WHAT ARE THE SCHOLARLY OPPORTUNITIES FOR TWO-YEAR-COLLEGE GEOSCIENCE FACULTY AND THEIR STUDENTS?

The roles of two-year college (2YC) geoscience faculty are controlled by student demographics and institutional missions that are typically more variable, and yet sometimes more confining, than those of our university colleagues. Regardless of this, the geosciences need the active participation of more 2YC educators, just as they need our students. There are many scholarly opportunities for us! I will present practices, experiences, and ideas drawn from fifteen years in the two-year realm as points for discussion, and hopefully as useful templates.

Our small, rural, non-residential, Tribal College has never been able to depend on more than a scattering of functional geoscience majors in any given semester, and offers only a limited portfolio of courses. We have nevertheless been able to join effectively in the mainstream geoscience community, and to promote interest in the geosciences at our college and throughout our service area. We have done so by means of “realistic” scholarly activity (student-faculty research and curriculum development tailored to our demographics); mutually-beneficial collaboration with selected four-year institutions, informal educators, and government agencies; executive participation in professional societies; and most importantly, the active promotion of life-long learning in geoscience, especially involving local K-12 schools.