In This Issue
News & Announcements
- Announcing New In the Trenches Editor Redina Finch
- Apply to Host 2021 Rendezvous: Deadline Extended to January 31
- Help Support Diversity and Inclusion: Encourage Students to Apply for AGU's Bridge Program
- Congratulations NAGT Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award Recipients!
News from Our Members
- Institute for Broadening Participation Offers Paid Summer Research Programs
- Call for LGBTQ+ Participation Survey Participants
Keep in Mind
- Looking Ahead to 2020 Earth Educators' Rendezvous
- Help Us Promote the Benefits of NAGT Membership
- Looking for NAGT Sponsorship?
Upcoming Webinars and Workshops
- Webinar: Webinar Wow! Developing and Presenting an NAGT On the Cutting Edge Webinar - January 23
- Webinar: Teaching About Volcanoes with Monitoring Data and Risk Communication - January 29
- Webinar: On-Ramps to more effective teaching: quick-start guides to strategies for actively engaging students to improve learning - February 6
- Webinar: Beyond Earthquake Locations: modern seismology in the NGSS classroom - February 13
- Workshop: Geoscience Career Ambassador Training (GeoCAT) - June 22-26
- Workshop: Early Career - July 26-30
Deadlines
- Apply to Host a Traveling Workshop by January 15
- Apply to Join the Project EDDIE Faculty Mentoring Network by January 22
- Apply for Field Study Scholarships by February 14
- Nominate Colleagues or Yourself for NAGT Leadership by March 15
- Nominate Your Colleagues for NAGT Awards!
Section and Division Highlights
NAGT Career Hub
Rock and Mineral Exchange
1. Announcing New In the Trenches Editor Redina Finch
NAGT is pleased to announce the new editor of In the Trenches, Redina Finch, Professor of Earth, Atmospheric, and Geographic Information Sciences at Western Illinois University. "I see ITT as the 'feet-on-the-ground' geoscience education publication," said Finch. "To be a part of this wonderful venture is an honor." Finch begins her new role with the January ITT edition.
In the Trenches is a quarterly print and digital publication for NAGT members designed to provide a forum for geosciences education dialog targeting educators in the classroom. It provides a venue for contributors to inform members about their best teaching ideas, resources or other special topics relevant to the profession that do not lend themselves to more research-focused journals.
2. Apply to Host the 2021 Earth Educators' Rendezvous: Proposal Deadline Extended to January 31, 2020
We are in the final phase of the 2021 Rendezvous site host selection process. NAGT has extended the application deadline to January 31, 2020 for all those interested in hosting Rendezvous at their home institution around the third week of July, 2021. 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. 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
We hope 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 by January 31, 2020.
3. Help Support Diversity and Inclusion: Encourage Students to Apply for AGU's Bridge Program
The AGU Bridge Program, part of the Inclusive Graduate Education Network, is an effort to develop, adopt, and share inclusive practices for recruiting, admitting, and advancing underrepresented students in geoscience graduate programs. The AGU Bridge program provides students, who have not previously applied or have applied but were unsuccessful, an alternative pathway to graduate school admission by giving them access to a common application system. Submitted applications will be circulated to AGU Bridge Partners that have committed to increasing diversity in their departments. For questions about the program or the student application process, contact: bridge@agu.org. The student application can be accessed by visiting the Interested Students section of the AGU Bridge Program website. Apply by April 15, 2020.
4. Congratulations NAGT 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 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. This year's January NAGT Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award recipients, both graduate students, are:
- Mark Robbins, University of Michigan
- Sandrine Duboscq, North Carolina State University
1. Institute for Broadening Participation Offers Paid Summer Research Programs
The Institute for Broadening Participation programs range across all STEM disciplines and all areas of the country! Most IBP programs offer both a stipend and housing/travel support.
- 570+ Programs for Undergraduates
- 60+ Programs for Graduate Students
- Use the advance search page to filter programs by multiple criteria
- For help finding a program, contact us with your level of study and disciplinary interests: ldetrick@ibparticipation.org
2. Call for LGBTQ+ Participation Survey Participants
- The University of Arizona is seeking participants to complete surveys on experiences of LGBTQ+ people in science education.
- Survey 1 is open to anyone in any STEM (science, technology, engineering, or math) field, so long as they identify as LGBTQ+. Survey participants should have taken at least one course in any bioscience or life science field.
- Survey 2 is open to anyone who has taken some college coursework, regardless of field, sexual orientation, or gender identity. This survey includes an Implicit Assumption Test, which requires completing the survey on a computer with a keyboard (not a mobile browser).
- An Institutional Review Board responsible for human subjects research at the University of Arizona reviewed this research project and found it to be acceptable, according to applicable state and federal regulations and University policies designed to protect the rights and welfare of participants in research. For questions participant rights in this study, or to discuss other study-related concerns or complaints with someone who is not part of the research team, contact the Human Subjects Protection Program at the University of Arizona at 520-626-6721, or online.
- Additional questions or comments? Contact Tony at tonyrcolella@email.arizona.edu
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. Looking Ahead to 2020 Earth Educators' Rendezvous
The sixth annual Rendezvous takes place July 13-17 at the School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences at Stanford University. We're very much looking forward to this exciting event! Capitalize on experience from your colleagues at a variety of workshops, present and discuss your own findings, and network with others engaged in improving undergraduate Earth education. Early bird registration for the conference will open soon; you can now sign up to receive updates on registration as well as other deadlines, developments in the program, featured speakers, and more.
2. Help Us Promote the Benefits of NAGT Membership
Help spread the word to your co-workers and colleagues about the great benefits of NAGT membership, such as free online access to the Journal of Geoscience Education and $100 off Earth Educators' Rendezvous registration! Check out the Member Benefits web page and forward to a friend with your endorsement. Whether they are 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! Ask them to Join Today!
Remember that as a current NAGT member, you can also sign up for automatic renewals or multi-year memberships if you want to easily continue receiving membership benefits without worrying about letting them lapse.
3. 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.
1. Webinar: Webinar Wow! Developing and Presenting an NAGT On the Cutting Edge Webinar - January 23
The Webinar Wow! webinar will be held on January 23, 2020 at 1:00 pm PT | 2:00 pm MT | 3:00 pm CT | 4:00 pm ET. Participants will learn about the mission of the NAGT On the Cutting Edge Webinar Series, audiences served by the series, and most importantly, strategies and approaches for developing and presenting successful webinars. Throughout the webinar participants will workshop their plans for upcoming webinars while learning about the tools to best engage their workshop participants. Register by January 21, 2020.
2. Webinar: Teaching About Volcanoes with Monitoring Data and Risk Communication - January 29
The Teaching About Volcanoes with Monitoring Data and Risk Communication webinar will be held on January 29, 2020 at 1:00 pm PT | 2:00 pm MT | 3:00 pm CT | 4:00 pm ET. This webinar introduces instructors to Monitoring Volcanoes and Communicating Risks teaching module from the GEodesy Tools for Societal Issues (GETSI) project. During the module students not only learn to increase their data analysis skills, but gain experience in the type of risk communication that professional hazard scientists need to engage in. Register by January 27, 2020.
3. Webinar: On-Ramps to More Effective Teaching: quick-start guides to strategies for actively engaging students to improve learning - February 6
The On-Ramps to more effective teaching: quick-start guides to strategies for actively engaging students to improve learning webinar will be held on February 6, 2020 at 11:00 am PT | 12:00 pm MT | 1:00 pm CT | 2:00 pm ET. Do you want to incorporate more active learning in your classes but aren't sure where to start? Are you looking for new strategies to try or fresh ideas for techniques that you already use? This webinar will provide ideas for using the new On-Ramps collection in Teach the Earth to catalyze activity development for your own classroom, to focus departmental discussions about teaching, and to help graduate students and pre-service teachers learn about effective non-lecture based teaching. Register by February 4, 2020.
4. Webinar: Beyond Earthquake Locations: modern seismology in the NGSS classroom - February 13
The Beyond Earthquake Locations: modern seismology in the NGSS classroom webinar will be held on February 13, 2020 at 1:00 PM PT | 2:00 PM MT | 3:00 PM CT | 4:00 PM ET. Does modern seismology fit within the NGSS? If so, where and how? Explore how Marsquakes, icequakes, induced seismicity, models of Earth's deep structure, and more integrates into the NGSS structure. Register by February 11, 2020.
5. Workshop: Geoscience Career Ambassador Training (GeoCAT) - June 22-26
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 by April 30, 2020.
6. Workshop: Early Career: Teaching, Research, and Managing Your Career - July 26-30
The Early Career Workshop: Teaching, Research, and Managing Your Career will be held July 26-30, 2020 (with an optional visit to NSF on July 31) at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD. This annual workshop is designed for those in their first three years of a tenure-track or equivalent faculty position. The workshop is part the On the Cutting Edge professional development program for current and future geoscience faculty, and is sponsored by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers with funding provided by NAGT, and a grant from the National Science Foundation - Division of Undergraduate Education and other contributing sponsors. Apply by March 23, 2020
1. Apply to Host a Traveling Workshop by 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 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)
2. Apply to Join the Project EDDIE Faculty Mentoring Network by January 22
Are you interested in teaching quantitative reasoning and looking to include data exploration in your classroom? The Project EDDIE Faculty Mentoring Network (FMN) will bring together instructors interested in implementing Project EDDIE modules that address quantitative reasoning and scientific concepts spanning environmental disciplines (e.g., ecology, limnology, hydrology, climate change, and environmental sciences) with a flexible structure to fit all teaching situations. Participants in this FMN will focus on how to use EDDIE modules in their undergraduate courses by participating in virtual sessions held every other week to collaborate with and support others in the network and receive mentoring. Participants will implement one module and leave the FMN with more modules ready for implementation, access to a support network of peers, and an instructor story to share their experience about adapting and implementing an EDDIE module. Visit QUBES and learn more about Project EDDIE.
Apply by January 22, 2020.
3. Apply for Field Study Scholarships by February 14
Calling all students! 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. The application deadline for NAGT Scholarships for Field Study is February 14, 2020.
4. Nominate Colleagues or Yourself for NAGT Leadership by March 15
Nominations are now open for NAGT leadership. Each year, NAGT seeks to fill three important positions: a 2nd Vice President who will serve a four-year term as a member of the presidential line, and two new councilors-at-large to serve three years terms on the 11-member Executive Committee. You may nominate yourself or someone else; nominees must be members of NAGT. NAGT's mission is to support a diverse, inclusive, and thriving community of educators and education researchers to improve teaching and learning about the Earth. To that end, we also strive for an inclusive and diverse leadership. Our open nomination process is designed to foster broad participation in NAGT's leadership and programming. Find out more about NAGT leadership opportunities and nominate here by March 15, 2020.
5. Nominate Your Colleagues for NAGT Awards!
NAGT supports both educators and students through a variety of awards:
- 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 deadlines are February 1 for the Eastern Section and 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. Applications should include a proposal describing how applicants will use the award to support their professional growth, and are due 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.
Midcontinent
The Midcontinent Section of NAGT (MCNAGT) is looking for nominations for Vice President (President-Elect) beginning in January 2020 through December 2020, with automatic transition to President of MCNAGT from January 2021 through December 2021. Nominations, including self-nominations, will be accepted until the end of January. Elections will be held in early December via an online process. Nominees must be from within the section membership of the MCNAGT, which includes the states of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Questions and nominations should be directed to Michael DeAngelis ( mtdeangelis@ualr.edu ), University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
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 opened 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!
2YC Division
Geo2YC Fall Newsletter The next deadline for submitting Foundation news is February 29, 2020 for the Spring issue, published in mid-March.
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!
Ocean Exploration Science & Engineering Internships
Paid internships for community college, undergraduate, graduate students, and recent graduates are available in ocean science, seafloor mapping, ROV (remotely operated vehicle) engineering, and video engineering through the Science & Engineering Internship Program. Accepted students will sail aboard E/V Nautilus for 2-4 weeks learning from experts in the field, exploring the ocean, and broadcasting discoveries to learners.
Graduate Assistantship in Water Education
Applications are invited for a 12-month (renewable) graduate assistantship at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), the flagship, land-grant institution in the state of Nebraska. The graduate student would join a collaborative team of postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and undergraduate researchers led by Dr. Cory Forbes in the UNL School of Natural Resources. The successful applicant will also be part of a dynamic and growing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), FANH (food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences), and discipline-based education research (DBER) community at UNL.
Assistant Professor in Astronomy, Planetary Science, and/or Geoscience Education Research
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.
Need help getting the word out about your position opening, event, or field trip? Submit your posting to the NAGT Career Hub!
Available Samples
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.
