BRINGING STUDENTS INTO NATURE: THE JUNEAU ICEFIELD RESEARCH PROGRAM AND DR. MAYNARD M. MILLER

The Juneau Icefield Research Program (JIRP), envisioned and made real by Dr. Maynard M. Miller, has kindled fires within students every summer for more than a half century. These individuals, inspired by such a singular experience, include leaders in the earth sciences, current esteemed faculty from numerous universities, and graduate, undergraduate and high-school students. The JIRP experience is perhaps best described as a total immersion in the natural setting of the Coast Mountains of Alaska and British Columbia, with unsurpassed opportunities for the student to actively participate in field research, expeditionary logistics, teamwork, and leadership. Dr. Miller’s overarching pedagogy for this two-month expeditionary experience has been that of the “Emersonian Triangle” of nature, books, and action: nature as the greatest teacher, books as guide and inspiration from the past, and action as an imperative. This talk highlights some of the rich history of JIRP and the important work of recent JIRP alumni, particularly in the fields of glaciology and environmental change. It focuses on the singularity of JIRP as an educational and inspirational experience, and includes a focus on what might be the greatest gift we have received from Dr. Maynard M. Miller – a transcendent experience in a stunning natural setting. This program, this history, this passion instilled in young hearts and minds has been realized through the vision and dedication of Dr. Maynard M. Miller, who has brought hundreds of students into nature for experiences that made, and continue to make, a world of difference.