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NIESE Service Project
The Collaboration
The GeoE 1040 students will produce web content for NIESE. The topics of their term design projects will be drawn from the list below. Watch here for links to the student projects at the end of the spring semester 2007.
NIESE Mission Statement
The Northwest Institute for Earth Science Education serves as an effective communication link between the scientific communities and general public about how earth materials and processes affect their lives. We strive to provide clear examples and explanations of the many ways that earth materials and processes affect our daily lives at work and home. By doing so, we support individuals and organizations to make increasingly responsible land-use choices for our communities in the Pacific Northwest.
Earth Materials and Processes
Choose one or more topics below, or recommend your own. Research and select the best information sources for these topics, in one or more of the Pacific Northwest states: Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington.
1. Construction Materials (Saleable)Team 1 Project
- Aggregate: How much is used and/or produced in each state for roads & industry?
- Finished Stone: How much is produced and/or used in each state for residential & industry?
- Concrete: How much is produced and/or used in each state for roads & industry?
2. Energy (Leasable)
- Oil, Natural Gas: How much is used and/or produced in each state?
- Coal: How much is used and/or produced in each state?
- BioDiesel/Ethanol: How much is used and/or produced in each state? How energy efficient is BioDiesel or Ethanol compared to gasoline?
3. Precious & Critical Minerals (Locatable)
- Metallic Minerals: What minerals are mined in each state, and how much quantity and revenue is produced? What percentage are industrial vs. retail use?
- Precious Minerals: What are the most important Precious or Semi-Precious minerals, by quantity and revenue, in each state? What percentage are industrial vs. retail use?
- Critical, Strategic & Industrial Minerals: What minerals are important to the defense, computer, or industrial sectors? Which, if any, are produced in each state?
4. Groundwater
- Aquifer Types: What different types exist, and which are found in each state? What are the estimated recharge rates for each type?
- Groundwater Extraction: Which aquifers are being used for drinking water, irrigation, or industrial uses? What are their current conditions & projected trends?
5. Surface Water
- Water Uses: What surface waters are being used for drinking water, irrigation or industrial use? What are the trends for supply & demand?
- Dam Safety: What types of dams have been built? What is the safety record for each dam type? What organizations are responsible for dam safety?
6. Soils and Agriculture
- Soil Types: What broad categories of soil exist in each state? How was each formed, and how long does it take? How does bedrock geology effect soil types?
- Soil Uses: How do people use each category of soil? How does the local ecosystem use each soil type?
- Soil Conservation: What soil types are most economically useful to people? How much of these soil types exist now vs. 100 years ago? For agricultural land, what types of fertilizers are used? How much do they cost vs. crops yielded?
7. Geologic Hazards
- Geologic Hazards: What are the three top geologic hazards in each state? How many people are potentially affected? What is being done to mitigate these potential hazards?
- Cost of Geologic Hazards: How many people have been affected by geologic hazards, in lives and dollars? How do these compare to other natural hazards?
8. Earth History (including Climate)
- Geologic History: What are the major geologic ages and events for each state?
- Plant and Animal History: What plants or animals have lived in each state? How do these communities compare to modern ecosystems?
- Climate: What variables can we use to compare modern to ancient climates? How have these variables changed over time?
9. AstroGeology
- Age of Each Planet: How does the age of the Earth compare to other planets? How do we know?
- Tectonic Processes: How are plate tectonics on other planets the same, or different, as on Earth?
- Surficial Processes: What major processes alter the surface of the Earth? How are the surfaces of other planets modified? How are they similar and different?
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