The Keck Geology Consortium: Year-long Collaborative and Comprehensive Research Experiences for Undergraduates

Pomona College, Claremont CA

Investigators

Abstract

The Keck Geology Consortium, comprising 18 primarily undergraduate institutions, will offer summer research experiences for ~34 undergraduates each of three years, building on 23 years of successful programming involving over 1400 students. Students will be recruited from the 18 schools and from non-Consortium institutions. Summer research projects will be continued in the following academic year as independent study projects. All participating students will publish short contributions in the annual proceedings volume and will be encouraged to present their work at regional and national disciplinary meetings. The Consortium will run 5-6 projects per year for 28 undergraduate seniors and one project for 6 sophomore students from underrepresented groups in the Earth Sciences. The proposed projects involve a mix of field and laboratory research experiences that will make meaningful scientific contributions in the areas of structural geology, paleontology and paleoecology, and paleoclimatology as well as igneous and metamorphic petrology, sedimentology and stratigraphy, volcanology, geomorphology and geoarchaeology. The yearlong Keck Consortium program enhances students' scientific and geoscience research skills and provides a robust scientific experience culminating in presentation of results at the annual research symposium and publication in the proceedings volume. The Consortium encourages full participation by women and minority groups.