FUNDED PROJECTS
EOFS
Bridging the disciplines of geography and geology, the Earth Observatory Field School (EOFS) delivers hands-on collaborative training to our future researchers and decision-makers, and equips them with the skills and perspectives needed to confront the challenges posed by climate change
Category: Incubator Grant
University:
University of the Basque Country, University of Galway, Uppsala University
Climate change is the greatest socio-economic force of the 21st Century, creating uncertainty and undermining societal foundations. Bridging the disciplines of geography and geology, the Earth Observatory Field School (EOFS) delivers hands-on collaborative training to our future researchers and decision-makers, and equips them with the skills and perspectives needed to confront the challenges posed by climate change. Our initiative comprises a pilot study for a blended field-based curriculum unified around the theme ‘society in a changing climate’ and sustained by the expertise of top researchers in Galway, Uppsala, and País Vasco. Upon implementation, 15 undergraduate students annually will undertake an integrated in-class curriculum to prepare for the immersive international EOFS. The latter will rotate annually among the three host countries and seeks to bring our students together to (1) jointly identify knowledge gaps in climate and (2) nurture the acquisition of analytical skills via hands-on experience. Specifically, student participants will develop proficiency in such areas as:
- Field/study site appraisal and selection
- Sediment core extraction and lab-based analysis of sedimentary archives
- Interpretation of geological stratigraphies
- Cosmogenic nuclide geochronology theory and applications
- Mapping sedimentary rocks, including climatic interpretations and changes in deep time
- Identification and assessment of modern geohazards
The overarching goal of the EOFS is to strengthen the geoscience capabilities of our most promising students and fuel their fascination in the intersection of humanity and the physical world that sustains us. Both aspects are fundamental to growing Europe's capacity for cutting-edge research, elevating scientific literacy, and filling the myriad geoscience roles needed to help us achieve – and sustain – a just, green transition.
Participants and Stakeholders
Coordinator: Gordon Bromley
Other Partner Institutions: Uppsala University, University of the Basque Country
Team Composition:
- Gordon Bromley and Aaron Potito (Galway), hosts of Irish field school;
- Sebastian Willman and Aodhán Dermot Butler (Uppsala), hosts of Swedish field school;
- Josu Aranbarri, Askoa Ibisate and Ibai Rico (Basque Country), hosts of Spanish field school.
Objectives
General objectives of the EOFS include:
- Providing students a robust analytical foundation of the field and laboratory skills needed to mount cutting-edge research and progress to specialised fields
- Cultivating a holistic approach to scientific enquiry that acknowledges the often-complex interplay of human and natural systems
- Nurturing students’ confidence to develop independent lines of inquiry and to synthesise and share their findings/experiences publicly
- Reinforcing via first-hand experience the role of collaboration in problem solving, identification of knowledge gaps, and effective communication
- Understanding climate change through time
Contact
- Contact Person(s): Gordon Bromley
Additional information
The EOFS capitalises on the unique natural laboratories that are our native landscapes and which, coupled with staff expertise, span 3 pillars of geoscience: resource management; future climate projection; geohazard mitigation. Our links with UNESCO geoparks in Ireland, Sweden, and Spain will focus student learning on world-class material, while enabling students to experience the scientific and public ends of the stakeholder spectrum. This alliance is vital to nurturing a sense of public ownership of science and our responsibility as knowledge creators to convey that knowledge to our partners, our broader communities, and our decision-makers.
The EOFS is a key step towards our mutual objective of building cohesion and trust among our programmes and institutions, with the overarching goal of further integration in the coming years. The existing geography-geoscience offerings of the University of Galway, Uppsala University, and University of the Basque Country are highly complementary in ethos and student impact; by uniting our expertise via ENLIGHT incubator and Erasmus+, we will equip the next generation of researchers and decision-makers with a potent future-proof professional skillset and the collaborative mindset required to sustain society in a changing climate.