NAGTNews - Vol 26 - No 4

Initial Publication Date: April 9, 2026

Review proposed changes to NAGT Constitution and Bylaws

The NAGT Executive Committee has proposed revisions to the NAGT Constitution and Bylaws that will be put to a vote by the membership during the 2026 elections. The ballot will be open from June 1 to 30, 2026. Feedback can be submitted by active members.

Upcoming Awards Nominations & Grant Proposals Due April 15!

Do you have a colleague or know a student deserving of recognition? Express your appreciation for their work by nominating them today! NAGT Awards recognize outstanding efforts while creating opportunities for networking within the geoscience community. April 15 is the deadline to submit nominations for the following:

The Robert Christman Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals who have provided long, distinguished service to the Association at the national and/or section level.
The Neil Miner Award recognizes individuals for exceptional contributions to the stimulation of interest in the Earth sciences.
The James Shea Award recognizes individuals for exceptional contributions in the form of writing or editing of Earth science materials (broadly construed) that are of interest to the public and/or teachers of Earth Science.
The Excellence in JEDI Award recognizes individuals or groups who have made significant contributions to Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in geoscience.

NAGT grants support our members in furthering their professional development and to help facilitate their work in the geoscience education community. Consider nominating a colleague or applying for one of the NAGT grants:

Geo2YC Faculty Development Grant - Geo2YC Division awards this Grant to support the efforts of Division members who are faculty at two-year colleges. Awardees will receive mini grants up to $500 to support an activity and travel grants of $100 to help an individual attend a professional development activity.
Dorothy Stout Professional Development Grant - Honoring NAGT's first female president Dottie Stout, NAGT awards this grant to support the professional development of Community College Faculty, Community College Students, and K-12 Educators with grants of $750.

This Earth Day, help us advocate for teaching and learning about the Earth!

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. We advocate for high-quality Earth education for all to drive change toward an equitable and inclusive system of geoscience education. Show your support for our work on Earth Day by making a donation to our program fund to support all of our work, including our advocacy efforts.

Donate Today!

Join us at the 2026 Earth Educators' Rendezvous!

University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC, July 20-23, 2026

Will we see you at the 11th Earth Educators' Rendezvous (EER)? July 20-23, 2026, EER26 will be hosted by the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. Register now to participate in the 2026 EER 4-day conference!

Early Bird Registration closes May 5

Stipends Available!

Multiple stipends are available by application to support participation in the Earth Educators' Rendezvous.

Travel Stipends: A limited number of these are available to mitigate the costs of travel and broaden access to the EER. The application deadline is April 15.
Academic Career Prep Award: Graduate students and post-doctoral scholars who register for the Preparing for an Academic Career in the Geosciences workshop are eligible to apply for a limited number of stipends. Learn more about the award and applyby April 15.
Workshop Stipends: Several workshops have stipends to support participation in those specific opportunities. Register early to save your spot.

Order your EER26 Shirt Today!

Congratulations to Erin Smoak at the American Meteorological Society for creating the winning t-shirt design for the 2026 Earth Educators' Rendezvous! Purchase your T-shirt or tank top today!

Order your EER26 Gear TODAY!

Check out the Program!

When you register, select one of the 4-day or two of the 2-day Morning Workshops. Fill your afternoons by attending Afternoon Workshops, oral and poster sessions, a Share-a-thon, exhibitor showcase, and the Townhall. Recharge in the evenings by connecting with colleagues, old and new.

Register for one or both EER26 Field Trips

You can register separately for one or both of the two stand-alone field trips. On Sunday, July 19, learn about Geomorphology and Flooding in the Congaree National Park. On Friday, July 24, visit the Eocene sedimentary outcrops at Peachtree Rock Heritage Park and learn about the Greenhouse conditions of the Eocene Epoch. The deadline to register is June 12, 2026.

You can still contribute to the EER26 Program!

Share your work and innovative ideas at this summer's Earth Educators' Rendezvous. The deadline for late poster abstracts and share-a-thon submissions is May 18!

Submit a Late Poster Abstract by May 18 Submit a Late Share-a-thon Presentation by May 18

Join an NAGT Committee - a great place to get started

Much of the work that NAGT accomplishes happens through our committees. Consider joining one of NAGT's committees focused on Professional Development, Programs, Awards, Grants & Scholarships, and Management.

Learn more about NAGT Committees Submit a Committee Nomination

Benefits of NAGT Membership

Reduced cost of registration to EER26 and other NAGT professional development opportunities is one of many member benefits. Are you taking advantage of the many other benefits of membership? These include online access to NAGT's Journal of Geoscience Education and In the Trenches, this monthly email newsletter, access to Teach the Earth online resources, supportive communities and networks, including our regional Sections and topical Divisions, eligibility for awards and grants and scholarships, and leadership opportunities at the regional and national level.

Check out the benefits offered by NAGT's partners and affiliates! The Geological Society of America offers discount registration rates to NAGT members for the annual GSA Connects meeting. Taylor & Francis provides online access to the Journal of Environmental Education and online access to Science Activities, which you can access through your membership page. AGI offers free access to the Geologize online course, "Practical Geocommunication." And now you can get a 30% Member Discount for Brunton when you use the code NAGT_30.

Journal of Geoscience Education

The Journal of Geoscience Education is always looking for submissions related to learning and teaching in the geosciences and related domains.

Submit a paper to JGE View the latest issue of JGE

Article of the Month

Each month, the editorial staff of JGE select a paper to be free to access. For April 2026, they selected "A systemic literature review of ungrading in STEM," by Daria B Kluver, Montana Etten-Bohm, Zachary Handlos, and George Hademenos, and published online in December, 2025. Congratulations, Authors!

In The Trenches

Did you teach a new course or try a new instructional strategy this semester? How did it go? Consider writing a short article about your experience in NAGT's interactive online publication, In The Trenches. ITT is designed to provide a venue for NAGT members to learn about and discuss teaching strategies and resources, the work of NAGT committees, sections, and divisions, and other ideas relevant to Earth educators and education researchers. Share your work through ITT!

Suggest ITT Content Submit an Article

Explore Exemplary Teach the Earth Activities

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.

April's Teach the Earth Featured Resource: Let's Look Inside the Earth

David Zelenka of Interactive Earth created this data-rich investigation where students analyze USGS seismology data in the classroom using spreadsheets and scatter plots, looking for patterns and structure in the Earth's crust. Before analyzing data, students learn about the methods scientists use to gather seismic data. They will explore plate tectonics, plate boundaries, and volcanoes using Google Earth. The teacher will provide demonstrations on the types of faults and how earthquakes propagate and travel through the Earth.

Association Awards - Due April 15

Association awards are presented annually with nominations solicited from the community and awardees selected by committees. These awards include the following:

Nominate Now!

Geoscience Education Research (GER) Division Awards

Nomination window: April 1 - June 1

GER offers three awards recognizing individuals at different stages in their careers.

The Early Career Award celebrates active NAGT-GER members who are in the last two years of a PhD program or in the first three years of a GER career, and are forming and establishing their area of research.
The Collaboration and Growth Award celebrates mid-career researchers who are expanding their field through collaborations and growth and advancing interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research. There are two eligibility options for this award.
The Transformation Award celebrates colleagues who have made and continue to make outstanding contributions to GER, GER's applications to geoscience education, and capacity building within the GER community commensurate with an advanced career stage.

Learn More & Nominate

Dorothy Stout Grant - Due April 15

Grants of $750 will be made annually in three categories: Community College Faculty, Community College Students, and K-12 Educators. Grantees will also be given a one-year membership to NAGT, including these member benefits.

Apply Now!

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!

NAGT Workshops

Course Design Workshop

Online Workshop: June 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, and 24, 2026
9:30am - 11:00am PT | 10:30am - 12:00pm MT | 11:30am - 1:00pm CT | 12:30pm - 2:00pm ET

Are you developing a new course or revising a course you have taught before? This workshop will help you use backwards design to generate assessments and instructional activities that meet both content and skills-based objectives. This highly interactive, synchronous online workshop will provide time for you to build foundational knowledge of best practices for course design, share strategies and exchange ideas with colleagues, work independently on developing your course, and provide and receive feedback from peers.

Morning Workshops at the Earth Educators' Rendezvous

Register by May 5 for the Early Bird Discount

Four-day Workshops

Monday, July 20 - Thursday, July 23 | 8:30am - 11:30am

Preparing for an Academic Career in the Geosciences - For graduate students and post-docs. Stipends Available.
Designing Activities to Engage Students and Enhance Learning in Quantitatively Challenging Geoscience Content
Unlocking the Potential of your Introductory Geoscience Course

Monday-Tuesday Workshops

Monday, July 20 - Tuesday, July 21 | 8:30am - 11:30am

Wednesday-Thursday Workshops

Wednesday, July 22 - Thursday, July 23 | 8:30am - 11:30am

Teaching Computation with MATLAB (and GenAI) 2026 Educator Workshop

Carleton College, Northfield, MN - October 25-27, 2026

This three-day in-person workshop at Carleton College brings together educators in discipline-focused groups to explore MATLAB teaching tools, including MATLAB Copilot, Course Designer, Live Notebooks, and MATLAB Grader. There will also be an emphasis on integrating Generative AI into course curriculum. Through training sessions, peer talks, and dedicated work time, participants develop concrete, goal-specific classroom approaches supported by MathWorks staff and colleagues. Stipends are available!

Applications due June 15 Apply for a Stipend by June 15

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.

Request a Traveling Workshop »

NAGT Webinars

Catch past NAGT Webinars on YouTube! LEAVE AS IS...

Did you miss a webinar hosted by NAGT? Check out the NAGT Webinar Series YouTube Channel! Find a selection of recordings from webinars in the series and sponsored projects at your fingertips. Remember to subscribe!

2026 Geoscience Field Course Offerings

Field Camp Scholarships image Small version) In an effort to help students and faculty find options for Summer 2026 field course offerings, NAGT is compiling a list of field courses of all formats, including online, in-person, and hybrid programs, that have space for additional students. Are you a field camp/course director with space for additional enrollment in your summer 2026 course? We invite you to add your program to the list.

Please share the field course list with others who may be interested in participating in these programs.

Preparing for an Academic Career in the Geosciences

In-person at the 2026 Earth Educator Rendezvous, Columbia, South Carolina | July 20-23, 2026

Join this highly interactive four-day workshop at the Earth Educators' Rendezvous. The workshop is designed specifically for graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and others interested in pursuing academic careers in the geosciences. Workshop facilitators will lead sessions and provide guidance that will help participants become stronger candidates for academic positions and succeed in academic jobs, including:selecting the right institutional fit, crafting competitive research and teaching statements, securing your first grant, meeting tenure requirements, and developing your career plan. Participants will practice developing their job application materials, refine their elevator pitch, and create actionable plans for their next career stage.

Stipends Available: Limited stipends are offered thanks to NAGT member donations.

Learn more about the workshop and apply for Stipend by April 15 » Register for EER26 »

Summer Workshop on Water Resources Management

Synchronous Online - June 15-16, 2026 | Asynchronous Online - June 17-26, 2026

Join us this summer for an engaging, hands-on workshop exploring real-world challenges in water resources management. Designed for undergraduate students from any major enrolled at U.S. universities, this hybrid program combines two online live sessions (June 15–16) with an asynchronous component (June 17–26), offering flexibility while building meaningful skills.

Participants will examine issues such as water scarcity, pollution, and governance through interactive activities, case studies, and peer discussions. Using tools like game theory and multi-criteria decision-making, students will explore how communities make complex decisions about shared water resources and develop collaborative solutions.

A stipend is available for undergraduate participants. Spots are limited.

Apply by May 31!

Fresh Solutions to Salty Struggles Summer Camp for Undergrads: Exploring Soil Salinization Dynamics

East Carolina University, Greenville and Wanchese, North Carolina, July 12-25, 2026

The Fresh Solutions to Salty Struggles (FS3) Summer Program invites undergraduate students to embark on a two-week journey exploring the science of soil salinization and saltwater intrusion. Participants in this opportunity are eligible to receive financial support, such as stipends, travel reimbursements, and conference funding. This program is ideal for undergraduate students with an interest in environmental science, agriculture, geology, or related fields.

Students in the FS3 Program will work hands-on with advanced geophysical and hydrogeological methods to uncover the dynamics of saltwater intrusion in agricultural and coastal landscapes. Field experiences include day trips to local research sites in North Carolina and overnight travel to sites in Virginia. Students will collaborate with peers and researchers to analyze data sets and explore spatial and temporal controls on soil salinization. This immersive experience equips participants with critical, industry-aligned skills and connects them with leading scientists in the field, building a network for future educational and career opportunities.

Application Deadline April 30!

Get Local - Engage with your Regional Section!

Geoscience is a global endeavor and geoscience education is better when it is local! Be a part of grassroots efforts to elevate geoscience education by joining your NAGT Regional Section. In 2023, NAGT reorganized Regional Sections to support a regional focus. If you haven't connected with your section leadership, we encourage you to do so! Check out the Regional Section web pages to learn more about your Section and efforts to engage and support geoscience education in your region.

Eastern Section

Join us for the Eastern Section's Spring 2026 meeting, hosted by Callan Bentley at Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville, Virginia, May 7-9, 2026. Maybe it has been a few years since you last attended an NAGT Eastern Section meeting, or maybe you have never attended a meeting. Make plans now and join us in Charlottesville, Virginia, for the Spring 2026 meeting! Be sure to check out our newsletter: Winter 2026 NAGT-ES Bulletin CB.pdf.

Pacific Northwest Section

Our next annual meeting will be hosted in June 2026, at Highline College in Des Moines, Washington by Jacob Selander, jselander@highline.edu. More information on our upcoming June 2026 meeting or last year's June Annual Meeting in Portland, Oregon can be found on the section's annual meeting web page.

Rocky Mountain Section

Find us at our booth at the 76th Annual Meeting of the GSA Rocky Mountain Section in Albuquerque, New Mexico, 17-20 May 2026!

Topical Divisions

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. Explore the seasonal Geo2YC Newsletter!

Join Geo2YC

Geo2YC wants to support your ideas!

Two grant options via NAGT for 2YC educators to support your teaching and professional development are the Dorothy Stout Grant and the Geo2YC Faculty Development Grant. See the Geo2YC website for further information. Applications are due for both on April 15.

Nominations are being accepted for Geo2YC's Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award

This award recognizes the fantastic work being undertaken by geoscience instructors who are adjuncts at two-year colleges. We want to recognize those people who go above and beyond to communicate geoscience. As there is one winner selected per quarter for the first three quarters of the year, there is a rolling deadline for submission. Quarterly winners receive a year's free membership in NAGT as well as the Geo2YC Division. In the fourth quarter, one of the three quarterly winners is selected as the overall winner, who will receive a $1,000 stipend from McGraw Hill to use for professional development or classroom support. Self-nominations are encouraged. For more information and to apply, please see the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award page.

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.

Join GER

Nominations open now for Geoscience Education Research (GER) Division Awards

Nomination window: April 1 - June 1

The Early Career Award for NAGT-GER members who are in the last two years of a PhD program or in the first three years of a GER career
The Collaboration and Growth Award for mid-career researchers. There are two eligibility options for this award.
The Transformation Award for colleagues at an advanced career stage.

Visit the Geoscience Education Research (GER) Division Awards page to learn more and nominate.

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 stay informed about how the Teacher Education Division supports you, as members of NAGT and TED? Find us on Facebook!

Join TED

CIRES-CEEE Resilient Futures Teacher Workshop 2026

Boulder, Colorado: July 28-30, 2026

Registration is now open for the 2026 Resilient Futures Teacher Workshop! Middle school and high school educators are invited to a three-day in-person teacher workshop. Engage with sessions on education resources, including scientist talks, lab tours, and networking sessions by CEEE, NOAA, and friends. This session will cover topics such as climate science, natural hazards, water resources, climate mental health, data literacy, and more. Participants will leave with a variety of classroom-ready lessons and activities. They can receive a 20-hour PD certificate OR 1-2 Continuing Education credits from the University of Colorado Boulder upon course completion. A small registration fee will be required when the official registration opens. Participants who complete the course will receive a gift card.

GeoSciEd X Conference

Adelaide, Australia: August 14-16, 2026

The 10th International Conference on Geoscience Education, GeoSciEd X, will be hosted in Adelaide, Australia at the Adelaide Botanic High School. The conference theme is "Earth Science Education: Our planet, our future". GeoSciEd is an international conference held every four years focusing on and celebrating Geoscience Education. Our GeoEd focus extends to all levels, pre-primary through retirement, through pedagogical workshops for primary and secondary teachers, pedagogy and outreach for tertiary educators and communication and branding for those working in Geotourism. The Big Ideas Day will engage with those not actively involved in Geoscience Education but with a strong interest in the outcome of this education.

Explore the Program Register Today!

Lehigh University - Educational Innovation Associate or Full Teaching Professor

Review of applications began March 23, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.

Lehigh University invites applications from exceptionally innovative and experienced educators for a Teaching Associate Professor or Teaching Full Professor position (non-tenure track) who will play a leading role in advancing educational innovation and supporting excellence in disciplinary and interdisciplinary teaching. A start date of July 1, 2026, is anticipated. This position is a renewable, fixed-term, non-tenure-track, full-time position. The initial term of appointment will be from three to five years.

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga - Post-Doctoral Teaching Scholar in Hydrology

Review of candidates will begin April 13, 2026.

The Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science (BGE) at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) College of Arts and Sciences seeks to hire a recent doctoral graduate for a Post-Doctoral Teaching Scholar position in hydrology beginning August 2026. This is a one-year position, renewable up to three years.

PUT SOMETHING HERE ABOUT SUBMITTING TO CAREER HUB