Professional Development Institute Update Making Connections from the Mountains to the Sea Koury Convention Center Greensboro, NC November 10-11, 2005

The theme for the 2005 Professional Development Institute is "Making Connections from the Mountains to the Sea." Join us November 10-11 in Greensboro to learn about ways to capitalize on science resources across North Carolina, from the mountains to the sea!

November is just around the corner so now is the time to plan on attending the institute. Be sure to notify your principal that you would like to attend and add the PDI to your professional development plan. Registration forms will be posted at www.ncsta.org/institute/ as soon as they are available.

Featured Speakers

Orrin Pilkey is a research professor, James B. Duke Professor emeritus of Earth & Ocean Sciences, and Director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines (PSDS) within the Division of Earth and Ocean Sciences in the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences at Duke University.

Pilkey received his BS degree in Geology at Washington State College, his MS degree in Geology at the University of Montana and his PhD degree in Geology at Florida State University.  His research career started with the study of shoreline/continental shelf sedimentation, progressed to the deep sea with emphasis on abyssal plain sediments and back to the nearshore with emphasis on coastal management. 

Dr. Stan Riggs is a coastal and marine sedimentologist and stratigrapher who has been doing research on modern coastal systems since 1964. His area of research extends from coastal plain geomorphology and stratigraphy to the dynamics and evolutionary history of riverine, estuarine, barrier island, and continental shelf systems.  His areas of interest lie in sedimentation, Quaternary and Tertiary stratigraphy, coastal and mineral resources, and their inter-relationship with the development of human civilization.  Dr. Riggs has been actively involved in numerous technical coastal and resource issues at the Federal, State, and local levels including appointments to many commissions, task forces, panels, and committees. These appointments, as well as many of his publications, have dealt directly with integrating scientific understanding with the utilization of the science for resource management including such critical issues as shoreline erosion, hazard zone delineation, riverine flooding, utilization of mineral resources (i.e., beach nourishment sand, oil exploration, phosphate mining, etc.), inlet dynamics, water quality, and habitat preservation (i.e., wetlands, hardbottom reefs, salt marshes, maritime forests, etc.).

More information

It is never too early to make your hotel reservations. As usual, the conference will be held at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. Be sure to mention that you are attending the NCSTA institute to get the lower, conference rate:

Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons
3121 High Point Road at I-40
Greensboro, NC 27407
Phone: (336) 292-9161
Sales and Reservations: (800) 242-6556
www.sheratongreensboro.com
Conference rate is $124 plus applicable taxes, fees, etc.
Reservations must be made by October 9, 2005

More details and information for exhibitors can be found at the Professional Development web page at http://www.ncsta.org/institute/. This page is updated regularly as more information (and registration forms) becomes available. If you have questions please feel free to contact Ruth Page, Institute Coordinator.