaching strategies respondents use and characteristics of the courses they teach, and how and why instructors learn about and change their teaching practices. Download the report today!
5. Renew Your NAGT Membership for 2020
NAGT is deeply thankful for everyone whose commitment to geoscience education leads them to become a member and support the work of the Association. Now is the time to renew your membership for 2020. Remember that you can sign up for automatic renewals or multi-year memberships if you want to easily continue receiving membership benefits without worrying about letting them lapse. Whether you're interested in promoting Earth literacy, keen on joining a community of peers, passionate about teaching the sciences, or eager to learn about new teaching tools and resources, NAGT has so much to offer. Need a reminder of the great benefits of being an NAGT member? Check out the Member Benefits web page. Renew Today!
6. Consider an End-of-Year Donation to NAGT
7. Open access to articles from JGE theme issue: New Developments in Diversity and Inclusiveness in the Geosciences
We are offering temporary open access to four articles in the recent theme issue of the Journal of Geoscience Education on New Developments in Diversity and Inclusiveness in the Geosciences:
- Insights from the OEDG program on broadening participation in the geosciences by Jill L. Karsten
- Teach the Earth: Making the connection between research and practice in broadening participation by John R. McDaris, Ellen R. Iverson, Cathryn A. Manduca, & Cailin Huyck Orr
- Developing scientists as champions of diversity to transform the geosciences by Kathleen Quardokus Fisher, Eric Kaufman, Oriana Calagna, LaToya Miles, Carolyn Brinkworth, Denise R. Simmons, & P. Grady Dixon
- Increasing accessibility and inclusion in undergraduate geology labs through scenario-based TA training by Emily Fairfax & Megan R.M. Brown
Remember, access to JGE is always free for NAGT members. We select articles for temporary access to to promote them beyond our membership. Please do feel free to share with your colleagues and any other contacts who may be interested and, if they're not yet members, ask them to please consider joining NAGT.
8. NAGT Activities and Workshops at AGU
NAGT is at AGU! NAGT is proud to sponsor several workshops and events as part of the AGU Fall Meeting from December 9-13, 2019, in San Francisco, CA. View all the NAGT programming and associated sessions at AGU's Fall Meeting on NAGT's AGU web page. Don't forget to stop by the NAGT booth (#314) for the most up-to-date information on upcoming NAGT workshops, educational resources, and teaching activities.
9. Suggest Topics and Speakers for NAGT Webinars 
NAGT welcomes suggested topics and speakers for the NAGT Webinar Series, which features themes such as improving teaching and learning, addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion in Earth education, implementing the NGSS, strengthening your department, and engaging with communities and society. If you have suggestions for future webinar topics and speakers, please submit them using this suggestion form; be sure to include your name and email so we can follow up with you about your idea!
10. Looking for NAGT Sponsorship?
NAGT is proud to play a significant role in elevating programs, activities, sessions and events that align with NAGT's vision of supporting a diverse, inclusive, and thriving community focused on improving teaching and learning about the Earth. Check out the many ways in which NAGT can support your efforts:
- Sponsored Programs
- Take a look at the vast array of sponsored programs and activities that NAGT sponsors that help enhance the visibility of Geoscience education.
- Sponsored Sessions and Events
- An important aspect of NAGT's approach to professional development for geoscience educators is to sponsor a wide variety of sessions and events at geoscience professional society meetings around the country as well as being engaged in other events that bring together different segments of the geoscience community, such as GSA, AGU, and Earth Educators' Rendezvous.
- Earth Educators' Rendezvous
- Are you thinking about utilizing funding to run a workshop at Rendezvous? Check out guidelines for externally-funded programming at Rendezvous, and use this form to submit a one-page description of your proposal.
11. News from Our Members
Contributions Invited for Special Issue of the Journal Water
The Journal Water is excited to offer a wonderful opportunity for NAGT members to showcase their empirically-based water education efforts. Submissions should describe research on the design, implementation, and impact of innovative water education programs that support learners to develop understanding of core hydrological concepts and relationships between water and human activities. Programs may include K-12 or postsecondary curricula or courses, outreach programs with youth or adults, preservice teacher education, and/or professional development with K-12 educators, informal educators, or postsecondary faculty, each of which may focus on education about some aspect(s) of natural and/or managed water systems. Please see the journal's special issue website for more information. Submit online at MDPI by registering then logging in. Contributions must be submitted by May 13, 2020.
Save the Date for GeoConvention 2020
The 2020 GeoConvention will be held at the University of Calgary from May 11-13, 2020. GeoConvention is an annual convention and exhibit produced by the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists (CSPG), Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysists (CSEG) and the Canadian Well Logging Society (CWLS). Held in Calgary, this convention offers delegates and attendees the opportunity to network and learn with fellow industry professionals. Sponsors also include the Geological Association of Canada (GAC), the Mineralogical Association of Canada (MAC), and the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH). GeoConvention is a significant scientific meeting, an excellent opportunity to showcase technology, an efficient method to keep abreast of industry, and one of the best networking opportunities for geoscientists during the year. Geoscience Education sessions include:
- Beyond the talk: Non-Lecture-based teaching strategies that really work, Glenn Dolphin
- Diverse Post-Secondary Geoscience Course Offerings: Sparking Non-Science Students' Interest, Jennifer Cuthbertson, Robin Cuthbertson
- Engaging 21st Century Geoscience Learners with Technology in the Classroom, Jennifer Cuthbertson, Annie Quinney
- Geoscience Teaching & Learning: Application of Creative Teaching for Effective Learning, Rudi Meyer
GeoConvention 2020 is proud to host a wide variety of content from our non-profit Earth Science partner societies. Submit abstracts by January 15, 2020. Email questions to abstracts@geoconvention.com.
NAGT does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness or completeness of information contained on an externally-linked website. NAGT does not necessarily endorse the organizations sponsoring linked websites, nor endorse the views they express or the products/services they offer.
1. NAGT Webinar Series: Improving Earth Education One Hour at a Time
NAGT sponsors a comprehensive Webinar Series geared toward strengthening work in Earth education. The series features themes such as improving teaching and learning, addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion in Earth education, implementing the NGSS, strengthening your department, and engaging with communities and society. Webinars in the series provide opportunities for you to learn from your peers, as well as experts, and are designed to provide ample opportunity for discussion and interaction. Webinars will feature novel and innovative work in Earth education research and pedagogy, new teaching materials, and classroom and professional experiences of people like you. Keep an eye on the schedule for upcoming webinars.
2. Workshop: Geoscience Career Ambassador Training (GeoCAT)
The Geoscience Career Ambassador Training (GeoCAT) Workshop will be held June 22-26, 2020, at Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, and will focus on introducing and familiarizing educators with geoscience careers in an effort to increase interest and enrollment of diverse student populations in geosciences across the state of Kansas. The GeoCAT program emphasizes recruiting and supporting under-represented students from populations in STEM fields to geoscience majors, in an effort to build a strong geoscience workforce in the future, particularly in Kansas, with industries that depend heavily on environmental and energy resources and their effective management. The GeoCAT workshop is an NAGT sponsored project and is also supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant ICER-1911590 GP-IMPACT: GeoCAT Workshop: Geoscience Careers Ambassador Training Workshop. For more information contact geocat@k-state.edu. Apply here by April 30, 2020.
1. NAGT Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards Nomination Deadline is December 15
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 to NAGT, which includes an online subscription to the Journal of Geoscience Education and our In The Trenches quarterly magazine. The yearly membership starts January 1st of the upcoming year. 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 and as editor of the Journal of Geoscience Education. The graduate student awards are funded by NAGT. Nominations must be submitted by the department chair or faculty member coordinating teaching assistants. Nominate a TA by December 15.
2. Next NAGT Traveling Workshops Program Application Deadline is January 15
The NAGT Traveling Workshops Program (TWP) brings national leaders in geoscience education to your campus or regional event. Designed for departments, institutions, or groups of institutions with shared interests, TWP offers workshops on strengthening cross-campus environmental and sustainability programs as well as supporting the success of all students. Application deadlines for the 2020-2021 academic year:
- January 15, 2020 (for Summer 2020 Workshops)
- March 15, 2020 (for Fall 2020 Workshops)
- June 15, 2020 for (for Fall 2020/Winter 2021 Workshops)
- October 15, 2020 (for Winter/Spring 2021 Workshops)
Pacific Northwest Section
The Pacific Northwest Section 2020 Annual Conference will be hosted by Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Oregon. The dates are June 16-19. For more information, contact conference organizer Philip Schmitz, pschmitz@bluecc.edu, or check out the Fall 2019 Pacific Northwest Section Newsletter. Awesome field trips are planned! (Photo: Sand Hollow Member of Frenchman Spring Basalt from 6/19/19 field trip. Photo Credit: Courtesy NAGT Pacific Northwest Section.)
GER Division
Nominations for the GER Transformation and Collaborations Awards open January 1, 2020! These awards recognize those who have made significant contributions to the development of and capacity for geoscience education research, including non-GER colleagues (e.g. geophysicists, educational psychologists, education researchers, etc.) who have infused the GER community with new ideas. Find out more about both awards and make your nominations by May 15, 2020!
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!
Assistant Professor in Astronomy, Planetary Science, and/or Geoscience Education Research, Arizona State
The School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) at Arizona State University (ASU) invites applications for an appointment as a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor in discipline-based education research (DBER) in astronomy education, planetary-science education, and/or geoscience education. The anticipated start date is August 2020.
Senior Instructional Lab Technician - Earth Sciences at Glendale Community College
Glendale Community College seeks a Senior Instructional Lab Technician – Earth Sciences. This position is in the Earth Sciences (Geology/Oceanography) Department in the Physical Sciences Division. Role: Oversees and participates in the operation and maintenance of equipment, supplies and inventory. Performs technical, clerical, lead and tutoring duties in an Instructional Lab, and accommodates computer assisted learning programs to the curriculum assigned. This is a full-time, 30 hours per week, 12 months per year position. Monday-Thursday: 9:00am-4:30pm.
Environmental Geosciences: Tenure-line position as an Assistant, Associate or Full Professor at Virginia Tech
The Department of Geosciences at Virginia Tech (geos.vt.edu) invites applications for a tenure-line position as an Assistant, Associate or Full Professor in the area of Environmental Geoscience. Viable areas include, but are not limited to nanogeoscience, geochemistry, Earth materials, critical zone science, biogeoscience, and hydrogeoscience. The successful candidate will establish a vibrant research program that is recognized for scientific excellence, attract extramural funding from multiple funding agencies, provide effective instruction, advise a diverse population of undergraduate and graduate students, and grow professional leadership.
Need help getting the word out about your position opening, event, or field trip? Submit your posting to the NAGT Career Hub!
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