GEODES

2025

Co-working Sessions every other Tuesday (4/15, 4/29, 5/13, 5/27) from 1:30-3:30 in A170

An opportunity to hang out with fellow EPS students and get some work done! This event is open to undergraduates and graduates.

 

Introduction to Camping - Trip - April 5th-6th

Four GEODES members brought 15 undergraduate students to the Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve to give students a chance to get comfortable with camping prior to taking a field course in the near future.

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Undergrad Tea Time - February 3rd and March 3rd

An opportunity for undergraduate students to socialize with graduate students and faculty to promote a stronger sense of community in our department. Students were encouraged to ask any questions about graduate school.

 

Quals prep lunch - 11 am on February 10th

GEODES held a lunch panel to help graduate students who have not yet qualified, prepare for their qualifying exams. A panel of students shared their experiences and advice. 

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Powerpoint party - February 7th

Graduate students got together to use their presentation skills and hold a non-academic conference session to encourage department bonding

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Co-working sessions/ writing workshops - 1/22, 2/5, 2/19, 3/5 from 2:30 - 4pm in A170

We held four co-working sessions with undergraduate students which all focused around a themed writing workshop. The themes were:

Scientific Papers  Jan 22nd, Cover Letters and CV Feb 5th, Senior Thesis  Feb 19th, Grant Proposals March 5th 

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2024

​Math refresher - October 8th and October 15th
 

New Grads Day - October 20th, time TBD 

We took new graduate students on a day exploring Santa Cruz to help get acquainted with the area and with the other new grads! We went on a hike in Henry Cowell State Park, got lunch, spent time at the beach, and enjoyed happy hour with other graduate students.

Comp sci office hours - October 25th 4-6ish

 

Graduate Student Panel November 14th 5-6pm

We held a Zoom panel with current graduate students from UCSC and other schools in order to get a range of experiences, where undergraduate students could hear their experiences and ask questions.

 

Coffee Hour w/ WISE - November 26th

We co-ran a coffee hour with WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) to encourage community bulding and meeting graduate students from other departments.

 

2023

Henry Cowell Hike/Birding, Apr. 15th

GEODES kicked off spring quarter with a 5-mile morning hike at Henry Cowell State Park on Saturday, April 15 from 9am to 12 noon. ​

 

Tea Time DEI discussion with Prof. Tamara Pico - Ethical and Effective Mentoring, April 17th 3:30-5:30 @ First Floor Knuckle Following the success of the previous tea time discussion, another one will be organized this quarter. More info will be added later.​

 

LPSC DEI discussion - hosted by Emilie and Nathan, May 1st 4pm A discussion about DEI within the context of the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) will be hosted by Emilie and Nathan. More info will be added later.

 

Graduate School Application Workshop - hosted by Terra, Sam and Susan, May 31st 5-7pm @ A340 Are you thinking about applying to graduate school? Come to this workshop to learn more about different graduate programs, how to find and choose schools and professors to email, and what a typical timeline looks like for this process!

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2020

Discussion with Dr. Ryan Emanuel, June 2020: Dr. Emanuel is an enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe and is a community-engaged associate professor at North Carolina State University. His research spans disciplines such as hydrology, biogeochemistry, and geospatial analysis. Dr. Emanual partners with American Indian Tribes and other marginalized communities to provide information and support related to environmental issues. We will have the opportunity to have a discussion with Ryan about his research and work pertaining to Indigenous water rights. We will structure this conversation using Dr. Emanuel's publication titled "Water in the Lumbee World: A River and Its People in a Time of Change" (2018) and an informal conversation about alternative modes of research. 

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(Virtual) Board Game Night, May 2020: While we might be stuck apart that doesn't have to keep us from having a fun evening with our fellow geoscientists. We're going to be playing Codenames, a word-association party game favorite that's known for being easy to learn, drawing you in, and being super fun. Best of all: no setup is required for everyone to join our virtual board!

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Resume/CV Tips, April 2020: For GEODES' first virtual event, We will be discussing tips and tricks to improve your resume, CV, and cover letter! This event will provide an opportunity for faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and undergrads to chat about what your documents need to get you the interview! 

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Winter Dinner, February 2020: Please join us for a GEODES dinner where we can relax and socialize with our fellow geoscientists! There will be pizza, drinks, discussion of science identities, and games!

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Brown Bag Lunch Discussion, February 2020: Applying an intersectionality lens to expand equity in the geosciences," Núñez, A.-M., Rivera, J., & Hallmark, T. (2019) Join us in discussing the main arguments of this paper, reflect on our own positionality in academia, and more broadly explore strategies to improve participation and advancement of marginalized communities in the geosciences.

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Ungergrad-Grad STEM Mixer, January 2020: Hosted by CORE and GEODES, this mixer will provide a space for graduate students and postdocs looking for help in their lab to meet motivated undergraduates interested in research opportunities. Dinner (falafel!) and refreshments provided.

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2019

AGU Tips & Tricks, November 2019: AGU (American Geophysical Union) is a huge conference that takes place in December every year, and is attended by more than 25,000 geoscientists-- but don't let that overwhelm you. Whether you're an AGU first-timer or attending another conference this year, this event will discuss tips and tricks for getting through it and getting the most out of it.

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Fall Day Hike - Big Basin State Park, November 2019: GEODES organized a group day hike in Big Basin State Park!

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Grad School as a First Gen Student, October 2019: A panel discussion about graduate school as a first gen student! Current grad students who are also first generation college students discussed their experiences in an effort to help de-mystify the graduate school process.

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Fall Welcome Dinner, October 2019: Come socialize with New and Returning members of the EMS community while learning what GEODES has in store for the upcoming year!

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End-of-year Research Symposium (and Pizza Party!), June 2019: EPS-ers celebrated their research accomplishments and the end of the 2018-2019 academic year with GEODES! Participants enjoyed pizza and refreshments while sharing posters and figures and learning about their peers' research.

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First-Timer's Camping Trip, May/June 2019: Learn GEODES lead a group of first-time/beginner campers in a weekend camping trip at the beautiful Landels-Hill Big Creek UC Reserve in Big Sur. Rental gear was provided, and participants gained important outdoor skills for fieldwork and recreation (such as learning to set up a tent, starting a fire, and making camp meals) all while enjoying a weekend in the woods bonding with EPS peers!

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Queer & Allies Mixer, May 2019: Attendees joined in a conversation on how to make our geoscience community inclusive of all genders and sexual orientations. We shared and listened to stories of acceptance as well as challenges, discussed approaches to cultivate an LGBTQIA+ friendly and supportive department culture, and learned about resources on campus like the Cantú Center.

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CalTeach Workshop: Open-Ended Questioning Techniques: Wit GEODES partnered with CalTeach in this event aimed at increasing student engagement and approaching new concepts/problems through the use of open-ended questioning techniques. Open ended questions are questions designed without a static or “yes or no” response, these questions help support wider discussion, and can help promote critical thinking. 

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Professional Headshots & Elevator Pitches, March 2019: GEODES and CORE partnered to bring a professional photographer to take snazzy headshot photos that attendees can use for their research websites, LinkedIn accounts, etc.! Meanwhile, attendees were invited to practice informal elevator pitches with their fellow researchers. Everyone looked fabulous!

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Workshop: Being an Active Bystander, February 2019: An active bystander is a person who observes a conflict or unacceptable, destructive behavior, and takes steps that can make a difference. This workshop covered how to assess a situation, strategies for responding, and available campus resources for active bystanders. Presented by UCSC Campus Advocacy Resources and Education (CARE).

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Winter Quarter Pizza Dinner, January 2019: Community building event for the EPS department with pizza dinner and board games!

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2018

AGU Poster Presentation, December 2018: The Past and present GEODES leaders presented a poster at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall meeting in Washington D.C.!

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Work-life balance discussion, November 2018: Students and professors discuss their strategies for managing their schedules, maintaining a social life, and avoiding over-working themselves.

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Fall welcome dinner, October 2018: Community building event for the EPS department with pizza dinner.

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Board game night, August 2018: A night of fun board games, open to all! Including: Set, Bananagrams, Monikers, and more.

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Mental well-being in graduate school lunch discussion, July 2018:  A graduate student lunch discussion about reducing the stigma of caring for your mental health and the resources available on campus.

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EPS research symposium 3.0, June 2018: Undergraduate and graduate students presented their research as posters for the entire EPS community.

 

End-of-Year Dinner, May 2018: Community building event with pizza dinner. We held an activity on self-reflection and goals.

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Designing for Inclusion: Universal Design for Learning, May 2018: Presentation from Dr. Kendra Dority and Mecaila Smith from the UCSC Center for Innovations in Teaching and Learning (CITL) about Universal Design and strategies for creating more accessible and inclusive learning environments in the Earth Sciences.

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Career panel, March 2018:  Students had the opportunity to talk in small discussion groups with science educators, environmental consultants, startup founders, and others about career opportunities in the geosciences.

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Embracing racial diversity in Earth Science, February 2018: Dr. Myriam Telus leads a discussion addressing the role and importance of diversity in the geoscience community.

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Elevator pitch and headshots workshop, February 2018: Co-hosted with our friends at CORE, work on your elevator pitch and record it on video (optional), and get a free headshot!

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Winter quarter dinner and discussion, February 2018: Department-wide discussion over pizza about maintaining professional behavior in the different environments we encounter.

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Imposter syndrome workshop, January 2018: Dr. Audrey Kim from CAPS presented an interactive workshop about identifying impostor syndrome and introducing strategies to combat it

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2017

AGU poster practice, December 2017: An informal poster practice session for graduate students before AGU, a major academic conference.

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Networking at AGU lunch discussion, December 2017: Discussion among grad students about strategies for effective networking at big conferences like AGU.

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Board game night, November 2017: A night of fun board games, open to all! Including: Set, Bananagrams, Monikers, and more.

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Science outreach workshop (co-hosted with CORE), November 2017: A guest workshop led by Laura Good, Center for Ocean Solutions.

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Diversity in Earth science grads lunch discussion, November 2017: A lunch discussion among graduate students about the factors that contribute to low diversity in Earth science and what we can do to reduce these barriers

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Camping skills workshop 3.0, October 2017: A workshop on camping/outdoor skills to benefit students taking field courses in our department.

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Fall welcome dinner, October 2017: Community building event for the EPS department with pizza dinner.

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EPS research symposium 2.0, June 2017: Undergraduate and graduate students presented their research as posters for the entire EPS community. 

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Mental health lunch discussion, May 2017:  A graduate student lunch discussion about reducing the stigma of caring for your mental health and the resources available on campus.

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How to survive quals lunch discussion, May 2017:  Senior grad students answered questions from pre-quals grad students over lunch!

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Communicating your research with the media (co-hosted with CORE), May 2017:  Guest speaker Tim Stephens (UCSC Press Office) and panelists Adina Paytan, Andy Fisher, and Rachel Holsner discussed how to communicate your research with the media.

 

Queer and allies mixer, April 2017:  A department-wide dinner event to discuss how the department can be a more queer-friendly community

 

Fighting climate disinformation lunch discussion, April 2017:  A graduate student lunch discussion about ways to effectively advocate for science. 

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Graduate career panel, March 2017:  Students had the opportunity to talk in small discussion groups with ten diverse guests about career options with an advanced degree in Earth science

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Microaggressions workshop, February 2017: Dr. Christy Byrd (Psychology) led a workshop on microaggressions experienced by UCSC students, how these indignities affect academic performance, and what we can do about it.

 

Optimizing the graduate student experience, January 2017: Dr. Audrey Kim (CAPS) led a workshop on coping with some of the common stressors in graduate school, including negative thinking/impostor syndrome, managing relationships with faculty, and juggling various roles/identities

 

2016

AGU Practice Poster Session 2.0, December 2016: An informal poster practice session for graduate students before AGU, a major academic conference.

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AGU Networking Lunch Discussion, December 2016: A graduate student lunch discussion about how to network at the upcoming AGU conference, and networking tips in general

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Growth Mindset Workshop 2.0, November 2016: Lisa Hunter (director of ISEE) joined us for a workshop about growth mindset and strategies that can be applied in learning, teaching, and mentoring 

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Confidence and Impostor Syndrome (co-hosted with WiSE), October 2016: Dr. Nancy Wayne led a workshop about the confidence/competence conundrum and overcoming impostor syndrome

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Camping Workshop 2.0, October 2016: Hosted Cindy Pierce from OPERS for a workshop on camping/outdoor skills to benefit students taking field courses in our department.

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Fall Reception, October 2016: Community building event with pizza dinner. We discussed our shared values as Earth scientists and the variety of reasons that we became interested in this field.

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EPS Research Symposium, June 2016: Undergraduate and graduate students presented their research as posters for the entire EPS community. 

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End-of-Year Dinner, May 2016: Community building event with pizza dinner. We held an activity on self-reflection and goals.

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Impostor Syndrome Lunch, April 2016: A graduate student lunch discussion about overcoming imposter syndrome.

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Growth Mindset Workshop, April 2016: Held a discussion about promoting a growth mindset in our own learning experiences and how we (as TAs and mentors) can help promote it in others. Presentation by Austin Barnes from the Institute for Science and Engineer Educators.

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Careers in Geosciences Panel and Discussion 2.0, February 2016: Back by popular demand, we held another career event for undergraduates and graduate students. Brought in 10 new panelists.  Thank you to Woodstock's for pizza donation.

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Standing up to Bias, February 2016: Hosted a workshop with Nancy Heischman, Director of Campus Conflict Resolution Services, about implicit bias and speaking up to bias.

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Expanding Potential Workshop, January 2016: GEODES organized a group of EPS grads to attend Expanding Potential, a conference aimed at furthering understanding of ways in which groups experience bias and programmatic solutions to combating those biases. GEODES leaders presented a poster and a 'flash talk' on our organization.

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Harassment in the Sciences Lunch Discussion, January 2016: A graduate student lunch discussion to discuss recent news about sexual harassment cases at Berkeley, Caltech, and University of Arizona. Focus on how we can define a culture at UCSC in which predatory or unwelcoming behavior will not be tolerated.

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2015

AGU Practice Poster Session, December 2015: An informal poster practice session for graduate students before AGU, a major academic conference.

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Science Communication Workshop, November 2015: Dr. Adina Paytan gave a presentation on science communication. GEODES members gave a talk on presentation and poster skills.

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Camping Skills Workshop, October 2015: Hosted Dustin Smucker from OPERS for a workshop on camping/outdoor skills. Aimed at helping undergraduates build confidence and comfort with the non-academic skills required to succeed in the field courses EPS offers.

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Fall Reception, October 2015: Community building event with pizza dinner. We discussed ideas for GEODES events for the coming year and the leaky pipeline.

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Careers in Geosciences Panel and Discussion, June 2015: We brought in 10 panelists from a wide variety of geoscience fields of interest to undergraduates and graduate students. Each panelist hosted a discussion group.

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Impostor Syndrome Workshop, May 2015: Hosted Dr. Audrey Kim from CAPS, who presented an interactive workshop about identifying impostor syndrome and introducing strategies to combat it. We broke into small groups to discuss example vignettes and share experiences.

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Inaugural Dinner, April 2015: Community building event with pizza dinner. In small groups, we discussed what the EPS community wants from a group like GEODES and barriers in STEM fields.

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