Building Strong Geoscience Departments for the Future Cathy Manduca, Carol Ormand Carleton College Heather Macdonald, Geoff Feiss, College of William and Mary Randy Richardson, University of Arizona Tim Bralower, Penn State Sponsored by NAGT, GSA, AGI, and AGU With NSF funding

Supporting individual departments Strengthening the geosciences as a whole Promoting communication and discussion Sharing information and resources Enabling collective action

Phase 1: Establishing Need and Priorities Phase 2: Priority Challenges/Opportunities Topical Workshops: face to face venue for discussion and sharing Web Resources: extending the discussion and resources to a broader audience

Guidance for undergraduate programs: the curriculum and beyond Where is our science going? Connecting Geoscience Departments to the Future of Science: New Structures for Research and Curriculum Carleton College, May 2007, 24 departments Where are our students going? The Role of Geoscience Departments in Preparing Students for Professional Careers College of William and Mary, January 2007, 26 departments

What are the major themes that are central to geoscience research in the next 25 years? What are the key elements of curricula that will prepare geoscience students for the future we envision? What types of programs and structures (within and beyond the department) are needed to support this research and education in the future? Where is our Science Going? Connecting Geoscience Departments to the Future of Science

An Increased Emphasis on Addressing Societal Grand Challenges –Bounding likely scenarios for the future through an understanding of history, the Earth system and modeling Understanding More Completely System Behavior –Geo-bio –Earth and space –Models as drivers of data collection and research Interdisciplinary Interactions and Cross-disciplinary Synthesis –Collaborations on campus and beyond Where is our Science Going?

Learning how to study the integrated Earth System –Data, models, systems approach –Interdisciplinary teams and collaborations Learning how geoscience contributes to solving grand societal challenges –Problem based approaches in courses and undergraduate research –Geoscience as a contributor, understanding context Preparation for a rapidly changing discipline –Strong foundational skills (what are these?) –Ability to use skills in a wide variety of problems/activities –Learning to learn – Directions for Undergraduate Programs

Developing Breadth of Expertise –Curriculum based hiring not strategic –Hire, grow or collaborate Being Recognized as a Player –The contributions of geoscience –Your place on campus Fostering Collaboration – Implications for Geoscience Departments

An Increasingly Wide Variety of Places –Petroleum, Mining, Environment, Academia, Government –29% of students intend to look at “non-traditional” careers Most Require a Professional Attitude and Skills –Responsible –Running with an Assignment –Teamwork, Writing Many Require Geoscience Skills –Field –Quantitative Many Require International Skills –Language –International comfort Where are our Students Going? The Role of Departments in Preparing Future Geoscience Professionals

Students need to know about the breadth of career opportunities available - keeping track of alumni can be a valuable resource here Courses and other departmental activities can come together in synergistic ways to support a diversity of career interests - course, field trips, leadership opportunities, real world experiences, networking can all be important Students often need help learning to recognize and articulate the skills that they have mastered - this skill is critical to flexibility in the job market Others on campus share your concern with developing successful professionals - seek out and use campus resources like the career center Key Themes From the Workshop

Workshop Presentations and Discussions Curriculum and Program Profiles Profiles of New Kinds of Geoscience Faculty Courses Connecting to the Future of Geoscience Writings on Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning Information on Internship Programs and their Design Interviews of Employers and Recent Hires Addressing Important Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes Career Profiles Sharing Resources and Strategies serc.carleton.edu/departments

Our science is becoming more interdisciplinary, model driven and systems-based We have tremendous opportunities to contribute to societal grand challenges Our students have a wide variety of career needs and opportunities that are rapidly changing An emphasis on core skills, independent learning, and the ability to transfer knowledge to new settings Program flexibility/synergies Collaborations on campus and beyond for research/education/careers Departmental discussion and planning In Sum

Feedback Prior to November 8 Requests for Website Requests for topical workshops Recommendations for other program elements Prior to December 15 Website evaluation participants Contact Cathy Manduca or Ellen Iverson at SERC