Project Description
The undergraduate student will be working on a research effort to catalogue a physical collection of >300 sand samples from around the world and create a research database and educational tool for a museum. The goal of this new project is to create additional classroom tools and a database of 100+ sands that are aligned with geospatial data to educate the public on the geologic setting of the sand’s origins. Creation of an educational and research tool for the museum will not only support a student researcher but also support the ongoing interdisciplinary connections between the Department of Geosciences, the Museum Studies Certificate Program and the Thomas Greene Geological Museum. The methods intended to complete this project involve sample sorting, identification, labeling, microphotography, geospatial referencing and technical writing. The undergraduate researcher will be required to continue cataloging and classification of sand samples not included in the 2023 study, plus inclusion of sand samples acquired or gifted since 2023. The researcher will also use Google Earth or similar geospatial referencing to link sample locations to searchable geographical locations that also include geologic descriptions of the sand source location and will construct a physical display for the museum.
Tasks and Responsibilites
The primary student tasks planned for this research include sorting, identification, labeling and microphotography of sand samples from around the world (e. g. from Iceland, to Namibia, to Hawaii), creating technical and mineralogical descriptions, and presenting this information for public display and interaction. The samples will be linked to geospatial coordinates based on the locality description provided by the sample collectors. The student will also be responsible to determine the best way for public use and interaction with the samples by creating an interactive physical display in the museum, with accompanying access to a microscope, so museum visitors can see the sand grains for themselves under a microscope. The student will also select certain sample localities to prepare a technical narrative to be linked with geospatial data to provide ‘a story’ about the characteristics of unique sands (e. g. why the sand from Iceland is black, while the Namibia sands are reddish...). It is anticipated that the student will present this research at both the UWM Undergraduate Research Symposium and the Department of Geosciences Student Research Symposium.
Desired Qualifications
None Listed.