Emerson said that we learn geology the morning after an earthquake. There is a movement afoot to ensure that high school students don’t wait that long.

Ten Michigan universities give credit to those high school students who prepare for and pass a particular geology examination. In fact, since 2001, 1,334 students have taken this rigorous test with 777 passing, a 58 percent pass rate. Behind those statistics is a story of service.

Stephen Mattox, GVSU professor of geology, coordinates this Michigan-based program and proctored the test last year for nine high schools. As he has done for many years, from mid-May to mid-June he spends most of his month supporting this unfunded initiative which helps both to challenge and accelerate students and to serve the pipeline for the field he loves.

“Those who pass can apply for credit after their first semester at GVSU,” Steve explained. “It is somewhat similar to an AP Test and counts for GEO 111.”  While most Michigan universities award credit, a couple have problematic approval processes, despite the support of their own geology departments.

“Funding this program is also a challenge. Two National Science Foundation grants help to support it at a dozen or more high schools that have quality geology or Earth sciences classes. Program such as Hudsonville High School have been managing to provide this opportunity for some years and are to be congratulated,” Steve said. “Two schools were new last year. Forest Hills Central had 54 students take the exam and Kenowa Hills had 49.”

In fact, two GVSU alumni are among the teachers about to make this level of geology instruction a reality at their schools. Brad Stevens in Zeeland and Ashley Meyer in Hamilton plan to teach the preparatory course in 2018-2019. Steve is supporting their course development with another GVSU graduate Chris Bolhuis. Together they have submitted an abstract to the Michigan Science Teachers Association proposing to merge the Next Generation Science Standards with a college physical geology course.

Geology is often a major that students discover once they arrive in college because some have not had experience of the field during their K-12 education. The preparatory course and the exam with the potential to earn them college credit seem to be moving this timeline up for some students.

Steve notes that between ten and twelve students a year come to Grand Valley with this exam as part of their trajectory. “About 10 percent of our majors got credit,” Steve noted.

The effect has even spread beyond Michigan. Montana State now awards credit to those who pass the exam.

Students who have gone on to doctoral programs are now tapped to return to their high schools to discuss the program.

“One of the teachers is in the Target Inquiry program,” Steve observed. Target Inquiry, a grant funded program at GVSU administered by Deborah Herrington of chemistry, is a program for teachers to explore how to bring more experimental science into their courses, in short, helping them to be scientists with their students.

“You need the right teacher in the right system with the right support. There are potentially good collaborative partners in districts so this also encourages good networking. My goal is to make it sustainable. Perhaps I can partner with a computer science professor to produce an online version of the test,” he mused. Steve is already thinking about future grants and possible co-authors he’d like to bring into the program.

“And I might publish about this because we have the data.”

Like Atlas holding up the Earth, Steve has been doing some heavy lifting for the sake of geology, but instead of the weight of the job, he is quick to acknowledge the good fortune he feels working with such fine educators.