“Now, when I’m traveling, I stare out the window analyzing the land and wondering how it formed and what lies underneath.”
GeoFORCE Texas
Jackson School of Geosciences
The University of Texas at Austin
10100 Burnet Rd. Bldg 196
Austin, TX 78758
+1 512-471-4360 | Email GeoFORCEFollow us on
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Teacher Workshops
Each fall and spring, GeoFORCE invites partner teachers to professional development workshops. Generally these are 2-day, 2-night events, all expenses paid. We strive to find topics relevant to teaching of science and geoscience in Texas. Most workshops include at least a half-day field trip. The Jackson School of Geosciences is a certified Continuing Professional Education (CPE) provider.
Upcoming Workshops
February 10-12, 2012: More information coming soon
Recent Workshops
November 11-13, 2012: Del Rio, Texas. We focused on the Eagle Ford Shale and its impact on the Texas economy. The first evening we started off with an overview of the geology of the Eagle Ford and of gas-shales in general. The next day was spent in the field studying the geology and stratigraphy of the Eagle Ford Shale. The following morning teachers visited a drilling site, a frac site, and an oil and gas processing facility, where they learned about extraction and processing of oil and gas from shale.
February 19-21, 2012: Galveston, Texas. We looked at beach processes and beach erosion especially as they relate to hurricane events. We used problem based learning to create and solve a geologic question about the stratigraphic record on Follett’s Island.
November 6-8, 2011: Austin and Elgin, Texas. We started off on the water front in Austin, with material presented by the TXESS Revolution. We looked at stratigraphy, and how the rock record can tell a story. Then we headed for a day in Elgin Texas, visiting both a lignite (coal power) mine and a clay (brick making) mine. We got to see the processes from start to finish.
March 6-8, 2011: Austin, TX. This workshop was presented by STORE (Sequestration Training, Outreach, Research, and Education), and focused on energy again, with particular emphasis on carbon capture and sequestration. Teachers did enough work to heat a shower, visited a solar array, and hiked in the Barton Creek Greenbelt to see what limestone reservoir rock looks like.
November 14-16 2010: Corpus Christi, TX. This workshop was presented by the NEED (National Energy Education Development) project, and focused on energy including types of energy, transformation of energy, and energy along the gulf coast. Teachers participated in hands-on activities, including building a hydropower turbine, and plugging a leaking well on the sea-floor. Visit the NEED website for classroom activities you can download.