Palomar College Earth Palomar College Earth Sciences as a Campus Sciences as a Campus

ServiceServiceby Al Trujilloby Al Trujillo

Chair and Associate ProfessorChair and Associate Professor

Earth Sciences DepartmentEarth Sciences Department

Building Strong Geoscience Departments WorkshopBuilding Strong Geoscience Departments Workshop

College of William and MaryCollege of William and Mary

February 24-26, 2005February 24-26, 2005

Earth Sciences at Palomar CollegeEarth Sciences at Palomar College

GeologyGeology Physical GeographyPhysical Geography OceanographyOceanography AstronomyAstronomy AeronauticsAeronautics

Over 3000 students enrolled each yearOver 3000 students enrolled each year About 10% of all students on campus are About 10% of all students on campus are

presently enrolled in an ES course presently enrolled in an ES course

The Good News (Affirmations)The Good News (Affirmations)

Students need a physical science for Students need a physical science for GE transfer:GE transfer: 1 physical science course1 physical science course 1 life science course1 life science course 1 lab in either physical or life science1 lab in either physical or life science

Lots of students and full classesLots of students and full classes Earth Science courses are perceived as Earth Science courses are perceived as

being “fun,” “interesting,” and “dynamic” being “fun,” “interesting,” and “dynamic” by studentsby students

Opportunity to recruit science students Opportunity to recruit science students early in their educational careerearly in their educational career

In the last 15 years, the number of In the last 15 years, the number of students who received an AA in:students who received an AA in: AeronauticsAeronautics GeologyGeology AstronomyAstronomy

The Bad News (Challenges)The Bad News (Challenges) Hardly any high Hardly any high

school students say:school students say:

1

965

““When we When we graduate, we’re graduate, we’re going to Palomar going to Palomar College!”College!”

““When we When we graduate, we’re graduate, we’re going to Palomar going to Palomar College!”College!”

You don’t always know how you’ve You don’t always know how you’ve affected studentsaffected students

College may not be our students’ top College may not be our students’ top prioritypriority

Length of time for our average student to Length of time for our average student to graduate: graduate:

6 years

Some New ApproachesSome New Approaches

Offer new multi-disciplinary curriculumOffer new multi-disciplinary curriculum ES 100: The Earth as a SystemES 100: The Earth as a System ES 105: Climate ChangeES 105: Climate Change

Offer on-line coursesOffer on-line courses Geography 110: MeteorologyGeography 110: Meteorology ES 105: Climate ChangeES 105: Climate Change

Offer field coursesOffer field courses 4-day Anza Borrego Desert/Joshua Tree4-day Anza Borrego Desert/Joshua Tree 8-day Maui/Hawaii8-day Maui/Hawaii