The Petroleum History Institute and the Lafayette Geological Society are now calling for abstracts for their 2010 Oil History Symposium in Lafayette, Louisiana. The 2010 Oil History Symposium, April 29th-May 1st 2010, will explore the theme “Migration to the Gulf Coast and Beyond.”
For more information visit www.petroleumhistory.org.
Are you interested in history, philosophy, or sociology? Do you want to learn how these disciplines can improve research and education in the earth sciences? If so, check out the website of the International History and Philosophy of Science Teaching Group (IHPST).
IHPST invites doctoral students in the geosciences to participate in a special presentation forum during their biennial meeting in Thessaloniki, Greece, July 2011. The forum will allow graduate students to discuss their research with professors and other graduate students. For more information about this opportunity, email Glenn Dolphin (grdolphi@syr.edu).
Applications are now available online for the Society of Exploration Geophysicists/ExxonMobil Student Education Program (SEP). This program offers travel grants to graduate students pursuing degrees in the geosciences.
The application deadline for a grant to Russia is January 12, 2010, and for Europe is January 20, 2010. Visit the program website for application materials.
The Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) is inviting abstract submissions for their 2010 Summer Research Workshop: “Subsalt Exploration and Development: Four years later, what’s new in acquisition, imaging, andinterpretation?” This event is scheduled for July 26-29, 2010, at Squaw Valley Resort in Olympic Valley, California, USA. The submission deadline is April 20, 2010.
Check out the event website for more details.
November 19, 2009: Rob Thomas—a professor of geology at The University of Montana Western—will receive one of four 2009 U.S. Professors of the Year Awards today in a ceremony at the Willard InterContinental Washington in Washington, DC.
Thomas is being honored for his commitment to teaching field geology to undergraduate students. He also helped the University of Montana Western become the first public university to transition from regular semester courses to block scheduling. As part of this new schedule, Thomas offers a course title “Experience One,” where geology students enroll in a single course for 18 days. Coursework is primarily outside in a field setting and focuses on real-world research projects.
The 2009 U.S. Professors of the Year Awards are administered by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and Websoft sponsored by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. These awards recognize professors for excellence in teaching and commitment to undergraduate students. Along with four national winners, CASE and Carnegie have selected state-level Professors of the Year from 36 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam.
Michigan State University has proposed closing its Department of Geological Sciences. This measure is part of a larger cost-saving effort to deal with state budget shortfalls and the economic downturn. The Geological Sciences Department at MSU is home to undergraduate, masters and doctorate-level programs.
For more information about the school’s proposed changes and the administrative process involved, visit the school’s official website at http://shapingthefuture.msu.edu/ and http://news.msu.edu/story/7056/. Read reactions to the proposed department closing in the Haspsoftware.com press at the Lansing State Journal website and StateNews.com.
If you would like to get involved, the next Board of Trustees meeting is December 11th, 2009, and there is an online petition for those who disapprove of MSU’s proposal.
This November and December the USGS Public Lecture Series: Science in Action will feature Brenda Pierce presenting “Expanding the Energy Frontier” (November 4) and Mark Demulder presenting “Mapping the Future from 125 Years of Experience” (December 2).
The USGS Public Lecture Series: Science in Action is a free monthly event, intended for general audiences, which seeks to familiarize the public with contemporary science issues. Speakers are selected for their enthusiasm and ability to share their work with a public audience. The lecture series provides the public an opportunity to interact with scientists and ask questions about recent developments in the sciences.
Lectures are held from 7:00 - 8:00 PM at the USGS National Center, Dallas Peck Memorial Auditorium, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192. This invitation is open to all, so please share it with colleagues, friends and family!
Want to discuss global climate with a Smithsonian researcher or curator? Take part in the Smithsonian Online Education Conference on Climate Change from September 29 through October 1, just in time for Earth Science Week 2009, which celebrates the theme “Understanding Climate.”
In addition to interacting with Smithsonian experts in both general interest sessions and sessions designed especially for teachers, you can explore Smithsonian research and collections related to the evidence, impact, and response to climate change. Alongside Smithsonian scientists and curators, you also can look at issues surrounding climate change from the perspectives of science, history, and art.
Registration is free and open to everyone. Conference sessions are recorded and archived so you can replay them at any time. To learn more or register, please visit http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/professional_development/conference/2009/climate_change/index.html.
Alexandria, VA— No Child Left Inside (NCLI) Day — Tuesday October 13, 2009 — will be the focal point of Earth Science Week.
On the first NCLI Day, held during Earth Science Week 2008, teachers and earth scientists led students outdoors to sample water, interact with earth systems, and observation the natural world in action. This day proved to be a popular event for schools, youth organizations, government agencies and others interested in promoting outdoor educational activities.
Now, to encourage even broader participation, AGI has developed an educator’s guide for organizing NCLI Day in local schools and communities. This online resource provides 10 outdoor activities, information on how to plan your NCLI Day event, and classroom follow up activities. Download a copy of the NCLI Day educator’s guide through the Earth Science Week website at http://www.earthsciweek.org/ncli/.
Earth Science Week is an annual celebration of the geosciences held the second week of October to promote an understanding and appreciation of the earth sciences. Since 1998 Earth Science Week has been organized by AGI with support from a number of other geoscience organizations, including the U.S. Geological Survey, NASA, National Park Service, U.S. Department of Energy, ExxonMobil and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Foundation. To learn more, visit http://www.earthsciweek.org/.
Public schools have dropped Earth science from the required curriculum in recent years. Colleges have closed geoscience departments. Employers have said they need more qualified candidates for geoscience jobs. Does your public education system ensure that all students learn important Earth science content?
AGI now allows you to track the status of Earth science education nationwide. The “Pulse of Earth Science” website, launched in connection with Earth Science Week, offers detailed, up-to-date information on geoscience education in every state, as well as guidance for advocates. View online at http://www.agiweb.org/education/statusreports/2007/index.html.