Sightseeing in Aberystwyth, Wales

By Debra Colarossi, South Africa

Aberystwyth is a coastal town located along the western coast of Wales in the United Kingdom. It is home to Aberystwyth University and doubles up as a holiday town during the summer months. One of the must see tourist attractions is The Castle, the ruins of which stand on the rocky headland overlooking Cardigan Bay. The castle is a testament to the pursuit of Welsh independence from the English Crown and the adjoining beach is host to the Aberystwyth Castle mosaics chronicling the history of the castle from 1277 when the castle was built for King Edward I, though to its capture byOwain Glyndwr in 1404, its subsequent loss to Prince Henry in 1408 and its destruction in 1649 by Oliver Cromwell's army.

The Castle offers a stunning view of the coastline as well as of the Old College, a failed hotel that became the first university in Wales. The building is constructed in high Victorian Gothic style and is carved from a beautiful, clean sandstone. the southern tower's external mosaic depicts Archimedes receiving emblems of modern science and industry.

The war memorial located at Castle Point depicts the angel of peace holding a wreath of victory and raising mankind from the ashes of war. It was sculpted by Mario Rutelli, an Italian sculptor, after being commissioned in 1919. The panels along the bottom of the memorial contain the names of the men and women from the Borough of Aberystwyth who died in World War 2.

Historical information was take from the Aberystwyth Town Guide published by The Aberystwyth Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Menter Aberystwyth in June 2011.

Join the YES Network's free web-cast session at GSA 2011!

The YES Network is convening GSA Session 215: "T.171 Developing the Global Geoscientist through International Geoscience Networks and Research Projects"

This session will be broadcast via web-cast, and web-based participation is free. Find the session's schedule and register as a web-based participant on the YES Network website: www.networkyes.org/index.php/meetings/gsa_2011/

This session will focus on best practices for cultivating global geoscientists through the use of international geoscience networks and cutting-edge technologies and the development of international research projects from these international networks. This session also highlights the Geoscientists Without Borders® program and its associated projects, including the logistics of establishing projects and the impact the program and projects have made.

Session Chairs: Leila Gonzales, Sophie J. Hancock
Co-sponsoring Organizations:GSA Geoscience Education Division; YES Network; American Geological Institute; Society of Exploration Geophysicists Foundation; GSA Geophysics Division; Society of Economic Geologists

Thank you to the SEG Foundation and the American Geological Institute for making the session web-cast possible.

Submit your abstract to a YES Network session at AGU!

The GSA 2011 meeting abstract deadline just passed, and now it's time to focus on getting those abstracts ready for the AGU 2011 Fall Meeting! Did you know about the sessions that the YES Network is convening at the AGU 2011 meeting? If not, here's the information. Please consider submitting an abstract to one of the following sessions that the YES Network is convening.

AGU 2011 abstract deadline is this Wednesday, 04 August.

ED32: Innovative Education, Outreach, and Communication (EOC) Activities by Early Career Scientists (ECS)
Beyond research, scientists are expected to communicate their science. EOC activities by scientists enhance public understanding of pressing topics, foster scientific literacy among the public, open lines of communication with scientists, and inspire young people to consider science careers. EOC skill development is crucial for ECS. While important for obtaining funding, ECS training generally does not cultivate EOC skills. ECS efficacy in EOC occurs through practical experience and professional development activities. This session aims to highlight innovative EOC activities initiated and conducted by ECS, as well as professional development activities designed to foster these skills.

ED49: The Student-to-Professional Continuum: How to Retain Students and Successfully Transition Graduates into Geoscience Careers 
Since the mid-1990's geoscience degree completion rates have remained near 12% for undergraduates and 20% for graduate students. Furthermore, data from NSF indicates that only 30 percent of geoscience graduates work in core geoscience occupations. The US and other developed nations are beginning to see the loss of technical skills in the geoscience workforce, both within academia, government, and industry sectors. The implementation of successful retention and student-to-professional transition strategies are critical for bolstering the supply of new graduates to geoscience occupations.

ED51: Using International Networks to Develop the Future Global Geoscience Workforce
As the geoscience workforce becomes increasingly global, geoscience graduates need to be equipped with strong geoscience skills and experience in international collaboration. Data from the IUGS Global Geoscience Taskforce indicates that developed nations face the immediate need to replace the current wave of retiring geoscientists while developing nations need to bolster human and capital infrastructure to support the training of future geoscientists. International geoscience networks, which remove geographical constraints and connect geoscientists via the web, may help solve the unequal distribution of geoscience capacity while providing geoscience students with the ability to develop international experience.