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About PEPP

 

What is PEPP?

PEPP (Princeton Earth Physics Project) is a nationwide educational outreach program that combines state-of-the-art seismological research with hands-on classroom training for middle and high school students in the physical and earth sciences.

Initiated in 1992 by Professor Gusst Nolet at Princeton University, the PEPP project has developed into a major nationwide program with nearly 100 participating schools and universities across the United States.

Map of national PEPP seismic network (exclusive of Alaska).

What Does PEPP Do?

The PEPP program has forged a new partnership among university-based academic researchers and middle and high school teachers and students. Research-quality seismographs are set up in physics and earth science classrooms, where middle and high school teachers and students collect, analyze and interpret scientific data. Teachers and students are given training in creating hypotheses, collecting and interpreting data, and how to present results, culminating in a weekend symposium where students and teachers gather at Indiana University’s Department of Geological Sciences to present their year’s research.

This hands-on approach and direct application of what students are learning in class (answering the eternal question: “So when do you use this in the ‘real’ world?” ) has lured non-science students into exploring quantitative concepts in mathematics, and in the physical, computer and earth sciences. Physics students can explore ‘real-world’ applications of classical physics theory, and earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis (along with the occasional quarry blast or rock concert) can be observed in the earth science classroom. Students and teachers can access the web to link to real-time displays of other stations’ seismometers, and learn ‘what’s shakin’ in the area.

Indiana PEPP

Indiana University was chosen as one of eight universities nationwide to participate in the PEPP program. Indiana's PEPP Program, now including 28 middle- and high-school science teachers from 22 participating school corporations, is among the most successful in the nationwide program.

Map of Indiana University stations (triangles) and Purdue University stations (circles)

What is the Indiana PEPP Earthquake Science Institute?

The IU PEPP Earthquake Institute is a one-week, hands-on workshop in earthquake science. The goal of the workshop is to provide a select group of teachers with equipment, technical expertise, and scientific background to enable them to install and operate a research seismograph in their own schools.

Participants will be provided with housing in IU dormitory facilities, all meals during the conference, support for travel to and from the workshop, an honorarium, and all educational materials needed for the program. In addition, two graduate credits in Geological Sciences will be awarded to all participants, at no cost. Most of the seismic equipment that is needed for a PEPP station will be provided to the participating schools at no cost.

Follow-up technical support will be provided to participating schools by Indiana University's Department of Geological Sciences, and student-teacher research conferences will be planned as a scientific follow-up to the workshop.

What is required for participation?

What we need from each participating school is a commitment for (at the minimum):

  • Provision of computer equipment (Pentium or faster) to become part of the seismograph recording system.
  • Access to PC or Macintosh computers for classroom use.
  • Access to the Internet through use of a telephone line (modem) or computer link.

Ideally, we would like to encourage participation by two (or more) teachers from each school. Partnerships between physics and earth science teachers are particularly encouraged.

View the Princeton Earth Physics Project's Primer for Schools Introduction for more detailed information on why you should become part of the PEPP Program.

For more information...

Interested teachers should contact us at pepp@indiana.edu, or go to the Contact Us! page.

 

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