The western United States is a prime target area for EarthScope to investigate processes that result in elevated topography, earthquakes, and volcanism. Interpretive professionals in the Colorado Plateau and Rio Grande Rift region have a unique opportunity to engage the public on the relevance of EarthScope discoveries as they are being made. This three-day workshop combined presentations by EarthScope scientists with interpretive methods to convey the story of how continental rifting and other processes result in the region's breathtaking landscape and geological hazards.
Presentations from the Workshop
Selected presentations from the workshop held October 26-28, 2009 at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science in Albuquerque. This was the fourth in a series of workshops for park rangers and museum educators sponsored by the EarthScope National Office. Participants learned how to use EarthScope data and science results, and developed and presented interpretive programs on the evolving landscape and its connections to aspects of the natural and cultural history of the Colorado Plateau-Rio Grande Rift region.
EarthScope Colorado Plateau - Rio Grande Rift Workshop Overview
B. Lillie (Oregon State Universioty/ES National Office)
USArray and other deep seismic studies of continental structure and processes in the Colorado Plateau and Rio Grande Ri
R. Aster (PASSCAL)
EarthScope: Educational programming in Museums … “Science Cafes”
J. Aubele (New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science)
Linking Earth’s mantle to water quality and unique microbial ecosystems
L. Crossey (University of New Mexico)
Tectonic evolution of the western US- a brief discussion
K. Karlstrom (University of New Mexico)
Interpretive themes and strategies for the Colorado Plateau – Rio Grande Rift
A. Mathis (Grand Canyon National Park)
Active Earth Display Cascadia and Basin and Range Content Modules
P. McQuillan (IRIS)
Which Way are We Going? Online Mapping Tools to Help People Visualize Plate Motions with GPS Data
S. Olds (UNAVCO)
Alternative Views of Colorado Plateau and Rio Grande Ri= Parklands Using Remote Sensing Imagery and Astronaut Photographs
J. Reese (Edinboro University of PA)
Sense of place and place-based geoscience education and interpretation in the Colorado Plateau – Río Grande Rift region
S. Semken (Arizona State University)