Last week, El Paso Community College (EPCC) hosted its 4th annual Earth Science Week with a showcase of hands-on activities and educational talks that centered around the theme, “Energy Resources for Our Future." According to the El Paso Community College (EPCC), the Transmountain Campus came alive with students, educators, and community members diving into the realms of geology, environmental science, and the critical topic of sustainable energy.
Key highlights included interactive demonstrations and a photography contest where EPCC students captured the essence of energy and its environmental impact. According to EPCC, the event also featured a “tinker table," allowing attendees, invited to tackle real-world STEAM challenges, to get their hands dirty by constructing their own energy-related devices.
Some of the guest speakers at the event, elucidating on diverse topics within Earth sciences, included Gabriel Garcia, CEO of Aurum Tech LLC, who imparted knowledge on biotechnology and soil regeneration. “We're showing the students the work we are doing, the PH levels, dry ice, charts, and demonstrations of what we are learning in class," EPCC Biology major Jaqueline Sanchez told EPCC in an interview regarding the practical sessions.
Additionally, the event acted as a national awareness beacon, part of a larger initiative by the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) to promote Earth Science education. Dr. John Olgin, EPCC Physics and Astronomy Instructor and a coordinator for the celebratory week, underscored the importance of such events. With devices built from scratch at the tinker table, he expressed his delight to EPCC, "In collaboration with Campus Life, we were thrilled to engage students in the many career opportunities within the geosciences, especially in satellite data and remote sensing."
Overall, the event highlighted the vitality of active participation and innovation in fostering not just an understanding but also a stewardship towards Earth sciences and its relevant applications in our rapidly changing world.
