Dear Colleagues,
It is widely recognized that field-based training is pedagogically essential for integrating knowledge in the earth and environmental sciences, and it is crucial for employment in the hydrocarbon and environmental industries. But field training is not without its risks, which are inherently different and have the potential to be more severe than classroom-based training.
The National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) and ExxonMobil have been leading the way in improving field safety protocol, which has resulted in the current standards for field safety as documented in the text Field Safety in Uncontrolled Environments: a process-based guidebook as well as a growing number of Field Safety Leadership courses. However, one of the components that is underdeveloped in the current standards are protocols for field-camp-like scenarios where students are spread out over a wide area day after day.
The Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences at the University of Iowa will be hosting a workshop titled Focusing the lens on field safety: a workshop for field trip leaders on November 7-8, 2019. Workshop leaders will include:
Dr. Kurt Burmeister (University of the Pacific) – Director of the NAGT - USGS Cooperative Field Training Program
Dr. Kevin Bohacs (formerly ExxonMobil) – co-author of Field Safety in Uncontrolled Environments: a process-based guidebook
Dr. Greer Barriault (ExxonMobil) – Global Field Safety Coordinator
Dr. Emily Finzel (University of Iowa) – Field Camp Coordinator
This 2-day workshop will include traditional Field Safety Leadership training as well as focused discussions with the goal of developing field safety protocols for dispersed-group field trips.
The workshop is intended for anyone who coordinates field-based learning experiences. There is limited financial assistance available to interested participants. Please contact Emily Finzel ([log in to unmask])
for more information.
To register for the field safety workshop, click here.
Separate from but following the workshop, a 2-day National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) Wilderness First Aid course will be offered on November 9-10, 2019. This course is designed for all experience levels, and especially for those who recreate outdoors where EMS response can be expected in a timely manner. For more details, see the NOLS website.
To register for the NOLS course, click here.
We hope to see you in Iowa this fall!
Emily Finzel