Sarah Laxton sent us more details to entice everyone to join us in Whitehorse.

Outreach Session & Teacher Workshop at the GAC-MAC Meeting June 1-3, 2016
Please consider submitting an abstract and attending the Outreach Session at the GAC-MAC Meeting in Whitehorse, Yukon.  We hope that this will be a fun and useful setting for all CGEN members to explore and share ideas on using websites for education and outreach. Abstracts submissions open January 1, 2016! Join us as well for the Teacher workshop on Friday June 3, and the CGEN AGM on June 4.

Outreach Session
Whitehorse, Yukon, June 2, 2016

Making the most of Earth science websites to support outreach and education Special Session 10 (SS10)
Session co-chairs: Eileen Van der Flier-Keller, Sarah Laxton, Charly Bank, Beth McLarty Halfkenny, Miriam Vos-Guenter
As the "Four Billion Years and Counting" website joins sites such as Earthlinks, Careers in Earth Science, and EdGEO, which are important for Earth science outreach and education in Canada and elsewhere, this session provides an opportunity to share ideas, experiences and insights for making the most of digital resources to engage young people, support teachers and promote public awareness of the importance of Earth science to society.
Abstracts submissions open: January 1, 2016
Abstract submission deadline: January 31, 2016

Teacher Workshop , June 3, 2016
CGEN & EdGEO Teacher Professional Development Workshop
This full-day Earth Science instructional development workshop will include a hands-on learning session and field trip to local geologic exposures. The themes that will be explored include Earth science classroom teaching resources and activities, the geology of the Whitehorse area, and curriculum connections. The workshop is of interest to elementary, secondary educators, including those in social studies, science, and geography. This is a recognized In-Service Professional Development activity for Yukon Teachers.
​
To register for the Workshop contact: Sarah Laxton, Outreach Geologist, Yukon Geological Survey sarah.laxton@gov.yk.ca, phone (867) 393-7187

​GAC-MAC conference website: http://whitehorse2016.ca/

When: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Friday, January 29, 2016 (following the Mineral Exploration Roundup).
 
Where: Boardroom of the Geological Survey of Canada, 15th Floor, 605 Robson St.
 
RSVP:  Let Sarah Laxton (sarah.laxton@gov.yk.ca) know if you will be attending all or part of the meeting, and of any items you would like added to the agenda. 
 
An agenda for the regional meeting will be sent out early January.

The next CGEN Annual General Meeting will be held in Whitehorse on Saturday, June 4. It will be a workshop with a focus on how CGEN can better serve its members' needs and better communicate with them. If you are attending Whitehorse 2016 (the joint annual meeting of the geological and mineralogical associations of Canada), June 1-3, please add another day and join us. Your thoughts and input will help us shape CGEN.

Whitehorse 2016 (whitehorse2016.ca ) will have a full program of outreach with a special session on Making the most of Earth Science websites to support outreach and education and an EdGEO Teachers Workshop with a field trip focusing on the history of the Whitehorse Copper Belt (Friday, June 3). We are hoping that the special session will be scheduled on the Thursday.
If you are interested in attending the teachers’ workshop and/or the CGEN AGM, please let me know (cgen@sympatico.ca).

​Also, CGEN has a new public facebook page. It’s a good place to share news from your group. Join it www.facebook.com/CGEN2CanadianGeoscienceEducationNetwork

The minutes for CGEN’s annual general meeting are now posted at http://earthsciencescanada.com/cgen/index.php?page=minutes-of-meetings. It was held May 7 at Montreal’s stunning Redpath Museum. Take a few minutes to read the minutes and find out what was discussed and learn of all the many activities underway with our members.

Our next AGM will be held in conjunction with Whitehorse 2016, June 1-3, 2016. The date of the CGEN meeting is still to be set – stay tuned! Whitehorse 2016 promises to be an excellent conference with a full program of education/outreach activities. Details at: http://whitehorse2016.ca/

The agenda for our AGM follows.  Everyone is welcome to attend, and all members are invited to give a short report on their activities. If you are coming to the meeting, please let me know at cgen@sympatico.ca. Looking forward to seeing old and new friends. Christy

Canadian Geoscience Education Network Annual General Meeting
3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., Thursday, May 7, 2015
Laboratory, Redpath Museum
859 Sherbrooke Street West
Montreal, Quebec

AGENDA 
 3:00            Roundtable introductions

3:05            Changes/additions to agenda, review of 2014 AGM action items and approval of minutes

3:15            Outgoing President’s report (Eileen Van der Flier-Keller)

3:20            Incoming President’s report (Lesley Hymers)

3:30            Report of the Secretary-Treasurer (Christy Vodden)

3:40            Report of the CGEN webmaster (Miriam Vos-Guenter via email)

3:45            Members’ reports (because of limited time, please report only one or two major highlights or issues; full report should be sent to cgen@sympatico.ca as a Word document for inclusion in the minutes)*

• Canadian Geological Foundation (Jane Wynne)
  
• Carleton University (Beth Halfkenny)
  
• EdGEO (Beth Halfkenny)
  
• Mining Matters (Janice Williams)
  
• Ontario Mining Association (Lesley Hymers)
  
• Ottawa-Gatineau Geoheritage Project (Christy Vodden/Beth Halfkenny)
  
• Nova Scotia outreach (John Calder)
  
• University of Toronto (Charly Bank)
  
• University of Victoria (Eileen Van der Flier-Keller)
  

4:20            Discussion: Are we meeting CGEN member needs? (All)

4:55            Timing for 2016 AGM at Whitehorse, June 1-3 (All)

5:00            Meeting adjourns

Dear CGENers

The WHERE Challenge returns for its seventh year to encourage Canadian youth ages 9 - 14 to celebrate the Earth sciences by uncovering what on Earth is in their stuff. And WHERE on Earth does it come from. WHERE stands for Water, Hazards, Energy, Resources and Environment - all critical aspects of our Earth and representative of the areas in which geoscientists work. The Challenge requires students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the occurrence, exploration, extraction and use of natural resources with a particular emphasis on where they are found and how they are used to make virtually everything we use every day. Please encourage youth in your circle of influence to enter the 2015 WHERE Challenge! Contest details and 2014 winning entries at http://www.earthsciencescanada.com/where.

As well, please consider joining the 2015 WHERE Challenge judges panel. Volunteering as a judge requires only a few hours, but the experience lasts a lifetime. Details at http://www.miningmatters.ca.

And for your reading pleasure, the minutes from the CGEN 2014 Annual General Meeting in Fredericton are posted at http://earthsciencescanada.com/cgen/index.php?page=minutes-of-meetings

Christy Vodden
CGEN Secretary-Treasurer

Dear CGENers:
An important milestone… the long-awaited book about Canada’s geology will soon be in bookstores. The richly illustrated Four Billion Years and Counting: Canada’s Geological Heritage represents the work of more than a hundred geoscientists across Canada. Bulk pre-orders (five or more copies) are available at 40% off the cover price of $39.95. Call 1-800-646-2879 or email customerservice@nimbus.ca. For more information about this landmark publication, visit http://earthsciencescanada.com/4by/splash-en.html.

More good news, another major project of the geoscience community is being restored to web accessibility. Geoscape posters and their associated lesson plans explain local geology and its impact on various Canadian communities. Originally these excellent educational resources were hosted on the Geological Survey of Canada web site, but were taken down last year. CGEN undertook a Geoscape Reconstruction Project and it now is well underway. Visit http://www.cgenarchive.org/geoscape.html to see what we have been able to recapture so far. You can download all of the posters, in English and French, from our site. If you have any feedback or notice any errors or omissions, please contact Miriam Vos-Guenter (mvosguenter@sd62.bc.ca).

The Geological Society of America is holding its 2014 annual conference in Vancouver, October 19-22. They are offering short courses of interest to educators including two on teaching controversial issues (Climate & Energy, and Evolution of Life). Course list at: http://community.geosociety.org/gsa2014/science/courses. The 518 series is aimed at K-12 teachers. There is also a course on science communications geared at scientists.

Christy Vodden
CGEN Secretary-Treasurer

Hello CGENers! 
I hope everyone is having a safe and happy summer. 

As part of my summer updates I've started a Twitter feed for CGEN. Please follow us on Twitter and/or feel free to send me short announcements on up-coming events. I look forward to hearing from you. 

https://twitter.com/CGENNews   or   http://www.cgenarchive.org/cgen-newsletter

All the best!
Miriam Vos-Guenter
CGEN/EarthLinks Webmaster

Dear CGENers: Here is the agenda for our annual meeting in Fredericton, please let me know if you are able to attend (cgen@sympatico.ca). For information the minutes from our last annual meeting in Winnipeg are at: http://earthsciencescanada.com/cgen/index.php?page=minutes-of-meetings.  
Looking forward to seeing my CGEN friends!

Christy Vodden
*****
Canadian Geoscience Education Network Annual General Meeting
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Friday, May 23, 2014
Neil McGill Senior Commons Room, 19 Bailey Drive
University of New Brunswick
Fredericton, New Brunswick

 AGENDA 

5:00            Roundtable introductions

5:10            Changes/additions to agenda, review of 2013 AGM action items and approval of minutes

5:20            President’s report (Eileen Van der Flier-Keller)

5:25            Report of the Secretary-Treasurer (Christy Vodden)

5:30            Report of the CGEN webmaster (Miriam Vos-Guenter)

5:35            Members’ reports (because of limited time, please report only one or two major highlights and any issues; full report should be sent to me at cgen@sympatico.ca as a Word document for inclusion in the minutes)*

• Canadian Geological Foundation (Jane Wynne)
  
• EdGEO (Beth Halfkenny)
  
• Mining Matters (Janice Williams via Skype)
  
• Saskatchewan outreach (Fran Haidl)
  
• Ontario Mining Association (Lesley Hymers)
  
• University of Toronto (Charly Bank via Skype)

* This list will be expanded to include all CGEN members attending, please RSVP to me so I can add your report.

6:05            Discussion: Are we meeting CGEN member needs? (All)

6:30            Discussion: Marketing and communications strategy to promote CGEN, its resources and website (All)

6:55            Timing for next meeting

7:00            Meeting adjourns