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Professional Development
Are you looking for professional development opportunities around earth science and energy topics? Look no further. We offer a variety of asynchronous modules to help you advance your knowledge, earn continuing education units and satisfy your professional development requirements. Even better, it’s free!
News From Energy Excursions
Learn more about our future education outreach events.
34th Annual Southern Nevada Earth Science Education Two-Day Workshop, Las Vegas, NV (March 18 - 19, 2025)
The PGE Outreach Team has been invited to provide two 1.5-hour workshops during this event.
Nevada Mining Association and the Nevada Division of Minerals host earth science workshops that focus on a broad range of earth science topics, including mineral and rock identification, rock formation, geologic processes, the importance of mined materials, and the role that mining plays in 21st-century lives. Teachers are provided tools for accurate, standards-based science lessons. Workshops include tours of operating mines and geologic sites of interest.
Energize the Future – This session examines energy consumption at both a global and personal level and explores the quantity and types of energy resources required to meet society’s energy demands. Designed by the UT Austin Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering outreach team, Energize the Future will provide kinesthetic and engaging hands-on activities teachers can incorporate into their classroom lessons.
Journey Back in Time: Using Fossils to Study Geologic History – This session focuses on how relative dating principles and fossils are used to study Earth’s history. Teachers learn about specific relative dating principles and apply their knowledge to arrange a set of fossils into their proper stratigraphic order to be used as a reference sequence. Designed by the UT Austin Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering outreach team, teachers will leave with a better understanding of geologic history and easy-to-use, hands-on activities.
Dates – March 18 – 19, 2025
Southwest Section AAPG, Fort Worth, TX (Saturday, April 26, 2025)
The AAPG-Southwest Section 2025 Convention in Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Geological Society are sponsoring an Earth Science/Energy workshop for area K-12 STEM teachers.
Resources and activities are aligned to the 24-25 TEKS. The workshop’s mission is to empower teachers to effectively teach earth science and energy concepts through standards-aligned content and professional development. Teachers will also learn about STEM career opportunities in earth science and energy industries.
Date – Sat. April 26, 2025
Time – 8:00am – 4:00pm
Location – Fort Worth (specific location is TBD)
West Texas Energy Summit: Sponsored by the SPE - Permian Basin, Midland, TX (Wed. June 11 - Thurs. June 12, 2025)
The West Texas Energy Summit is a 2-day teacher workshop for secondary STEM teachers in Midland and the surrounding areas.
Thanks to the generosity of SPE-Permian Basin, Chevron, and the Texas Rangers, the West Texas Energy Summit is FREE to teachers! This 2-day workshop will include hands-on, engaging classroom activities teachers can incorporate into their existing curriculum to reinvigorate their lessons. Field trips to subsurface energy work sites will be integrated into the 2-day workshop. Teachers will receive a firsthand look at the engineering and technology involved in subsurface energy and learn more about the many career opportunities in the industry.
Dates – Wednesday, June 11 through Thursday, June 12
Time – Day 1: 8:00am – 5:00pm; Day 2: 8:00am – 4:00pm
Location – Midland, TX (specific location is TBD)
