THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO INTERNATIONAL GEOSCIENCE FIELD EXPERIENCE: MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES OF THE EARTH IN CONTEXT

Field-based teaching and learning are a critical component of geoscience education. Direct exposure to rocks in the field is essential to link theory and practice by transferring conceptual knowledge to a broader understanding of the natural environment. Field experience is widely regarded as valuable to personal development, and is required by the Canadian Council of Professional Geoscientists for professional registration.

Earth systems know no borders; students thus require a truly global perspective in their university education. As part of the newly developed International Geoscience Field Experience initiative at the University of Western Ontario, senior undergraduate and graduate students have a unique opportunity to enhance their education through a 7-14 day study abroad field program. The focus is a residential field experience to world-class localities offered jointly with an internationally recognized team of academic researchers, government survey personnel, and industry leaders. Recent trips have included the Troodos Ophiolite in Cyprus, the Sn-W mineralization in Cornwall, U.K., and the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB) in Portugal and Spain.

During our trip to the IPB, students integrated geological knowledge with geophysical data: integral to modern Earth Sciences, common practice in industry, but rare in classroom settings. Pre-departure lectures and in-field exercises supplemented the student curriculum in geophysics, with a focus on mineral exploration. Partnership with industry gave students the opportunity to work with state of the art geophysical data, acquired on an exploration prospect visited during the field trip. Multi-parameter geophysical inversions of induced polarization (IP) and magnetotelluric (MT) data produced cross-sections in depth – results interpretable by the students in the complex geological environment of the IPB.

The pedagogical value of the field experience is unparalleled: students and educators alike return with a renewed sense of purpose and community, and the context in which to place their classroom education. Field and technical skills acquired by our students during this program prepare them for a bright future in research or industry, lead to retention of exceptional talent in our graduate programs, and attract top new students.