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As a graduate student, Lucia had the opportunity to attend the Seismological Society of America (SSA) 2024 meeting in May, held in Anchorage, Alaska. Her interest in glaciers and seismicity led her to work with seismic data from one of the most important glaciers in West Antarctica, Thwaites Glacier. By analyzing seismograms, she has tried to understand the environment of this glacier and its potential impact on future sea-level rise, project presented during this meeting. “Attending this conference was a huge privilege since I understand the resources and enormous effort required to make an event like this possible. The fact that I was surrounded by a large percentage of the world’s seismological community and got to network and present my research to some of them, made it a little nerve-wracking but rewarding at the same time. During my session, I feel I had productive conversations with other scientists, and in general, I received great feedback that I’ll keep in mind while I finish this project. However, receiving one of the 19 Seismological Society of America Annual Meeting Outstanding Student Presentation Awards at a conference with hundreds of other presentations is something that I wasn't expecting. I just want to thank my family and everyone who has supported me during this long journey. This award will keep reminding me that I'm on the right path. Thanks!"

The Department of Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences wins the 2024 Miners Leadership Award for the Departmental Program/Event of the Year award for their Earth Science Week event in October 2023.

Earth Science Week is an event that celebrates all things Earth Science. Last year, there was a total attendance over 300 people at the event, which invites the community to learn about Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences and showcases what our faculty and students are researching. This initiative shines a light on the intricate connections between geoscience and our daily lives and demonstrates the relevance of Earth science in addressing critical societal challenges. 

Through a multitude of educational activities, resources, and events, Earth Science Week serves as a vibrant call to action for individuals of every age and background. We provide hands on educational activities for children of all ages, ranging from the rock cycle to drones. For two reasons the 2023 Earth Science Week was extra special: there was a solar eclipse for which our department had hundreds of glasses ready for the community, and because it uniquely exemplified the power of collaboration and community engagement. It not only brought together several departments within our institution but also over 30 non-profit and local agencies, we created a dynamic and inclusive platform for exploration and learning. The involvement of diverse stakeholders from various sectors enriched the scope of our activities and fostered meaningful connections between academia, non-profits, and the broader community. By uniting efforts, we were able to offer a comprehensive range of educational experiences, resources, and events that catered to the interests and needs of a diverse audience.

Perhaps most notably, our Earth Science Week succeeded in reaching out to a wide array of community members from the El Paso area. By actively involving local residents, we ensured that our initiatives were relevant, accessible, and impactful. Through interactive activities, lab tours, and educational materials, we provided opportunities for individuals of all ages and backgrounds to engage with Earth sciences in a meaningful way. The collaborative spirit that defined our Earth Science Week not only facilitated knowledge exchange but also fostered a sense of belonging and shared responsibility towards our planet. By bringing together academia, local agencies, and community members, we laid the groundwork for continued collaboration and collective action in addressing environmental challenges facing our region and beyond.

This would not have been possible without the help of all our amazing staff, students, and faculty who organized and hosted activities!

A big Thank You! also goes to Dr. Katalina Salas who nominated our department for the award and how put together the description of our Earth Science Week event.

TCM Day is the longest-running tradition on campus where participants unite to do three things. First, to remember the university's roots of mining and engineering. Second, to pay homage to the patron saint of engineering, St. Pat. Last, to grow our school spirit of being Â鶹¹ÙÍø Miners. Team-building activities are integrated throughout the day that will challenge and engage all students, faculty, and staff from around the campus.

A group of researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso are behind an emerging lithium extraction technology that won the inaugural Hill Prize from the Texas Academies of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology on Monday. The $500,000 prize will support a joint research effort by Alma Energy and Â鶹¹ÙÍø to extract lithium from hydrothermal waters. From left: Eva Deemer, Ph.D, and Benjamin Brunner, Ph.D., celebrate receiving the Hill Prize along with Dr. Hermann Lebit and Natalya Kharitonova of Alma Energy. Credit: The University of Texas at El Paso. Read More

Last week, Dr. Mark Engle and a number of Undergrad and Graduate students took a trip to the Texas Hydro Geo Workshop in Boerne, Texas. During the workshop students learned about caves and karst geology and they also participated in hands-on modules on environmental drilling, subsurface CO2 monitoring, field GIS, environmental geophysical methods and more. If you would like to find out more about the Texas Hydro Geo Workshop, please visit their site .