Earthquakes and Tectonics of the Pacific Northwest: Educational Outreach for Teachers, Students and Communities

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT Earthquakes and Tectonics of the Pacific Northwest: An Educational Outreach for Teachers, Students and Communities This project supports development of an online geological exhibit and a visiting geologist program as part of an educational outreach initiative for students, teachers and the public by The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture of the University of Washington. The initiative consists of three integrated and complementary programs: 1) A traveling exhibit entitled in Earthquakes and Tectonics of the Pacific Northwest, 2) a visiting geologist program to interact personally with local schools and citizen groups, and 3) a new generation Internet exhibit entitled, Northwest Origins: Geologic Evolution of the Pacific Northwest that explores the initiative topics and promotes engaging visualization of the large-scale tectonic processes that have created the Pacific Northwest over geologic time. The initiative is in response to the recent major earthquake that broadly affected residents throughout western Washington and Oregon. Personal experience with a major seismic event has greatly heightened public interest in tectonic processes active in the Pacific Northwest. The goals of the project are to better educate citizens and students about the geologic events that create earthquakes, the different tectonic settings in which earthquakes occur, the role these tectonic processes have played in creating the lands of the Pacific Northwest over geologic time, and the significance of ongoing research programs.