Events
Upcoming Events
GSA Anaheim
September 22-25, 2024
The Geological Society of America's annual meeting is in Anaheim, California this year!
GEOPAths x East Side Union Summer Program
June 2024
June 3rd to June 14th 2024
10 East Side Union High School students have been accepted for our inaugural Earth Science Summer Experience Program
Faculty and students from the SJSU Geology Department will lead presentations, activities, discussions, and field trips about Earth science topics and careers
This summer camp is FREE
Student participants earn 1 unit of university credit at NO COST
Lunch and transit passes are provided
Previous Events
GEOPAths x Geol 28
Camping Trip to Yosemite National Park
April 2024
Geology 28 (Geology 28) and GEOPAths students joined forces for a 2 night overnight camping at Yosemite National Park
Lessons included:
how to stay warm and dry when camping in tough conditions
How to take care of yourself and the group (EGGS!)
The Native American and natural history of Yosemite Valley
Evidence of glacial history in the park at Bridlevail Falls
The intrusive history of the igneous rocks that shape the parks stunning scenery
The mining history of the Sierran foothills and the serpentine soil biome thriving today
El Capitan
How many intrusions form this granite wall?!
Night two crew
L to R Reza, Theo, Travis, Angelika, Cameron, Stephanie, Vetania, and Sirus
Yosemite Falls
L to R Travis, Jonathan, Alex, Sirus, Stephanie, Cameron, Melissa, Theo, Jack, Angelika, Ventania, and Reza
30F and raining :-D
The Bridelvail moraine
Angelika and Stephanie lead a spontenous lesson on using a Bruton compass at Red Hill Conservation area
Feldspar megacrysts
(for J. Miller)
GEOPAths x East Side Union High School District
Marin Headlands Field Trip
March 2024
March 16th 2024
Departing Independence High School
40+ East Side 10th and 11th grade students and their teachers explored the transformation of the West Coast of North America from a subduction zone to a transform boundary with student groups lead by our very own GEOPAths students and mentors
The whole group poses for a picture on the beach at Rodeo Beach
A sketch by one of the student participates captures the GEOPAths student instructors and faculty mentors
Veronica (teal cap) leads a group of East Side Union High School students on a scavenger hunt to collect the geologic history of Pinnacles National Park
GEOPAths x East Side Union High School District
Pinnacles Field Trip
October 2023
Sunday October 21, 2023
Departing Independence High School
40+ East Side 10th and 11th grade students and their teachers went on a scavenger hunt lead by our very own GEOPAths students and mentors
The pinnacles in this park were created 300+ miles away in Southern California. How did they get here?
They are part of an 23 million year old volcano. What happened to the rest of the volcano and why don’t these rocks look like a volcano?
Geologists are detectives! We search for clues to put together the story of an area. What’s the story here at Pinnacles National Park?
Reza, in lemon patterned shirt, holds a sign reading FAULT at the culminating stop for the field trip as De Anza college instructor Chris DiLeonardo makes the "Big Reveal" of the history of Pinnacles National Park at the Bear Gulch reservoir
GEOPAths Cohort Retreat
September 2023
Friday - Sunday September 22-24, 2023
Point Montara Lighthouse, Montara, CA
Field trips, Food, and Fun!
GEOPAths students and mentors exploring the submarine turbidite deposits exposed at Devil's Slide in Half Moon Bay
L to R: Frankie, Darrian, Carlie, Carla, Vetania, Anaalicia, LeAnne, Reza, Daniel, and Veronica
Looking for evidence of the San Andreas fault at Mussel Rock
Watching the sunset on the beach at the hostel, Veronica takes a selfie with Daniel, LeAnne, Carlie, Reza, Frankie, Anaalicia, Vetania, and Darrian
Tarantula Festival @ Henry Coe State Park
October 2023
October 7th, 2023
GEOPAths students with mentor Ellen Metzger taught families the geologic history recorded in the rocks of Henry Coe Park
A pretty "sweet" activity uses candy to relate to the texture and properties of greywacke, radiolarian chert, serpentinite, and blue schist
GEOPAths and SJSU students and mentors pose at the tarantula sign
L to R: Melissa, Reza, Cameron, Daniel, Ellen, and Veronica
Photo in the 80x120 wind tunnel!
L to R Carlie, LeAnne, Veronica, Jorge, Ellen, Violet, Ashley, Aminah, Cindy Schmidt (our NASA host!), Dessi, and Kristina
Site visit to NASA!
April 2023
Friday April 7, 2023
Exploring exoplanets, looking for signs of life in the solar system and beyond, simulating flight and using remote sensing data to make new discoveries on neighboring planets! The GEOPAths students and mentors met geoscientists contributing to NASA's missions, right here in the South Bay!
A sea arch cut into pillow basalts, evidence of volcanic eruptions on the seafloor
GEOPAths mentor Jorge explaining the geologic evidence for the San Andreas fault overlooking the Crystal Spring Reservoir
GEOPAths x East Side Union High School District
Field Trip to the Marin Headlands
Spring 2023
Saturday March 18, 2023
40 ESUHSD students experienced the San Andreas, descended through the seafloor via an ophiolite complex, and observed the impacts of coastal erosion.
Our SJSU GEOPAths students and mentors were the trip leaders, developing demonstrations and connecting to future geoscientists.
Photo by C. Pietsch and E. Metzger
GEOPAths mentors (L to R) Jorge, Veronica, Frankie, Ashley, Hollianne, and Dessi pose after faciliating a successful trip for 40+ ESUHSD students to the Marin Headlands
GEOPAths student Seann collects a water sample from Alum Rock creek
GEOPAths x East Side Union High School District
Field Trip to Alum Rock Park
Fall 2022
Saturday, November 19, 2022
Photo by Raymond Funada
Photo by US National Park System
GEOPAths - Pinnacles Field Trip
October 2022
Sunday October 23, 2022 Departing SJSU at 9 am
Registration by Wednesday October 14th is required to attend: https://forms.gle/rNFTHkzx9fExozd48
We will travel to 3 mi round trip on the Bear Gulch Trail stopping along the way to observe and discuss the geology and natural history of the park. (More info on the trail conditions here)
Transportation from SJSU is provided with registration by the deadline
Bring your own lunch, water, and sunscreen
Come prepared to hike 3 miles round trip in all weather conditions
Bathrooms available at the start and end of the hike
For more questions contact Joseph Petsche: joseph.petsche@sjsu.edu
Students from East Side Union high school venturing through the Bear Gulch Cave system at Pinnacles National Park
De Anza College instructor Chris DiLeonardo leads group instruction on the geologic history of Montara Beach
GEOPAths Cohort Retreat
September 2022
Friday - Sunday September 23-25, 2022
Point Montara Lighthouse, Montara, CA
Field trips, Food, and Fun!
GEOPAths students and mentors relaxing back at the hostel
L to R: Veronica (in profile), Hollianne, Frankie, Dessi, and SJSU Lecturer Joe Petsche and Darrian (in profile). Aminah and Jorge are facing the group. Where's Carlie? :-D
Logo by TA TVITE + CO
GEOPAths Virtual Open House
March 2022
Photo of a marine vertebrate fossil by Carlie Pietsch
Field trip to Capitola Beach
April 2021
We will walk south from the Capitola Esplanade along the beach to look at:
Rocks! –What can the rocks tell us about the past environment in this area?
Fossils! - What animals have lived in the Pacific Ocean in the past?
Faults- How have rocks shifted over time?
Registration by Friday April 8th is required to attend: https://forms.gle/CbHhHdXoKbEi2i81A
A group of East Side Union high school students gaze at the spring deposits at Alum Rock County Park
Field trip to Alum Rock Park
November 2021
Saturday November 13th 9 am to 10:30 am.
We will walk from the Youth Science Institute to the Mineral Springs, then continue along the Mineral Springs trail to look at:
Rocks! –What can the rocks tell us about the past environment in this area?
Speleothems –What are cave formations doing here?
Hot Springs –Why is the water warm here and…what is that stinky smell?!
Landslides – How are streams and landslides connected?
Registration by Nov 8th is required to attend: https://forms.gle/twanDYdjqsUkGco68
A group of students and mentors stare down a well!
Field trip to Santa Clara Valley Water
November 2021
Friday November 5th 10am to 12 noon.
Come learn where your water comes from, explore the Guadalupe River bed, learn how a percolation pond functions, and discover how fish can use ladders during our visit to Santa Clara Valley Water.
Registration by Nov 1st is required to attend: https://forms.gle/iuMWWJjdY33XRw2X9
Logo by Lindsey Huffman
Geoscience career planning workshop at SJSU
Monday October 11th 2021 12-1 pm
SJSU geoscience alumni panel
Monday October 18th 2021 12-1 pm. Contact us for a recording.