NAGTNews - Vol 15 - No 1 - January 2016

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1. Time to Renew Your Membership for 2016

2015 was an incredible year for NAGT. We are deeply thankful for everyone whose commitment to geoscience education leads them to become a member and support what we do. If you haven't renewed your membership for 2016, there is still time. Renew today at http://nagt.org/nagt/membership/index.html.

Remember that you can sign up for automatic renewals or multi-year memberships if you want to make it easy to continue to receive the benefits of membership without having to worry about letting them lapse.

2. NAGT Award Program Deadlines

Scholarships for Field Study - 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 aspects of geoscience (including geophysics, soil science, hydrology, etc.) that focus 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 of Women Geoscientists (AWG) funds two additional awards specifically for women.

Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Awards

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 program website. The earliest Section deadline is March 31 for the Pacific Northwest Section with other sections following until the middle of May. So check out your Section's deadline and get your nominations in via the website.

3. Traveling Workshop Program - Application Deadline: March 15

Want to strengthen your department or courses, but not sure where to start? Look no further - NAGT's Traveling Workshops Program brings national leaders in geoscience education to your campus or regional event. The Traveling Workshops Program consists of two different tracks—one for courses and one for departments. Colleges, universities, and other organizations can apply to host one or both kinds of workshop.

Building Stronger Geoscience Departments

These workshops bring two trained leaders to your institution to facilitate a working session with your department. The program focuses on lessons learned from other institutions, guides you through a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis for your department, and incorporates activities that address issues of specific interest to your department. After your application has been accepted, workshop leaders will work with you to design the exact parameters of the workshop you have in mind.

Applications

To apply to have a Traveling Workshop Program come to your department during spring of 2016, apply online by Tuesday, March 15.

Please forward this opportunity to any colleagues that you feel would benefit from this program.

Thank you for your consideration of these valuable workshops! We look forward to working with you and your departments.

4. Early Career Geoscience Faculty Workshop: Teaching, Research, and Managing Your Career

July 24-28, 2016 with optional visit to NSF on July 29
University of Maryland, College Park, MD

If you are in your first three years of a permanent academic position, please apply to join us for a multi-day workshop in a stimulating and resource-rich environment where you 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.

Application Deadline: March 16

5. Registration is now open for Earth Educators' Rendezvous - July 18-22, 2016

We are excited to announce that the meeting registration is now open and the topics for morning workshops and afternoon events are finalized. In addition to workshops, the Rendezvous will include oral and poster sessions, teaching demonstrations and a pre-workshop field trip. The meeting will bring together activities that support educators in improving their courses, departments or programs; in building a collective capacity to use and conduct education research; and in increasing the overall impact of Earth education. Visit the program schedule to learn more. 

Join us in Madison, WI this summer!

• Hosting a working group application deadline: February 1
• Abstract submission deadline: March 1
• Travel stipend application deadline: April 1
• Early registration deadline: May 2

6. AESS 2016 Conference: Science, Empathy, Collaboration, and Sustainability

We are pleased to invite you to submit a proposal to lead a session or make a presentation at the 2016 annual meeting of the Association for Environmental Studies and Sciences (AESS) to be held on 8-11 June 2016 at American University in Washington DC with full participation from other colleges and universities in the larger DC metropolitan area.

AESS is now accepting proposals for individual paper and poster presentations, as well as proposals for full panels, workshops, discussion symposia, and mealtime roundtables. For proposed multi-person sessions please secure a commitment from participants. In addition, AESS will make every effort to group individual presentations together as thematic sessions.

Submit a Proposal: proposalspace.com/calls/d/558

Conference Website: http://aess.info/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=939971&module_id=190307

7. InTeGrate Announces Publication of New Teaching Module: Soils, Systems, and Society

The InTeGrate project is pleased to announce the publication of the new Soils, Systems, and Society. This inquiry based module is designed for use in a preservice K-8 science methods course, but could easily be modified for other types of courses. The module promotes geoscientific and systems thinking and emphasizes strong interdisciplinary connections between science content and society through locally relevant issues. This module consists of course discussions, map analysis, hands-on soil investigations, concept mapping of Earth systems, and the development of a standards-aligned K-8 Soils, Systems, and Society Kit composed of lesson plans, data sources, activities and artifacts for use in future elementary and middle school classrooms. Be sure to check out all of the InTeGrate-developed modules and courses.

8. AGU Virtual Poster Showcase 2016

A new and exciting opportunity for your undergraduate and graduate students to showcase their research is now available. Although many college students conduct research with faculty in organized summer programs or as part of their course work or their degree work, they often face barriers to traveling to present that research, especially at national conferences. The Virtual Poster Showcase will allow participation by students who can't travel. AGU is organizing three opportunities for undergraduate and graduate Virtual Poster Showcases in 2016. Sign up to get an email alert if you are interested in having your students participate next spring. Additionally, if you or any faculty members are interested in being judges for the showcases or in incorporating the showcases as part of a capstone experience for your students, email us or contact Pranoti Asher.

9. For Higher Ed: SERC's Portal to Resources for Faculty, Departments and Institutions

Planning your spring courses and looking for inspiration?

Check out our Higher Ed Portal for resources for enhancing student engagement, higher-order thinking, quantitative reasoning and problem-solving skills in every course, through effective curriculum design, active pedagogy, and professional development opportunities.

10. The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) is seeking nominations

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) is the nation's highest honors for teachers of mathematics and science (including computer science). PAEMST nominations and applications for the 2015-2016 cycle are open for K-6 grade teachers.

Established by Congress in 1983, the PAEMST program authorizes the President to bestow up to 108 awards each year and is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on behalf of The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Presidential awardees receive a certificate signed by the President, a trip for two to Washington, D.C., to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities, and a $10,000 award from NSF.

Please consider nominating a talented science or math teacher using the PAEMST website today. NSF is offering free webinars from now until the end of April to help applicants complete the application process. Nominations close April 1. Applications close May 1.

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Rock and Mineral Exchange

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