Dear Rendezvous Participants,
Welcome to Columbia, SC, and to the 2026 Earth Educators' Rendezvous! We are so excited to have you here and can't wait to kick off a week of learning, connecting, and sharing with this community of geoscience educators. Here is everything you need to know for tomorrow (Sunday) evening.
Registration Table
The Registration Table opens Sunday night at 6:30pm at the Opening Reception.If you arrive after the opening reception on Sunday, registration will be held in the Jones Physical Science Center lobby Monday through Thursday, 7:30am-4:30pm. Be sure to pick up a ticket for the drawings happening all week when you check in! Please note that you must check in at the registration desk before you can attend any Rendezvous events. Your name badge will also include information on the workshops that you signed up for.
Opening Reception — 6:30–8:00 pm
Join us for the Opening Reception on the Russell House Patio! This is a wonderful opportunity to meet first-time participants and/or reconnect with colleagues you may not have seen since 2024. We hope to see you there! Want to take part in a USC tradition while you're here? Check out the Clapping Circle by the check-in area!
A few things to look forward to:
- Light refreshments: Enjoy munching on hors d'oeuvres as you meet someone new.
- Drawing items on display: We will have our drawing items on display tonight and will be giving out our first items of the week. You can check out the prize items for each day. Additional items will be given throughout the week, so be sure to attend each drawing!
- Rendez-brew IPA: Enjoy our special Rendezvous-exclusive Rendez-brew IPA or a Garnet & Black Lot Lager brewed by Spur City Brewery, plus a selection of non-alcoholic beverages, available at a cash bar.
- Information on the week ahead: We will share highlights of what is coming up so you can start planning your schedule.
We look forward to a fantastic week together. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to find us at the Registration Table or the Ask Me Anything Table, where student volunteers will share their favorite lunch spots and more.
And a special thank you to Brunton and the National Center for Science Education for sponsoring the Opening Reception!
Connect Via Social Media
Get social with #EarthER26. Share how you Rendezvous by using the conference hashtag and tagging NAGT in your posts!
Questions?
For programmatic questions, contact Co-chairs Barbra Sobhani, Colorado Space Grant Consortium (COSGC) (Barbra.Sobhani@Colorado.EDU) and Alexandra Davatzes, Temple University (alix@temple.edu).
For questions about the campus, Columbia, or the dorms, contact local hosts Katherine Ryker, University of South Carolina (kryker@seoe.sc.edu) and Michelle Hardee, University of South Carolina (HARDEEM@mailbox.sc.edu)
Warmly,
The Earth Educators' Rendezvous Organizing Team