Inclusive Fieldwork: How Accessibility is Changing the Future of Geosciences

For decades, the "field" has been treated as a character-building barrier in geosciences—a place for the rugged and the able-bodied. But what happens when we view the outdoors as a classroom rather than an obstacle? In S2EP16, Jeff Zurek welcomes Brett Gilley, a Professor of Teaching at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a master of field pedagogy.

They dive into the results of a groundbreaking accessible field trip held right here in Vancouver. From the shores of Stanley Park to the volcanic peaks of Whistler, we discuss Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the "Mammoth Cave" inspiration. You'll hear the transformative story of a visually impaired student who traded her seeing-eye dog for a rock scramble and a professor with a progressive disability who finally got off the bus to argue geology again.

Whether it's using Silly Putty to feel 3D models or running "Mission Control" from a dorm room, this episode proves that diversity is the lifeblood of discovery. Plus, we find out why Brett has an IMDB page and why he thinks "gravity sucks."

Chapters

• (00:00) Intro: Rethinking the Degree
• (01:50) Fieldwork as a Rite of Passage
• (03:20) Guest: The "Rate My Prof" Legend
• (06:10) Why High Schools Skip Geology
• (09:30) Funding and Enrollment at UBC
• (13:20) Why Geoscience is Unique for DEI
• (15:15) Designing the Vancouver Workshop
• (17:40) Inspiration: Mammoth Cave
• (21:00) Redefining "Disabled" in the Field
• (23:45) Data: Transforming the Experience
• (28:00) "Hold My Dog": Scrambling Blind
• (31:20) Multi-Sensory Exploration
• (35:30) Meta-Discussion: Validating Disability
• (39:00) Universal Design for Learning
• (42:20) Silly Putty and 3D Models
• (45:45) Post-COVID: Mission Control Learning
• (50:00) Geodude: The IMDB Mystery
• (53:30) Call-outs: Join the IAGD
• (55:00) The Punchline: Geologists vs. Engineers

Links & Resources

• The International Association for Geoscience Diversity
• Geodude Youtube
• Support: Pateron
• Socials: Bluesky | Instagram | Facebook

Whimsical Wavelengths: Deep-dive conversations where a working scientist unpacks how we know what we know, one paper, one idea, or whimsical detour at a time. Hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo).