Susan Jean Welch
Vita
Manager, Geologic Extension Service
New Mexico Bureau of Mines & Mineral ResourcesNew Mexico Tech
801 Leroy Place
Socorro NM 87801-4796
(575) 835-5112 Office Phone
(575) 835-6333 fax
Education
- Bachelor of Science Degree in Soil Science, 1980 New Mexico State University
Professional Experience
Manager, Geologic Extension Service, New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources (1994 to present). Editor for Lite Geology, a geologic publication for educators and the public. Develop and coordinate public education and outreach activities. Collect and distribute Earth science education materials. Prepare educational displays for scientific meetings, teacher conferences, and public gatherings. Network with and support earth science educators in New Mexico; organize workshops and recruit teachers and student participants. Assist the public with geologic questions. Work with Public Information Office on press releases. Develop, update, and publish brochures, fact sheets, and annual reports. Managed the Geologic Information Center, a repository for geologic data (1994 to 1999).
Associate Editor, New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources (February 1991 to May 1994). Developed Lite Geology, and A Guide to Services and Annual Report. Performed technical editing tasks, worked with authors and printers; oversaw layout, graphics, photography, and typesetting; supervised student assistants. Developed education outreach resources and programs.
Admissions Secretary, New Mexico Tech Admissions Office, Socorro, NM (December 1989 to January 1991). Assisted in coordinating several major college fairs for Rocky Mountain Association of College Admissions Counselors (RMACAC). Composed recruitment correspondence and supervised mass mailings. Compiled admissions statistics reports, paid bills, supervised student workers, and maintained inventories. Used database management system to process student records.
Substitute Teacher, Socorro Public Schools, Socorro, NM (spring 1987; fall 1989). Worked with students in grades K-12.
Research Assistant, Petroleum Recovery Research Center, Socorro, NM (1980 to 1986). Worked on enhanced oil recovery experiments; wrote sections of quarterly and annual reports; made annual presentations to project supporters.
Undergraduate Research Assistant, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM (1978 to 1980). Performed soil and water analyses for several research labs.
Summary of programs and activities
- Rockin' Around New Mexico, 1997–present; Coordinate a mineral and geology education workshop for teachers that is moved to a new location around the state each summer. With a large instructor and sponsor base from NM Bureau of Mines, NM Tech, and the mining industry, teachers are introduced to concepts in mining and local geology, and gain exposure to academic and career opportunities in those fields. Rockin' Around New Mexico typically hosts about three dozen teachers each summer. The workshops were based in Socorro, NM in 1997 and at Chino Mines, Hurley, NM in 1998; Taos in 1999; Grants will be the site for Rockin' 2000. Teachers can register for graduate credit through the Masters of Science Teaching program at New Mexico Tech.
- Ghost Ranch Teacher Institute, August 1999; Presented hands-on mineral education activities to teachers serving the Northern Pueblos and Rural Communities (funded by UCAN [Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico] Rural Systemic Initiative.
- Seismic Sleuths/Tremor Troop, 1996–present; Coordinate ongoing series of FEMA-based earthquake education workshops for teachers on state-wide basis; work with NM Department of Public Safety to secure funding for workshops and to facilitate earthquake awareness in stat
- Teacher Open House in Albuquerque at NMBMMR, National Earth Science Week, 1998
- National Science Teachers Association, Regional Conference in Albuquerque, 1998, Coordinated booth volunteers and assisted with preparation and distribution of mineral samples; co-developed display on Minerals in your Christmas Tree.
- Coordinated hands-on activity for 550 students at New Mexico Mining Association Fall Conference, 1998; presented unit on mining exploration using straws to drill for ore bodies in cake.
- Curriculum development committee for TOPO New Mexico, a map-building project based at the NM Museum of Natural History.
- Workshops/displays/resource tables at:
- Natural Resources Day exhibit at the New Mexico Legislature in Santa Fe, 1998, 1999, 2000
- New Mexico Science Teachers Association Fall Conferences
- Exploration Day and Science Olympiad at New Mexico Tech
- Earth Day Celebrations, Socorro, Albuquerque
- Teachers Open Houses New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science and NM Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources
- Coordinated Socorro Water Ecology Research Project for middle school students, 1994–1996 (Socorro was one of a dozen communities working with NM Museum of Natural History to gather water local quality data)
Professional Associations
- New Mexico Science Teachers Association, Member, 1995–present; Serving on several committees to the Board of Directors, Exhibit Chair/Co-Chair for fall conferences 1996, 1997, 1999
- New Mexico Mining Association Education Committee 1998–present
- Environmental Education Association of New Mexico (past member)
- New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission/Comprehensive Groundwater Protection Program—Public Education and Participation Working Group, 1995
- Native Americans in Mineral Engineering and Science Advisory Board 1984–1986
New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources
New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology
801 Leroy Place
Socorro, NM 87801-4796
information: (575) 835-5420
fax: (575) 835-6333
http://geoinfo.nmt.edu
The New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources is a research and service division of:
