Future of Geoscience Undergraduate Education in January of 2014 at the University of Texas at Austin

这次会议将汇集地球科学教育界的广泛领域，对本科地球科学教育进行深入的审查。其目标是开始为21世纪的本科地球科学教育制定愿景和路线图的进程。在为期2.5天的研讨会中，参与者将提出社区需要解决的关键问题，以便制定大胆，知情和可实施的愿景。在过去的17年里，自上一次社区范围的努力以来，地球科学，技术和STEM教育都取得了重大进展。 需要解决的问题包括：我们如何才能最好地准备我们的本科生的研究生院和/或未来的职业生涯在地球科学？本科地球科学课程应该包括什么？学生学习和使用地球科学技术的最佳做法是什么？我们能做些什么来扩大代表性不足的少数民族的参与，增加合格的K-12地球科学教师的数量？本次峰会将促进新的方法，技术和技术的使用，通过汇集具有非常不同的专业知识和背景的参与者来提高学生的学习。首脑会议对话发起的活动的最终结果将是来自不同背景的学生更好地准备使用现代技术，工具和技术解决基本的地球科学问题。 地球科学家在解决能源，水，自然灾害（如地震，火山，海啸，飓风和洪水），矿产资源，气候，环境和可持续性等社会问题方面发挥着至关重要的作用。预计首脑会议后的活动将对未来地球科学家的教育产生深远的影响，提高他们的教育质量和广度，并为未来的职业生涯做好准备。增加他们对自然过程的了解将有助于找到解决社会问题的办法。

This conference will bring together a broad spectrum of the geoscience education community to undertake an in-depth review of undergraduate geoscience education. The objective will be to begin the process that would develop a vision and road map for the community on undergraduate geosciences education for the 21st century. In a 2.5 day workshop, participants will bring to the surface key issues that the community needs to work on in order to set a vision that is audacious, well-informed, and implementable. Over the last 17 years since the last community wide effort, significant advances in the geosciences, in technology, and in STEM education have occurred. Questions that need to be addressed include: How can we best prepare our undergraduate students for graduate school and/or future careers in the geosciences? What should an undergraduate geoscience curriculum cover? What are best practices for student learning and use of technology in the geosciences? What can we do to broaden the participation of underrepresented minorities and increase the number of qualified K-12 geoscience teachers?This summit will catalyze new approaches, techniques, and uses of technology to enhance student learning by bringing together participants with very different expertise and backgrounds. The ultimate outcome of the activities initiated by the summit conversations will be students from diverse backgrounds better prepared to address fundamental geoscience questions using modern technology, tools and techniques. Geoscientists play a critically important role in addressing societal issues such as energy, water, natural hazards (e.g. earthquakes, volcanos, tsunamis, hurricanes, and floods), mineral resources, climate, environment, and sustainability. It is expected that the post-summit activities will have a profound impact on the education of future geoscientists, increasing the quality and breadth of their education and preparation for future careers. An increase in their understanding of natural processes will help find solutions to society's problems.