VIRTUAL FIELDTRIPS – BUILDING A DATABASE TO ENHANCE GEOLOGY DEPARTMENTS' RESOURCES

Geology is a very visual discipline, with most concepts and processes being most fully realized when viewing examples in the field. As such, field trips are often the backbone of most geology departments. Unfortunately, many geology departments suffer from lack of funding to support trips, shortage of nearby geological features or limits on time because of geographical location and the rigors of academic schedules.

One solution for these types of departments is through the use of virtual fieldtrips. Recently, one student from St. Lawrence University undertook a roadtrip from Buffalo, NY to Phoenix, AR. Along the way, he recorded data, took hand samples and photographed outcrops as part of a larger fieldtrip database project. Upon return, this information was loaded into a GIS system to make a virtual fieldtrip, complete with maps of the route, outcrop photos, digital 360^o images of the hand samples, and background information on the geological formations at each stop. Once constructed, this field trip is loaded onto a website that is accessible for anyone. As more transects are made, additional fieldtrips will be added to the website, eventually providing coverage for a large majority of the United States. Having this type of database available via the Internet may help enhance many departments' resources by providing a means by which their students can “get out more” and see the geology they might otherwise miss.