Research and exploration happen around the world every day. Whether it’s medical, psychological or physical, those around us can extend their knowledge to help people better understand our world. Dr. Daniel Kelley, Dean of STEM, continues to extend his knowledge and teaches others about the geologic processes and the composition of rocks from volcanos by leading field geology explorations of Iceland, the Galapagos Islands and the Ecuadorian Andes.
In his years as a graduate student, Kelley visited Iceland multiple times for research and collaborations purposes. His experiences led him to create and lead study abroad programs for students at Louisiana State University and Bowling Green State University as a faculty member. The programs were initially for senior level geology students but he then created a program for students from all majors of study to gain a general education natural science credit while they had the opportunity to explore another country and learn about Iceland and Ecuador first hand.
His exploration did not end in Iceland. Kelley then created a program in field geology through South Dakota School of Mines which was delivered in the Galapagos Islands and the Ecuadorian Andes. “Over the years of working in the Galapagos Islands, I have developed an interest in the balance between conservation of this unique ecosystem and the educational and environmental based tourism that brings people to visit,” said Kelley. In 2019, Kelley authored a book exploring the topic of sustainable tourism. The book was awarded Best Earth Science book of 2019 by the Natural History Museum of London.
Recently, Kelley has developed a relationship with GEOetc., a company dedicated to geoscience education. Through it, he offers an annual professional development program for K-12 science educators. On the nine-day trip, teachers and geologists from around the U.S. and the world tour the Galapagos Islands. “I enjoy sharing this experience, which is once-in-a-lifetime for most, to one of the most famous, influential and unique natural settings on the planet,” Kelley said. “These trips inspire teachers to share the themes of sustainability and conservation with their students in the classroom for the rest of their career.”
Kelley plans to work with the faculty of the Department of Life and Natural Sciences at Owens to create an opportunity to take students on the explorations in the future. “These trips provide for the learning of natural science content in a much more powerful way than can be done in the classroom, Kelley said. “I find it highly rewarding to pay this opportunity forward to as many students as possible.”
Kelley will host another trip June 22 – July 5, 2024.
To learn more about Dr. Kelley’s explorations, visit www.dankelleygeology.com.