COSAM News Articles 2024 02 Second annual Geoscience Day brings students to Auburn and connects students to rewarding future careers
Second annual Geoscience Day brings students to Auburn and connects students to rewarding future careers
Future leaders in the field of geosciences had an opportunity to learn about the program, meet faculty, interact with exhibits and talk to admission representatives at the second annual Geoscience Day held on Feb. 19 in the new Academic Classrooms and Laboratory Complex.
“Geosciences is an amazing field where students can change the world,” said Ann Ojeda, assistant professor in the Department of Geosciences. “Students who pursue a career in the field of geoscience can boldly impact the world through supplying clean water, exploring mineral resources for renewable energy supplies, and creating a sustainable future.”
As students entered, they had a chance to pin a geographic location with Bonnie Bounds and Adam Payne.
“Geography can take you where you want to go and connects to every interest,” said Bounds, a lecturer in the department.
Bounds and Payne welcomed students to the event and asked the attendees why they selected the location on the map.
“An interactive event like this one bridges the gap for students and helps to provide real-world examples of geosciences,” said Payne, a senior lecturer.
Participants then got to spin the Geography Travel Wheel.
Brandon Ryan, a graduate student ambassador, asked students trivia questions based on where the wheel landed.
“Geosciences gives you the chance to unpack a lot of the world,” said Ryan. “There is an opportunity to engage with potential students about where they want to go to and why. It is a great way to connect science with their future careers.”
Emma Henderson, a second-year masters student, showed students a watershed model.
“This exhibit shows these students how surface contaminants spread when it rains and can pollute water and impact people’s lives,” said Henderson.
Elyssa Rivera, a fourth-year doctoral student, hosted the “Mineral Matching Game” where students match a mineral to a commonly used product.
“People who play the game usually match fluorite to toothpaste, halite to sea salt and graphite to pencils pretty quickly,” explained Rivera. “The more difficult ones are matching glitter to muscovite and sulfur to matches.”
Stephanie Shepherd, an associate professor and co-director of AUTeach, shared the importance of the foundation of geosciences.
“We teach a core class, Land and Water, that is a basic concept for geology, geography and even engineering,” Shepherd said. “Students learn what foundational substance such as sand or rocks will work best for building on a slope by measuring the angle the material as it falls.”
The event gave potential students the opportunity to hear from key stakeholders and ask questions about the application process.
“After the inaugural Geoscience Day event last year, we saw a 30 percent increase in the number of undergraduate student applications,” said Ming-kuo Lee, chair of the department and professor. “Geoscience Day helps us to reach as many students as possible as early as we can to showcase rewarding careers in this field.”
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