by 
First stop on our journey from Anchorage to Seward, we observed land substance at Earthquake Park located in Anchorage, Alaska. The Good Friday earthquake and tsunami took place on March 1964 and devastated the impacted communities. During this stop, STEMSEAS mentor, Dr. Callan Bentley explained how landforms are created through events such as earthquakes. A convergent boundary is an area on Earth where two or more lithospheric plates collide. The two plates move towards each other forcing one to buckle up and the other to move beneath. We also discussed other geological features such as volcanic mudflows, measuring data with gravity, and an exotic crust called terrane.
The next stop was Beluga Point, where they have potential Beluga whale sightings. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any whales. However, we got a better look at the Chugach Mountain ranges and learned some cool terminology for the various types of metamorphic rocks found there. My roommate, Jules, found an example of liquefaction here at Beluga Point.
Geology is so fascinating to me. It allows me to appreciate the many different ways that Earth’s structures were created and formed. I can’t wait to see what our mentors have planned for us next.
— Michelle
