Penn State students to participate in earthquake research

Penn State students to participate in earthquake research

Officials with Penn State University have recently announced that working teachers enrolled in the school's online master of education in earth sciences program will have the opportunity to participate in a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution project to explore earthquake swarms.

The three-year project, funded by the National Science Foundation, is designed to help current secondary school teachers develop a strong, hands-on approach to science.

"Research shows that teachers who participate in science have students who do much better in science," said Eliza Richardson, lead faculty member for the university's online program. "If we can turn teachers into inspiring science teachers, this program will have done its job."

Specifically, students will use the results of their research to develop teaching plans to bring back to their own classrooms. Additionally, teachers enrolled in the program may have the opportunity to receive a $10,000 stipend to help publish and present their research at national conferences.

Penn State's 30-credit master of education program is offered online through the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences' Department of Geosciences.

By Mark Danson