Dear Rendezvous Participants,
We have reached the midpoint of Rendezvous, and there is so much still ahead! Here is your guide to Wednesday's programming:
Morning Workshops — 8:30–11:30 am
Morning workshops continue today. If you are enrolled in a 4-day workshop, this is Day 3. If you are enrolled in a Wednesday–Thursday workshop, today is your first day. Be sure to check the back of your badge and go to the one you signed up for.
Note: If you are in Jones on Wednesday morning, the building's A/C will be down for part of this evening. It will be back online by 8am, but you may want to adjust for slightly warmer indoor temperatures.
Lunchtime — 11:30 am–1:30 pm
There are three lunchtime tour options again for Wednesday:
- Campus Rock Tour (12:00–1:00 pm) — meet at the Registration Table by 11:45 am.
- Anne Frank Center Tour (12:00–1:00 pm, pre-registration required) — meet at the Registration Table by 11:45 am (note: this tour will start walking at 11:45 am as noted in the pre-EER e-mail).
- Did you miss the Rare Books Tour Monday? Original works by Darwin, Curie, Lyell and more are still available for viewing on your own Tu-Th from 10-3 in the Hollings Reading Room, which can be accessed through the main level of Thomas Cooper Library at 1322 Greene Street.
Please note: There is a second planned brief electrical outage in EWS, Jones and Coker Wednesday at 2:00pm. It should again last approximately 15 seconds. Lights come on quickly and wifi reconnects after about a minute. Want to check out triboluminescence during the outage? Pick up a Wint-o-Green lifesaver at the registration desk ahead of time.
Afternoon Contributed Oral Sessions — 1:30–4:00 pm
All participants are welcome to attend the contributed oral sessions running this afternoon in Jones 002.
Afternoon Mini-Workshops — 1:30–4:00 pm
No advance registration is needed for Wednesday's afternoon mini-workshops. Wednesday's options include:
- Cultivating Growth: Alternative Grading Strategies Speed Dating; Coker 102
- Teaching Critical Minerals and Designing Lessons for Student-Centered Instruction; Coker 104
- Community Engaged Learning in the Geosciences: What, why, how, and for whom; Jones 104
- Teaching Climate Data Through Art and Science; Jones 102
Afternoon Snacks— 3:30–4:30 pm
Recharge with afternoon snacks available in Jones PSC Lobby (registration area). While you are having your afternoon snack, go to the back corner of the exhibitor room and make a paper plate award for someone who has made your EER experience awesome.
Town Hall — 4:30–5:45 pm
Don't miss the afternoon's Town Hall in Currell 107! This is your opportunity to engage in broader community conversation about issues and directions in geoscience education. The theme this year will be Earth Education in Uncertain Times: Navigating funding shifts, institutional change, and policy pressures while keeping Earth education vibrant and inclusive. We will also have an update on NAGT. We will have the drawing at the start of the Town Hall. You must be present to win!
Evening Activities
Check the social events page for meet-ups and other evening activities. Wednesday night we have the Earth Educators Mixer: Join us at Hunter-Gatherer for an evening of drinks, snacks, and good conversation! The mixer runs from 6-8 pm and Hunter-Gatherer is located at 1402 Jim Hamilton Blvd. in Columbia. The Geo2YC Division will be sponsoring a few appetizers for the event.
Want a ride to Hunter-Gatherer? Katherine Ryker and Draven Prior will be in the turnaround between SJMC and Longstreet Theatre (the building with the columns) with two 15 passenger vans after the Town Hall! Both vans will drive to Hunter-Gatherer, then one will circle back to pick up at least one more load. Come join the party!
And of course, keep meeting up with colleagues for dinner — Columbia has a lot to offer!
Donate!
Help us reach our goal of raising $2000 during the Rendezvous to support the NAGT community! Donate today. Then get a ribbon to add to your badge and show your support.
Rendezvous T-shirt
Did you see others wearing this year's Rendezvous T-shirt (or tank top) and want one for yourself to remember the event? Congratulations to Erin Smoak at the American Meteorological Society for creating the winning T-shirt design for the 2026 Earth Educators' Rendezvous! Check out all the EER Gear and purchase your T-shirt or tank top today!
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