Past Event! Note: this event has already taken place.
| When: | Wednesday, September 21st, 2022 |
| Time: | 2:00 pm — 3:00 pm |
| Location: | A Zoom Webinar Event Register |
| Audience: | Anyone |
| Contact: | Moira McGrath, moira.mcgrath@carleton.ca |
Did you know that in the last billion years our National Capital has been home to a huge mountain chain, a tropical beach a habitat for large whales and buried under 2 kilometers of ice? All of these statements are true and all part of our shared geoheritage.
Geoheritage is the non-living part of our natural heritage, the base that establishes our landforms, supports our local ecosystems, provides resources and services, and gives us a glimpse into past environments and lifeforms that thrived on this spot in ancient times. Understanding the processes that shaped our region connects us to the land, helps us understand how big systems affect our local environment and can help provide solutions for challenges we face today.
Join Beth as she takes us on a tour of some exceptional and unexpected geological sites near you, and find out how you can visit them during Geoheritage Day, October 8th. Beth will also tell us all about a special event planned to mark the first annual UNESCO International Geodiversity Day, happening October 6th.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Beth McLarty Halfkenny is the Curator and Outreach Coordinator for the Department of Earth Sciences at Carleton University. With a BSc Geology from University of Western Ontario, experience in geochemical laboratory research, field mapping, high-school teaching support and informal education, Beth has shaped the Department’s geoscience outreach program to best serve local teachers, students and the wider community, helping them to understand the importance of geoscience in the everyday lives of people.
Along with facilitating classroom visits, developing teaching resources and activities and running summer camps and teacher professional development workshops, Beth created a successful public outreach event called Geoheritage Day, held annually each Fall, to help residents of the National Capital Region learn about the geological history that has shaped the landscape they call home.
Beth is a member of the Ottawa-Gatineau Geoheritage Project (OGGP), the National Committee for the EdGEO Canadian Earth Science Teacher Workshop Program (EdGEO), is the Past President of the Canadian Geoscience Education Network (CGEN), and currently serves as President of the Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences (CFES). Beth is a National Geographic Certified Educator, and was awarded the 2019 Geological Association of Canada (GAC) E.R. Ward Neale Medal for sustained outstanding efforts in sharing Earth science with Canadians.