YES, YOU CAN MAKE A CAREER OUT OF THIS: OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO INCREASE YOUNG PEOPLE’S INTEREST IN GEOLOGY AS A PROFESSION

Every kid is a geologist until well-meaning adults tell them they cannot make a career of it. Their love of geology becomes a lifelong hobby at that point, but it does not have to be that way. Missouri State University (MSU) is doing some cool things to attract kids, help teachers meet learning objectives, and show kids they can have the career of their dreams. Exciting outreach programs targeted at grades 2-4 assist teachers in meeting the Earth Science strands of the Next Generation Science Standards and Missouri Learning Standards, such as using information to provide evidence that Earth events can occur quickly or slowly. Topics include earthquakes, volcanic explosions, and erosional processes. Activities include investigating rocks, minerals, and fossils that reveal Earth’s past. Popcorn popper volcanoes illustrate shield and stratovolcano characteristics. Eroding Nerds demonstrates the chemical and physical weathering processes. A modified game of tag enables the students to experience the impact of vegetation on erosional processes. Students build simple models to demonstrate liquefaction. These activities help students relate to geologic processes and meet the teacher’s goals, but the programs have another purpose. Blickenstaff (2005) proposed a metaphor of a leaky pipeline to illustrate the decline of women in STEM at each level of education and professional level. This metaphor could describe the loss of young people who enter the field of geology. The MSU program’s long-term goal is to increase the number of young people pursuing a geology career. From managing and conserving caves to studying volcanoes. How about working with fossils in a museum? Geologists can look inside the ground to help people determine a suitable place to build houses. These and other exciting possibilities are included in the programs. Young people are interested in geology; if we want to increase the number who continue with their passion, we must ensure they know they can have a job they love.

Blickenstaff, C. J. (2005). Women and science careers: leaky pipeline or gender filter? Gender Education, 17, 369–386. doi: 10.1080/09540250500145072