Geoscience Currents #25 takes a close look at the State University of New York College at Oneonta’s Earth Science Outreach Program (E.S.O.P.) and how it approaches recruiting new geoscience majors from the pool of high school graduates. Since its inception in 2004-2005, 402 students from 10 high schools across New York have taken advanced geoscience elective courses in their high schools through E.S.O.P. A snapshot of the most recent year for 5 schools shows 13 of 67 students (19.4%) have decided to major in the geosciences as a result of participating in E.S.O.P. Read more in Geoscience Currents #25.
Posts Tagged ‘AGI’
Geoscience Currents #25: Earth Science Outreach Program Recruits New Majors
Thursday, July 23rd, 20092009 Earth Science Week Toolkits now Available
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009The essential Earth Science Week 2009 (October 11-17) Toolkit enables students, educators, and the public to fully explore this year’s theme “Understanding Climate.†The latest edition of this resource is now available through the American Geological Institute (AGI).
The 2009 Earth Science Week Toolkit contains a 12-month school-activity calendar and classroom poster provided by AGI, its Member Societies and other organizations. Along with these traditional Earth Science Week publications, this year’s Toolkit features a variety of educational climate resources from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), NASA, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). A report on the “Ecological Impacts of Climate Change†and a new brochure outlining principles for Earth Science literacy are also included.
Multimedia features this year include NASA’s “Dynamic EARTH†DVD-ROM and a CD-ROM on GIS technology from ESRI. Additional informational materials within the kits include a National Park Service poster highlighting the nation’s glaciers and literature on the National Wildlife Refuge System. Like years past, the 2009 Toolkit contains a genuine field notebook from Rite in the Rain.
These items and much more make the Earth Science Week Toolkit ideal for engaging students and general public to explore the geosciences. The Toolkits are available for the cost of shipping and handling ($6.95 in the United States). Bulk pricing is available. To order, visit http://www.earthsciweek.org/materials/.
Earth Science Week is an annual event held the second week of October to promote an understanding and appreciation of the earth sciences. It is organized annually by AGI with support from a number of other geoscience organizations, including the U.S. Geological Survey, NASA, National Park Service, and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Foundation. To learn more about this event, please visit http://www.earthsciweek.org/.
EARTH Magazine: Missing Link or Major Hype
Thursday, May 21st, 2009A recent fossil find, Darwinius masillae, is being heralded as the “missing link” in primate evolution. EARTH Magazine looks into the claims the research team is making to the media and comparing it with the published research on this fossil. To learn more about the many different viewpoints on this fossil find, visit EARTH Magazine online at http://www.earthmagazine.com/earth/article/21f-7d9-5-14
EARTH Reports on Fighting or Fleeing Forest Fires
Thursday, May 14th, 2009While homes are being lost and firefighters go about the dangerous work of fighting the Santa Barbara wildfires in California, EARTH magazine is reporting on new research that highlights a different approach: When fires near in, consider staying and defending your home instead of evacuating.
As fire season starts in North America, what can be learned from major fires on other continents and the losses of property and lives? “When Wildfires Attack,” published in the June issue of EARTH magazine, discusses the strategies and conditions that may make fleeing a forest fire the lesser option. Find out what citizens are doing in Australia to protect their lives and properties and how those techniques could be put into place in the United States as the 2009 wildfire season begins.
Look for the June issue of EARTH on newsstands near you.
Keep up to date with the latest happenings in earth, energy and environment news with EARTH Magazine, available on local newsstands or online at http://www.earthmagazine.org/. Published by the American Geological Institute, EARTH is your source for news and perspectives on research, technology and policy that affect you every day.
AGI Publishes Living with Unstable Ground
Thursday, May 7th, 2009Many ongoing natural processes and human activities can displace the ground under our homes and communities at considerable economic cost and human suffering. The best solutions to these unstable ground problems are based on awareness of where and how they occur. Living with Unstable Ground, written by Dr. Thomas L. Holzer of the U.S. Geological Survey, explains how soil types, slope movements, catastrophic collapses, and regional ground movement affect communities and how to mitigate these disruptive, dangerous, and costly problems.
Living with Unstable Ground (ISBN 0-922152-82-9) is AGI’s 10th book in the Environmental Awareness Series. It is produced in cooperation with the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists, Applied Technology Council and Applied Technical Council Endowment Fund, and the U.S. Geological Survey.
To learn more about and order Living with Unstable Ground and the other publications in the Environmental Awareness Series, please visit http://www.agiweb.org/pubs/.
AGI Announces Earth Science Week 2009 Theme
Tuesday, April 14th, 2009The American Geological Institute is announcing that “Understanding Climate” is the theme for the 2009 Earth Science Week.
Climate is perhaps the most visible earth science topic in the news. Climate affects humans today just as it has for millions of years. It is also pivotal in understanding how the dynamics of our planet function across different scales of time and space. Earth Science Week 2009 will engage students, educators, and the general public in understanding all the factors driving climate and the role climate plays in the history of Earth and humankind.
“Students and the general public need to understand Earth’s climate system, above and beyond the sound bites of public debate,” says Ann E. Benbow, AGI’s Director of Education and Outreach. “Earth Science Week 2009 will provide educators, students and interested citizens with the information, resources, and activities they need for scientifically sound climate education.”
AGI coordinates Earth Science Week annually in cooperation with its sponsors and the geoscience community as a service to the public. Each year, community groups, educators, and interested citizens organize celebratory events. Earth Science Week offers the public opportunities to discover the earth sciences and engage in responsible stewardship of the Earth. Earth Science Week is supported by the U.S. Geological Survey, the AAPG Foundation, and the broader geoscience community through grassroots activities.
To learn more about this week and ways to become involved; including newsletters, local events, and classroom activities, please go to the Earth Science Week website at http://www.earthsciweek.org.
AGI Releases Geoscience Workforce Data PowerPoints
Monday, March 9th, 2009The American Geological Institute has posted a PowerPoint presentation of all 147 graphs and charts published in the Status of the Geoscience Workforce Report which was released in February of 2009.
Demographics by age, race, gender, and industry type; student and research funding statistics; commodity pricing, the GDP of the geosciences, and more are all graphed in an easy to use format. AGI is releasing this resource to assist members of the geosciences community in preparing presentations to their colleagues and other stakeholders about the issues and opportunities in the geosciences. These slides may be used freely with proper citation.
The Status of the Geoscience Workforce report is based on original data collected by AGI as well as existing data from federal sources, professional and scientific membership organizations and industry. The report integrates all available data sources into a comprehensive view of the human and economic parameters of the geosciences, including supply and training of new students, workforce demographics and employment projections, to trends in geoscience research funding and other economic indicators.
To view this PowerPoint presentation and the complete Status of the Geoscience Workforce report, please go to http://www.agiweb.org/workforce/reports.html.
This report was produced with support from the American Geological Institute Foundation.
AGI Announces Release of 2008 Earth Science Week Kit
Wednesday, September 10th, 2008The key educational support product for Earth Science Week 2008 (October 12-18) is the Toolkit that enables teachers, students, and the public to explore this year’s theme “No Child Left Inside.” The 2008 edition of this resource is now available through the American Geological Institute (AGI).
The 2008 Toolkit contains several resources developed by AGI, including the new editions of the Earth Science Week Activity Calendar and classroom poster with activities suitable for all ages provided by AGI, its Member Societies and other organizations. In addition to these traditional Toolkit publications, this year AGI’s education department teamed with Walden Media to create a “Journey 3-D” educator guide with 3-D glasses to explore where science fact meets science fiction in the movie “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D.”
Several other organizations contributed materials for inclusion in the Toolkits. The U. S. Geological Survey provided a 3-D geosciences poster. NASA supplied a CD-ROM of Earth Observations from Space. NOAA provided climate literacy information while ESRI included a CD-ROM on GIS technology and activities. A field notebook with an activity from Rite in the Rain is also part of each Toolkit.
These items and much more can be found in each Earth Science Week Toolkit aimed at engaging the students and general public in exploring the geosciences. The Toolkits are available for the cost of shipping and handling ($6.95 in the United States). Bulk pricing is available. To order, visit http://www.earthsciweek.org/materials/.
Earth Science Week is an annual event held the second week of October to promote an understanding and appreciation of the earth sciences. It is coordinated by the American Geological Institute with generous support from the U.S. Geological Survey, the AAPG Foundation, and the National Park Service. To learn more about this event, please visit http://www.earthsciweek.org/.
AGI Publishes Transition Document for New U.S. Administration
Wednesday, September 10th, 2008The American Geological Institute (AGI), in conjunction with its Member Societies, is announcing the release of “Critical Needs for the Twenty First Century: The Role of the Geosciences.” This concise document suggests policy directions for the next President, his administration, federal agencies and the United States Congress. The document identifies seven national issues and the role geosciences can play in addressing them: energy and climate, water, waste disposal, natural hazards, infrastructure, raw materials, and workforce and education needs.
With energy, natural hazards, and climate change in the news, the geosciences are more visible today than ever before. The geosciences have never been more central to the major pressing issues facing the nation. “Critical Needs for the Next Century” intends to unite the geosciences so they are heard in the policy making decisions of the next administration.
Dr. Pat Leahy, Executive Director of AGI says “This document highlights the most prevalent issues facing the earth sciences and the nation’s policy challenges for tomorrow. By distributing this document, we are ensuring that the needs of the nation will be met by the next administration and in turn the efforts of the geosciences community will be recognized as key contributions to tackling society’s needs. As we struggle to balance energy and economic and environmental well being, the geosciences will become increasingly important.”
AGI is unveiling this document as part of the first annual Geosciences Congressional Visits Day, where over sixty geoscientists will be visiting their members of Congress encouraging steady investment in geoscience research and education. A PDF of “Critical Needs for the Twenty First Century” is available on the AGI Government Affairs Web Site at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/trans08.html.
Participate in Geosciences Congressional Visits Day
Tuesday, July 8th, 2008Join us for the first Geosciences Congressional Visits Day (Geo-CVD) on September 9-10, 2008. This two-day event brings geoscientists, engineers, researchers, educators, and executives to Washington to raise visibility and support for the geosciences. Participants will spend the first day learning about how Congress works, the current state of the budget process and how to conduct congressional visits. The second day will consist of visits with members of Congress. In addition to the workshops and visits, participants will get to meet other geoscientists, and federal science agency representatives. Help us make the first Geo-CVD a success and convey the value of the geosciences to policymakers.
Geo-CVD will be coordinated by Washington DC staff from the AGI, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the American Geophysical Union, the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, the Geological Society of America, the Seismological Society of America and the Soils Science Society of America.
Please contact AGI’s Government Affairs staff for more information and to volunteer to participate by sending an email to govt@agiweb.org