UW Graduate Student Creates Geology Teaching Tool for K-12 Students

A University of Wyoming graduate student has developed an interactive geology teaching tool for K-12 students.

 

Stephen Oni, a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in UW’s Department of Geology and Geophysics, created YouAreAGeologist.com, an interactive earth science platform set inside the ancient sequoia groves of California’s Sierra Nevada. Students explore real geology through immersive storytelling, specimen collection and standards-aligned quizzes, all from a browser, with no downloads or logins required.

 

“I want more people to fall in love with geology and with these magnificent trees. Sequoias are the largest single-stemmed trees on Earth, yet they grow only within a narrow elevation band. And we still don’t fully understand why,” says Oni, originally from Lagos, Nigeria, who has spent three summers conducting fieldwork in the Sierra Nevada. “I hope this game inspires curiosity about questions like that and motivates the next generation to pursue them, all while fostering a deeper appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the natural world.”

 

Oni, himself, was inspired to create his teaching tool during downtime while waiting for rock, soil and needle samples -- collected from the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park -- to be analyzed for whole and trace elements.

 

“In that stretch of waiting, I started thinking about how I could share my love for the sequoia groves with the world. A Ph.D. typically culminates in a few published papers, but I wanted to do something more,” Oni explains. “Our Department of Geology and Geophysics has been actively exploring new ways to reach the public, and this game is my contribution to that effort -- an interactive experience designed to spark the imagination of future geologists, particularly young people who may not have the means to travel to California. I want people to understand that pursuing a degree in geology opens a deeply intimate relationship with the natural world.”

 

Using the platform, students start by creating their own field researcher avatars, complete with skin tone, hairstyle and color, and an outfit. They then choose one of eight real Sierra Nevada sequoia grove field sites, each with its own unique geology. These are Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park; Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park; Grant Grove and Redwood Mountain, both in Kings Canyon National Park; Calaveras North Grove in Calaveras Big Trees State Park; Nelder Grove and Alder Creek Grove, both in the western Sierra Nevada; and Mountain Home in the southern Sierra Nevada.

 

As field researchers, the students have their avatars walk a particular grove; tap rocks, soils and streams; and collect geological specimens from the sites. Students then test their knowledge by answering 10 field quiz questions per grove to earn points and climb the rank ladder.

 

No UW geology professors were directly involved in the development of the game, but Oni says his creation was shaped by the many conversations he’s had with his adviser, Professor Cliff Riebe, and other members of Oni’s advisory committee over the years.

 

“This is especially true of the underground scenes, where players take on the role of microbes,” Oni says. “My time in (Assistant Professor) Jamie McFarlin’s biogeochemistry class was particularly influential in developing that aspect of the game.”

 

While a good portion of the website is free to use, Oni says there are premium features that can only be accessed by paying for it. For individual users, premium access unlocks the latter four groves listed previously, along with interactive badges earned based on game progress, quiz performance and the number of geologic specimens collected. For institutions, the premium tier includes a one-time access code for all members; free access to future updates; and a visit from a YouAreAGeologist graduate student ambassador who will speak to students about their area of expertise and provide hands-on support with the platform.

 

“One of its unique features connects K-12 students directly with geology graduate students from universities across the country, helping inspire the next generation of earth scientists, especially now that enrollments around the country are on the decline,” Oni says.

 

The premium portion of the site is designed to help cover the cost of web hosting and management, says Oni, who, to date, has personally funded the website. However, he is looking for customers to help support the site.

 

“No schools are using the platform yet. Reaching educators has proven surprisingly difficult. I’ve sent over 50 emails, but many were blocked by institutional spam filters that flag messages from outside senders,” Oni says. “I’m hopeful, though, that coverage from the university will help me connect with educators in Wyoming, across the United States and around the world.”

 

Oni is optimistic his teaching tool eventually will help make a difference and place a spotlight on the Sierra Nevada sequoia groves.

 

“The giant sequoias are a vulnerable species and, as climate change accelerates, their future remains uncertain,” he says. “That uncertainty makes continued study urgent. We need more geologists and more funding dedicated to understanding and protecting these trees for future generations.”