Alexandria, VA — The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is inviting school administrators to nominate teachers for a unique professional development experience. The 12th annual AGI/ExxonMobil Exploration Teacher Leadership Academy brings K-8 teachers from around the country to Houston for a weeklong program. Participants will: Engage in Earth science content Explore hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities Gain real-world science experiences Begin their journey as STEM education leaders ExxonMobil and AGI cover all academy-related costs for the selected teachers, including travel within the United States to Houston, meals, lodging, and educational materials. [Read More]

Sherry Claflin, an eighth-grade Earth science teacher at White Cloud Junior High School in White Cloud, Michigan, has been named the 2020 recipient of the Edward C. Roy Jr. Award for Excellence in K-8 Earth Science Teaching. Claflin earned her bachelor’s degrees in Earth and space science education and journalism from Central Michigan University. In her 26 years as an educator, Claflin has received recognitions including the Michigan Earth Science Association’s Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Award and the National Association of Geoscience Teachers’ Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Award for Central Michigan. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is pleased to announce the launch of its new Geoscience Women in STEM website, providing Earth science teaching and learning resources inspired by the work of leading women geoscientists. This initiative is made possible with generous support from Lyda Hill Philanthropies. AGI is unveiling the site, in cooperation with its publishing partner Nautilus, to strengthen geoscience education through stories of women in geoscience. [Read More]

Alexandria, Va. - The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is pleased to share its annual report, “Unifying the Geosciences,” which recounts the accomplishments of AGI and the geoscience community from October 2018 to September 2019. “We are pleased to provide this report to our partners and stakeholders, whose support has made our shared success possible,” says AGI Interim Executive Director Sharon Tahirkheli. “AGI is proud to continue serving our many stakeholders in the geoscience community. [Read More]

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is pleased to announce a new initiative to conduct research on ways students currently use, and can more effectively use, the scientific data sets of federal agencies and other organizations to learn science and mathematics. AGI is undertaking the “Streams of Data” initiative in collaboration with the Education Development Center (EDC), and with funding provided by the National Science Foundation. The three-year project will explore a key transition in the development of data literacy skills, as students move from working with small, self-collected data sets to the larger, professionally collected data sets of agencies such as NOAA and the USGS. [Read More]

Alexandria, Va. - The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is pleased to announce that longtime AGI Director of Scholarly Information Sharon Tahirkheli takes on an additional new role as AGI Interim Executive Director, effective immediately. Tahirkheli has provided leadership in the field of geoscience information for more than 30 years. She currently oversees GeoRef, AGI’s premier bibliographic database for the geosciences, as well as other information products and services such as the Glossary of Geology, additional online databases, and open geoscience information collections. [Read More]

Alexandria, Va. — The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is pleased to recognize Dr. Vicki S. McConnell, Executive Director of the Geological Society of America (GSA), as the 2019 recipient of the William B. Heroy Jr. Award for Distinguished Services to AGI. Dr. McConnell’s contributions to AGI span several years, strengthening collaborative ties between AGI and GSA. Recognized as a strong leader within the allied society framework, she has served on several AGI committees, including the Harriet Wallace Scholarship Awards Committee, the Ian Campbell Medal Committee, the Earth Science Week Advisory Group, and an AGI Focus Group. [Read More]

Barbara H. Murphy, RG, CPG, Senior Hydrogeologist at Clear Creek Associates, has been recognized as the 2019 recipient of the AGI (American Geosciences Institute) Medal in Memory of Ian Campbell for Superlative Service to the Geosciences. Throughout her more than 40-year career, Ms. Murphy has demonstrated exceptional leadership and service at local, national, and international levels, contributing to various committees for government and nonprofit groups. She has worked with the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG), AGI, the Arizona Geological Survey, the Arizona Hydrological Society, Geoscientists Canada, European Federation of Geologists, and the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) to advocate for the geoscience profession. [Read More]

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is pleased to announce, along with its publishing partner Nautilus, that it will build upon its existing coalition with Lyda Hill Philanthropies by engaging the geoscience community in IF/THEN®, an initiative created and funded by Lyda Hill Philanthropies to encourage and elevate the participation of girls and women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. AGI will feature a sampling of the 100 women geoscientists who have been named IF/THEN® Ambassadors in its publications and educational materials distributed to millions of science teachers and students through its education network, including Earth Science Week. [Read More]

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) welcomes new members to the AGI Executive Committee: Dr. David R. Wunsch (Delaware Geological Survey) - President Elect Mr. Dennis J. Anderson (Omaha, Nebraska) - Treasurer Dr. Paul Weimer (University of Colorado, Boulder) - Member at Large (continuing) AGI congratulates Dr. Carolyn G. Olson as she takes office as AGI President. New and departing members of the Executive Committee will be recognized at the Friends of AGI Reception on September 23, 2019, in Phoenix, Arizona. [Read More]