PREPARING A VISITOR'S GUIDE TO THE GEOLOGY OF CALIFORNIA'S HENRY COE STATE PARK: A STUDENT INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE

As part of the National Science Foundation-funded South Bay Geo-Diversity Project, student interns recruited from San José City College and National Hispanic University are working with faculty and students in the Department of Geology at San José State University to characterize the geology of local parks. Interns are recruited from introductory geology classes and are mentored by SJSU undergraduate and graduate students. One student team is developing a guide to the geology of Henry Coe State Park in response to requests from Park rangers for geologic information to complement existing guides to flora and fauna. In the course of the project, students are reviewing the literature to learn about the origin and lithology of the Franciscan Complex of the Diablo Range, developing field skills such as mapping and sampling techniques, and acquiring laboratory skills such as thin-section petrography. The final product will be annotated "Geology Trails" with an accompanying display in the Coe Visitor's Center that outlines the Park's geologic history and features representative rock samples. The Coe geology project gives under-represented students a chance discover geoscience through hands-on experiences, provides mentors with opportunities to enhance their interpretive and communication skills, and will introduce park visitors to the geology that surrounds them.