Chautauqua-style Short Courses
Chautauqua-style short courses are typically 3 or 4-day professional development courses that engage college faculty and other interested educators in current research and experiential learning in a STEM field. We currently have 3 field sites that will offer courses in 2023. Learn more about each site below.
Green Bank Observatory
At the Green Bank Observatory, we offer 2 courses in 2023 that explore radio astronomy.
Radio Astronomy Update celebrates more than 60 years of contributions to the forefront of astronomy by the telescopes of the Green Bank Observatory at Green Bank. During this time researchers using these telescopes have made major advances in our understanding of topics as diverse as chemical processes in interstellar space, the early phases of star formation, the assembly of galaxies and galaxy clusters at high red shift, the properties of black holes, and SETI. Participants will also have the opportunity to use two radio telescopes on site.
Dates: June 5,6,7, 2023.
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence explores the current state of the art in SETI experiments focusing on the Breakthrough Listen project conducted at the GBT and other telescopes around the world. Participants will engage in a project using radio data.
Dates: June 8,9,10, 2023
College of the Siskiyous
College of the Siskiyous offers three courses that introduce the geology of the southern High Cascades and the Klamath Mountains.
Geology of Mount Shasta and the Medicine Lake Volcano contrasts the tectonic setting and volcanic character of an on-arc stratovolcano with those of an adjacent rear-arc shield.
Dates: 9-12 July 2023.
Geology of Crater Lake and Lassen National Parks contrasts the "deaths" of two stratovolcanoes: caldera formation at Mount Mazama and deep hydrothermal alteration and erosion at Mount Tehama.
Dates: 13-16 July, 2023.
Finally, Geology of the Eastern Klamath Mountains explores the history of terrane accretion and intrusion that built the Eastern Klamaths, produced their mineral wealth, and created the geologic hazards that the region faces today.
Dates: 17-20 July, 2023.
Thomas More University
Thomas More University offers a course, Big River Ecology on the Ohio River, that highlights its unique location midway through the length of the Ohio River.
This three-day course (June 25-28, 2023) will examine the biodiversity, ecology, and water quality of one of the nation’s largest waterways, the Ohio River. Activities will include classroom presentations, laboratory techniques, and field sampling from the river. Biological communities that will be examined are: plankton, mussels, and fish. Field sites will include the Thomas More Biology Field Station and the Ohio River surrounding the Station. Additional site visits may include the Cincinnati Museum Center, the Newport Aquarium, and an EPA experimental stream facility for behind-the-scenes tours (transportation provided).
The course is open to college faculty of all disciplines, particularly biology, ecology, environmental science, and zoology, with preference given to junior faculty. The course will be offered at a general level.