Here you can access docs, resources, articles and more from GeoSPACE. This page is updated with new material as the project continues.
This program grew out of, and is closely connected to, the International Association for Geoscience Diversity. If you would like to connect with a community of people at all career stages in the geosciences with disabilities, or are an instructor or researcher passionate about evidence-based, disability-centered inclusion in earth science disciplines, this is a great community to be a part of. You can also email them directly at info@theIAGD.org.
The following documents are used in the GeoSPACE field course and may be useful for other field course organizers.
Note for current GeoSPACE students - the following links are read-only example documents. Please refer to the links and documents we send to enrolled students for the most up to date versions!
Itinerary: An overview itinerary is listed on the "Details" page. A detailed daily itinerary is provided to students and is available to field instructors looking for ideas on locations and accessible scheduling on request.
2024 Syllabus: Here's the most recent version of the syllabus. Details may change, but it gives you an overall picture of what the course is like.
Pack List: A detailed pack list is very important to reduce anxiety in students who are new to field work, or unfamiliar with the environment in which the field course takes place. Our pack list is annotated with extra info about why certain items are on the list, so students can adapt the list to their needs. A narrative section at the end offers additional tips. GeoSPACE offers a stipend, paid in advance, to enable students to purchase what they need for the course.
Code of Conduct: The GeoSPACE Code of Conduct is collaboratively written with staff and students and edited each year by participants. The goal is to establish the norms of the group together as an act of community building.
The "Roomie Survey": Quick form that helps us pair up roommates with similar habits and preferences.
Created by GeoSPACE co-PI Dave Williams and colleagues at Arizona State University, this collection of annotated 360 images takes you to many of the stops we use in our field course: https://p.tourit.etx.asu.edu/wpcqyy9b/hf8ecuuwl9d1f4r/index.html
Created by Sean Thatcher with contributions from the GeoSPACE team, this website is designed to be used as a resource for asynchronous virtual assignments. Students can explore locations and topics from the field course including monogenetic volcanic fields, cinder cones, maars/hydrovolcanism, composite volcanoes, basic field techniques and geoethics. Link coming soon!
Our project would not be possible without the resources from the LIFT kit (NSF Award #1941497) - a library of wireless communication tools, digital tablets, drones (UAVS), go pros, and other devices that can enable technology-based access improvements in field courses. You can see a video of prior projects that used the tools from the LIFT kit in the field at this link: https://theiagd.org/lift/
This program enables geoscience field instructors to participate in training workshops and borrow GPS equipment to use in undergraduate field courses. Field technicians can assist with mastering tools, and robust teaching resources are available online for instructors wishing to implement kinematic GPS surveys into their field courses (NSF Awards 1914915, 1914946, 1914872). Learn more at: https://serc.carleton.edu/getsi/teaching_materials/high-precision/equipment.html
Clark, A. Field Tested: A groundbreaking field camp opens Earth sciences to students with disabilities. Explore Magazing, UF press. Published November 17, 2022. https://explore.research.ufl.edu/field-tested.html
Doerfler, A. Leveling the Field: UF Geologists develop fieldwork course that’s accessible to all. UF CLAS Connected News. Published October 22, 2020 https://news.clas.ufl.edu/leveling-the-field/
(*) denotes GeoSPACE students
GeoSPACE: Building Community for Students in a Hybrid, Multi-Modal Field Course Designed for Inclusion and Access. Marshall, A., and Arroyo, Y. Belonging in the Field Discussion Series, April 26, 2023. Watch below, and find the recorded presentation, written Q&A and accessible pdf available from the link.
Flexible Fieldwork. Marshall, A. M. S., Piatek, J.L., Williams, D.A., Gallant, E., Thatcher, S., Elardo, S., Williams, A.J., Collins, T., and Arroyo, Y. Nature Reviews Earth and Environment. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-022-00375-9
THE GEOSPACE PROJECT: USING PLANETARY MISSION SCIENCE AS A FRAMEWORK FOR HYBRID, ACCESSIBLE FIELD EXPERIENCES. Marshall, A., WILLIAMS, D. A., Gallant, E., and Piatek, J., 2022. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Denver, CO.
PAGING @EVERYONE: SOLVE THE COMMUNICATION “DISCORD” IN YOUR GEOSCIENCE FIELD COURSE. Arroyo, Y. (RA), Marshall, A. (PI) and Gallant, E. (CO).
A Field Course for Everyone: The Benefits of Accommodation and Inclusion in Field Experiences., Thatcher, Sean (CO), PaleoPercs seminar series, summer 2022.
GEOSPACE, AN ACCESSIBLE GEOLOGICAL FIELD CAMP: THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE. *Thompson, A., *Abel-Zurstadt, M., *Baker, A.E., *Butler, F., *Sardi, E., *Washburn, S., Marshall, A., and Thatcher, S. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Denver, CO 2022.
Accessible Terrestrial Analogs: Planning the GEOSPACE Planetary Volcanology Field Course. Piatek, J. (PI), Williams, D. (PI)., Williams, A. (PI), Marshall, A. (PI), 2022. Advancing IDEA in Planetary Science, held virtually 25-29 April. LPI Contribution No. 2679, id.2060. Recording available at https://youtu.be/ifuBy-8bzal.
The GEOSPACE Project: Boldly Going Where Traditional Geoscience Field Courses Often Don't, Piatek, J. (PI), Marshall, A. (PI), Williams, D. (PI), Gallant, E. (CO), and Williams, A (PI), 2021. AAS/Division for Planetary Sciences Meeting, 53, id 410.06. iPoster at https://dps53-aas.ipostersessions.com/default.aspx?s=A6-A1-B8-A5-92-C0-4D-DD-62-64-73-D8-0E-A2-06-45
Increasing Accessibility of the Holey Tour, ASU’s Introductory Planetary Geology Field Trip. Williams, D.A, Piatek, J., Gallant, E., Marshall, A., 2021. Workshop on Terrestrial Analogs for Planetary Exploration, USGS Astrogeology Science Center. June 16-19, virtual.
This field course is built on the 5 principles of inclusive communities of field learning, as outlined in:
Atchison, C. L., Marshall, A.M, & and Collins, T., 2019. A multiple case study of inclusive learning communities enabling active participation in geoscience field courses for students with physical disabilities. Journal of Geoscience Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/10899995.2019.1600962 *Please contact us if you need access to this paper, we are happy to provide a copy.
This course was also inspired by the significant barrier to career progression that inaccessible field work presents to students with disabilities, as outlined in this talk from GSA 2020:
Marshall, A., 2020. Impact of field learning on professional pathways for students with disabilities in the geosciences. Geological society of America Annual Meeting (virtual). https://youtu.be/mPW54igSQTI
One of the key goals of GeoSPACE is to create sustainable solutions for high quality experiential learning for people with disabilities pursuing geoscience degrees. The following programs credit GeoSPACE as a key inspiration for new/revised programs. Field instructors who have adapted ideas from GeoSPACE - we'd love to add yours to the list, just contact us with info!
Rutgers University Physical Geography field course.
Rennermalm, A., Thatcher, S., Xiao, J., Carpenter, P., 2022. Designing a Physical Geography Field Course to Improve Accessibility and Inclusion for All Students. AGU Fall Meeting, Chicago, IL, Dec 12-16.