BUILDING A HUB FOR GEOSCIENCE OUTREACH, EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AT SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY'S FIELD STATION

Effective geoscience communication requires bridging the gap between technical knowledge and public relevance through storytelling, education, and community-driven outreach. At Susquehanna University’s Center for Environmental Education and Research (CEER), we integrate hands-on learning, near-peer mentorship, and collaborative partnerships to expand engagement with geoscience concepts across diverse audiences. Programs such as the Environmental Education Leadership for Students (EELS), developed in collaboration with the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper, empower high school students to become environmental leaders, bringing science stories back to their own communities. Day-long workshops, supported by a PA-DEP Environmental Education grant, have engaged over a hundred high school students and teachers in on-site programming, providing immersive opportunities to connect geoscience principles—like watershed dynamics and geomorphology—to local environmental challenges. A public speaker series, developed in partnership with the Chesapeake Conservancy, draws hundreds of attendees each academic year, connecting general audiences to the role of geoscience and environmental studies in addressing regional issues within Pennsylvania and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Serving as a physical focal point for these efforts, the CEER’s restoration demonstration sites offer interactive community events that make complex geoscience processes visible, relatable, and engaging. Over the past two years, participation in the CEER’s programs has grown significantly, driven by the expansion of educational offerings and the success of combining storytelling, hands-on learning, and strategic partnerships. These efforts have fostered measurable increases in engagement and equipped students, educators, and the broader community with tools to connect geoscience principles to real-world challenges.