A SCAFFOLDED EXPLORE-AND-DISCOVER PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH TO HIGHLIGHT THE RENEWED SOCIETAL IMPORTANCE OF EARTH MATERIALS (Invited Presentation)

The growing demand for mineral resources essential to the green energy transition has exposed a significant gap in the workforce skilled in environmentally responsible mineral exploration and mining. It is imperative to revamp our undergraduate geoscience education model to place equal emphasis on securing mineral resources and maintaining a clean environment. How can inquiry-centered learning and essential skills be effectively incorporated to develop well-rounded, adaptable geoscientists? Restoring a balanced curriculum is challenging because the earth materials and environmental science courses are often siloed and the number of faculty covering earth materials in a geoscience department may be disproportionately small.

Here I propose an ‘explore-and-discover’ approach that keeps students engaged through scaffolded exposure to earth materials in a series of geology courses taken before, during, and after Mineralogy and Petrology (MinPet). To develop students’ passion for discovery while building relevant knowledge and skills, the 2^nd to 4^th-year course sequence integrates:

• field and lab observations,
• traditional microscopy and modern, portable instrumentation,
• descriptive and quantitative data management.

For example, in a Research and Communication 2^nd year course required for geology majors and minors, interdisciplinary teams explore and discover the effects of de-icing agents and other urban pollutants on campus soils. This project is a subtle but effective introduction to mineralogical/geochemical concepts such as solid-solution substitution, natural vs. anthropogenic contaminants, background levels, solubility, etc. Students of different backgrounds and skill sets apply the scientific method to solve the “How clean is our campus?” dilemma. In MinPet, typically a 3^rd year course, petrographic microscopy is an invaluable tool for discovery that requires a multifaceted integration of optical physics, chemistry, and mineral science. In Critical Minerals, a graduate-undergraduate ore geology course, students estimate mineral proportions using reflected-light microscopes, followed by data processing to assess the ore grade, a common (albeit automated) task in mining and extractive industries. Lastly, elective independent research projects are designed to nurture advanced opportunities for creativity and discovery.