Recent unexpected “weather” events have taken place in El Paso: one of week flooding with over 15 inches of rain, more than the annual rainfall in El Paso, occurring in the summer of 2006 and more recent a violent hail storm with damages estimated over $150 million, what is happening to our climate? Earth Science week at UTEP will bring a host of geological and environmental demonstrations to the University on Sunday, October 11th, 2009 from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Throughout the day-long event, the community is invited to view demonstrations on environmental issues, weather phenomena, volcanic eruptions, the waves of an earthquake, hear presentations on the history of the Rio Grande, the Geology of El Paso, and learn about the dinosaurs that roamed the Paso del Norte region millions of years ago and more.

UTEP and the Department of Geological Sciences will kick off Earth Science week at noon on Sunday, Oct. 11th with a free barbeque and with the earth science activities starting at 1 and continuing to 4 p.m.

The Earth Science Week event is sponsored by the UTEP Geological Sciences Department, the American Geological Institute, Shell Oil and, the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Pathways into the Geosciences.