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Science and Math Enrichment Program |
Each year, the Alaska Earthquake Information Center takes part in the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute's Science and Math Enrichment Program which provides an opportunity for middle school students from rural Alaska villages to visit the Geophysical Institute and other research centers at UAF. The Enrichment Program aims to inspire Alaska Native students to excel in science in high school and pursue higher education and science careers later in life. All of the hands-on lessons in the Enrichment Program are based on recent geophysical research, and are designed to show students how math and science skills are used by professionals to solve real-life problems in Alaska.
During the two hours that the students spend with seismologists, they participate in six different lessons and activities. These include:
| Who Are Seismologists | Students have the opportunity to ask the seismologists questions about their profession |
| Seismometer Demonstration | A cut-away model of a seismometer is used to show students how earthquakes are recorded |
| Seismic Waves and Seismograms | The details of a seismogram are introduced to students and they learn to differentiate between P and S waves |
| Earthquake Waves Arrive | Students learn how to use mathematical formulas to determine the time it takes seismic waves to travel certain distances |
| Epicenter of the Earthquake | Using a compass, map, and seismogram, students use the tools they learned in previous lessons to locate the epicenter of an actual earthquake |
| Earthquakes and Faults | An Earthquake Machine that demonstrates how pressure builds up within the earth and releases during an earthquake shows students how difficult it is to predict when an earthquake will occur |
 Seismologist Elizabeth Veenstra conducts an experiment with the Earthquake Machine |
 Geophysical Institute Education and Outreach Supervisor Kathryn Berry Bertram helps explain a seismogram |
 Kathryn Berry Bertram analyzes the details of P and S waves with students |
 Seismologist Doug Christensen explains real-time seismology with the aid of the helicorders |
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