During the spring semester students are often looking for summer field experience opportunities. Geology.com has a large list of over 100 summer field courses and field camps offered at many locations in North America. There are also a few outside of the US (and a couple in the southern hemisphere for those who want a summer field camp between November and February).
Authors from four institutions won a 2009 Science Prize for Online Resources in Education for their Web site, titled “On the Cutting Edge” which shares geoscience content and teaching methods.
The Bighorn Basin Field Program seeks to energize and enhance the education of geology students and faculty by introducing them to the breadth and challenges of integrated basin and petroleum systems analysis. Applications for this all-expense-paid field camp, to run 1–6 August 2010, will be accepted through 1 April. Sponsored by Geological Society of America and ExxonMobil.
Schools in India are not producing enough geologists to meet current needs as the major is only selected by a few students. Some universities are withdrawing geology courses because of low demand and that could increase the problem.
Congratulations to Richard W. Ojakangas who has authored “Roadside Geology of Minnesota,” a new book that can guide you to the geology of Minnesota that can be seen along the highway. The 6″x9″ paperback has 355 pages packed with maps, photos and expert descriptions.
For the last three years, Dr. Michel Boufadel and his students have been studying the site of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill at Prince William Sound, Alaska. Temple University has a large collection of photos and information from their trips; you can browse several photo galleries to learn about their work.
How can lab research be effectively incorporated into teachers’ lesson plans? Sissy Wong of the National Science Teachers Association shares her ideas on the subject.
Last week, “President Barack Obama bestowed on 100 men and women the United States government’s highest honor for scientists and engineers in the early stages of their independent research careers–the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).” Quoted from the NSF press release.
Each year, the National Association of Geoscience Teachers makes several $500 awards to undergraduate students to facilitate their study of field geoscience. Last year 18 undergraduate students received scholarships. The deadline to apply is February 16th, 2010.
U.S. News and World Report has a short list of “best careers” on their website. Among the top ten are: hydrologist, environmental science technician, environmental engineering technician, civil engineer and meteorologist.
Simply Hired posts job trend graphs for many professions. These graphs are based upon the frequency that jobs related to a profession appear in their databases. Their trend graph for geologists is below.
One of the most significant fossil discoveries of the year was Ardipithecus ramidus, or the “Ardi” skeleton. In this article, two paleontologists talk about the discovery, fieldwork, and their careers.
The American Geological Institute has published the November 2009 monthly review of government affairs. Topics include:
* Medical Isotopes Bill Passes House
* More Nuclear Bills Amid Concerns About Reactor Designs
* Army Corps Liable for Worst Flooding During Katrina
* EPA Proposes New Standards for Sulfur Dioxide
* Mineralogists: Help NIOSH With Asbestos Research
* Study Says Investing in Nature Could Save Trillions
* Public Universities Facing Budget Woes
* California Geology Board Eliminated
The books in the Roadside Geology series will help you learn about the geology of your favorite state. These books are great to take on a trip but they work even better if you use them in advance to plan your trip wisely.
The GeoCorps Positions for 2010 have been posted. Applications for the 65 positions must be submitted by February 1, 2010. These are paid short-term positions with agencies such as the National Park Service, Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.
Positions include: cave resource technician, coastal geology assistant, education specialist, environmental geologist, fluvial geomorphologist, field paleontologist, GIS technician, hydrogeologist, interpretive geologist, karst technician, oil and gas monitor, video and web content developer, soil scientist and more.
The American Geological Institute, the National Association of Geoscience Teachers and the Building Strong Geoscience Departments project are sponsoring a webinar titled: “Strategies for Departmental Survival and Viability During Economic Downturns.”
The American Geological Institute has published another “Geoscience Currents”. This one presents data on “Trends in Geoscience Degrees Conferred to Women”.
Many university students are registering for spring and summer courses. We have a list of over 100 geology field courses and field camps, mostly in the United States.
Michigan State University is in the midst of a budget reduction process.
“As many as 30 academic majors, specializations and other programs could be affected. It could also include the closures of two departments – the Department of Geological Sciences and the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders. While communicative sciences and disorders could be closed, graduate degree programs would continue, relocated within the Department of Communication.” Quoted from the MSU website.
What impact will climate change legislation have on the creation of jobs? An article at Bloomberg considers legislation and opinions in the United States Congress.
Electron microscopes used to be the size of a car and cost $1/2 million or more. Now, Hitachi has a table-top model that plugs into a standard wall outlet, sends the view to your laptop, costs about $60,000 and is very easy to use.
Next week is Earth Science Week. You still have time to visit their website for teaching ideas, see what’s happening or to download their free calendar of events.
California Assembly Bill No. 20, 4th Extraordinary Session will abolish the Board for Geologists and Geophysicists effective October 23, 2009. More details and references at Arizona Geology Blog.
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Hobart King
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