Preprints
Filtering by Subject: Education
Creating a climate changed future with the sea level rise interactive- fiction game ‘Lagos2199’
Published: 2021-07-26
Subjects: Climate, Education, Environmental Education, Environmental Sciences, Environmental Studies, Geographic Information Sciences, Geography, Instructional Media Design, International and Area Studies, Nature and Society Relations, Oceanography, Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Other Earth Sciences, Other Environmental Sciences, Physical and Environmental Geography, Physical Sciences and Mathematics, Science and Mathematics Education, Sustainability
Story-based futures serve an important role in climate change scenario development. Stories are particularly useful in exploring sea level rise possibilities, since we know many coastal areas are specifically vulnerable to accelerating rises in sea level. This discrete change in coastline is different from most other climate change impacts, and offers a clear basis for scientifically-informed, [...]
Noise in the Cretaceous Quiet Zone uncovers plate tectonic chain reaction
Published: 2021-07-13
Subjects: Education, Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Global plate reorganizations, intriguing but loosely defined periods of profoundly changing plate motions, may be caused by a single trigger such as a continental collision or a rising mantle plume. But whether and how such triggers propagate throughout a plate circuit remains unknown. Here, we show how a rising mantle plume set off a ‘plate tectonic chain reaction’. Plume rise has been shown to [...]
An initial assessment of community representation and diversity within UK geophysics
Published: 2021-05-17
Subjects: Education
The British Geophysical Association (BGA) is a Joint Association of the Geological Society of London (GSL) and the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) that aims to promote the subject of geophysics, and to strengthen the relationship between geology and geophysics in the UK. As such, engagement with all members of the geophysics community is integral to our purpose, and we recognise that the Earth [...]
Tectonic geomorphology of the Jhelum fault zone & its contiguous regions in western Himalaya
Published: 2021-05-02
Subjects: Education, Physical Sciences and Mathematics
The western Himalayan syntaxis represents the region where the major Himalayan structures abruptly curve and the cause of the curvature and the tectonic geomorphology of the region has not been fully explored. The lack of detailed structural maps with extensive field-based data is missing, which is mainly because of the political problems related to border sharing between Pakistan, India, and [...]
Six simple steps towards making GEES fieldwork more accessible and inclusive
Published: 2021-04-26
Subjects: Education, Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Fieldwork is a defining aspect of Physical Geography, Earth and Environmental Science programme curricula. At its best, fieldwork offers students valuable opportunities to develop independent research skills in real-world situations, examine analogues for a range of scientific concepts, and socialise with peers. It offers experiences that are challenging to replicate using virtual/remote [...]
Orbital, the Box - An interactive educational tool for in-depth understanding of astronomical climate forcing.
Published: 2021-04-07
Subjects: Adult and Continuing Education, Astrophysics and Astronomy, Climate, Earth Sciences, Education, Educational Methods, Geology, Geophysics and Seismology, Higher Education, Instructional Media Design, Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Physical Sciences and Mathematics, The Sun and the Solar System
“Orbital, the Box” provides an interactive tool with graphical user interface (GUI) for stimulating active, visual learning for understanding of astronomical climate forcing. This cross-platform tool can be run locally on a personal computer using a standard web browser environment with no need for plugins, thus maximising accessibility for students and teachers alike. The tool facilitates in the [...]
The True Cost of Field Education is a Barrier to Diversifying Geosciences
Published: 2021-02-19
Subjects: Earth Sciences, Education, Environmental Sciences, Geology, Higher Education, Outdoor Education, Science and Mathematics Education
Fieldwork is considered critical to developing technical skills in geoscience education, and typical undergraduate degrees require >30 days in the field. Tuition costs of enrolling in field camp are acknowledged as a barrier to participation in geosciences; however, the cost of participation in field activities may also include the cost of personal field gear (hiking boots, backpacks, etc.), [...]
Mirroring minoritized students’ cultures in Geoscience courses
Published: 2021-02-19
Subjects: Education
The use of active-learning strategies to teach out-of-school time (OST) geoscience courses has not significantly increased the number of racially minoritized students that pursue Geoscience. Studies hypothesize that significantly more minoritized students would pursue Geoscience if courses better resemble the students’ Collectivist cultures. We test this hypothesis by using pre-course, post-course, [...]
Creating and Promoting Gender Equity and Diversity in Professional Geological Societies: A Focus on AAPG
Published: 2021-02-10
Subjects: Education, Physical Sciences and Mathematics, Social and Behavioral Sciences
When professional organizations allow gender inequity to persist, they continually lose talented, valuable individuals who enrich and lead their groups and drive innovation. This paper presents an analysis of membership data and ways in which member contributions are recognized by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) between 2017-2020, in relation to gender. These are compared [...]
Increase data sharing or die? An initial view for natural catastrophe insurance
Published: 2021-02-09
Subjects: Earth Sciences, Education, Environmental Sciences, Geography
This article is an illustration of Geography in action, recounting an investigation into an industry's views of data sharing. The insurance sector is fundamentally analytics driven and based on geospatial data. One option for more effective and efficient insurance for natural hazard risks (e.g. flooding, earthquake) is, in theory, to increase the sharing of data between the various [...]
Learning in a Crisis: Online Skill Building Workshop Addresses Immediate Pandemic Needs and Offers Possibilities for Future Trainings
Published: 2021-01-28
Subjects: Computer Sciences, Earth Sciences, Education, Geophysics and Seismology, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
The COVID-19 pandemic led to the suspension of many summer research opportunities for STEM students. In response, the IRIS Education and Outreach program, in collaboration with Miami University, offered a free online Seismology Skill Building Workshop to increase undergraduates' knowledge, skills, self-efficacy, and interest in observational seismology and scientific computing. Registrations were [...]
Dam busy: beavers and their influence on the structure and function of river corridor hydrology, geomorphology, biogeochemistry and ecosystems
Published: 2020-10-22
Subjects: Education
Beavers (castor fiber, castor canadensis) are the most influential mammalian ecosystem engineer, heavily modifying river corridors and influencing hydrology, geomorphology, nutrient cycling, and ecology. As an agent of disturbance, they achieve this first and foremost through dam construction, which impounds flow and increases the extent of open water, and from which all other landscape and [...]
The Volcanic & Magmatic Studies Group Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Report 2020
Published: 2020-07-24
Subjects: Earth Sciences, Education, Physical Sciences and Mathematics, Volcanology
The Volcanic and Magmatic Studies Group (VMSG) takes equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) seriously and we recognise that the under-representation and/or unconscious marginalisation of any group impacts on our ability to fulfill our mission to serve the volcanology, petrology and geochemistry community. The following report summarises the findings from both the 2016-2020 VMSG annual meetings [...]
“Enriching Lives within Sedimentary Geology”: Actionable Recommendations for Making SEPM a Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Society for All Sedimentary Geologists
Published: 2020-07-15
Subjects: Earth Sciences, Education, Geology, Paleobiology, Paleontology, Physical Sciences and Mathematics, Sedimentology, Stratigraphy
Innovative science benefits from diversity of thought and influence at all waypoints along the scientific journey, from early education to career-length contributions in research and mentorship. Scientific societies, like the Society for Sedimentary Geology (SEPM), steward their innovators and the direction of the science, thereby defining the societal impact and evolution of a discipline. They [...]
Range-based intensity normalization of ALS data over forested areas using a sensor tracking method from multiple returns
Published: 2020-07-10
Subjects: Education, Engineering, Environmental Monitoring, Environmental Sciences, Forest Management, Forest Sciences, Life Sciences, Natural Resources Management and Policy, Other Forestry and Forest Sciences, Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Airborne laser scanning (ALS) point-clouds are used in forest inventory to map properties of the resource. In most cases, only the (x,y,z) coordinates of the point cloud are used to build predictive models of forest structure. Despite being recorded and provided by data suppliers, the intensity values associated with each point are rarely used as an input to such models because raw intensity [...]