Discover EAPS: Yellowstone National Park

DEAPS Yellowstone is an eight-day immersion in the geologic wonders of Yellowstone and its surroundings. Through a rigorous itinerary of daily visits, hikes, and drive-bys throughout the Yellowstone/ Grand Teton NPs, you can look forward to an expert grounding in basic earth science from the nature and causes of volcanic eruptions to the origin and diversity of microbial life in hot springs, to what we can tell about past climates from the fossil record: A window on the uniquely broad and interdisciplinary science that exemplifies so much research in EAPS.

You may not have studied Earth science since grade-school, but this trip will introduce you to the fundamentals of geology, including the lexicon of different rock types and geologic eras, the concepts of absolute time and the complete rock record; plate tectonics; how to read topographic and geologic maps; and processes large and small, fast and slow, inherent to hotspots, of which the Yellowstone caldera, with its diverse collection of more than 10,000 thermal features, including hot springs, bubbling mudpots, and steaming fumaroles, provides such a superb example.

What Will I Do?
» You will study the volcanic history of the Yellowstone area
» Camp in Yellowstone National Park
» Hear informal lectures by faculty and staff
» See geysers and hot springs
» Learn about life in extreme environments
» Study the detailed chemistry and biology of hot springs
» See evidence of earthquakes and volcanoes
» See a fossil forest that is approximately 50 million years old

But, perhaps more than all of this, DEAPS Yellowstone will provide you with an incredible kick-off experience as you start your undergraduate career at the Institute.

DEAPS 2017 SPECIFICS
DATES: Saturday, August 19th through Saturday, August 26th. All students must arrive on Friday, August 18th and will depart for Montana as a group early in the morning on the 19th. No exceptions will be made.
PLACE: Montana, Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park
SUPPLIES: All students are asked to bring a daypack, tent and/or sleeping bag and pad. Gear will be provided for those who do not have it. On most days there will be hikes of moderate difficulty at elevations considerably above sea level.
AVAILABLE SPACES: 20
COST: Each participant will be required to contribute $500.00 towards the cost of the trip. The Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences will cover all other costs. A limited number of scholarships are available – find out more by contacting Vicki McKenna, Education Director