Interested in exploring the variety of geoscience research conducted at NC State? Geoscientists in the Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences are hosting a series of open house events to make their labs and work spaces accessible to students in middle and high school. See below for descriptions of upcoming open house events. For descriptions of previous open house events, please click here. All open house events begin in Jordan Hall, in room 1132, on the NC State campus (see map below).
April 26th, 2018 | 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. | Deadly Landslides, Digital Landscapes, and the Health of Freshwater Clams
Registration Required by Wednesday, April 25th, See Application Below
Gravity never sleeps. Landslides cause $1-2 billion in damages and dozens of fatalities each year in the U.S. Geologist Dr. Karl Wegmann was involved in the government response to the 2014 Oso Landslide disaster in Washington that resulted in 43 fatalities and destroyed 49 homes. He will demonstrate how students can interpret landscapes and geologic deposits by using a combination of high-resolution (LIDAR) topographic maps, satellite images, and results from radiocarbon dating to determine the average number of years between landslides. Students will estimate the likelihood of another Oso-like disaster and steps that scientists, public officials, and citizens can take to minimize future risk.
Geospatial scientists study landscape patterns and how they change due to natural forces and human activities. They process data collected by satellites, airplanes, drones or even smartphones and create digital representations of the landscapes and environment around us. Dr. Helena Mitasova will demonstrate how her team works with these data and simulations of earth surface processes using Tangible Landscape – an interface that allows users to interact with geospatial simulations using 3D sand models of studied landscapes. Multiple users can alter the physical model by hand so the students can collaborate on solving various geospatial problems such as managing surface water flow or storm surge flooding. The system is coupled with immersive virtual environment with realistic 3D rendering so students will be able to plant protective vegetation and then step into the redesigned landscape.
Have you ever walked in a stream? You may have seen a few fish but may not have realized that the stream is full of other critters; some microscopic, some you may have confused with rocks. Dr. Jay Levine, a veterinarian and stream biologist will help students explore the rich diversity of life in freshwater streams. Students will perform experiments to determine the time it takes for freshwater clams to clear algae and leaf debris from water and will characterize, count and sketch the microscopic life they can see through the lens of a microscope.
Geopaths 