Workshops

1. HuBLE Interpretation Workshop:
   New insights into the deep structure and dynamics of the Hudson Bay region, Canada
2. NEPTUNE Canada:  Querying the Earth-Ocean System across a tectonic plate POSTPONED
3. Earth Science Teaching: Issues and Practices
4. Designing and Evaluating Effective Undergraduate Courses in Geoscience CANCELLED
5. Communicating Earth Science To The Public CANCELLED

Workshop #1

HuBLE Interpretation Workshop:
New insights into the deep structure and dynamics of the Hudson Bay region, Canada

The Hudson Bay Lithospheric Experiment (HuBLE) is a teleseismic investigation of a little-studied but tectonically important region of Canada. Hudson Bay is an intracratonic basin overlying part of the Proterozoic Trans-Hudson Orogen, bounded by Archean cratons. While a broad-brush understanding of crust and upper mantle structure across this region is possible using global and continental-scale tomographic models, the HuBLE project aims to illuminate this region in considerably more detail, providing invaluable new information on the regional structure, tectonic evolution and geodynamics.

This workshop will focus largely on results from the ongoing seismological studies of the Hudson Bay region, using data from the HuBLE seismic network. Contributions from other geophysical and geological disciplines are also welcomed.

Organizer: Dave Eaton (U. Calgary), Fiona Darbyshire (UQAM)
Duration:  1 day
Date: Saturday, May 23 (half-day in the afternoon, pre-conference)

Workshop #2

NEPTUNE Canada:  Querying the Earth-Ocean System across a tectonic plate

NEPTUNE Canada is installing a regional cabled ocean observatory across the northern Juan de Fuca Plate in the northeastern Pacific. When the initial suite of instruments is installed in 2009, this system will provide the continuous power and bandwidth to collect integrated data on physical, chemical, geological, and biological gradients at temporal resolutions relevant to the dynamics of the earth-ocean system.  The similar adjacent US OOI Regional Scale Nodes should be operational within a few years. These observatories will transform our understanding of biological, chemical, physical, and geological processes across an entire tectonic plate from the shelf to the deep sea (17-2700m).  Real-time continuous monitoring and archiving will allow scientists to capture the temporal nature, characteristics, and linkages of these natural processes in a way never before possible.
 
This is an information session and data workshop which will both provide an update on the initial sensors being installed, and in particular, discuss novel approaches to data access and analysis in the framework of our Oceans 2.0 project.

Organizer: Mairi Best (Associate Director, Science) and Benoit Pirenne (Associate Director, IT), NEPTUNE Canada
Duration:  1 day
Date: POSTPONED

Workshop #3

Earth Science Teaching: Issues and Practices

In this session we will bring together Earth scientists and K-12 teachers to discuss what should be taught in Earth science today and what steps should be taken to attract more students into considering a career in Earth science. Participants will have the opportunity to experience hands-on Earth science activities related to mathematics and science taught in schools, and will consider new avenues of Earth science teaching. The workshop will include a geologic walking tour within the city of Toronto. Given the global shortage of people with an in-depth Earth science education, the session will be of interest to participants from all corners of our planet.

Organizer: Charly Bank (UofT), Lesley Hymers (PDAC Mining Matters) & Deryk Jackson (Danforth Collegiate and Technical Insitute)
Duration:  1 day
Date: Monday, May 25

Workshop #4

Designing and Evaluating Effective Undergraduate Courses in Geoscience

This workshop is designed for geoscientists who want to rethink, and perhaps redesign the way in which they approach teaching geoscience. In this workshop, participants will learn about current research in science education and how it can be used to inform course design and instruction. Participants will also learn how to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching strategies, learning activities and students’ learning outcomes.

Organizer: Leslie Reid ( U. Calgary), Julie Sexton ( U of Northern Colorado)
Duration:  1 day
Date:CANCELLED

Workshop #5 CANCELLED

Communicating Earth Science To The Public

The session will explore and highlight exciting and innovative ways of communicating Earth science to children, education professionals and the general public. Speakers during the meeting session will include writers, ranging from children’s book authors to science writers (print to Internet); museum interpreters; representatives of the Canadian Science Writer’s Association, and the arts community; and Earth scientists who have led innovative projects that have brought Earth science to a broad public. They will share their approaches for successfully engaging and connecting with the public on science topics. The complementary afternoon component will involve a media training and awareness workshop for Earth scientists to increase their success and comfort levels when communicating their science to the public.

Organizers: Christy Vodden (CGEN), Eileen Van der Flier-Keller (U. Victoria)
Duration:  1/2 day, following morning oral session at meeting
Date: CANCELLED