THE UNITED STATES POLAR ROCK REPOSITORY: A RESOURCE FOR SCIENCE EDUCATION

In October of 2003, the United States Polar Rock Repository (USPRR) opened on the campus of The Ohio State University. The repository houses rock sample collections from Antarctica and the Arctic, along with field notes, photos, maps, paleomagnetic cores, rock and mineral residues, thin sections and microfossil mounts, microslides and residues. Conducting geological research in the remote and hostile environments of Antarctica and the Arctic is difficult and expensive. Because of the extensive ice cover, (up to 98% in Antarctica) samples from the few terrestrial outcrops are precious and many samples have been discarded or misplaced and therefore lost to the scientific community. The USPRR provides a location for samples and their corresponding data to be stored and accessed for research, educational and museum use. The repository not only provides a location where polar samples can be borrowed or analyzed, but also strives to educate the community about the Polar Regions and geology in general through a variety of educational outreach opportunities.

The USPRR provides a way for teachers and children to learn about Antarctica via our website, visiting the Byrd Polar Research Center, through school visits and by borrowing a “Rock Box”. On our website, at the high school level, there is a Virtual Web Expedition where students learn how to plan a field season, safety techniques, etc. As part of local community outreach, the USPRR curator and staff conduct tours and give lectures about Antarctic fieldwork to more than 1300 adults and children each year visiting the repository. There is an area where children can try on Antarctic clothing and climb into a Scott tent and imagine what it's like to be a scientist in Antarctica. The staff is also willing to visit local schools in the Central Ohio area to give talks about geology and use our samples as hands-on items to get kids excited about science. Teachers located within the United States can go online and order an Antarctic “Rock Box” which contains representative rock samples from the three main rock types, books about Antarctica, a teacher's guide and more (at no cost other than a small, refundable deposit).