NORTHEASTERN (52ND) AND NORTH-CENTRAL (51ST)

Shale Gas Production: Views from the Energy Roller Coaster

19–21 March 2017

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Omni William Penn Hotel

Website:  http://www.geosociety.org/ne-mtg (link is external)

The Geological Society of America (GSA) is a global professional society with a growing membership of more than 26,000 individuals in 115 countries. GSA provides access to elements that are essential to the professional growth of earth scientists at all levels of expertise and from all sectors: academic, government, business, and industry. The Society unites thousands of earth scientists from every corner of the globe in a common purpose to study the mysteries of our planet (and beyond) and share scientific findings. GSA is supported, in part, by funds donated to and raised by the GSA Foundation.

The Northeastern and North-Central Sections of the Geological Society of America combined their regional spring meetings for a Joint Conference held in Pittsburgh, PA, in March 2017.

K-12 Teacher Weekend Events

PAESTA worked with the K-12 Conference Committee to arrange a series of events on Saturday and Sunday (March 18-19, 2016) of the conference weekend. Please see the flyer below and explore the links to our pages for the Saturday and Sunday sessions and socials.

Saturday, March 18

10AM - 1PM: Field Discovery Workshop: Streams as Classrooms: Impacts of Mine Discharge, Stormwater Runoff and Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids

Guides from the Montour Run Watershed Association showed us how this polluted stream near the Pittsburgh International Airport was cleaned up using new environmental methods. Pictures and data from this visit can be used in the classroom to teach earth science, chemistry and biology topics. Program contact: Dr. Karen Rose Cercone (kcercone@iup.edu).

2:30PM - 4PM: Keynote Address: Climate Research for the Classroom, by Dr. Richard Alley, Penn State University    Monongahela (Omni William Penn Hotel)

A world-renowned climate researcher who works in Antarctica and Greenland will update us on the ‘big picture’ of climate change, emphasizing aspects that can be best addressed in the K-12 classroom.

• View Dr. Alley's slides from his presentation 
• Supplemental video - Dr. Alley giving a talk on Earth, minerals/materials, etc. at PSU State of State (link is external)

PAESTA officers with Dr. Richard Alley (left to right: Kelly Hunter, Secretary/Treasurer; Kathy Tait, Past President; Dr. Richard Alley, Penn State; Dave Curry, PAESTA President)

4PM - 5PM: Teachers Reception and Networking Event - for pre-service and in-service teachers and higher education supporters of K-12 teaching.    Monongahela (Omni William Penn Hotel)

Sunday, March 19

8AM - 12 Noon: New Strategies and Best Practices for Teaching Climate and Energy.

Cosponsored by GSA Geoscience Education Division.  Located in Frick (Omni William Penn Hotel)

Description: What works best when teaching about climate and energy in formal and informal K–12 educational settings? This session featured talks to share exciting new ideas and proven best practices for climate and energy lessons. Schedule of talks is listed at: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2017NE/webprogram/Session41234.html (link is external)

08:00 AM: TEACHING CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, AND CRITICAL ZONE SCIENCE: DEVELOPING OPTIMALLY DISTINCT APPROACHES TO SCIENCE EDUCATION REFORM. Duggan-Haas, Don, The Paleontological Research Institution, 92 South Drive, Amherst, NY 14226, dad55@cornell.edu [Abstract (link is external), Presentation (link is external)]

08:20 AM: INDEPENDENT ENVIRONMENTAL MODELING RESEARCH IN THE UNDERGRADUATE CLASSROOM. Whittinghill, Kyle, Department of Geology and Environmental Science, University of Pittsburgh, 4107 Ohara Street, 200 SRCC, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, kyle.whittinghill@gmail.com [Abstract (link is external)]

08:40 AM: FINDING THE SIGNAL IN CLIMATE DATA. Coles, Kenneth, Geoscience, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 111 Walsh Hall, Indiana, PA 15705 and HOVAN, Steven A., Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 115 Walsh Hall, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA 15705, kcoles@iup.edu [Abstract (link is external)]

• Climate websites from NOAA (link is external) and NASA (link is external)
• Video on CO2 levels increasing by latitutde and over time ("Pumphandle 2016 (link is external)")

09:00 AM: ENERGY CHOICE IN AN ERA OF GLOBAL WARMING: HOW ANTHRACITE COGENERATION PLANTS SERVE AS A VALUABLE ACADEMIC EXERCISE. Vice, Daniel H., Science, Penn State Hazleton, 76 University Dr., Hazleton, PA 18202 and AURAND, Harold W., Penn State-Schuylkill Campus, 200 University Drive, Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972, dhv1@psu.edu [Abstract (link is external)]

09:20 AM: Break

09:40 AM: THE HARNESSED ATOM - MIDDLE SCHOOL STEM CURRICULUM. Orlosky, Christie, Armstrong School District, Armstrong High School, 300 Buffington Drive, Kittanning, PA 16201, corlosky@asd.k12.pa.us [Abstract (link is external)]

• Dept. of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy - The Harnessed Atom (link is external)
• Future City Competition (link is external)

10:00 AM: BRINGING POLAR RESEARCH INTO THE CLASSROOM. Schoeffler, Anne Farley, Middle School Science, Seton Catholic School, 6923 Stow Rd., Hudson, OH 44236, schoefflera@setoncatholicschool.org [Abstract (link is external), Presentation]

10:20 AM: CONNECTIONS TO THE FIELD: USING NASA'S OPERATION ICEBRIDGE DATA IN THE CLASSROOM TO INVESTIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE. McCarthy, Kelly, NASA/PolarTREC, Our Lady of Lourdes, 2001 Clinton Avenue, Coal Township, PA 17866, kxm5002@gmail.com [Abstract (link is external)]

NASA/NSIDC Operation IceBridge Data Portal (link is external) website

10:40 AM: MAKING CLIMATE AND ENERGY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE PENNSYLVANIA EARTH SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION (PAESTA). Guertin, Laura A., Earth Science, Penn State Brandywine, 25 Yearsley Mill Road, Media, PA 19063 and AITALA, Eric, Earth and Space Science Partnership, Penn State University, 321B Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802, guertin@psu.edu [Abstract (link is external), Presentation]

Link to Navigation - Climate Science

11:00 AM: Panel Discussion: Ask an Expert - Geology and Careers, with Heather Houlton (AGI Workforce), Todd Thoompson (geology, Director, Indiana Geological Survey), Laura Guertin (oceanography, Penn State Brandywine), Ken Coles (astronomy, Indiana University of Pennsylvania)

• Presentation given by H. Houlton (credit: AGI)
• AGI Workforce Reports (link is external) - Status of Recent Geoscience Graduates and Status of the Geoscience Workforce
• AGI Geoscience Currents (link is external) -  including 2015 Median Salaries (link is external), 2014 Total Employment (link is external), 2015 Geoscience Enrollments (link is external), 2015 Industries Hiring Recent Graduates (link is external)