Communication and public education are vital to increasing community resilience to natural hazards. Recent disaster risk education initiatives have challenged top-down hierarchical models of outreach by embracing community-led, participatory and co-creation approaches. Here, we evaluate the process of developing the Disaster Ready! boardgame through community co-creation and co-design methods with students and local educational stakeholders. Discussions with communities directly informed the content and play style of the game, and input from student participants shaped the artistic evolution of the game board to include important cultural, social and environmental symbols. The final version of the game is therefore more locally representative and rooted in the lived experiences of communities in rural Nepal. The process of co-creation also facilitated the collaborative development of knowledge on natural hazards through participant-led discussions and dialogues. We highlight that stakeholder and community participation throughout the development phase of serious games, and in other disaster risk reduction (DRR) resources, is vital to producing bespoke and contextually relevant resources for DRR education. Central to the longer-term success and continued use of the game in Nepali schools was also the transfer of agency over the game to local educational facilitators. Through reflexive discussion on our co-creation approach we highlight the limitations in our method and the challenges in creating a fully co-produced resource. This includes the influence of power dynamics and hierarchies of perceived knowledge, where an imbalance in authority over the co-creation process may limit the creative input of the community. We suggest that overcoming these challenges to achieve higher levels of community participation in the co-production process will require greater planning on the part of researchers, as well as funding pathways that support longer term development of trusting, reciprocal and creative relationships with communities and local stakeholders.
The attraction and retention of systemically marginalized students continues to be a major challenge in the geosciences. Despite a plethora of recruitment strategies by organizations including the National Science Foundation and systemically marginalized scientists themselves, there has not been significant progress in this arena. Furthermore, slow changes in the racial and ethnic diversity of the geoscience population have been accompanied by the less well-documented hostile experiences of systemically marginalized geoscientists. We argue that geoscience departments at academic institutions should ground their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming in a sustainable framework to build a community that is accountable for DEI. We showcase the effectiveness of this framework through a student-led group called GeoPath at a predominantly white, research-intensive institution in the USA. GeoPath is structured around (1) non-hierarchal leadership, (2) affirmation of individuals’ multiple identities, (3) recognition of and accounting for in-group v. out-group dynamics and (4) supporting a community mindset that was grounded in DEI education (scholarly literature, published statistics, evidence-based practices and lived experience of systemically marginalized people). Through the GeoPath approach, we have identified barriers that the geoscience community faces and which can be grouped into four themes. Additionally, we present a set of tailored DEI initiatives to educate the community on how to address these barriers. We assessed the effectiveness of these initiatives through a survey of the geosciences department community and found that over 85% of survey respondents felt a greater sense of community within the department and 95% agreed that they were better informed in the various challenges and barriers community members faced. With this newfound knowledge, the departmental community began creating and implementing their own DEI initiatives, which we define as ‘community buy-in'. This contribution seeks to illustrate the efficacy of our GeoPath framework, with the hope that DEI working groups in geoscience departments will implement the GeoPath approach to build sustainable cultural changes that hold the community accountable for DEI, and ultimately result in the increased attraction and retention of valuable talent and perspectives from systemically marginalized students.
Interdisciplinarity is widely believed to be necessary to further knowledge about complex systems and inform potential solutions. Yet the practice of fostering it is not well articulated, especially by those who regularly do it. Various obstacles, including logistical, institutional, interactional and cognitive barriers, hinder interdisciplinarity. Even so, scientific agendas with societal significance, such as global change research, emerged over the twentieth century with interdisciplinary requirements at their core. In 1989, the Aspen Global Change Institute was founded as an interdisciplinary centre to further the understanding of Earth systems and their relevance to society. Here we present workshops (n = 81) organized by the Institute over the period 1990–2022 as a reflective case study on practising interdisciplinarity. By describing our experience, along with data from participation records (n = 2401), evaluations (n = 1146) and publications (n = 71), we offer this case with lessons learned as a complement to formalized scholarship on interdisciplinarity.
Geodiversity is the literal and metaphorical bedrock for life on Earth, and yet it lacks the standing of biodiversity as a concept that generates research and action beyond its base academic discipline. This paper explores the values articulated and justifications deployed in proposing and supporting the inaugural International Geodiversity Day (IGD). Advocates for IGD sought to raise the public profile of geodiversity and prompt discussion of its applications. The involvement of UNESCO associated geodiversity with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Discourse analysis of the values and justifications associated with IGD shows that instrumental values were predominant within the discourse and scientific and environmental justifications were prevalent. Social, cultural, economic and political arguments were deployed to a lesser extent but furthered the idea that research and action related to geodiversity could drive positive change. In particular, the analysis showed that more specific attention to relational values could broaden the appeal of geodiversity beyond the academic community. Together, our analysis shows that geodiversity is increasingly seen by geoscientists and other institutional actors as a concept that should be valued as equivalent to biodiversity. Communication strategies will be influential in the successful transfer of this view to wider audiences.
Abating emissions and reducing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) are crucial in avoiding catastrophic climate change. Basalt reservoirs offer suitable CO 2 storage sites and are present onshore and offshore. This study compares the geological, economic and social aspects of CO 2 storage in both domains using two basalt formations from the Republic of Ireland: the Limerick Igneous Suite and the Druid Formation. Offshore reservoirs offer larger storage resources but are more expensive to develop. Nevertheless, both offer gigatonne-scale theoretical CO 2 storage. Reviewing public perception studies on wind energy demonstrates that the commonly held belief that offshore projects face less opposition owing to their distance from communities has been dispelled, while similar studies on carbon capture and removal show no preference for onshore or offshore development. Instead, a general scepticism towards carbon removal is observed, with concerns that it hinders broader decarbonization efforts. The desire of all stakeholders to be involved throughout project development is consistently observed. Lessons from offshore natural gas projects highlight the consequences of failing to engage with local communities. The Republic of Ireland has significant potential to deploy geological CO 2 storage in basalt reservoirs, but policy hurdles such as legal limits on storage volumes must be overcome to reconcile climate ambition and legislative capacity.
The attraction and retention of systematically-marginalized students continues to be a major challenge in the geosciences. Despite a plethora of recruitment strategies by organizations including the National Science Foundation and systemically-marginalized scientists themselves, there has not been significant progress in this arena. Furthermore, slow changes in the racial and ethnic diversity of the geoscience population have been accompanied by the less documented hostile experiences of systemically-marginalized geoscientists. We argue that geoscience departments at academic institutions should ground their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programming in a sustainable framework to build a community that is accountable for DEI. We showcase the effectiveness of this framework through a student-led group called GeoPath at a predominantly white, research-intensive institution in the U.S. GeoPath is structured around a) non-hierarchal leadership, b) affirmation of individuals’ multiple identities, c) recognition of and accounting for in-group vs. out-group dynamics, and d) supporting a community mindset that was grounded in DEI education (scholarly literature, published statistics, evidence-based practices, and lived experience of systemically-marginalized people). Through the GeoPath approach, we have identified barriers that the geoscience community faces which can be grouped into four themes. Additionally, we present a set of tailored DEI initiatives to educate the community on how to address these barriers. We assessed the effectiveness of these initiatives through a survey of the geosciences department community and found that over 85% of survey respondents felt a greater sense of community within the department and 95% agreed that they were better informed in the various challenges and barriers community members faced. With this newfound knowledge, the departmental community began creating and implementing their own DEI initiatives, which we define as “community buy-in”. This contribution seeks to illustrate the efficacy of our GeoPath framework, with the hope that DEI working groups in geoscience departments will implement the GeoPath approach to build sustainable cultural changes that hold the community accountable for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and ultimately result in the increased attraction and retention of valuable talent and perspectives from systemically-marginalized students.
Since William Smith published his ‘Delineation of the Strata of England and Wales with part of Scotland’ in 1815, it has been the accepted practice to map geology as a collection of discrete polygons (or volumes in 3D), each representing a parcel of rock that is sufficiently self-similar in terms of its geological properties to class as a ‘unit’. However, the properties that are used to define these units, such as age, composition and texture, are themselves continuous variables more suited to modelling by regression than by classification. As such, the discrete nature of the traditional classified geological map has limited power to explain real observed values of geological properties, which vary on continuous scales, resulting in a disconnect between our geological maps and reality. In this study, we quantify the explanatory power of a traditional geological map – the British Geological Survey's 1 : 625K bedrock geology of the UK – in relation to observations of major element chemical composition, and compare this with the explanatory power provided by a Bayesian deep learning regression-based approach to ‘properties-first’ geological mapping. We find that, for our selection of elements, the traditional geological map explains between 57 and 66% of their variance, and the Bayesian deep learning approach explains between 66 and 75% of their variance, almost 10% higher explained variance than the traditional classified geological map, which equates to progress of between a fifth and quarter of the way towards achieving the ‘ultimate’ perfectly informative geological map. We discuss the implications of the traditional classified geological map's limited explanatory power and how the inherent constraint of its discrete classified representation should reasonably lead us to pursue geological mapping techniques that are free of this limitation, i.e. which are based on regression rather than classification.
As environmental challenges escalate – including climate change and biodiversity decline – embedding scientific and environmental literacy in early education becomes increasingly critical. This article urges policy makers and educators to embrace transformative integration of geological and environmental sciences within primary curricula, cultivating systems thinking, environmental consciousness and planetary stewardship from the foundational years of learning. Despite their importance, these disciplines remain fragmented and undervalued in current curricula. This perspective paper outlines opportunities that places Earth sciences at the heart of primary science education, connecting natural systems with human activity through both Western scientific and local knowledge systems. Practical strategies – including experiential learning, place-centred learning, storytelling, and community engagement – are presented to help young learners build curiosity, emotional connection and critical understanding of Earth systems. We argue that this shift is essential for empowering future generations to engage with the challenges of the Anthropocene.
Despite abundant cobalt resources in Europe, only Finland and Turkey currently extract this metal. This study examines challenges to new cobalt supply by comparing seven exploration projects and two operating mines in Finland, Norway, Sweden and Turkey. A multicriteria analysis framework was developed to assess four domains, environmental (E), social (S), political and legal (G), and economic (EC), each with five to six indicators. The results highlight complex interactions between indicators on national and local scales. While Nordic countries have strong mineral governance and thus rank highly in the political and legal domain, challenges persist, amplified by low rankings in land use and territorial aspects for some projects, particularly Sakatti, due to its vicinity to protected areas, reindeer herding and indigenous people. Furthermore, economic conflicts of interest with tourism result in low rankings for Kuusamo in two social indicators. The arctic region is also particularly vulnerable to climate change, exacerbated by anthropogenic activity. Turkey's Çaldağ project ranks highest for cobalt recovery, but it ranks low in all but one environmental indicator, due to high energy consumption and weak environmental governance in Turkey. Many mining conflicts could be mitigated by earlier community engagement to gain a social licence to operate.
Critical minerals (CMs) supply is vulnerable to a skills shortage. We focus on (1) the UK situation, where suitable training is provided but numbers taking the university courses have dwindled, and (2) routes through geoscience education into CM careers, including exploration, mining, minerals processing and recycling. Critical minerals companies collaborate with universities and students, e.g. with research and training scholarships/placements and joint education initiatives, to highlight opportunities and seek employees. Scaling of the valuable impact of the collaborations on the numbers entering geoscience degree programmes will depend on the availability of funds. Alternative routes that have been devised, e.g. mine management degree apprenticeships, are largely for people already in geoscience-related careers, to upskill and further retrain. In this paper we consider how a lack of awareness of geoscience and CM issues inhibits recruitment. We integrated our correspondence with regional (SW England) secondary school (students aged 11–18 years) educators with our experience to highlight key interventions that might encourage more students to go ‘through the door’ into tertiary geoscience education and thereby CM careers. The overarching policy recommendation is a joining-up of CM and education strategies across the levels of education in geoscience-facing disciplines, which recognizes the competing demands for suitably skilled graduates.
Safe and permanent storage of CO2 will be required to limit global warming to 1.5–2°C above pre-industrial levels. In situ mineralisation of CO2 within igneous rock formations is a rapid and secure method of geological CO2 storage. This study uses geochemical data and novel volumetric analysis of suitable onshore mafic and ultramafic formations in the UK to determine that these rocks offer a theoretical CO2 storage capacity of 42–38 000 MtCO2 through in situ CO2 mineralisation. Mid-scenario estimates suggest the assessed formations could store ∼45 years of UK industrial point-source CO2 emissions (at 2017 levels). The Antrim Lava Group in Northern Ireland offers the largest potential storage capacity (15–17 300 MtCO2), followed by the Borrowdale Volcanic Group in England (8–8600 MtCO2) and the Skye Lava Group in Scotland (7–7800 MtCO2). Our work demonstrates that UK onshore mafic and ultramafic formations contain significant rock volumes with favourable chemistry for in situ CO2 mineralisation. Future work should prioritize characterizing effective porosity and determining the impact of alteration and formation age on the reactivity and CO2 sequestration ratio of the prospective UK formations.
We present a perspective article that considers the Indigenous evaluation model developed in 2019 by Wehipeihana, a Māori scholar, as an invitation and a guide to reflect on relationships between geoscience education researchers and collaborating communities. After describing the ‘to/for/with/by/as’ Indigenous evaluation model, we offer a translation into geoscience education research (GER) spaces. Using key indicators and a hypothetical context, we illustrate an application in informal and formal GER spaces. We argue that GER currently occurs mainly as research is done to/for communities. Expanding the field horizons into research with/by or as communities could increase relevancy, representation, innovation, quality and impact.
Scientific ocean drilling (SciOD) has been invaluable in advancing our understanding of Earth history. However, the most recent international SciOD programme ended in 2024, alongside the non-renewal of the riserless drilling vessel, the JOIDES Resolution. The US has not committed to joining a new SciOD programme despite prior efforts focused on important scientific priorities (e.g. climate change, assessing natural hazards). During this critical juncture, we argue that incorporating accessibility, justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (AJEDI) efforts will further develop a cohesive community that is well prepared to tackle questions critical to the US and global community. Herein we provide recommendations to develop a knowledgeable and diverse community of scientists in the changing landscape of US SciOD, as informed by historical participation data and recent efforts by early career scientists. Recommendations focus on accessible training opportunities, enhanced stewardship of archived materials, additional funding for research at all academic levels, inclusion of cultural advisors and social scientists, and a commitment to continuing SciOD education. By pursuing these recommendations, the US SciOD community could become a leader for modelling AJEDI principles and ensuring equitable knowledge transfer that is needed to reimagine and rebuild a new, inclusive SciOD programme.
Land use changes and dam construction have impacted sediment yield in river catchments worldwide. This is especially true in central-west Brazil, where most of the main watersheds have been deforested and rivers, such as the Cuiabá, have been dammed in the last 50 years. Here, we investigated the geomorphological and sedimentary responses of the Cuiabá River to land use changes and dams since 1985, using a time-series of Landsat images to quantify fluvial bars, channel width, channel migration rate and suspended sediment concentration (SSC). Our results showed an increase in the area occupied by fluvial bars and in SSC between 1985 and 2000, driven by natural vegetation conversion to agriculture. However, construction of the Manso Dam in 2000 led to a decrease in bar area, migration rates and SCC downstream. The SSC time-series also showed that sediment production remains high up to the present day in the monitoring section upstream of the Manso Dam, triggered by new waves of deforestation since the early 2000s. We conclude that land cover change led to increased sediment supply to the Cuiabá River, especially before the 2000s. However, this effect was surpassed by dam constructions in the watershed, which drove a significant decrease in sediments exported downstream.
Many classic geological maps and the corresponding geological literature that built these maps are the outcomes of colonialism. The creation and use of knowledge surrounding the science of the Earth were applied by a select few who were ultimately titled and lauded as the pioneers of geoscience. This legacy of modern geoscience is tied closely to colonialism and provided the motivation for this piece. The goal of this viewpoint is to highlight the attachment of colonialism to geological maps. The present use of geological maps and literature through three examples Trinidad, India and Africa is discussed. Each example acknowledges exploitation of knowledgeable locals, accounts of unethically framed so-called ‘first’ discoveries and a disregard for indigenous geological place names. This viewpoint recognizes the pedagogical opportunity for future geoscientists to effectively increase justice, equity, diversity and inclusion within geoscience communities. Learning about colonial activities can promote the fundamental freedom about the right to think, theorize and interpret the world. Methodologies can be developed and enable persons to effectively learn about the injustices without promoting emotional consequences that can ultimately attach colonialism with an unrealistic viewpoint.
The transition to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for more accessible and inclusive alternatives to traditional field-based geoscience education. In 2020, a web-hosted desktop virtual reality interface to take strike and dip (S&D) measurements was piloted with generally positive results from user feedback. However, the platform was developed to be used in an immersive virtual reality (iVR) environment. This paper presents a case study evaluating the user experience and learning outcomes of the iVR S&D program designed to facilitate teaching geological mapping concepts. Twelve students participated in the study, completing five mapping exercises within the iVR environment and providing feedback through pre- and post-mapping surveys and structured interviews focusing on the user experience and perceptions of S&D in iVR. We found that students performed well on the mapping exercises, the iVR environment enhanced their learning, and scaffolded assignments and learning community contributed to their self-efficacy. While acknowledging the limitations of iVR in replicating real-world field conditions, we find that it is successful at building student skills and confidence while demonstrating the potential of iVR S&D as an effective accessible tool for teaching geological mapping concepts and improving spatial reasoning skills.
The global graphite market is set to expand rapidly, driven by the energy transition to electric vehicles in transportation and electric arc furnaces in steelmaking. The worldwide consumption of graphite uses both synthetic (c. 60%) and natural (c. 40%) graphite. Current supply risk for both natural and synthetic graphite comes from the high production concentration in China and a low end-of-life recycling input rate. Compared with natural graphite, synthetic graphite is subject to higher supply risk owing to its by-product dependency on needle coke production from petroleum. Future additional supply risk of graphite stems from uncertain energy transition demand predictions, ranging from a three- to seven-fold expansion by 2040 based on the rate of the energy transition, and a high concentration of end-use of up to c. 80% in Li-ion batteries. To reduce future supply risk of graphite in the production stage, increasing mining activities outside of China, especially in Africa, together with potential developments in recycling of spent Li-ion batteries, will be vital. In the manufacturing stage, advances in purification and modification of natural graphite to close the quality gap between the natural and synthetic graphite anode material are anticipated to decrease the share of synthetic graphite in use over time. The future resilience of the graphite supply chain will largely depend on the mining of natural graphite, particularly flake graphite for the use in Li-ion batteries. The potential of exploiting flake graphite resources is remarkable, as global flake graphite resources are an order of magnitude larger than predicted cumulative demand until 2050 and are distributed across the continents, mostly in crystalline metamorphic basement. Discovering new natural flake graphite resources to diversify and increase the supply, however, requires robust genetic models to guide mineral exploration. There is a significant knowledge gap in understanding the mineral system of flake graphite deposits. The nature and role of fluids in the transport and concentration of carbon remains poorly understood. Identifying deformational structures and alteration halos in the graphite mineral system will be essential to reconstruct the fluid pathways and constrain the structural-chemical traps. Research on world-class natural graphite deposits will be key to fill this knowledge gap and drive towards a sustainable supply of graphite.
Despite recognition that academic geoscience lacks diversity at an extent beyond other disciplines, demographic data from academic geoscience departments is not routinely collected. This inhibits the ability to address disparities and make improvements. We aim to address this gap by establishing the demographic make-up of academic geoscience in Canada and identify communities that may be underrepresented. A 22-question survey was disseminated to all geoscience departments at Canadian universities (N=35) between September and December 2022 asking specific questions related to identity. Research students, faculty, staff and instructors in these departments were eligible to respond. Responses were analyzed for proportions and compared to relevant national data. In total, 482 respondents completed the survey, representing approximately 21% of the academic geoscience population in Canada. Responses indicate marked reductions in diversity between research students and salaried researchers for gender, race, and LGBTQ+ representation. Men outnumber women in all tenured faculty positions (64.9%) and tenured positions were overwhelmingly held by white respondents (84.6%). Indigenous identities are poorly represented in this population, with only 2.3% identifying as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis. A higher proportion of students than faculty identified as disabled, with the greatest representation among PhD students (12%). These data support previous studies finding low diversity among those in academic geoscience. The drop in diversity between students and faculty suggest barriers for those not historically represented, and the dominance of white men in tenured positions indicates further barriers for those who do pursue careers in geoscience. Addressing these barriers will require broad-scale efforts and engagement with communities that continue to be excluded from academic environments.
Diversity of thought is vital for research, yet different knowledge systems and disciplines are often viewed as incompatible. Bioprotection Aotearoa (BA), a National Centre of Research Excellence, leads research to protect ecosystems in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific from biological threats such as pathogens, pests and weeds. It centres itself around a research framework led by Indigenous values. We examine whether and how BA's placement of Indigenous knowledge at its core and its efforts to inspire trans- and interdisciplinary research promotes and sustains a pluriverse perspective. Through thematic analysis of expert interviews, we identify key factors influencing pluriversality and reflect on how these influence diversity, equity and inclusion. Interviewees outline that placing Indigenous and scientific knowledge systems on an equal footing improves diversity practices overall. Essential drivers that encourage pluralism of thought and engagement with multiple knowledges and practices are identified as: intentional community-building efforts, clear operational guidelines and deliberate alignment of research efforts towards a synergy of Indigenous knowledge with Western perspectives. Interviewees point to barriers such as time constraints, limited resources, disciplinary silos and a bias toward the status quo. Our case study highlights the importance of leadership and organizational guidance in embracing a pluriverse approach.
Billions of tonnes of anthropogenic geomaterials, such as slags, ashes and cementitious materials, are deposited on the Earth's surface globally every year. These materials have the potential to become rock but little is known about how they may become lithified. In this study, we document lithification of a legacy deposit of cementitious material at a former cement works in Scotland, and uncover the mechanisms and drivers for its conversion from a loose granular sediment to an anthropogenic rock. Optical and electron microscopy and chemical mapping, coupled with X-ray diffraction, indicate the presence of particles of waste cementitious material interpreted to be calcium–silicate–hydrate (C-S-H) formed through hydration of cement clinker; these particles are rimmed by a secondary calcite mineral cement which binds the C-S-H particles together. Partial dissolution of C-S-H followed by diffusion of Ca and OH− into porewaters promoted ingassing and hydroxylation of atmospheric CO2 (fingerprinted by carbon isotope analysis). The CO2 reacted with the dissolved Ca to precipitate the calcite cement rimming the C-S-H grains. This calcite mineral cement has therefore bonded the grains to create an anthropogenic rock. This process can potentially create benefits in terms of ground stabilization and atmospheric CO2 sequestration.
