Good evening participants,
I hope you were able to take part in the many great talks, workshops, and networking opportunities available on the first day of workshops at the Rendezvous. No doubt it is a lot to synthesize.
As you begin day two in your morning workshop, take a moment to consult the program for the varied afternoon opportunities. Options include the new share-a-thon, teaching demos, and round table discussions plus a tour of the beautiful EEEC building!
Take a tour of the new Earth Energy and Environment Center
This $78.5 million, 140,000 square foot facility was built with a philosophy of integration:- Petroleum engineering and the geosciences faculty and students are brought together in the same facilities to enhance interdisciplinary interactions
- University research and industry application come together
- State-of-the-art labs are accessible to students
- Students are engaged in learning through real-world exercises using flipped classroom approach and industry-standard software and facilities
- Research and teaching in energy (fossil fuels and renewables) and environment (water resources and climate) are combined
Gather at 12:45 p.m. at the registration desk to join the tour.
Tuesday Afternoon Choices
- Share-a-thons: a new addition this year. Part of the contributed program, the Share-a-thon is a round-robin presentation in which participants have 1-2 minutes to do a "lightning talk" with an overview of an activity they contributed prior to the Rendezvous, followed by time to interact with attendees and answer questions in a small group format.
- Teaching Demos: If you are looking for ways to support student learning and engagement, check out tomorrow's Teaching Demos
- Round Table Discussions Tomorrow's round table discussions include discussions on mentoring practices, work and life balance, support for adjunct faculty, supporting TA success in the classroom, science and K12 partnerships, minimizing departmental conflict, and more. Join us for these important discussion topics.
- Tuesday's Plenary: Beverly Wright of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, Burge Union C/D. Tuesday's Plenary is sponsored by Case Studies in the Environment
Donor Development Challenge
We are at $975 of our goal of $4000. Help us meet our goal and unlock the donor challenge by donating today. Donations go to providing travel stipends to the 2019 Rendezvous. Give now through your NAGT Membership account and select the Professional Development Fund.
Share an "aha moment"
Please share your "aha moments" during this week. What changed for you? What inspired you? What surprised you? What encouraged you? We recommend that you post your reflections as the experiences happen. Please don't wait till the end. Also, you are welcome to submit as many "aha moments" as you like.
Suggest 2019 programming: Have an idea for next year's Rendezvous?
Share an idea The committee will review all suggestions and work to create a balanced program that serves diverse audiences.
Looking for Feedback
The Teach the Earth Website Committee is looking for feedback to help us improve Teach the Earth. To that end, we will have an interactive poster on Wednesday where you will have an opportunity to give us your input. In addition, we have created an online discussion board where you can provide feedback on the two questions that will also appear on the poster:
- What resources to support your courses or teaching have you searched/looked for online but been unable to find?
- What new Earth education topics and resources should Teach the Earth plan to incorporate in the future?
Please visit the poster during Wednesday's poster session and add your input, if you are able, or help us by providing your input on the discussion board. We thank you in advance for your participation!
Tuesday's Evening Event
Night at the Museum! Join the University of Kansas Natural History Museum after hours for two "behind the scenes" tours: ichthyology (fishes) collection tour with collection manager Andy Bentley, and vertebrate paleontology collection tour with KU paleontology graduate students and staff- 7:15 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. A donation of $7 is requested. The museum will also have additional graduate students stationed throughout the museum to talk about their research as related to specific exhibits. The museum is open to only EER participants from 7 to 8:30 p.m. so even if you miss the scheduled tours, check the museum out!
T-Shirts
Earth Educators' Rendezvous t-shirts are still available. For $20 you too can have a fashionable t-shirt your colleagues will admire and envy.