Ms Debra Beamish

Encouraging students to pursue a career in Earth Science – Practical Relevance

Throughout my teaching experience, I have had many opportunities to develop outdoor, experiential learning opportunities for primary and senior secondary students. This outdoor education experience established my basic philosophy on education, which included using hands-on and inquiry investigations to help students understand the fundamental building blocks of what Earth Science is about.

In recent years, I have been very privileged to take a group of students to the Heron Island Research Station. The students work and talk with scientists about the significance of their research, at a level well beyond the scope of the normal secondary curriculum. I have seen many students who participated in this program follow through into marine science careers. An equivalent immersion program would encourage students to consider a career in Earth Science.

A visit to UQ in 2012 by my Earth Science class was hosted by Dr Kevin Welsh who made a petrology lab come alive with the ‘wow’ factor of what rocks looked like under the microscope. He also spoke at length about a Joides Resolution expedition he participated in. His talk highlighted the global importance of deep-sea oceanographic research, which had a significant impact on the students. Five students from that class, carried on to do Earth Science at tertiary level. The impact of that two to three hour lab session was very impressive.

Most scientists are passionate about their work and dearly love to bring this passion and enthusiasm into their teaching. It is a life changing experience for students to meet geologists who are working in the field, and visualise where a career in Earth Science can take them.

Biography

Debra Beamish is a Senior Maths/Science teacher at Corinda State High School in Brisbane and up until recently was the Earth Science Coordinator.  Debra graduated from Otago University, NZ, in the early 80’s majoring in Geology.  She worked for the NZ Oceanographic Institute in Wellington, before taking up a position in 1981 as a geologist for Mt Isa Mines, working in coal exploration, based in Collinsville, North Qld.  Debra later trained as a high school teacher,  so that she could juggle motherhood and a career.

Debra has now taught Senior Earth Science and Biology for almost 20 years.  She was excited to have the opportunity to revisit her original career of Marine Sedimentology/Oceanography when she took up a 2 month position as an Outreach Officer on the IODP’s research vessel, Joides Resolution Expedition 371.