Overview
The Explosive Volcanism Workshop is a two day short-course in introductory volcanology that will touch on the process and products of explosive volcanism on Earth. We will learn about explosive volcanism through investigations of volcanic ash (tephra) in three broad categories: physical volcanology, geochemistry, and we will touch on volcanic hazards. We will investigate these topics through interactive lectures, microscope investigations, a visit to an electron microprobe laboratory to collect data, data analysis, group discussions, and other activities. We will discuss how scientists collect and use data about tephra in their research and think about how to adapt this material to create inquiry-based activities for classroom use.

Application
To apply click on the Application tab at the top of the web page. For full consideration, please  submit your application by (May 20th 2022). You should hear back from us in late May.

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Logistics

Workshop Dates: July 20-22, 2022
– Welcome gathering: evening of Wednesday, July 20th
– Workshop instruction days: Thursday and Friday, July 21 and 22, concluding ~3-4pm on Friday.

Eligible Attendees
This workshop will support 12 in-service teachers currently teaching in Pennsylvania. We focus this workshop on 5th – 12th grade teachers. All attendees must be US citizens.

Location
The class will be held primarily in the Deike Building on the campus of Penn State University – University Park.

Accommodations

Accommodations for the nights of July 20 and 21 are provided at no cost to you at The Graduate in State College, PA on Penn State University campus.

(optional) Penn State University Course Credit (GEOSC 597; 1-credit course)
You may opt to receive credits through Penn State University for this course. Upon acceptance we will send you an email guiding you through the registration process to registering as a non-degree seeking student to receive the PSU credit. Unfortunately, we are not able to cover the costs for the course credit.

Cost to attend the workshop
We aim to cover the entire cost for this workshop including:
– Housing: A 2-night stay at The Graduate Hotel on Penn State’s Campus
– Meals: lunches on July 21 and 22, and snacks
– Additional expenses: Each participant will receive a $300 stipend to offset the cost of: 1) food not covered by the workshop, 2) purchase of the course book (see below), and 3) travel expenses to the workshop. The stipend will be distributed to you at the workshop in the form of a personal check.
– We cannot cover the cost of the optional 1-credit PSU course, but will provide details on how to register and enroll.

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Course Content and Material

Course Syllabus (posted in late May – early June)
– PDF of the course syllabus, including a detailed schedule of events for the workshop.

Pre-Course Reading
We will read the following book prior to the workshop.

Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens by Steve Olson [ISBN-13: 978-0393353587]. It is available at Barnes and Noble or Amazon or check your local bookstores and library.

 

Questions?  Please contact Dr. Erin DiMaggio | email: dimaggio@psu.edu

 

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Instructors

Dr. Erin DiMaggio is an Associate Research Professor in the Department of Geosciences at Penn State. She is a field geologist who studies sedimentary rocks and volcanic deposits in eastern Africa to learn about continental rifting processes and the timing and geologic setting of early human evolution. She teaches courses in Science Communication, Stratigraphy, Water in Society, and Field Geology. Erin is also the Penn State Undergraduate Research Programs Director for the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium. Erin has a BS in geology from the University of Michigan and a MS and PhD in geology from Arizona State University.

 

Dr. Sara Mana is an Associate Professor at Salem State University in Salem, Massachusetts. She is a broad-spectrum geochemist with particular interest in volcanology. For her work she relies on geochemical analysis, isotope geochemistry and geochronology to infer the source, timing and depth of melting in rifting environments with the ultimate goal of better understanding the role of magmatism in the early stages of rifting. She teaches courses including Structural geology, Petrology, Volcanology and Field Methods. Sara has a BSc and MS in geology from University of Turin and a PhD in geology from Rutgers University.

 

Cora Van Hazinga is a graduate student in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the Masters program at Salem State University, where she received a BS in Geological Sciences. She also has an AA in Computer Science from Bunker Hill Community College. Cora is passionate about furthering our understanding of volcanology and tectonics with computer and data science tools. In her research she uses GIS and remote sensing to map and analyze volcanic features in the East African Rift to learn about the regional tectonics and volcanic systems in Kenya.

 

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