The School of Earth and Environmental Sciences is celebrating science through EarthWeek.

UA’s EarthWeek is a student-organized event and consists of five days of talks and presentations given by undergraduate and graduate students in the school. “”It’s a chance to show off all the things our undergraduates and graduate students are doing in research,”” said Karl Flessa, director of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

Many of the EarthWeek events are longstanding UA traditions, like GeoDaze — a showcase of student research in the earth sciences.

“”This is the 38th year that GeoDaze has been held, but this year is special because it is the inaugural year of EarthWeek,”” said Jill Onken, geosciences graduate student and GeoDaze co-chair. “”Most of the EarthWeek events have also been held in past years, but their being joined by EarthWeek is an appropriate way to recognize the newly created School of Earth and Environmental Sciences.””

William Guenthner, a geosciences graduate student and a GeoDaze co-chair, said events like GeoDaze and EarthWeek provide a great experience for both presenters and organizers.

“”If you’re a presenter, as I’ve been in the past and will be this year, it allows you to showcase your research in a less hectic, more personal environment than at a big national meeting,”” Guenthner said. “”And, therefore, when you do attend such a meeting, you feel more comfortable about interacting with other scientists.””

He said being an organizer provides perspective on how to be an effective manager.

“”This is a skill that I think people often associate with an industry or government position, but academics requires it too. From running a lab to chairing a national scientific organization, these are skills that are not necessarily learned simply by completing your degree, and I think that GeoDaze affords me and others in the department with an opportunity to develop these skills,”” Guenthner said.

On Wednesday the keynote speaker was Randy Olson, an independent film director and former marine biologist. A screening of Olson’s film “”Sizzle”” played at The Loft Cinema Wednesday evening.

GeoDaze: 38th Annual Geoscience Symposium will be today and Friday. The final EarthWeek event is a GeoDaze field trip to Mt. Lemmon on Saturday.

If you go

Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

GeoDaze: 38th Annual Geoscience Symposium

Saturday

GeoDaze Field Trip to Mt. Lemmon

To register for the field trip go to: earth.geo.arizona.edu/geodaze/2010/register.html