http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#discussion http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post5316
To start things off, my name is John McDaris and I'm one of Cutting Edge's staff members. I am at Carleton College in Northfield, MN. I have a Masters degree in Geophysics from the University of Minnesota where I worked on investigating a potential low T/P analog for transition zone spinel.

I'll be your contact for all the technical aspects of the workshop and will also be moderating some of our discussions. If you have any questions as we proceed through the workshop, please feel free to contact me (jmcdaris@carleton.edu) and I'll do my best to sort things out.]]> John McDaris 1265731500 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post5316 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post5546
For the past 15 years I have worked in a variety of ways to support geoscience education. This workshop is one of many ways we have engaged the community to contribute their best ideas about contemporary Science and methods to best teach these topics. I have also served on advisory boards for EarthScope and EarthChem, and am very interested in seeking ways to integrate this great new research with new instructional opportunities.

Although I am very interested in all the great new science coming out of major new research programs like EarthScope, computational modeling, high-pressure experimental petrology, etc., I have to say that I am really a novice at understanding all of this: what the heck is "redite" and "blueite", what is the ultimate fate of subducted slabs, what information (and what are the limits of interpretation) of results from e.g. receiver functions and shear wave splitting; heck, how are tomograms made and how do you interpret them; what do we really know about deep earth in terms of the structure, composition, processes, and history; can we reconcile geochemical and geophysical evidence into one grand model about how the deep earth works; and given all this great science, how can we successfully translate this to our own classes?

I'm hugely excited about the prospect of learning from all of you! As the workshop progresses, let me know how we can best support you first at the workshop, and then, in your larger instructional mission! Rock on!]]> Dave Mogk 1265764140 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post5546 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post5730
I am a member of the EarthScope Steering Committee, and I have served as co-Chair of the committee to develop a new 10-year Science Plan for EarthScope. I believe that the discoveries of EarthScope over the past eight years and the discoveries that will be made across the US and Alaska over the next 10 years will provide a tremendous teaching opportunity. At one time or another, everyone in the country will be close to a seismometer collecting data about the deep Earth. The naturally interesting images and observations that emerge will provide an opportunity to talk about Earth processes with students, professionals and the general public. I see this workshop as an opportunity to begin to utilize this educational opportunity.
]]> Mike Williams 1265837940 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post5730 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post5877
This workshop provides an excellent opportunity to build a collection of educational materials that focus on relationships between materials properties and the deep Earth. The mission of COMPRES is summarized below, and this can help stimulate ideas for new and existing educational resources to include in this collection:

From http://compres.us/ ...

"COMPRES, the Consortium for Materials Properties Research in Earth Sciences is a community-based consortium whose goal is to enable Earth Science researchers to conduct the next generation of high-pressure science on world-class equipment and facilities. It facilitates the operation of beam lines, the development of new technologies for high pressure research, and advocates for science and educational programs to the various funding agencies."

Based on the above, we can build a collection of resources that focus on:

1) the properties of materials under deep Earth pressures and temperatures;

2) the technologies, equipment, and facilities needed to study materials under deep Earth conditions; and

3) what materials properties research has revealed about deep Earth processes.

I welcome suggestions from other members of the COMPRES community who are enrolled in this workshop.]]> Glenn Richard 1265905440 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post5877 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post5882
In terms of teaching, I am looking for more hands-on activities for my students, perhaps even some that takes them out into the field. My "field" is the laboratory which can come across less-exciting, especially for someone taking a geology course. Currently I do a corn syrup demo and try to measure gravity changes with a gravimeter. We've also set up some geophones and hammered away to show some reflection seismology. I could use more ideas.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the discussions although I'm afraid my participation will be somewhat limited given that I have synchrotron beamtime at the same time of this workshop!

]]> Kanani Lee 1265908500 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post5882 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6080
While I spend most of my research time using earthquakes to find seismogenic faults, I also continue to be interested in understanding where everything is going on the surface using GPS, VLBI, etc., and sub-plate influences on plate motion.

I am also very interested in helping undergraduate students (and others) learn about Earth. And I plan/hope to expand my efforts to create useful geo-educational resources for the web in the coming years, working with the E&O staffs of EarthScope, IRIS, UNAVCO, MARGINS and the like.]]> Vince Cronin 1266170400 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6080 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6131
I am primarily an igneous petrologist, and have worked in Iceland, the Pacific Northwest U.S., and central Mongolia, all provinces where mantle plumes have been considered a possible mechanism driving or influencing volcanism. I have taken a keen interest in the debate over the existence of mantle plumes, and I participated in the Great Plume Debate AGU Chapman Conference in 2005 in Ft. William, Scotland. I am also taking preliminary steps into the geo-neutrino field and am excited by the potential of this approach to yield new constraints on the composition of the deep earth.

I hope to collaborate with others in this workshop to come up with fresh ideas for how to bring the excitement of an active debate in our science, like the plume debate, to students, and how to use such debates to illustrate the practical operation of science. I am also very interested in learning new strategies for teaching other deep earth topics.]]> Brennan Jordan 1266198780 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6131 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6141
My background is physical geography and GIS.. I currently devote my time to teaching and working with the Clark County School District in preparing teachers to teach science.

I am a newby to deep earth science, so bear with me and I promise to work hard and ask a lot of questions!! Thank you and my students thank you!! ]]> Barbara Graham 1266204660 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6141 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6164 Vicki Hansen 1266257760 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6164 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6198
This is Katie Cooper from Washington State University. I tend to stick towards the shallower end of the deep Earth - lithosphere/mantle interactions. But I like to make the connections to deeper processes both in depth and in time. So, I, too, am interested in Archean Earth and crust/lithosphere/craton formation and evolution. But now that I'm living smack dab in the Columbia River Basalts, my interests have really been peaked by the energetics required for large degrees of melting. I do most of my work through numerical and theoretical modeling, so a virtual workshop seems almost a bit too natural to me.

I really look forward to learning more about everyone's work and teaching techniques. I'm new to teaching and struggle with incorporating creative exercises & demonstrations for my upper level course (Intro to Geophysics). Unfortunately, I feel like I'm spending a lot of the time playing catch up with students who are resistant to using math. Any help or suggestions would be great. ]]> Catherine Cooper 1266276360 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6198 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6272
IRIS E&O (http://www.iris.edu/hq/programs/education_and_outreach), which has a history of focusing on K-12 and public education, is increasing efforts to provide undergraduate teaching resources. Through this workshop I hope to find out what good instructional tools are already available for teaching about the deep earth, to help determine what is needed, and to work with others to help create some of those resources.]]> John Taber 1266333300 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6272 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6315
I teach "Geophysics" and "Field Geophysics" to Geology and Earth Science majors, along with occasional Physics or Archaeology students. Geophysics tends to be more deep Earth. Field Geophysics focuses on the near surface and takes advantage of a great collection of equipment that we have here at JMU. I also teach some general education classes, and am interested in developing activities for non-majors as well as majors (all at the undergraduate level). I am particularly interested in developing quantitative activities for majors, since I find many (most?) of them claim to be afraid of the math involved with geophysics.]]> Anna Courtier 1266349140 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6315 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6368 yue cai 1266368640 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6368 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6369 Pamela Burnley 1266368700 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6369 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6418
I enjoy incorporating math into my classes, and have found success by being enthusiastic and making it cool (which it is) --
>> e^(i pi) = -1 implies the existence of God ?!
>> Cantor developed his theories of infinities while trying to answer: how many discontinuities can a function have and still have a Fourier transform. Ans: an infinite number (but only a countably infinite number).]]> Gene Humphreys 1266381420 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6418 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6424 Eric Christiansen 1266382680 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6424 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6490 Glenn Richard 1266411840 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6490 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6506
In two years, Ohio State will shift from quarters to semesters, together with a large drop in number of our faculty (by at least 1/3), we must completely overhaul our curriculum. Current discussions involve stream lining the number of courses offered to undergraduate majors, which will require we integrate many sub-disciplines into each course. I am focused on developing geophysics modules which can be inserted into topical courses and taught by a variety of faculty.]]> Wendy Panero 1266419880 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6506 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6508
I teach undergraduate mineralogy and petrology courses, as well as thermochronology and various research seminars. This workshop caught my attention because I want to stay up-to-date with geophysical constraints on the Earth’s interior. The mineralogy course is taught using a holistic approach. Students learn, and are expected to know by the end of the course, the answer to “What’s in the Earth and how do we know?” We begin with a discussion about the core and work our way outwards to the mantle, crust, and finally surface. The interdisciplinary approach to address “what’s in the core and mantle and how do we know?” requires an understanding of deep earth processes. We do not have a geophysicist on the faculty at SU, so I am looking forward to learning about how I might improve my methods for teaching about the deep earth.

]]> Suzanne Baldwin 1266420480 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6508 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6509
Dave Mogk asked me to talk about seismic imaging tomorrow, so I'll be following the discussion as closely as I can to see if I can include any last-minute adjustments that might make things more relevant to you all.

My interests seem similar to many others here - how do I get math shy undergrads to feel comfortable in geophysics classes and research? We'll see.

]]> Ray Russo 1266420840 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6509 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6512 Mike Brudzinski 1266423600 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6512 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6540 Laura Wetzel 1266438720 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6540 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6602
My teaching interests are at the introductory level, where I almost always try to find a way to talk about planetary formation and Earth's chemical and rheological layering, and in a new upper level Earth Materials course, where I want to integrate more detailed information about the mineralogical structure of the deep earth. I have an exercise that I use at both levels presently that tries to get students to identify rheological vs. chemical boundary layers by looking at a figure from a geophysics text by Lillie, which show P-, S-wave velocities as well as the density structure of the Earth. For the upper level class I also include a list of minerals with densities and P-, S-wave velocities, and ask the students to decide which materials are most likely to be in which layers. I'd like to improve on this exercise by getting some feedback from other participants and maybe getting better data on properties for minerals in the mesosphere and inner core.

My research/teaching interests stem from work on different varieties of lithospheric xenoliths from northern BC and eastern Alaska, and trying to use xenoliths for 'petrological imaging' of the lithosphere. I'm supervising an undergrad SR project at the moment on an interesting suite of BC spinel lherzolite and pyroxenites xenoliths that also contain amphibole...]]> Ben Edwards 1266456480 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6602 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6749
I am working on an excel spreadsheet program that allows students to play with bulk geochemistry and mineral physics parameters for Earth's interior (composition and equation of state) and compare that information with PREM.

Also, I would like to find ways to document and quantify some of my approaches in the classroom: such as incorporating as much math and physics as possible, showing the scientific process as a very human process, and moving away from lectures and more towards class activities and discussions.

Looking forward to working with everyone!]]> Abby Kavner 1266516540 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/deepearth10/discussions/introductions.html#post6749