NAGTNews - Vol 15 - No 12 - December 2016

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In this issue:
  1. NAGT Announces Search for Journal of Geoscience Education Editor
  2. Renew your NAGT Membership for 2017
  3. Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards Call for Nominations
  4. Consider an End-of-Year Donation to NAGT
  5. NAGT Events at AGU
  6. InTeGrate Announces New Teaching Modules
  7. Special Call for InTeGrate-Themed Traveling Workshop Program
  8. Provide a Content Review for an InTeGrate Course or Module
  9. InTeGrate Implementation Programs Published

Rock and Mineral Exchange

  • Petrology Samples
  • Ophiolite, Tertiary sedimentary, miscellaneous metamorphic

Community Advertisements

  • Tenure Track Assistant Professor in Earth Science - St. Olaf College
  • Assistant Professor in Sedimentology & Stratigraphy - Montana State University
  • Assistant Professor Igneous or Metamorphic Petrology - Montana State University Bozeman

1. NAGT Announces Search for Journal of Geoscience Education Editor

NAGT is seeking a new Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Geoscience Education (JGE). After six years of exemplary service, JGE Editor Kristen St. John announced this spring that she would step down in late 2017. Anne Egger, President of NAGT, will lead the search committee.

In overseeing the journal, the Editor-in-Chief is responsible for its ability to support robust geoscience education research and its use in all aspects of teaching and learning about the Earth. The Editor takes the lead on maintaining a high-quality peer reviewed publication that responds to the needs and interests of NAGT, the geoscience education research communities, and the dynamic landscape of scientific publishing and communications. We seek an editor who will work with us to increase the impact, stature, influence, reach, and visibility of the journal.

2. Renew your NAGT Membership for 2017

The mission of NAGT—the importance of teaching Earth sciences at all levels of instruction, to emphasize the cultural significance of the Earth sciences, and to disseminate knowledge in this field to the general public—is now more important than ever. Professional societies like NAGT not only advance the importance of teaching gesocience nationwide, but provide support networks for professional development, collaboration, research, and advocacy.

Join with your colleagues and renew your membership today.

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.

3. Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards Call for Nominations

As your academic term winds down, please consider nominating your outstanding teaching assistant. Both undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants are eligible for the award. Award winners receive a one year membership in NAGT, which includes an online subscription to the Journal of Geoscience Education and our In The Trenches quarterly magazine. Visit http://nagt.org/nagt/students/ta.html for more information and to submit your nomination.

4. Consider an End-of-Year Donation to NAGT

Consider supporting NAGT's activities and programming with an additional end-of-year contribution!

NAGT is a membership-based organization and additional funds make possible the numerous scholarships, award-winning resources, and professional development. ​Even if you have signed up for automatic renewal of a multiple-year membership, you can still make a tax deductible donation. To learn more about the many scholarships and programs you can support, visit the NAGT Donations page.

5. NAGT Events at AGU

NAGT is pleased to outline a variety of geoscience education sessions available at the Fall 2016 AGU Meeting in San Francisco next week. Stop by the NAGT booth (#308) for the most up-to-date information on upcoming workshops, educational resources, and teaching activities.

6. InTeGrate Announces New Teaching Modules

An Ecosystem Services Approach to Water Resources

In An Ecosystem Services Approach to Water Resources students will investigate the ecosystem services associated with local land use and its relation to water. Students will be introduced to ecosystem services as a way of integrating the components of the hydrologic cycle as a system, synthesizing the interaction between the hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere, and linking those processes to the needs and aspirations of particular communities in particular places.

Developed by Ed Barbanell (University of Utah), Meghann Jarchow (University of South Dakota), and John Ritter (Wittenberg University), by the end of this 3-week module, students will be equipped to actively engage in the public dialogues that are typically part of the process, from understanding and analyzing a problem to presenting reasonable solutions from particular stakeholders' perspectives. An Ecosystem Services Approach to Water Resources is a great fit for courses in ecology, environmental science, physical geography, environmental studies, Earth science, land use and sustainability courses.

Earth's Thermostat

In Earth's Thermostat, students investigate the various factors that affect the global climate system including solar flux, greenhouse gases, and volcanic aerosols, as well investigating feedbacks within the climate system. They then investigate spatial variability in the Earth's radiation budget and how the atmosphere acts to redistribute heat around the globe. Finally, students synthesize what they have learned by predicting the climatic and societal impacts of a major volcanic eruption and comparing this climate event to greenhouse gas-driven climate change.

Developed by Allison Dunn (Worcester State University), Robert MacKay (Clark College) and Phillip Resor (Wesleyan University), this 2-week module investigate changes in Earth's climate and the factors affecting Earth's energy balance. Climate change is one of the most critical issues facing society today. The 2013 IPCC report states that warming of the climate system is unequivocal, yet the the underlying solar, atmospheric, cryospheric, and oceanic processes governing Earth's climate remain poorly understood by the public at large. Earth's Thermostat is a great fit for courses in atmospheric science, environmental science, physical geography, Earth science, meteorology and sustainability courses.

Ocean Sustainability

Ocean Sustainability prepares students to understand the role that humans play in altering marine systems and their inhabitants and to recognize the power we have as individuals and a society to work toward practices that will sustain our ocean.

Developed by Michelle Kinzel (Southwestern College), Cara Thompson (Santa Monica College) and Astrid Schnetzer (North Carolina State University), this 2-to 3-week module introduces the importance of oceans, basic ocean processes, and impacts of human activity on ocean health. It aims to increase awareness of our dependence on and responsibility for the largest habitat on Earth. Materials encourage systems thinking by addressing physical, chemical, geological, and biological aspects of the oceans. Students study the oceans from these multiple perspectives using scientific data and engaging activities designed to support higher-level thinking. Ocean Sustainability is a great fit for courses in oceanography, environmental science, physical geography, marine biology, sustainability courses and marine science courses.

7. Special Call for InTeGrate-Themed Traveling Workshop Program

Is your department overhauling its curriculum? Have new faculty in your department? Is your department involved in strategic planning? Facing changing enrollment or striving to increase diversity? Want to increase the emphasis on teaching science in the context of societal issues?

The InTeGrate Project and NAGT invite you to improve learning about the Earth in your courses, programs, and departments through our Traveling Workshops Program (TWP). The TWP brings national leaders in Earth and environmental education to your campus or region to share lessons learned in NSF-funded InTeGrate Project.

This program is suitable for all courses, departments, and programs that would like to strengthen their capacity for teaching about societal issues in context of the Earth system. Apply to host a 1-2 day workshop that will engage participants in deep, structured discussion and action planning. These workshops can be tailored to have a special emphasis on issues of particular interest to your group such as strengthening course offerings, strategies for supporting diverse students in courses or programs, or program design.

Application deadlines: January 31, 2017 and March 15, 2017

For more information, visit the special InTeGrate TWP Program Announcement.

8. Provide a Content Review for an InTeGrate Course or Module

InTeGrate is seeking reviewers for a number of InTeGrate-developed courses and modules. Please consider donating your time to help speed the process of peer review, so that these materials can be made available to the community. These courses and modules are of high value in teaching about sustainability across the curriculum -- an essential topic in our rapidly changing world.

Time commitment for the reviews will vary with each module and course unit. Some can be completed a few hours (3 to 5) while others take longer. Please plan on spending at least three hours on the review. We are seeking completed reviews by Jan 10, 2017.

See serc.carleton.edu/integrate/participate/review_material.html for more information or to sign up to complete a review.

9. InTeGrate Implementation Programs Published

InTeGrate's 16 Implementation Programs are developing models of ways to bring geoscience to a diverse range of disciplines, institutions, and networks in an effort to help other institutions and groups implement similar programs. ​We are excited to announce 13 published programs so far:

Rock and Mineral Exchange

Available Samples

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.

Community Advertisements

Lecturer-School of Earth Sciences & Environmental Sustainability - Northern Arizona University
Posted: Nov 30 2016
Northern Arizona University's School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability is currently seeking is seeking a full time, non-tenure track Lecturer

Tenure Track Assistant Professor in Earth Science - St. Olaf College
Posted: Oct 20 2016
The Department of Physics and Department of Environmental Studies at St. Olaf College invite applications for jointly-appointed tenure track position in Earth Science at the assistant professor level, to begin on Aug. 15, 2017. We are particularly interested in applicants who will contribute to the departments' commitment to increasing access and opportunities for populations which are currently under-represented in areas such as Physics, Earth Science, and Environmental Studies.

Assistant Professor in Sedimentology & Stratigraphy - Montana State University
Posted: Sep 19 2016
The Department of Earth Sciences at Montana State University invites applications for the position of Assistant Professor in Sedimentology/Stratigraphy. We seek an active teacher and researcher in the broad are of sedimentology who can contribute to our geoscience program inareas of sedimentary systems, basin analysis, or tectonostratigraphy.

Assistant Professor Igneous or Metamorphic Petrology - Montana State University Bozeman
Posted: Sep 15 2016
The Department of Earth Sciences at Montana State University invites applications for the position of Assistant Professor in Igneous or Metamorphic Processes. We seek an active teacher and researcher in the one of the areas of igneous or metamorphic petrology with a strength in field-based petrologic research.

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