AGI Outreach Events and Activities in 2024
Teacher Field Experience for Educators (Wheaton, IL | September 2024)
AGI facilitated a one-day, field-based professional development experience on September 11, 2024, in Wheaton, Illinois, connecting forest preserve outreach specialists with soil scientists. The event included tailored fieldwork, along with meaningful discussions on soil science topics, daily responsibilities, career paths, and the application of soil science in various communities.
Fulbright Specialist (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | June 2024)
Throughout most of June 2024, Dr. Ed Robeck, Director of Education and Outreach at the American Geosciences Institute (AGI), focused on advancing sustainability-relevant education as a Fulbright Specialist at the invitation of the Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Dr. Robeck’s work in Malaysia built on a growing emphasis within the AGI Education and Outreach Department in recent years: integrating the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into geoscience instruction, particularly at the pre-college level.
Soil Science Workshop for Science Educators (Platteville, WI | June 2024)
AGI and NRCS hosted an immersive Soil Science Workshop for Science Educators in Platteville, Wisconsin, from June 24-27, 2024. Held in conjunction with the North Central Regional Soil Survey Conference, the workshop deepened participants’ understanding of soil science and its integration into standards-based curricula. The program included more than eight hours of standards-aligned instructional activities, presentations from soil science experts, and hands-on field experiences. Participants also attended conference presentations and engaged with soil scientists and fellow educators–most notably during a full-day field excursion.
NASA Treks (Gallup, NM | May 2024)
AGI, in collaboration with Brian Day from NASA’s Treks Program, developed an Earth Science Week activity on impact cratering, titled ‘Investigating Impacts,’ for students in grades 4-8. In May 2024, Brian successfully implemented the lesson with teachers and students at Del Norte Elementary School, Hózhó Academy Elementary School, and Hózhó Academy Middle School, all serving the greater Navajo Nation in Gallup, New Mexico.
ESIP Out2Lunch Presentation (Virtual | May 2024)
Lauren Brase, Education Specialist in the Education and Outreach Department at AGI, presented educational materials developed in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) during an Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) Out2Lunch webinar on May 23, 2024. This presentation highlighted AGI’s ongoing collaboration with NRCS to support learning about soils and soil science in societies using real-world data.
Teacher Field Experience for Educators (Crystal Lake, IL | May 2024)
AGI facilitated a one-day, field-based professional development experience on May 7, 2024, in Crystal Lake, Illinois. The event brought together outreach specialists from the DuPage County Forest Preserve and NRCS soil scientists to assess soil conditions throughout Danda Forest Preserve. Participants engaged in hands-on soil sampling using a Giddings soil probe and evaluated soil health through in-field observations and testing. The day also featured dynamic discussions on soil variability across the preserve and innovative approaches to public outreach.
Girls will be Women in STEAM (Macon, GA | March 2024)
Aligning with both Georgia’s STEM Day and International Women’s Day, the American Geosciences Institute’s Education & Outreach Department presented at Real Impact Center, Inc.’s “Girls will be Women in STEAM” conference, held Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Wesleyan College. During this event, AGI staff engaged attendees with real-world data and hands-on modeling to explore the hydrology of flash flooding–an increasingly critical issue facing many communities.
