NAGTNews - Vol 17 - No 1 - January 2018

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Happy New Year from NAGT!

In This Issue:

NAGT Celebrates 80 Years
Midcontinent Section Reactivates
Looking Ahead to the 2018 Earth Educators' Rendezvous and the 20th Anniversary of the Early Career Workshop
Congratulations to the 2018 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award Recipients
Vote for the winner of the 2017 Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award
ASCN STEM Education Reforms Webinar OpportunityâJanuary 17
USGS Library Materials for Earth's Age Webinar OpportunityâJanuary 17
Recordings of Complete Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) Webinar Series Now Available
New Issue of In the Trenches
NAGT Sponsored Project Spotlight: The SAGE 2YC Project

Approaching Deadlines:

Draft GER Framework Open Comment Period Closes January 11
Next Traveling Workshops Program Deadline is January 15
Abstract Deadline for the Resources for Future Generations Conference is January 15
Nominations for AAPG Foundation Teacher of the Year Award due January 15
Abstract deadline for the GSA North-Central Section Annual Meeting is January 16
Applications for the Edward C. Roy, Jr. Award For Excellence in K-8 Earth Science Teaching due January 22
Submit Papers to the VIII GeoSciEd Conference in Brazil by February 11
Apply for a Scholarship for Field Study by February 14
Early Career Workshop Applications due March 16
Upcoming NAGT Award Deadlines
JGE Theme Issue Call for Papers: New Developments in Diversity and Inclusiveness in GeosciencesâManuscript Submission Letter of Intent Due April 1
NSF Program Solicitation: Improving Undergraduate STEM Education

Rock and Mineral Exchange

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Assistant Professor Tenure-Track Position - Tarleton State University - Structural Geology

University of Utah Petroleum Geoscience Field Course

Open rank position in STEM at Bates College

1. NAGT Celebrates 80 Years

NAGT is celebrating 80 years of improving teaching and learning about the Earth. Founded in 1938 by a group of five geology teachers who met at a conference in Wisconsin, NAGT originated under the conviction that individuals closely identified with geological education would benefit through association, exchange of ideas, and the discussion of mutual problems.

In the decades since its establishment, NAGT has grown into a thriving community with national sections, a membership that spans multiple countries, two different print publications, and numerous web-based and in-person professional development opportunities. NAGT is a member-supported organization, and its reach, impact, and growth across the years has been fueled by individuals from all backgrounds and geographic locations who care deeply about instilling awareness and appreciation of the Earth in the next generation. Thank you to all members for being an essential part of NAGT, and here's to the next decade! If you've yet to renew your membership for 2018, there's never been a better time.

2. Midcontinent Section Reactivates

NAGT Sections are not only a way of geographically organizing NAGT membersâthey are also an opportunity for local connections, activities, and events. Activities at the section level reach deep into the grassroots of geoscience education in North America. Some sections run extensive field conferences for K-12 teachers and community college faculty; others have popular regional meetings where educators gather to share ideas and materials. All ten sections have specific awards programs for educators and students.

The Midcontinent Section, comprised of Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, reactivated this month after a multi-year hiatus under new leadership. Congratulations to the new Midcontinent Section Officers: Aida Farough (President), Michael DeAngelis (First Vice President), and Brendan Hanger (Secretary/Treasurer).

Two other NAGT Sections are currently seeking new leadership and reactivation as a source of local community-building: the North Central Section (ND, SD, MT, NE, WY, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut) and the Texas Section. If you are interested in taking a role in the reinstitution of either of these sections, please contact Krista Herbstrith in the Executive Office at kherbstr@carleton.edu.

3. Looking Ahead to the 2018 Earth Educators' Rendezvous and the 20th Anniversary of the Early Career Workshop

The fourth annual Earth Educators' Rendezvous takes place July 16-20 at the University of Kansas, Lawrence. We're already looking forward to this exciting event! Early bird registration for the conference will open very soonâyou can now sign up to receive updates on registration as well as other deadlines, developments in the program, featured speakers, and more.

We're also currently planning future Rendezvous. If you're interested in hosting, please submit your interest here.

The upcoming year also marks the 20th anniversary of the Early Career Workshop: Teaching, Research, and Managing Your Career, which will take place July 22-26 (with optional trip to NSF on Friday, July 27) at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD. Offered annually by the NAGT On the Cutting Edge professional development program for geoscience faculty with support from the National Science Foundation, Geological Society of America and American Geophysical Union, the Early Career Workshop is designed for those in their first three years of a tenure-track or equivalent faculty position.

Applications are due by March 16.

Past participants give high praise for this workshop:

"I've gained so much in terms of both concrete things to implement (lesson activities, strategic planning tools, etc.) and a holistic appreciation for this career. I can totally do this, and this workshop instilled that confidence."

"The Early Career Workshop was absolutely life-changing. Following the guidelines and great advice that I got from the Early Career Workshop has resulted in grant funding, a successful publication record, wonderful teaching evaluations, and tenure."

"The workshop totally changed my view of teaching from teacher-oriented to student-oriented. It's no more what I want to teach but what students need to learn or take away from the course. This is the essential point that I will keep in mind when I design course goals, syllabi, in-class activities, assignments, and exams."

4. Congratulations to the 2018 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award Recipients

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 one year of membership in NAGT, which includes an online subscription to the Journal of Geoscience Education and our 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. This year's January award recipients are:

Kyle Blount, Colorado School of Mines
Kerri Gefeke, University of Illinois, Chicago
Kyle Hazelwood, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Natalie Kubik, University of Illinois, Chicago
Mikaela Rader, Kansas State University

Congratulations to these outstanding teaching assistants!

The next deadline to submit a nomination for this award is June 15.

5. Vote for the winner of the 2017 Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award

Adjunct faculty are a key component to the Geo2YC communityâthey bring enthusiasm for teaching, professional experience, and creative approaches to improving student success to our classrooms. NAGT's Geo2YC Division created an award to celebrate these colleagues for their efforts to enhance geoscience education.

Each year, the Geo2YC division recognizes four quarterly honorees for their outstanding contributions to geoscience teaching at their 2-year institution. These individuals are highlighted in the division's Foundations newsletter and provided a complimentary one-year membership to the division. From these quarterly honorees, votes are collected to select the National Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award recipient. This person will be recognized at the annual Geological Society of America meeting, and will receive a $750 stipend from Pearson Publishing to use toward professional development.

Voting is open to everyone. Please read through the 2017 OAFA nominee profiles and vote for your choice on the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award website by January 31.

6. ASCN STEM Education Reforms Webinar OpportunityâJanuary 17

On Wednesday, January 17 at 12:30PM (EST), the Accelerating Systemic Change Network (ASCN) will present a webinar on the subject of Faculty Adoption of STEM Education Reforms: From Constraint to Possibility. The webinar will be presented by Dr. Cassandra Volpe Horii (Founding Director, Center for Teaching, Learning, and Outreach at the California Institute of Technology; President-Elect of the POD Network in Higher Education). The registration deadline for this webinar is Monday, January 15.

With decades of growing evidence on effective teaching practices in STEM disciplinesâmuch of it field-specific thanks to the Discipline Based Education Research (DBER) communitiesâinformation about what to do to improve STEM education is readily available. Yet, national adoption of evidence-based teaching practices in STEM fields lags behind, with abundant examples of short-lived individual efforts and institutional reforms that don't "stick." Something else is going on. One factor at play may be the deeper tensions between new approaches to teaching and faculty members' concepts about identity and the nature of their work in higher education. This webinar will explore key ideas from the literature on faculty work/life, identity, and adoption in an approachable way. Participants will interactively explore tools for identifying and resolving tensions, guiding faculty toward sustainable adoption of evidence-based teaching practices, and engaging or changing institutional structures to address these.

You can register for the webinar here.

7. USGS Library Materials for Earth's Age Webinar OpportunityâJanuary 17

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) Library is the largest library for Earth sciences in the world. The Library includes four central libraries and is part of Core Science Systems within the USGS.

On Wednesday, January 17 at 2:00 PM (EST), the USGS Library will host a webinar on how to best access materials in the Library's collection. The USGS Library provides reference services and instructional sessions to library users on finding print, digital, and online library materials. The USGS Library has reduced its collections, services, and physical footprint in recent years, so it is becoming more important for users to understand how to navigate the collections independently. This webinar will focus on how to find and use the USGS Library's materials related to geological time (rock age) and terrain (rock type), USGS field and laboratory methods for determining time and terrain, as well as education tools available from the USGS and other geoscience stakeholders.

8. Recordings of Complete Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) Webinar Series Now Available

The Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) Portal was launched in 2010 as a National Science Digital Library (NSDL) Pathways project. One of the key components of the CLEAN Project is the CLEAN Collection of Climate and Energy Science Resources, which offers high-quality, digital resources such as learning activities, visualizations, videos, and short demonstrations/experiments geared toward educators of students in secondary through undergraduate levels. This includes the CLEAN Webinar Series, designed to help educators take their teaching about climate and energy to the next level. Last month, CLEAN completed the webinar series with a webinar that demonstrated how the CLEAN collection of educational resources are aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and how CLEAN supports 3-dimensional learning. Full recordings of all four webinars in the series are now available for viewing online.

9. New Issue of In the Trenches

The January issue of In the Trenches centers on seismology lessons and models that provide deep understanding of earthquakes. The articles within describe ideas for modeling elastic rebound, teaching quantitative reasoning in the geoscience classroom, demonstrating fault asperities with an easy-to-construct model that uses spaghetti, and more. This member-only publication will soon arrive in the mail and will also soon be available online.

10. NAGT Sponsored Project Spotlight: The SAGE 2YC Project

NAGT is proud to sponsor programs and activities that align with the association's mission to support a diverse, inclusive, and thriving community of educators and education researchers to improve teaching and learning about the Earth.

Two-year colleges (2YCs) play crucial roles in meeting the nation's geoscience and STEM workforce needs and in increasing public scientific literacy. 2YCs enroll over 45% of all U.S. undergraduates and serve a large number of women, minority, and first-generation college students. In addition, the 2YC teaching environment is one of the most challenging as community colleges are primarily open-access intuitions that serve an extremely diverse student body; teaching loads are heavy; there is an increasing use of adjunct faculty; and there is limited support for participation in professional development activities, widely recognized as the source for many critical improvements for improving student learning.

The SAGE 2YC: Faculty as Change Agents project is addressing these challenges by building a national network of self-sustaining regional communities of 2YC geoscience faculty and administrators who use evidence-based strategies to improve all students' academic success, broaden participation, and facilitate students' professional pathways into the STEM workforce. On-line resources and virtual professional development activities support faculty working to implement changes on their campus. The project websiteâpart of NAGT's exemplary sites collectionâis a resource for the geoscience and broader STEM communities, with extensive resources for supporting 2YC students, sustaining faculty learning, and catalyzing meaningful, positive change at the departmental, institutional, or regional level.

These web resources include the SAGE Musings Blog, which features bi-weekly posts that address topics related to the project goals. Although primarily written for geoscience faculty at two-year colleges, most posts are relevant for any STEM faculty member. For example, the most recent blog post is by Dave Voorhees at Waubonsee Community College, describing his experiences with flipping his Survey of Earth Science course. Check out the growing collection of postsâmore than three dozen at this timeâand share them with your colleagues.

Approaching Deadlines

1. Draft GER Framework Open Comment Period Closes January 11

As an emerging STEM education research field, the GER community is examining the current state of their research and considering the best course for achieving the greatest collective impact on advancing undergraduate teaching and learning in the geosciences. As part of an NSF-funded effort to meet this need, 40 researchers drafted priority research questions, or "Grand Challenges", that span 10 geoscience education research themes. In addition, recommended strategies have been proposed to address each theme's Grand Challenges. This draft framework has undergone one round of peer-review and is now ready for the broader community to critically examine.

The GER community is seeking perspectives in an open comment period from geoscience education researchers, scholars, and reflective educators. Please visit the Research Priorities that most align to your areas of research expertise and interest and give feedback, make suggestions, and/or ask questions.

Comments can be entered in the 'Discussion' box directly on the webpages for each of the ten topical areas. The Open Comment period will end January 11.

2. Next Traveling Workshops Program Deadline is January 15

The 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. The TWP is a part of NAGT's integrated Workshop Program.

Application deadlines for the 2017-2018 academic year:

January 15, 2018 (for Summer 2018 Workshops)
March 15, 2018 (for Fall 2018 Workshops)
October 15, 2018 (for Spring 2019 Workshops)

3. Abstract Deadline for Resources for Future Generations Conference is January 15

Please consider attending the Resources for Future Generations Conference (a meeting associated with IUGS), which will be convened in Vancouver, British Columbia, June 16-21, 2018. Registration is now open, and the abstract deadline is January 15. Over 20 topical sessions on Education and Knowledge are scheduled on subjects related to the public, future impacts on society, indigenous ways of knowing, teaching, and career. Other sessions related to resources and society address social and ethical values, indigenous and community collaborations, and global change and sustainability. This is a great opportunity to extend to an international audience the recent work on sustainability and workforce development from InTeGrate activities and from Cutting Edge programs such as Teaching Environmental Geology. Details of this conference can be found at the conference website.

4. Nominations for AAPG Foundation Teacher of the Year Award due January 15

The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) Foundation Teacher of the Year award is part of AAPG Foundation's Excellence in Teaching Awards program. The TOTY award is funded and given annually by the AAPG Foundation to a deserving K-12 Earth science teacher within the United States who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the field of geoscience education. The award includes a commemorative plaque, an expense paid trip to the next AAPG Annual Convention & Exhibition in Salt Lake City, and a $6,000 monetary award. The deadline for this application cycle is January 15. You can nominate a teacher here.

5. Abstract deadline for the GSA North-Central Section Annual Meeting is January 16

The 52nd Annual Meeting of GSA's North-Central Section takes place April 16 and 17 at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Three geoscience education sessions will take place at the conference:

T33. Collaborative Learning in Geoscience Classrooms and Labs: Examples, Demonstrations, Best Practices, and Assessment.

T34. Integrating Technology and Geoscience Education: Innovations in the Classroom and the Field.

T35. Geoscience Outreach and Engagement.

The deadline to submit abstracts is January 16.

6. Applications for the Edward C. Roy, Jr. Award For Excellence in K-8 Earth Science Teaching due January 22

This award is given annually to an elementary or middle school teacher who has demonstrated his or her ability to teach exemplary Earth science lessons. The award, given in honor of Dr. Edward C. Roy, Jr., a longtime champion of Earth science education, consists of a $2500 prize for the winning teacher and a grant of up to $1000 to enable the recipient to attend the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Annual Conference in March 2018 to accept the award. The winning teacher and his or her school will each receive a plaque of recognition. Applications for the 2018 competition must be submitted by January 22.To learn more and apply go to www.americangeosciences.org/education/awards/roy.

7. Submit Papers to the VIII GeoSciEd Conference in Brazil by February 11

The VIII GeoSciEd Conference, an international meeting of geoscientists concerned with education and training in Geosciences, will take place July 22-27 in Unicamp, Campinas, Brazil. The deadline for submitting papers is February 11. Receive discounted registration to the conference by submitting your registration by January 31. More information is available on the GeoSciEd website.

8. Apply for a Scholarship for Field Study by February 14

Each year, NAGT makes several $750 awards to undergraduate students to facilitate their study of field geoscience. These awards, previously given to students who attend a traditional summer field camp, are now available for students attending field-based courses at any time of year. The intent of the awards is to support students' participation in intensive field courses in any aspect of geoscience (including geophysics, soil science, hydrology, etc.) that focuses on students practicing skills of field observation, data collection, analysis and synthesis. Awardees are selected based on the importance of the field experience in meeting their educational and career goals, the quality of the field aspects of the course, and the importance of the financial award in allowing them to participate in the program. In addition, the committee endeavors to select awardees that expand the diversity of people studying geosciences in the field and a collaboration with the Association for Women Geoscientists (AWG) funds two additional awards specifically for women.

To learn more and apply, visit the Field Study Scholarship Program website.

9. Early Career Workshop Applications due March 16

The 2018 Early Career Geoscience Faculty Workshop: Teaching, Research, and Managing Your Career takes place July 22-26 (with optional trip to NSF on Friday, July 27) at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD.

Do you have new faculty in your department just starting out in their academic career? Consider recommending this important multi-day workshop, where they will participate in sessions on topics including effective teaching strategies, course design, establishing a research program in a new setting, working with research students, balancing professional and personal responsibilities, and time management.

Applications for this workshop are due March 16.

10. Upcoming NAGT Award Deadlines

NAGT's Outstanding Earth Science Teacher (OEST) awards are given for exceptional contributions to the stimulation of interest in the Earth Sciences at the pre-college level. Any teacher or other K-12 educator who covers a significant amount of Earth science content with their students is eligible. Ten national finalists are selected, one from each NAGT regional section. Some sections also recognize state winners. Individuals may apply themselves or nominate a colleague for the award.The selection of award winners is conducted at the Section level and each Section sets its own deadline for nomination. A listing of the deadlines and contact people for each Section is listed on the award website. The earliest Section deadline is March 31 for the Pacific Northwest Section, with other sections following until the middle of May. Check out your Section's deadline and submit your nominations via the website.

The Neil Miner Award is presented each year by NAGT to an individual for exceptional contributions to the stimulation of interest in the Earth sciences. Nominations, including a letter of nomination and letters of support, are due April 1.

The James H. Shea Award is presented each year by NAGT to an individual for exceptional contributions in the form of writing and/or editing of Earth science materials (broadly construed) that are of interest to the general public and/or teachers of Earth science. Nominations, including a letter describing the nominee's writing and/or editing contributions and the reasons why the contributions should be judged as exceptional, are due April 1.

In honor of Dottie Stout's outstanding work and lifelong dedication to Earth science education, NAGT awards Dorothy Lalonde Stout Professional Development Grants that support Earth science professional development in three categories: Community College Faculty, Community College Student, and K-12 Educator. The deadline for applications, which include a proposal describing how applicants will use the award to support their professional growth, is April 15.

The Robert Christman Distinguished Service Award was established to recognize individuals who have provided long, distinguished service to NAGT at the national and/or section level. Nominations are accepted on an ongoing basis.

11. JGE Theme Issue Call for Papers: New Developments in Diversity and Inclusiveness in Geosciences

In an upcoming edition centered on New Developments in Diversity and Inclusiveness in Geosciences, the Journal of Geoscience Education (JGE) will explore issues on pipeline development, recruitment and retention, graduate education and special topics such as minority serving institutions and non-traditional opportunities in both case studies and broad research investigations. Potential authors should submit a letter of intent by April 1, 2018.

For more information, including the objective of the issue, background to the theme, the types of papers solicited for the issue, and instructions for manuscript preparation and submission, please see the full announcement regarding this call for papers.

12. NSF Program Solicitation: Improving Undergraduate STEM Education

Through the NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) initiative, the agency continues to make a substantial commitment to the highest caliber undergraduate STEM education through a Foundation-wide framework of investments. The IUSE: EHR program is a core NSF undergraduate STEM education program that seeks to improve the effectiveness of undergraduate STEM education for both majors and non-majors. The program is open to application from all institutions of higher education and associated organizations seeking support for projects that have the potential to improve student learning in STEM through development of new curricular materials and methods of instruction, and development of new assessment tools to measure student learning. In addition to innovative work at the frontier of STEM education, this program also encourages replications of research studies at different types of institutions and with different student bodies to produce deeper knowledge about the effectiveness and transferability of findings. To learn more about this opportunity, including the requirements for submitting a proposal, read the full announcement. Beginning in FY 2018, there will be no single date deadlines for Exploration and Design proposals, which may be submitted any time from October 1, 2017 onward. Please note however that proposals received after May 1 will be held over to the subsequent financial year for possible award (for example awards will be made in FY 19 for proposals received after May 1, 2018).

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Assistant Professor Tenure-Track Position - Tarleton State University - Structural Geology

Posted: Nov 6 2017

The Department of Chemistry, Geosciences, and Physics at Tarleton State University, in Stephenville, Texas, invites applications for an Assistant Professor tenure-track position in structural geology to start Fall 2018. The successful candidate will support the geosciences program by providing engaging, student-centered teaching; develop an active research program that involves undergraduates; and actively contribute to service and outreach initiatives that advance the department, college, and university. Review of applications will begin February 1, 2018, with a position start date of September 1, 2018.

University of Utah Petroleum Geoscience Field Course

Posted: Nov 10 2017

University of Utah offers a 17-day Integrated Petroleum Geology Field Course focusing on Foreland Basins and Fold-thrust Belts. The course, for graduate students and advanced undergrads, will be taught in late Mayâearly June 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and surrounding areas.

Open rank position in STEM at Bates College

Posted: Nov 13 2017

Bates College invites applications for an open rank faculty position, broadly defined, to encompass any STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) discipline at Bates. The successful candidate will demonstrate expertise in supporting the success of students from underrepresented groups, in addition to commitment to excellence and innovation in both teaching and scholarship.

Need help getting the word out about your position opening, event, or field trip? Advertise with NAGT!

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