Workshop Program, Resources and Links

Workshop participants discuss the role of biocomplexity in the earth science curriculum

Workshop Participant List

Wed. April 2

Travel to Bozeman MT; arrive by 5 pm for transport and check in at Chico Hot Springs

Icebreaker Activity: Images of Biocomplexity

Thurs. April 3

Plenary Session
Tom Baerwald (Bio) (Microsoft Word 22kB May20 03), NSF Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences

Download the PowerPoint presentation, Biocomplexity: What is it? (PowerPoint 843kB May20 03)

Article from BioScience, Defining and Unraveling Biocomplexity (Acrobat (PDF) 526kB May29 03) by William K. Michener, et al. 2001. (used by permission)

Breakout Session I:
What do we mean by Biocomplexity? What are the essential components? How do these inform our activities a) as researchers, and b) as educators (i.e., what we teach and how we teach it).

Breakout Session II:
How are we teaching biocomplexity in the geosciences today? Are we, and if so, do we recognize it as such? Where are the opportunities in geoscience courses and curricula to teach about biocomplexity (e.g. introductory and/or upper division courses, multi-disciplinary courses cross-listed with other disciplines)? What could we be teaching, what resources do we need, what are the best practices?

Presentations:
What can we learn from other projects, programs, consortia? What can we adapt or adopt? What can we offer?

Dive and Discover: Expeditions to the Seafloor (more info) , Susan Humphris

BioQUEST, Robin Greenler Download PowerPoint presentation (PowerPoint 4.3MB Jun4 03)

The Village Project ( This site may be offline. ) , Ken Kolm Download PowerPoint presentation (PowerPoint 4.9MB May29 03)

Nebraska Earth Science Education Network ( This site may be offline. ) , Dave Gosselin
Download PowerPoint presentation (PowerPoint 3.4MB May29 03)

Yellowstone National Park (more info) , Bob Fuhrman

Digital Libraries (DLESE, NSDL), Dave Mogk Download PowerPoint presentation (PowerPoint 1.4MB Jun4 03)

Working Group Session I:
Small group planning to identify topics/areas for development of next-generation instructional activities on biocomplexity in the geosciences.

Informal networking (poolside), dinner

Evening

Poster Session:
What are you doing, or what would you like to be doing, in your teaching of biocomplexity?

Fri. April 4

Breakout Session III:
Exploring the convergence of biocomplexity and an Earth system science approach; reservoirs; feedback mechanisms; rates, fluxes, frequency and duration; spatial and temporal scales and contexts; impact of biota on Earth processes, Earth processes on biota; linking micro with meso (e.g microbial to ecosystem); role of humanity...How do we make the connections with life and Earth? How can we integrate these into our instructional activities?

Share Fair:
Examples of course materials, websites, computer-assisted learning exercises, datasets and tools, image collections, problem-sets..., that are currently being used in teaching biocomplexity. Hands-on interactive sessions with creators of these materials, with a focus on "what works".

Working Group Session II:
Continued work on plans to design, develop, and implement biocomplexity teaching activities.

Wrap-Up Group Discussion: Next Steps

Review of where we are
Review current instructional practices, programs, resources
Identify areas where new development is needed
Plans for continued work on activity development
Continued networking; email lists, professional society meetings, another workshop?
Prepare outline of workshop report
Prepare letter to NSF (Microsoft Word 48kB Jun4 03)

Sat. April 5

Field Trip, Yellowstone National Park (more info)

Field Trip Itinerary (Microsoft Word 27kB May29 03)

Field Trip Overview (PowerPoint 527kB Jun4 03)

a. "Northern Range" -- Lamar River valley, ecosystem-wide studies; physiography, climatology, habitat, human impacts; wildfire, wolf reintroduction, elk populations, historical mining activities in the area.

b. Mammoth Hot Springs -- Life in extreme environments; microbial systems, biogeochemistry.

A Field Overview of the Aqueous Chemistry, Travertine Mineralization and Microbiology of Angel Terrace, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park (Microsoft Word 2.4MB May29 03) by Bruce Fouke

Mineralogical and Geochemical Characterizarion of Two Sulfolbus Harboring Hot Spring Systems: Rabbit Creek and Ragged Hills, Yellowstone National Park. (Microsoft Word 1.7MB May29 03) by Dave Mogk and Braden Hanna.

Return to Bozeman; dinner in town, lodging at Grantree Inn.