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Hofstra University has been awarded a National Science Foundation GEOPAths grant to establish a unique summer science research program for high school and undergraduate students to work in teams with faculty in the Geology, Environment, and Sustainability department. These “GEOTeams” will conduct research in geoscience, meteorology, and sustainability, with a focus on projects on Long Island and on the Greek Islands. The objectives of the GEOPaths initiative are to increase the number of students pursuing careers in the geosciences and to expand participation by students from backgrounds that are underrepresented in the geosciences. The program will run from early July to mid-August, and participants will present the work they accomplished in a scientific poster session in early fall. Applications to participate are due Friday, March 31, 2023, and students will be selected based on their academic qualifications and their teacher recommendation letter. Participants who complete the program will receive a stipend and free tuition for the program. For more information, please contact GEOTEAMS@hofstra.edu.
Program Outline
The National Science Foundation has funded an effort to create “GEOTeams” at Hofstra University, each composed of one full-time faculty member from the Department of Geology, Environment, and Sustainability, one high school student, one undergraduate STEM major, and one pre-service teacher.
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In 2022, teams worked on the following projects:
- Dr. Bennington’s GEOTeam engaged in a combination of fieldwork and laboratory work to investigate the fossils and paleoecology that existed along the Atlantic Coastal Plain during the Late Cretaceous of the Mesozoic Era. We used the techniques of paleontology and sedimentology to better understand how marine paleoenvironments and fauna changed as sea level rose and fell near the end of the Age of Reptiles, 70 million years ago.
- Climate change is one of the most important environmental issues that we face as a society. While we have a firm understanding of the global impacts of a changing climate, local scale influences can still be more challenging to evaluate. To better understand climate change on Long Island, Dr. Bernhardt's GEOTeam investigated short term climate data gathered from our network of on-campus weather stations at Hofstra. Results will help us understand how to best prepare for future changes in our local weather and climate.
- In order to understand climate change on longer timescales, Dr. Farmer's GEOTeam analyzed deep-sea sediment samples to reconstruct North Atlantic conditions in the last glacial period, between approximately 160,000 to 18,000 years ago. Percentages of tiny fossils give clues to the past temperature of the ocean and can be counted in sediment layers to determine whether climate changed cyclically or steadily as the last glacial period ended. Better understanding of the mechanisms forcing past climate change will help us predict future changes.
- Dr. Marsellos' GEOTeam engaged in a combination of fieldwork, data processing, and data visualization to implement an annual checkup of active volcanoes in Greece. Since Santorini Volcano was about to erupt in 2011 and Europe was about to lock down any air transportation, we have been systematically monitoring the live Volcanoes at the Aegean Sea. Significant maintenance is also required of the Hofstra monitoring stations to promote a sustainable touristic environment in Europe.
The GEOTeams conduct research in earth science and sustainability for five weeks during July-August. The objectives of the GEOTeams activities are to provide students with authentic research experience in a geoscience/sustainability project. For high school students, this could lead them to studying these subjects in college; for undergraduates, the experience may help them with finding employment or placement in graduate programs; and for future teachers, this program will help them be better research mentors for their own students in projects relating to geoscience and sustainability.
Weekly workshops embedded in the program will prepare students to:
- Conduct scientific research safely
- Prepare a review of relevant literature
- Carry out research methods ethically
- Present their scientific research results
- Write scientific reports
In addition, weekly seminars will give participants opportunities to hear about career paths in geoscience and sustainability from guest speakers drawn from a private environmental consulting firm, a nonprofit organization, and local government. These speakers will talk to participants about their work and career paths. Other presentations will help participants understand the college and graduate school admission processes.
After the intensive summer research experience, participants will prepare a presentation for a scientific poster session in early fall. Participants are expected to share their experiences as widely as possible. High school students may present their research at their high schools. Undergraduate STEM majors may carry on the research as an independent study or capstone thesis project during the school year and may present further results of that research at professional conferences. The pre-service teachers may develop lesson plans based on their experiences and share those with other pre-service and in-service teachers.
Eligibility:
High school students:
- Must be enrolled in 10th or 11th grade at the time the application is submitted;
- Have had at least one year of a high school laboratory-based science course;
- Have demonstrated an interest in the sciences;
- Be willing and able to commit six weeks to full-time scientific research; and
- Have demonstrated the ability to work independently.
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Undergraduate students:
- Must be enrolled at Hofstra University in a BS or BA program; and
- Must be pursuing a STEM major or pre-service teacher program.
Note: All student participants must be able to travel to and from the Hofstra campus daily. There is no option for on-campus housing.
Applications:
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GEOTeams Program Applications
Reviews of applications will begin in April. The deadline for receipt of completed applications is March 31, 2023. The following information must be included in the application form:
- A statement from the student explaining why they want to engage in a science research project and what careers they are interested in exploring;
- A letter of recommendation from a science teacher;
- Demographic information of the student.
Applications will be reviewed by the Principal Investigators of the GEOTeams program. Admission decisions will be made to maximize participation of students from backgrounds that are underrepresented in the geosciences. Because we receive many more applications than we have available spots in the program, we cannot guarantee acceptance, even for highly qualified candidates. Selected students may be asked to meet with their prospective team in early May. Final admission decisions will be made by June 1.
For more information, please contact GEOTEAMS@hofstra.edu.
See application forms below: