Register Now for the 2025 Course Design Workshop!
Online - Wednesdays, June 4, 11, and 18, 2025, from 12-2:30 PM EDT/11 AM-1:30 PM CDT/10 AM-12:30 PM MDT/9-11:30 AM PDT/8-10:30 AM AKDT/6-8:30 AM HST
Join us for this highly interactive synchronous online 3-session workshop! Explore best practices by using backward design principles to align course assessments with course goals, then connect with colleagues for feedback and support to refine your course plan. Open to educators at all stages.
Do you know a graduating student who is interested in teaching?
Help them get started in their career by gifting them a membership in NAGT or making a donation in their honor. NAGT supports geoscience educators at all stages of their careers - help your students get to know what we offer.
Meeting the Moment Together
New Funding Opportunity - Applications due May 30, 2025
Did you have a geoscience education research grant terminated? Bridge funds are available! The Spencer Foundation, along with the Kapor Foundation, the William T. Grant Foundation, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, have launched a rapid response bridge funding program to provide quick turnaround grants of up to $25,000 for education scholars impacted by the abrupt grant cancellations by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Let's Stand Together - Note from Anne Egger, NAGT Executive Director
Did you catch the letter from NAGT's Executive Director, Anne Egger? Here is an excerpt:
"Our independent, member-supported, professional societies like NAGT are positioned to push – to keep elevating and publishing and promoting the issues that are important to us and to the geoscience education community. We continue to publish your research on inclusive practices, broadening access, and more in the Journal of Geoscience Education. We continue to offer professional learning opportunities on important topics like mentoring for all students and webinars that promote and disseminate your work. We continue to advocate for Earth education for all. Thank you for being a member and supporting these efforts with your membership dues."
NAGT Executive Director to serve on NASEM Board on Science Education
NAGT Executive Director Anne Egger has been appointed for a three-year term on the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Board on Science Education (BOSE). Egger has previously served on two BOSE-directed consensus study committees, most recently the committee that produced the report Transforming Undergraduate STEM Education: Supporting Equitable and Effective Teaching. She brings her experience and expertise as a geoscientist, geoscience education researcher, and leader of a disciplinary teaching society to the board.
Leadership Nominations
Opportunity to Lead: Nominate Candidates for NAGT Committees
NAGT has several standing committees whose membership includes a combination of ex officio and at-large members. These committees have specific charges and tasks and report to the Executive Committee. These committees may not always be seeking new committee members, but your nomination will remain active for three years.
Journal of Geoscience Education
Article of the Month
Each month, the editorial staff of JGE selects a paper to be free to access. For May 2025, they selected "The role of the 'think-pair-share' active learning strategy in influencing content knowledge and self-confidence of undergraduate students in a large enrollment geoscience course," by Alex K. Manda and published online October 29, 2024. Congratulations Alex!
The Journal of Geoscience Education is always looking for submissions related to learning and teaching in the geosciences and related domains.
In The Trenches
ITT seeks a new Editor
Applications due June 16, 2025
NAGT is seeking a new Editor for In The Trenches to begin serving in December 2025. We seek someone interested in learning about what people are doing in the geoscience education community, who enjoys working with authors to quickly amplify their ideas and classroom successes. This is a great opportunity to strengthen the NAGT community through promoting discussion of impactful topics and ideas. If this interests you, consider applying to be Editor of In The Trenches, NAGT's interactive online publication.
Using Google Earth Engine laboratory exercises in a college-level introductory physical geography course Part 1: Development
The latest ITT article is the first of a two-part series by authors Anthony Feig and Tao Zheng, who discuss the development of Google Earth Engine laboratory exercises for a college-level introductory physical geography course. Look for Part 2 which will describe the implementation of lab examples, and provide links to the lab exercises provided to readers for free educational use.
Suggest ITT ContentSubmit an Article
Teach the Earth 
Teach the Earth is a portal to thousands of resources from dozens of Earth Education websites. Managed by NAGT, this portal supports teaching and learning about the Earth by providing online resources for K-12 and undergraduate educators in the geosciences and related fields. Resources include classroom activities, course descriptions and syllabi, information about pedagogical strategies, topical collections, and more.
May's Teach the Earth Featured Resource: How to be a field geologist: an in-class exercise to introduce students to basic outcrop analysis
This in-class exercise is designed to give students practice analyzing outcrops before they go on a field trip. First, students watch a short video tutorial on analyzing an outcrop. Then, they are given a color photograph of an outcrop and a hand sample and complete a field notebook entry for the outcrop.
Teach the Earth Community Opportunity: Help us update data-rich activities
The current political climate raises concerns about the long-term availability of federal website data, crucial to many Teach the Earth resources. Help us ensure the future usability of these materials. Use the Community Contribution Tool (CCT) to upload updated files, local adaptations, and key data to activities you use in your classroom. Your contributions make a difference within your community of educators.
Award Nominations are Open Now!
Journal of Geoscience Education (JGE) Awards
Nominations due June 15.
JGE awards are presented annually with nominations solicited from JGE readers, authors, and editors. The Outstanding Paper Award recognizes a paper that exhibits one or more 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. The Outstanding Reviewer Award recognizes a reviewer who (1) provides reviews of exceptional quality, (2) completes reviews more quickly than average, and/or (3) completes more reviews than average.
Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award
Nominations due June 15.
The Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award recognizes undergraduate and graduate students for their work as teaching assistants. Up to 30 awards are given annually. The next nomination deadline for the Outstanding Teaching Assistant awards is June 15.
Do you have good news related to your geoscience education work that you would like to share with the NAGT community? Submit it to NAGT's Community Kudos!
Workshops
Unlocking Student Potential: Supporting Equitable and Effective Teaching and Mentoring - A Professional Development Opportunity for Faculty and Graduate Students
Bloomington, MN - May 18, 2025
Looking to boost your teaching & mentoring? Join our interactive short course on May 18 at the 2025 NSF GAGE/SAGE Community Science Workshop in Bloomington, MN—designed for faculty & grad students in geoscience. Stipends available! Sponsored by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT).
Course Design Workshop 2025
Online - Wednesdays, June 4, 11, and 18, 2025, from 12-2:30 PM EDT/11 AM-1:30 PM CDT/10 AM-12:30 PM MDT/9-11:30 AM PDT/8-10:30 AM AKDT/6-8:30 AM HST
This is a highly interactive synchronous online workshop in three sessions! Level up your course design and join our interactive 3-part workshop. Design or redesign your course using backward design principles, and create assessments and activities that align with your course goals. Explore best practices, collaborate with colleagues, and receive valuable feedback to refine your courses. Open to educators at all stages.
2025 Preparing for an Academic Career in the Geosciences Workshop
Online - August 4-8, 2025, from 11 AM-2 PM EDT/10 AM-1 PM CDT/9 AM-12 PM MDT/8-11 AM PDT each day/7-10 AM AKDT/5-8 AM HST
"I participated in both the Preparing for an Academic Career in the Geosciences Workshops and the Workshop for Early Career Geoscience Faculty. They were FUNDAMENTAL to my career success!" - Amy Williams
Register now for this highly interactive week-long synchronous online workshop! This workshop is designed specifically for graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and others interested in pursuing academic careers in geoscience. Workshop facilitators will lead sessions and provide guidance that will help participants become stronger candidates for academic positions and succeed in academic jobs.
Traveling Workshops: Bring Our Experienced Leaders to You
The Traveling Workshops Program (TWP) brings NAGT's professional development program to you, working with you to customize a workshop to meet your group's needs. The TWP has well-tested workshop sessions on adapting to change, (re)designing your courses and curriculum, inclusive mentoring, supporting all students, and more. Are you preparing for a program review or responding to feedback from one? Have you seen changes in the faculty in your department through new hires or retirements? Do you feel you could do a better job serving your students? We can help you! Choose your workshop or learn more about the program.
Webinars
NAGT Webinars are on YouTube!
Did you miss a webinar hosted by NAGT? Check out the NEW NAGT Webinar Series YouTube Channel! Find a selection of recordings from webinars in the series and sponsored projects at your fingertips. Remember to subscribe!
Learn about your Regional Section
NAGT Regional Sections are the grassroots of geoscience education in North America. The 2023 reorganization of Sections focused members' efforts on regional issues. If you haven't connected with your section leadership, we encourage you to do so! Check out the Regional Section Webpages to learn more about your Section and efforts to engage and support geoscience education in your region.
NAGT-PNW Section Annual Conference & Business Meeting
Join us in Portland, Oregon, to meet colleagues from around the Pacific Northwest, share teaching techniques, and explore some amazing geology!
The 2025 conference features meeting sessions on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, with half-day field trips on Thursday morning and Friday afternoon. Saturday is a full-day field trip to the Oregon Coast. There will be a social and joint section with CRESCENT. Schedule and registration details are on the website.
This year, we are excited to announce that our conference is being held in parallel to, and co-located with, the Cascadia Region Earthquake Science Center Annual Stakeholders meeting.
NAGT-RM at 2025 GSA-Rocky Mountain Section Meeting
Rocky Mountain Section of NAGT will be at the 75th Annual Rocky Mountain Section meeting in Provo, Utah May 18-20, 2025. Find us at our booth and the many educational sessions. If you are interested in helping at the booth, email Cheryl Manning; clbmanning@gmail.com.
Geo2YC Division
The Geo2YC Division is a home for NAGT members who have a shared professional interest in geoscience education at two-year colleges. Two-year college faculty are an integral part of NAGT.
Geoscience Education Research (GER) Division
The Geoscience Education Research Division (GER) is committed to the promotion of high-quality, scholarly research in geoscience education that improves teaching and learning in K-12, higher education, and informal learning environments.
Geoscience Education Research (GER) Division Awards
Nominations due June 1.
The Geoscience Education Research Division (GER) offers three awards that recognize individuals at different stages in their careers. These include the Early Career Award, the Collaboration and Growth (Mid-Career) Award, and the Transformation (advanced career) Award.
Teacher Education (TED) Division
The NAGT Teacher Education Division (TED) seeks to improve geoscience teaching by improving teacher content and pedagogical knowledge and by encouraging research on best teaching practices. TED is in search of a new Media Director! We have a great leadership team. Do you want to know what we've been up to? Do you want to inform how the Teacher Education Division supports you, as members of NAGT and TED? Find us on Facebook!
Register Now for the 2025 NSF GAGE/SAGE Community Science Workshop!
Registration is open for the 2025 NSF GAGE/SAGE Community Science Workshop, taking place from May 18–21, 2025, in Bloomington, Minnesota. This workshop brings together researchers and educators using geophysical data from the GAGE and SAGE facilities in their research and education efforts. Attend to get up to date on the latest geophysical science of the planet, network with scientists, and learn how to get involved with the facilities and leverage the data in your work! Register by Friday, May 9th.
Shape the Future of Geo-Ed Professional Development
The NAGT-NESTA K12 Collaborative is excited to be developing a new professional learning program designed specifically to support classroom teaching of Earth and space science. We developed a survey to collect information to inform the design of the program.
We invite you to help shape the future of geoscience teacher professional learning. We know your time is valuable, so we've designed this survey to be quick and easy to complete, yet packed with opportunities for you to share your expertise. Your feedback is absolutely critical to ensuring this program meets the real needs of educators like you and helps prepare students for success. Please take a moment to complete the survey now!
ADVANCEing FieldSafety Training Program Launch
ADVANCEing FieldSafety is excited to share the official launch of the ADVANCEing FieldSafety training program! The training program was developed to help the field-going community in creating and building safe and welcoming field environments. The training program consists of an asynchronous online course, a virtually facilitated debrief workshop, and an accompanying toolkit full of resources and templates for you and your team to use in the field. Visit our website to learn more and sign up for the ADVANCING FieldSafety online course, the synchronous debrief workshop, and check out our toolkit to support field teams in planning welcoming, inclusive, and safe field campaigns.
Survey Exploring Connections Between University Field STEM & Outdoor Programming
If you are a university STEM instructor interested in field education OR if you are involved in outdoor experiential education (academic, co-curricular, private sector) and you have questions that keep you up at night, please consider completing this survey. It should take 15 minutes or less. Please share with anyone or group lists that you feel might be interested!
Available Samples 
Desired Specimens
- A small rural school needs a classroom rock and mineral collection
- #50States50Rocks
- Precambrian chert. Stromatolites
- Science Department Head/Earth Science Teacher
- Deformation Microstructures
Post in the Rock and Mineral Exchange
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