Between long lab hours and dense textbooks, Earth science majors at the University of Northern Colorado know studying the planet isn’t easy, but it’s a lot more fun together. Because of this, students decided to join together to create UNC’s Earth Science Club.
The club is low-commitment and low-effort. Four students hold leadership positions and the entire university is invited to attend the events they host.
“We have our four officers, but everyone who comes to events is a member,” said the club’s president, Jayde Cummings.
The group doesn’t hold regular meetings beyond planning sessions. Instead, members focus on hosting events that connect students with their professors and the subjects they study.
They often co-host movie or documentary nights with free food provided, as well as visiting professional Earth science research centers. There, students can see the things they study come to life in the real-world environments.
On Nov. 21, the club will be visiting the Denver Museum of Nature and Science to get a tour of the archives and labs. They will be getting a behind-the-scenes look at what professionals at the museum are researching during a two-hour tour starting at 3 p.m. The trip is free of charge and transportation will be provided. A van will be at Lot F of Ross Hall to pick students up at 1:30 p.m.
Members are looking forward to attending this event and are hoping to tour other interesting locations like the National Science Foundation Ice Core Facility in Littleton. At this facility, scientists are researching layers of glacier ice to study what climates may have been like in prehistoric times. They have visited before, but they loved it so much that they want to go back.
In the coming months, the club also hopes to take their learning experience to the outdoors. Professors have discussed hosting hikes where students can explore Colorado’s landscapes while learning about local geology, soil and the environment around them.
Cummings encourages anyone interested to attend future events, whether they are Earth science majors or simply curious about the planet. She says it is a great way to learn new things and meet new people. The club made her feel comfortable in school and introduced her to her classmates.
“I didn’t know a lot of people in my major when I first joined, and I met the current president, and then I got comfortable and really started to build a sense of community,” Cummings said.
Now, as president herself, she hopes other students will find that same experience. The club provides an opportunity not only to learn, but to build friendships and discover new interests along the way.
All information about their events is posted on their Instagram account @unco_esciclub and on flyers around Ross Hall.
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