FROM MAKING MAPS TO TESTING HYPOTHESES: FIELD CAMP AS A BRIDGE TO UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

Incorporation of research into our field camp gives students their first experience using field techniques to solve geologic problems involving multiple subdisciplines. They also apply the scientific method as a dynamic process and experience working as a research team. This approach provides an important bridge between the classroom and undergraduate research for a required senior thesis, and gives the students an opportunity to contribute to their field. Conducting research in field camp generates enthusiasm for applied field studies and better prepares students for individual thesis projects.

Field camp links classroom studies and undergraduate research by 1) requiring the use of techniques and critical thinking skills needed to conduct research projects, 2) having students apply their knowledge of various subdisciplines to solve problems, and 3) doing research on unsolved problems in the course. The first five weeks of our field camp emphasize goals 1 and 2. Initial projects require application of structural geology, stratigraphy, petrology, and geomorphology to develop skills in geologic mapping, measuring stratigraphic sections, analyzing structural data using maps and field data, and writing detailed unit descriptions and geologic reports.

In the final week of field camp during the summer of 2001, our class conducted research on the emplacement mechanisms of a Tertiary pluton in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Many different field camps have mapped this pluton, but no detailed information on its emplacement history was obtained. After brainstorming possible mechanisms and the field evidence expected to support each one, students divided into research teams to map the area and collect field data to test various models. The students analyzed their data and compiled their results in the form of a GSA-style poster that was presented to fellow classmates, faculty, and college administration. Their work provided new insights into the geology of this area, and contributed to their understanding of scientific research.