December 8, 2019
Want to be more inclusive? Stop making geology conferences about the beer.
What are we to do? I don’t know the answer to this. But I wonder how many people are being excluded from our community (at least conference settings) because of alcohol at posters and receptions, which is then decreasing our diversity and impacting our inclusion efforts. It’s a conversation that needs to move beyond Twitter and into our departments and professional organizations.
November 23, 2019
Day 3 – Community College Undergraduate Research Experience (URE) Summit 2019
The final day of the Community College Undergraduate Research Experience (URE) Summit was a half-day for wrapping up all that we had just uncovered, and figuring out the pathway forward.
November 22, 2019
Day 2 – Community College Undergraduate Research Experience (URE) Summit 2019
One lively discussion from the day was about using tthe acronyms URE versus a REU. The acronym REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) puts the “research” first and the “student” last, where as URE (Undergraduate Research Experience) puts the “student” first. REU implies that students are plug-ins to the process, whereas a URE is where research is plugged in.
November 21, 2019
Day 1 – Community College Undergraduate Research Experience (URE) Summit 2019
The summit is focused on the role of community colleges in building, implementing, and sustaining undergraduate research experiences (URE) in STEM education and workforce preparation. The event is designed to highlight community college leadership in STEM by raising awareness of the innovative use of UREs as an effective and proven strategy for career skills development, student retention, and academic success.
November 11, 2019
Students need to be taught how to read maps… or do they? [Geography Awareness Week]
But being able to read a map, and to orient your brain as to where you are and which direction you need to head is a very important skill. …. Try riding the BART train into San Francisco without being able to read the train route map and you might wind up riding for hours. — Sherri Kuhn (Washington Post, 2015)
November 3, 2019
Ocean or oceans? A campaign to drop the S
Ocean literacy is key to understanding and protecting our planet. There is only one ocean and our language should reflect this. Will you join us and #droptheS? — from One Ocean
October 23, 2019
Checking email less frequently reduces stress (maybe)
“Could the frequency with which you check your email play a role in causing stress? …. Constantly monitoring our inboxes promotes stress without promoting efficiency. When it comes to checking email, less might be more.”
October 9, 2019
Why Wikipedia edit-a-thons are needed, and how we can help
We can all play a role in making a change in who represents STEM scientists in Wikipedia
September 28, 2019
Tracking media attention to climate change and global warming, by MeCCO
The coverage of global warming and climate change in world media is moving in a promising direction, and bringing students back (or for the first time) to newspapers, radio and TV can expand their sources and information literacy.
September 27, 2019
Answers “Based on Science” by NASEM
Based On Science is an activity by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to answer common, everyday questions that people have about science and human health – including climate change.
Laura Guertin is a Professor of Earth Science at Penn State Brandywine in Media, PA. Her research focuses on how technology can enhance teaching and student learning in introductory-level geoscience courses for non-science majors. Her blog focuses on geoscience education/outreach, science communication, and technology tools in the classroom, online, and in the field.