FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 2, 2018

 

 

JEMEZ SPRINGS, N.M. – As featured in a new Earth as Inspiration video released today, the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) and its partners – the Geological Society of America (GSA), the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, the National Park Service, Valles Caldera National Preserve, the Pueblo of Jemez, San Diego Riverside Charter School, and Jemez Valley Middle School – joined together in late September to facilitate an outstanding day of outdoor earth science learning. Eighth-grade students from two local schools worked with Earth Science Education Ambassador Sally Jewell and additional geoscientists to explore and understand the structure, deposits, and hazards posed by volcanoes in their own backyard.

 

In her third engagement as AGI’s Earth Science Education Ambassador, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell joined this diverse group of partners.

 

“The scientists that were around us from the State of New Mexico and across the entire United States were teaching these kids how they do their work,” says Jewell in the video. “They were opening their eyes to how much geology is around them and how much they actually rely on it for their daily lives.”

 

Throughout the day, the students – 35 eighth graders from Jemez Valley Middle School and San Diego Riverside Charter School – became acquainted with the science and learned the basics of geo-hazard mitigation and field safety. For some, it was their first visit to Valles Caldera National Preserve, the site of a spectacular volcanic eruption about 1.25 million years ago, located just a short drive down New Mexico Route 4.

 

Creating opportunities like this one are at the heart of AGI’s mission to connect Earth, science, and people.

 

“The earth sciences touch virtually every aspect of our lives, from the goods and services we consume to the issues that shape our civic life,” said AGI Associate Director of Strategic Communications Geoff Camphire. “We are fortunate to have the opportunity to explore the geosciences in unique outdoor experiences like this one, along with Earth Science Education Ambassador Jewell and our partners.”

 

“It’s all about unlocking the curiosity in the next generation so they can be inspired to think about going into scientific disciplines and actually engage in the process of creating a future that is going to be exciting for them, but also sustainable for our planet,” said Jewell.

 

 

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is a nonprofit federation of 52 scientific and professional associations that represents more than a quarter-million geoscientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides geoscientists with access to scholarly information, 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, resiliency to natural hazards, and health of the environment.

 

AGI is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to serving the geoscience community and addressing the needs of society. AGI headquarters are in Alexandria, Virginia.

 

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AGI Contact: 

Joseph Lilek

571.483.5445

 

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