Program Update: Deep Earth Academy – November 2011
In November, Deep Earth Academy, the U.S. education arm of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP), was awarded a planning grant from NSF entitled, “Bringing Cutting Edge Scientific Ocean Drilling Research on Past Climate Change into Minority-Serving Institution Geoscience Classrooms.” This grant of almost $40,000 will enable Deep Earth Academy to work with James Madison University, the American Meteorological Society, and Los Angeles Valley College to bring a team together for four days on the JOIDES Resolution (JR) research vessel to gain direct experience with ocean core investigations and to develop a strategy for a larger-scale NSF-funded “Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences” Phase II project.
Also this month, Deep Earth Academy staff worked in close cooperation with the Portuguese Education Officer sailing on Expedition 339: Mediterranean Outflow, to recruit and train 15 local high school teachers, who then gave guided tours of the JR to nearly 200 students during the ship’s mid-November port call in Ponta Delgada, Azores. Teachers and students have been encouraged to follow the current expedition through the JR blog, Facebook, and Twitter (@theJR), along with classroom exercises provided by Deep Earth Academy.
Finally, educators interested in learning more about geoscience and the JR are encouraged to apply to sail as an Education Officer on upcoming IODP Expedition 342: Paleogene Newfoundland Sediment Drifts. Interested applicants may apply online. The deadline to apply is January 15, 2012.
