Initial Publication Date: February 4, 2014

Webinar: Applying Geodesy Data to Societally Important Questions in Undergraduate Courses: January 10, 2014

Note: This webinar has already taken place. You can view the presentation slides and screencast in the main page for this webinar.

Leader: Beth Pratt-Sitaula, UNAVCO

Start Time: 3:00 p.m. Eastern | 2:00 p.m. Central | 1:00 p.m. Mountain | 12:00 p.m. Pacific
Duration: 70-80 minutes
Format: Online web presentation via Adobe Connect web conference software with questions and discussion. Participants will receive an email with instructions detailing how to log into the event approximately one week prior to the event.

Jump down to: References and resources from this virtual event, including presentation slides and a screencast.

Over the last two decades, technical advances in geodesy – the study of the size, shape, and mass of the Earth and their changes with time – have revolutionized our understanding of Earth processes and produced discoveries of major societal impact related to climate change, water resource management, and mitigation of natural hazards. Despite their value and importance, geodetic methods are rarely taught about in either introductory or majors-level undergraduate courses. UNAVCO and partners are working to publicize existing geodesy teaching resources and solicit input on development of future resources.

GETSI is funded to develop four ~2-week modules featuring geodetic data applied to societally important issues (climate change, natural hazards, water resources). Potential data types to be used include GPS, gravity measurements, radar interferometry (ex. InSAR), laser ranging (ex. LiDAR), sea level altimetry, and more. Participants in this webinar will be able to give input to shape how these modules are developed.

In this webinar participants will:

Be introduced to a range of geodetic methods
Receive an overview of existing resources for teaching with geodetic data
Be invited to give input as to future resources they would like to see developed
Be informed of ways to continue participation through serving as module co-authors, technical experts, or beta-testers.

Presenter

Beth Pratt-Sitaula

Dr. Beth Pratt-Sitaula is an Education Specialist at UNAVCO, a non-profit university-governed consortium that operates NSF's national geodetic facility. She has extensive knowledge of UNAVCO geodetic data resources as well as other geodetic techniques being used by other organizations. She is a co-PI of the NSF-funded GETSI (GEodesy Tools for Societal Issues) project which will be developing innovative new curricular modules featuring geodetic data for a range of Earth science courses.