November 2023

Submitted by Dr. Linda De La Garza, Professor of Chemistry

The Southwestern Georgia STEM Pathways Alliance (SWGA-SPA) sponsored a Summer Research Bridge Camp for scholars and associate scholars of participating institutions. Students from Georgia Southwestern, ABAC, Columbus Tech and Columbus State University, attended the camp along Valdosta State University students during May 30 to June 3, 2023.

The SWGA-SPA is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program, created to provide support to underrepresented minority (URM) students (African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders).

The Summer Bridge Camp was hosted by Columbus State University and Columbus Tech, and included sessions on robotics, electrofishing, cybersecurity, chemistry, and environmental science. The program also included activities related to career and professional development, students participated in a session on bioethics, and workshops on possible selves and establishing confidence to be successful in STEM fields.

The student participants David Vasquez (CHEM), Caidyn Carr (CHEM), Alma Diaz (GEOS), Vanessa Brignolle (BIOL), Opeyemi Oladejo (ENGR), and Hector Prieto (PHYS), were accompanied by Dr. Jason Allard (GEOS), LSAMP mentor coordinator, and Dr. Sandra Trowell (MATH), LSAMP assistant coordinator.

The interdisciplinary aspect of the camp helped students to experience applications of their majors and collaborate with students on other STEM fields in support of their objective of seeking advanced degrees after graduation from VSU. LSAMP at VSU hosted a similar camp on June 2021.

“We are very proud of the work of the LSAMP Scholars at VSU” – said Dr. Linda de la Garza (CHEM), co-PI and VSU LSAMP activities coordinator. “We invite interested students from the College of Science and Mathematics to join our activities, we will have sessions with speakers and workshops during the fall and spring semesters.”

The goal of this LSAMP program is to transform the STEM learning environment by significantly increasing the number of URM majors graduating with baccalaureate degrees and applying to graduate programs in the STEM disciplines.

To learn more about the LSAMP program: https://www.valdosta.edu/csm/lsamp.php

To follow LSAMP at VSU on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LSAMPatVSU/

Instagram: lsamp_at_vsu

Since 2003, Dr. Mark Groszos, Associate Professor of Geosciences, has coordinated the logistics for GEOL 3120, spending over 100 hours planning each year for the trip. From the driving route to overnight accommodations, there are many details that have to be finalized prior to embarking on the trip. Groszos believes the hands-on experience students gain in the field makes it worth the effort because when the students “see things firsthand, up close, things click into place.”.

Geosciences Faculty and Staff posing for a group photograph before hiking in to a slot canyon. — *Faculty and Students before hiking into a slot canyon.*

Previous years have taken them to locations as far as North Dakota and Yellowstone National Park, and overall, they are able to avoid most of the crowds since the trip is held in May before the summer tourist season.

They also avoid the more popular areas and instead select lesser-visited locations. Over 150 students have participated in this course since it was first offered, experiencing geologic areas that aren’t found in southern Georgia, such as volcanics and caves. This year’s destinations included some of the most well-known national and state parks in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona including Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon, among many others.

Students standing on an overlook at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

Prior to leaving their classroom in Nevins Hall and heading west, students research the areas they will be visiting and then once on-site at their destination, students give oral presentations on-site about that particular location. And as for living in the field? Dr. Groszos said some students have never set up a tent before, much less slept in one. After a long day of travel across Texas and arriving at the campsite after dark, one of his favorite things to see is the look of wonder the students have that first morning waking up in Van Horn, Texas surrounded by mountains, a favorite memory shared by 2021 VState graduate Ben Singletary. Ben works as a GIS specialist at the South Georgia Regional Commission and says his favorite memory of the 2019 trip was “driving through the western portion of Texas, reason being that it is the first time I had ever seen mountains before.”.

Michael Williams, an environmental geosciences major, participated in this year’s field trip and decided to take the course because he had never traveled to the western United States and was interested to see the geology of the area. He was able to apply what he learned in the classroom at VState by identifying minerals, volcanoes, and landforms in the field. Regarding the program, Williams says “I like the Environmental Geosciences program because it is interesting to learn about the earth and its processes, then we get to see them in real life.”.

A student is presenting a lesson on the rim of the Grand Canyon with the scenic landscape in the background. — *The Grand Canyon served as an outside classroom, photo courtesy Dr. Mark Groszos*.

The value of classroom knowledge and being able to apply it in the field is echoed by Dr. Groszos who says the bottom line is that “the more rocks you see, the better you are.”

For more information regarding the Geosciences program, check out https://www.valdosta.edu/chemistry-geosciences/geosciences/.

Tents set up at the Wahweap Campground on Lake Powell in Page, Utah — *Wahweap Campground on Lake Powell in Page, Utah – photo courtesy Mark Groszos*.

A student delivers a presentation to other students within a slot canyon at Zion National Park — *Student gives a presentation in the field to the class at Zion National Park, photo courtesy Dr. Mark Groszos*.

Students standing in front of El Capitan in Texas. — *Students standing in front of El Capitan in Texas, photo courtesy Dr. Mark Groszos*

Students and Dr. Mark Groszos stand in front of a van outside of Nevins Hall on the campus of VState after returning from their trip. — *Geosciences students and Dr. Mark Groszos after the 6400 mile trip.*

Month: November 2023

LSAMP Students Participate in Summer Research Bridge Camp

“The More Rocks You See, The Better You Are.”