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USGS and the American Ground Water Trust Expand Teacher Institute Program
In January 2005, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the American Ground Water Trust (AGWT) established a formal partnership through a technical agreement to advance the public's understanding of the issues and science relating to water resources. The initial effort will concentrate on expanding the American Ground Water Trust's "Ground Water Institute for Teachers" program, which focuses on educating teachers about ground water and hydrology. The goal is to offer one workshop in each State every year. USGS hydrologist Ann Tihansky and AGWT director Andrew Stone coordinated efforts with Robert Ridky, USGS National Education Coordinator, and Lisa Robbins, director of the USGS Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies in St. Petersburg, FL (a unit of the USGS Florida Integrated Science Center), to define a partnership that will further science education. For the past 5 years, the AGWT has introduced ground-water concepts, ongoing research techniques, and resource-management issues to 790 teachers at 31 institutes in 17 States. The USGS has helped run many of these institutes. Now, with formalization of the partnership, several goals have been established, including expansion of the program so that at least one institute is offered in each State every year in conjunction with the use of USGS ground-water experts across the Nation to enhance public understanding of ground-water issues and research. The expansion may also include workshops for tribal partners and other entities that would benefit from similar educational programs. Ridky said of the partnership, "It's an exemplary initiative because it effectively integrates education and research and links, in a meaningful way, with our professional associates." The USGS will be a highly visible partner in the nationwide 2-day training workshops. USGS involvement with AGWT in developing the teacher-institute programs will serve to deliver a consistent science message nationwide and will connect teachers to locally relevant science programs conducted at the Federal level. All institute participants will receive a package of USGS educational materials and publications that highlight the latest science and research technologies used to address relevant water-resource issues and management practices. Local USGS scientists will be part of each program in several ways: leading field trips, presenting research, assisting in planning, and providing materials. The first of the 2005 institutes will be held at the USGS office in St. Petersburg on June 9 and 10. Other institutes are planned for the two other main USGS Florida Integrated Science Center offices in Miami and Gainesville, and at nine other locations throughout the United States, including Fresno, CA, Branchville, NJ, Denver, CO, Lowell, MA, Allentown, PA, San Antonio, TX, and Claremont, CA. For more information about the Ground Water Institute for Teachers, visit URL http://www.agwt.org/teachers/Institutehome.htm, or contact
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in this issue:
Habitat Mapping to Assess Health of Apalachicola Bay Oyster Fishery Submarine Ground-Water Discharge Along the Suwannee River Delta
Earth Day Celebration at Elementary School Department of Commerce Science and Technology Fellows Visit USGS USGS and American Ground Water Trust Expand Teacher Institute Program Youth Enrichment Service E-Team Visits USGS
USGS National Education Coordinator Visits St. Petersburg Office Kurt Rosenberger Joins the Western Coastal and Marine Geology Team  |
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U. S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
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