GeoFORCE Alaska: 2015 Annual Report

sediment

ancient environments

2015

volcanoes

TECTONICS

2015 GeoFORCE Alaska Annual Report Published October 2015

4-5 welcome 6-7 why 8-9 results 10-11 from the field

12-13 documentary success 14-15 finances 16-17 thank you, sponsors 18-19 2015 academy

20-21

looking back

22-25

congrats, grads

26-27

looking ahead to 2016

(L): GeoFORCE Alaska at the Snake River Overlook, Grand Teton National Park, 2015. Thank you to Colby Wright for 2015 academy photos.

sarah’s letter

from the director

Dear friends of GeoFORCE Alaska: In July 2015, the first GeoFORCE Alaska cohort embarked on their fourth and final field academy. Over the course of ten eventful days, they greeted their peers with enthusiasm, navigated airports with confidence, volunteered observations in the field, and took selfies in front of erupting geysers and articulated dinosaur skeletons.

The tremendous personal and academic growth evinced by the students as they engaged in collaborative presentations or discussed plans for college led me to reflect on the unique and valuable nature of the GeoFORCE experience.

GeoFORCE is the only four-year summer science program available to Alaskan high school students; fifteen of the sixteen 8th graders who entered the program in 2012 returned for four years, and all eighteen students who participated in at least three summer academies are on track to graduate from high school. GeoFORCE Alaska is the only summer program for rural students with a geoscience emphasis; 60% of the first cohort plan to major in science or engineering and 28% plan to major in geology or earth science.

GeoFORCE Alaska is the only program that offers high school students the opportunity to complete field-based projects at spectacular geologic locations within and beyond Alaska; 0% of our students think science is boring.

GeoFORCE Alaska is designed to promote high school graduation and encourage pursuit of a college education; we have been overwhelmingly successful on both fronts.

The GeoFORCE program works, and our students’ achievements demonstrate that it works in Alaska. This year we will solicit applications for a new, larger cohort of 8th and 9th grade students from the North Slope and Northwest Arctic Boroughs. Program Coordinator Anne Rittgers and I are deeply grateful to our sponsors for the opportunity to impact the futures of 40 high school students from rural Alaskan communities over the next four years. Participation in GeoFORCE expands options and changes lives. Thank you for making it all possible.

GeoFORCE Alaska Director Associate Professor, UAF Dept. of Geosciences

GeoFORCE Alaska 2015 Annual Report

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WHY GeoFORCE Alaska?

Alaska is in need of a more diverse and prepared Alaskan workforce.

North Slope residents with degrees in STEM fields bring a valuable perspective to management of Alaska’s natural resources. However, schools in the North Slope Borough report a dropout rate of ~10% in grades 7-12 for an overall high school graduation rate of ~60%. At the college level, Alaska Native students are underrepresented in UAF science degree programs, particularly chemistry, physics, and geology.

GeoFORCE Alaska is designed to engage students early, demonstrate the relevance of science in their everyday lives, foster an interest in high school science and math courses, promote graduation and pursuit of higher education, and increase the number and diversity of Alaska residents entering Alaska’s technical workforce.

In 2015, GeoFORCE Alaska graduated 18 students from the program.

Ten students hailed from Barrow, one from Kaktovik, three from Nuiqsut, one from Point Hope, and three from Wainwright.

Read more about our methodology on our website, www.geoforce.alaska.edu

GeoFORCE Alaska students and staff celebrate the first-year academy in 2012 on top of the Matanuska Glacier.

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GeoFORCE Alaska 2015 Annual Report

“Ever sin through things ev have a se guys, I h all, I am graduate

nce this last year’s GeoFORCE trip, and getting accepted to UAF h the program, I have been more motivated to stay on top of ven in a school this big. I have a better look at my education. I et goal that motivates me to do better for myself. Without you honestly don’t think I would have set these goals. Thanks to you m doing a lot better than before.” -Alfred, GeoFORCE Alaska e

Results

1516 of the

students who entered the program in 2012 returned for all four years.

Students completed an anonymous exit survey at the end of each field academy in order to track changes in self assessment, perceptions of geoscience, and career interests.

Between 2012 and 2015, interest in STEM careers rose from 38% to 72%, and the number of students planning to pursue a career in geosciences more than doubled.

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GeoFORCE Alaska 2015 Annual Report

Whereas the number of students in the cohort rose from 16 in 2012 to 18 in 2015, the number of students indicating that they ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’ to statements about the value of geosciences and their own scientific abilities increased at a higher rate. In particular, the number of students planning to attend UAF rose from 2 to 10.

Each year, all of our students showed great improvement and passed the final exam with an 80% or higher. During the second, third, and fourth-year academies there was one perfect score on the final exam each year.

Four year pre-test average:

44%

Four year post-test average:

90%

“The success of the first cohort has proven that GeoFORCE model is working to get North Slope students

interested in geology and other math and science subjects. These are important skills for future employment in the oil industry which plays such a critical role on the North Slope.”

-Lisa Pekich, ConocoPhillips GeoFORCE Alaska 2015 Annual Report

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“Ever since this last year’s GeoFORCE trip, and getting accepted to UAF through the program, I have been more motivated to stay on top of things even in a school this big. I have a better look at my education. I have a set goal that motivates me to do better for myself. Without you guys, I honestly don’t think I would have set these goals. Thanks to you all, I am doing a lot better than before.”

-Alfred, GeoFORCE Alaska student

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GeoFORCE Alaska 2015 Annual Report

A film about GeoFORCE Alaska won a prestigious award at the 52nd Annual Regional Emmy Awards ceremony on June 6 in Seattle, Washington.

The film “GeoFORCE: A Journey to Understanding” won a High School Award of Excellence in the category of short form non-fiction at the Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ceremony. The awards ceremony celebrates the most outstanding video productions from five Northwest states — Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. NATAS is one of three sister organizations that give Emmy Awards to various sectors of television and broadband programming. It also offers special awards for high school students.

Two students — Leo Pfeifer and Raven Two Feathers — from the Ballard High School Digital Filmmaking Program in Seattle created the film about the free outreach program, GeoFORCE Alaska.

The film documents the physical and personal journey of 20 students as they traveled through Washington and Oregon to explore volcanoes, coastlines and their capacity to learn at a college level. Two Feathers interviewed the students and helped shape the movie’s storyline while Pfeifer filmed and edited the movie.

Pfeifer said, “I think the film won because of the incredible stories that we were lucky enough to be able to tell. More than flashy camera work or special effects, I think that people connect with stories that are important and authentic, and what the students had to say provided that to those who watched the film.”

GeoFORCE Alaska director Sarah Fowell enlisted the high school students’ help through her brother, Matt Lawrence, director of Ballard High School’s Digital Filmmaking Program.

“That this organization of television professionals selected the GeoFORCE production for the award is high praise for Leo and Raven,” Lawrence said. “They’re talented students. I look forward to seeing their future productions.”

Go www.geoforce.alaska.edu to see the full video.

GeoFORCE Alaska 2015 Annual Report 13

GeoFORCE Alaska Financial Status GeoFORCE Alaska Program Income Sponsor Name ASRC ASRC Energy Services Autaaqtuq Fund BP ConocoPhillips ExxonMobil Granite Construction Great Bear Petroleum Halliburton Energy Services Lynden Inc. Linc Energy Mapmakers Alaska Olgoonik Repsol Schlumberger Shell SolstenXP Statoil Anonymous Donor Annual Totals

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2012 $16,626 $10,000 $55,393 $5,000 $500 $25,000 $50,000 $50,000 $10,000 $222,519

GeoFORCE Alaska 2015 Annual Report

2013 $36,911 $5,664 $20,000 $1,000 $50,000 $2,000 $25,000 $50,000 $15,000 $25,000 $230,575

2014 $52,000 $1,500 $5,000 $25,000 $500 $50,000 $2,500 $1,000 $10,000 $75,000 $1,500 $224,000

2015 $35,000 $20,000 $45,000 $10,000 $25,000 $50,000 $5,000 $1,000 $5,000 $2,500 $100,000 $3,000 $301,500

Total $140,537 $7,164 $20,000 $45,000 $15,000 $80,000 $1,500 $205,393 $5,000 $500 $2,500 $5,000 $4,000 $5,000 $62,500 $275,000 $65,000 $29,500 $10,000 $978,594

follow geoforcealaska on instagram to see more photos

GeoFORCE Alaska Expenses, FY 15: 9/1/14-8/31/15 At UAF

In-Kind

At UT

Total

Operating Expenses Staff salary + Benefits Director Program Coordinator CNSM Office Support Office Expenses Outreach Travel

$13,534.31 $71,901.17 $20,000.00 $1,803.82 $8,202.10 $11,389.01 -

Academy Expenses GFA 11 2014 Academy Expenses GFA 12 2015 Academy Expenses Personnel Materials and Services Meals Transportation Lodging Total GeoFORCE Alaska Expenses

$363.90

-

-

$13,534.31 $71,901.17 $20,000.00 $1,803.82 $8,202.10 $11,389.01

-

$363.90

$7,749.00 $11,676.94 $4,341.09 $4,459.44 $4,028.59 $4,733.25 $2,797.69 $30,658.91 $3,944.74 $2,436.00 $14,602.63 $135,882.53 $55,000.00 $27,740.06

End of FY15 Carry Forward

$91,428.28 $7,749.00 $20,477.47 $8,761.84 $37,401.34 $17,038.63 $218,622.59 $189,338.59

GeoFORCE Alaska 2016 Budget: Est. Expenses 9/1/15 - 8/31/16 Operating Expenses Breakdown Total Staff salary + Benefits $94,700.00 Director

$14,000

Program Coordinator

$80,700

Outreach Office Expenses Travel First-Year 2015 Academy Expenses (40 students) Total Personnel

$20,100

Total Materials and Services

$13,178

Total Meals

$20,213

Total Transportation

$49,840

Total Lodging

$35,669

Contingency

$5,000

Total Estimated 2015 Expenses

$8,000.00 $5,000.00 $10,000.00 $144,000.00

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$261,700.00

thank you, 2015 sponsors:

P l at i n u m L e v e l Autaaqtuq Fund Gold Level

S i lv e r L e v e l

Copper Level Generous contributions from these sponsors are what makes the GeoFORCE experience possible for our students.

We thank you for your generosity.

quyanaqpaq, taikuu, thank you!

THANK YOU!!

GeoFORCE Alaska 2015 Annual Report 17

2015 Fourth-Year Academy Structural Geology and Tectonics of Rocky Mountain Region

Objectives: • Recognize folds and faults in the field • Understand the role of plate tectonics in the development of the Rocky Mountains • Reconstruct the structural history of deformed rocks • Explain the relationship between volcanoes and hydrothermal features • Experience life on a major university campus

Field stop locations: Utah: Antelope Island, G.K. Gilbert Geologic View Park, Little Cottonwood Canyon, Thistle Landslide, Green River Formation, Castle Gate, Willow Creek, Dinosaur National Monument Wyoming: South Pass, Red Canyon, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Mammoth Hot Springs

The People: Director/Educational Coach: Sarah Fowell Coordinator: Anne Rittgers Coordinator, UT: Lindsay Stephens Instructor: Peter Flaig Education Coach, UT: Erin Balazs Trail Driver: Matt Seymour Counselors, UAF: Kailyn Davis, Colby Wright, Emily Jones Counselors, UT: Denise Castillo, Hector Garza, Rachel Ruthven Night Counselors, UAF: Keith Sheard, Jordan Widman Sponsor Representatives: Jason Burt, Schlumberger; Denise Butler, Shell; Rachel Murphy, BP; and Josh Payne, Shell.

GeoFORCE studying ancient marine terrances from a viewpoint on Antelope Island, Great Salt Lake, Utah.

Students from GeoFORCE Alaska and GeoFORCE Texas were brought together on this trip for the first time ever.

Pictured is the group at Dinosaur National Monument.

The Alaska group poses for a group picture in Grand Teton National Park at the Snake River Overlook.

Director Sarah Fowell teaches a GeoFORCE student how to take strike and dip measurements in the field.

GeoFORCE Alaska 2015 Annual Report 19

2015

2014

2013

2012

GeoFORCE Alaska 2015 Annual Report 21

CONGRAT ULATIONS, GeoFORCE GRADS!!

Alynne, Barrow

Ariel, Wainwright

Chelsea, Kaktovik

Frances, Wainwright

Cynthia, Barrow

Sheldon, Nuiqsut

Kimberly, Barrow

Weston, Barrow

Angel, Barrow

GeoFORCE Alaska Class of 2016

LoLo, Wainwright

Justin, Barrow

Braden, Barrow

Jazzfer, Barrow

Alfred, Point Hope

Monika, Barrow

Satchel, Barrow

Elijah, Nuiqsut

Jerry, Nuiqsut

Aarigaa and Congratulations GeoFORCE!!

We are so proud of you. Sticking with this assures our region’s future is in good hands! May you enjoy continued success.

Great Job!

-Lis

-Hazel Blackburn, Shell Oil

You are the best!

-Teresa Imm, ASRC

I am sooooo proud of this group!

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-Karen Bryant Duncan, Great Bear Petroleum

GeoFORCE Alaska 2015 Annual Report

THANK YOU!!

! Keep up the hard work!!

sa Pekich, ConocoPhillips

to these four-year sponsors that have supported GeoFORCE Alaska from the beginning, 2012-present:

Congratulations and good luck to you all!

-Tom Homza, Shell

Congratulations on your participation in the GeoFORCE Alaska program. It is our hope that it provides you with excitement and encouragement to pursue your education to the next level.

Wishing you all the best for your future.

- Hank Jamieson, ExxonMobil

GeoFORCE Alaska will solicit applications for a new, larger cohort of 8th and 9th grade students from the North Slope and Northwest Arctic Boroughs.

Students with a B average or better in math and science courses may submit an application through our website, along with a transcript, an essay responding to the given prompt, and a teacher recommendation.

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GeoFORCE Alaska 2015 Annual Report

Looking ahead:

Alaska Academy May 27 - June 3, 2016 Objectives: • Identify sedimentary rocks • Examine environments of deposition • Reconstruct sequences of events based on the rock record • Understand how rivers and glaciers are agents of both erosion and deposition • Experience life on a major university campus Field Stop locations: • University of Alaska Fairbanks • Fox Permafrost Tunnel • Fort Knox gold mine • UA Museum of the North • Healy coal deposits • Denali National Park • Kincaid Park • University of Alaska Anchorage • Matanuska Glacier • Portage Glacier GeoFORCE Alaska 2015 Annual Report 27

GeoFORCE Alaska

College of Natural Science and Mathematics University of Alaska Fairbanks PO Box 755940 Fairbanks, AK 99775 907-474-5313 907-474-5101 fax geoforce@alaska.edu

www.geoforce.alaska.edu