A Rock Star Is Born

BY HEATHER FRANTZ
Public Relations Coordinator

Rock On
Geoff Harding, Geol.I.T., tries out his hosting skills in the SciQ Rock 'N' Fossil Road Show.

Get out your autograph books. One of your fellow APEGGA members is now a star — and a rock star at that.

Even with no formal acting credits on his resumé, Geoff Harding, Geol.I.T., was picked by producers to host the three sessions of the new SciQ Rock ’N’ Fossil Road Show. The shows took place Oct. 16 at the Odyssium in Edmonton and Oct. 23 at both the Canmore Geoscience Centre and Museum and the Crowfoot Library in Calgary.

The Rock ’N’ Fossil Road Shows, loosely based on the popular Antique Road Show television series, gave the public a chance to bring in rock and fossil samples and have them analyzed by geoscience members of APEGGA. An ACCESS TV production crew was on hand to tape all three clinics.

As part of his hosting duties, Geoff chatted with fellow APEGGA rock experts about samples the public brought in as well as some from their own collections.

At the Canmore event, 10-year-olds John and Hubert brought some of their fossils to be analyzed and were pleased that the APEGGA experts knew so much about their special finds. The boys also thought Geoff did a great job as host — and that the experience of being on television with him was pretty cool.

Geoff jumped at the chance to host these unique events. “With the treasures we have out there, I felt we needed to make them more available in a safe and interactive way for the learning public. Alberta has a great treasure chest here and everybody should have a chance to see what is inside, so that they may continue to contribute to it,” says Geoff.

Currently with Norwest Mines Corporation in Calgary, Geoff is no stranger to rocks or volunteering with APEGGA. He was an Outreach program volunteer in Edmonton for two years and is now part of the program in Calgary. He has also worked at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller.

“I’m excited to be involved with the educational opportunities that APEGGA provides to schools, as I feel there is just not enough geology-related science in the classroom, and what is there is not always as exciting as I find the science to be.”

“He’s the kind of guy who is earnest about making a contribution to volunteer programs he joins. He is a great classroom presenter and loves his chosen career,” says Jeanne Keaschuk, APEGGA Senior Outreach Coordinator in Edmonton.

Together with ACCESS TV and others, APEGGA is a proud partner in SciQ. SciQ’s mandate is to promote science learning for K-12 students in Alberta. The Rock ’N’ Fossil Road Show will be just one of the many events webcast on the SciQ website at www.sciq.ca. The site also features Q Zones on various science topics, including engineering and geology, as well as information on careers in science.

Watch for Geoff and many other APEGGA volunteers who helped out at the Rock ’N’ Fossil Road Show when it is broadcast on ACCESS TV and webcast on the SciQ website during Engineering & Geoscience Week, Feb. 25 to March 6, 2005.


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