Jennifer Anderson
Winona State University
Preparing for an Academic Career
July 2013

Interdisciplinary
• What does this mean?
• How are you/your research interdisciplinary?
Institute for Computational Earth System Science http://www.icess.ucsb.edu/

How about outside of the Geosciences?
• What are some examples?
• How might you/your interests stretch beyond the
Geosciences?

What is the benefit?
• “As a discipline, geoscience often struggles to find a place at the scientific table.” o Manduca & Kastens (2012) Geoscience & Geoscientists: Uniquely Equipped to Study Earth.
GSA Special Paper 486, p.1-12.

What is the benefit?
• Many problems we currently face are geosciencerelated and very interdisciplinary.
• The more people exposed to Geoscience, the better!

What is the benefit?
• Make Geoscience invaluable; sneak it in everywhere.
o Departmental self-preservation.
Science Lab Center, Winona State University

Within Geoscience
• We are very used to thinking between the sub-disciplines of
Geoscience.
o Emphasize sub-disciplines within classes.
o Interdisciplinary research projects with students.
o Co-teach, if possible.
o Don’t assume the students pick up on this; show them!
Anorthosite inclusions within the Duluth Complex;
Two Harbors, MN © JLB Anderson

Within the Sciences
• Again, fairly obvious.
o Physics, Chemistry, Biology o Mathematics o Computer Science o Engineering
Terasaki, et al. (2011) EPSL v 304, p. 559-564.
Science1.nasa.gov

Outside of STEM
• Liberal Arts o Visual & Performance Art o Politics, Economics, Sociology o Literature, History o Recreation & Tourism
• Business
• Medical Professions
• ???
Physics field trip to an off-the-grid farm
© Nathan Moore http://science.house.gov

and
walk into a classroom…?

Our Motivation…
• The world and people are interdisciplinary
• Break down artificial barriers for our students and for ourselves
• Explore science through movement

Time in Motion
An interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to the concept of Time through the fields of Dance and
Geoscience

Kinesthetic Learning
Cherilynn Morrow, Space Science Institute

Pendulum Clocks
How is your body like a pendulum?

And in the Lab
In the Field

Student Response
“I feel more relaxed about learning scientific concepts.
Dance… helped me understand in a way
I might not have been able to otherwise…”

With K-12 Students and the General Public
• Outreach in the Schools
• “In-Reach” at the Univ.
• Public Events
• Cub/Girl Scouts
• Retirees

With Pre-Service Teachers
• Whether you know it or not, they are in your classes.
o General Education, Intro-level, Upper-level
• Point out the connections between sciences, other disciplines, and education.
Investigative Science III:
Earth & Life Science
Interdisciplinary Earth,
Space, and Life Science for
Elementary Education
Majors

Challenges
• Time & Support
• Team-Teaching?
• Department Culture
• Majors vs. Non-Majors
• Student Resistance
“I didn’t see a connection
[between science and dance]…”

Should I do this?
• Incredibly rewarding
• Lots of fun
• Affects a broader audience
• I’m constantly learning from others
• Be comfortable. Have fun with this!
• Show / tell / demonstrate connections in our world to students of all ages.