The Earth Science Week Update
EARTH SCIENCE WEEK UPDATE
American Geosciences Institute
Vol. 6, No. 7: July 2008
IN THIS ISSUE…
* Earth Science Week Toolkits Available for Order Now
* Attend Meetings and Events During Earth Science Week
* AGI: Female Participation in Academic Geoscience Low
* Earth Science Week Leader Offers Career Guidance
* Geotimes Magazine Online, on Video, and on the Move
****************************
Earth Science Week Toolkits
Available for Order Now
****************************
Earth Science Week Toolkits will be released starting this month. To
ensure that you are among the first to receive these exciting educational
resources, order yours today. The Earth Science Week 2008 Toolkit includes:
* A ‘Journey to Center of Earth 3D’ Educator Guide
* The new Earth Science Week poster, including an activity
* A geological poster with 3D glasses from USGS
* A 12-month school-year activity calendar, suitable for hanging
* A 3D postcard on polar geoscience from NASA
* A National Park Service poster on caves nationwide
* A CD of Earth Observations from Space from NASA
* Climate literacy materials provided by NOAA
* A genuine field notebook, with an activity, by Rite in the Rain
* A CD on GIS technology and activities from ESRI
* An EarthCaching CD by the Geological Society of America
* Information about the National Wildlife Refuge System
* A careers brochure, magnet bookmark, fact sheets, and more
For ordering, special shipping, bulk orders, and more information,
visit
http://www.earthsciweek.org/materials/index.html.
****************************
Attend Meetings and Events
During Earth Science Week
****************************
Mark your calendar! Earth Science Week 2008 (October 12-18) will include
a number of major events nationwide for geoscience professionals, educators,
students, and enthusiasts:
* National Wildlife Refuge Week, October 12-18, will celebrate one
of the best-kept secrets of our natural world. Sponsored by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, a new Earth Science Week partner, this week
focuses on lands and waters where wildlife and habitats are under federal
protection. For information and educational resources, see
http://www.fws.gov/refuges
online. Got to the National Wildlife Refuge Locator’s map at
http://www.fws.gov/refuges/refugeLocatorMaps/index.html
to find refuges near you.
* The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)
2008 Conference is being held October 15-18 in Wichita, Kansas. Featured
speakers include Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius; Gail Kimbell, the first
female chief of the U.S. Forest Service; and Jerome Ringo, a former
petrochemical industry representative and National Wildlife Federation
board member. NAAEE has promoted excellence among environmental educators
for 36 years. For information, see
http://www.naaee.org/conference.
* And those interested in climate change can check out the IGLO Preconference
on October 17 at Philadelphia’s Academy of Natural Sciences, prior
to the 2008 Annual Conference of the Association of Science-Technology
Centers (ASTC), a key Earth Science Week partner. IGLO (International
Action on Global Warming) will host an all-day session on measuring
your “carbon footprint.” The preconference will address the
science and economics of carbon emissions, challenges of engaging citizens
in controversial issues, and ways to present such information in museums.
To learn more, see
http://www.astc.org/conference/registration.htm online
or email iglo@astc.org.
****************************
AGI: Female Participation in
Academic Geoscience Low
****************************
The geosciences have a lower percentage of female faculty members than
other sciences, according to data released recently by the AGI Workforce
Program. This comes despite steady increases in the number of women
obtaining geosciences degrees during recent decades, says a recent issue
of issue of the program’s Geoscience Currents publication. The
overall percentage of geosciences degrees granted to females stands
at 45 percent.
In stark comparison to the number of degrees granted, women make up
14.2 percent of geosciences tenure track positions, while females account
for 28 percent of the tenure-track positions in all sciences. To view
further data and corresponding graphs, visit
http://www.agiweb.org/workforce.
Geoscience Currents provides data to shed light on the overall health
of the geoscience profession and issues within the field. From scholarships
to employment opportunities, the effect of retirements, and university
enrollment trends, Geoscience Currents provides up to-the-minute glimpses
into all areas of the geosciences. To automatically receive Geoscience
Currents, go to
http://www.agiweb.org/workforce and click “Register.”
Also on the website are previous issues, other reports, and additional
resources.
****************************
Earth Science Week Leader
Offers Career Guidance
****************************
“Most people enter the geosciences with a fascination for the
Earth and how it works and a sense of stewardship for the planet that
translates into a desire to use it effectively and maintain it for future
generations,” says AGI Executive Director P. Patrick Leahy in the
newly released “Career Guidance for High School Students,”
by Nina Victores. “The geosciences are unique in the opportunities
that they can provide to a fulfilling career.”
Victores, a high school student herself, has collected career advice
from dozens of highly successful adults. The book offers insights from
celebrities and leaders in numerous fields, including Barack Obama,
Art Linkletter, Colin Powell, Mary Lou Retton, Geraldo Rivera, and Chuck
Yeager.
Like others featured in the book, Leahy discusses his own professional
experience as a way of illuminating opportunities for young people.
To learn more or order the book, go to
http://www.careerguidancebook.com
online. All profits are donated to the American Red Cross.
****************************
Geotimes Magazine Online,
On Video, and on the Move
****************************
AGI’s Geotimes magazine now offers videocasts on a variety of
Earth science topics, available at
http://www.geotimes.org. The videocasts
cover current geologic news, including natural disasters, current research,
and public policy affecting the geosciences. Anchored by staff writers
of the magazine, the videocasts supplement Geotimes’ regular Earth
science news items throughout the month.
In addition, Geotimes magazine, AGI’s flagship publication, will
become EARTH magazine beginning with the September 2008 issue. Geotimes
has delivered Earth science news to the professional community for over
52 years. Since 1999, the magazine has transformed to communicate the
geoscience news also to the general public. Now again, the content and
news coverage of the magazine is expanding. EARTH will continue to explore
the science behind the headlines, but with 25 percent more pages, enhanced
visual appeal, and an increasingly diverse mix of topics.
To view the latest video posting, read features from the magazine,
sign up for weekly e-alerts, or subscribe to the magazine, visit
http://www.geotimes.org.
****************************
The American Geosciences Institute is a nonprofit federation of 44 geoscientific
and professional associations that represents more than 120,000 geologists,
geophysicists, and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides
information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests
in the profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education,
and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences
play in society's use of resources and interaction with the environment.
For contact information, please visit
http://www.earthsciweek.org/contactus/index.html.
|
