GBA’s GEO Kits Spark Industry Interest Around the World
When Joe Meiburger, P.E., LEED AP (ECS) embarked on a trip to Honduras last October, he carried with him more than just a suitcase—he brought along a tool for inspiration: GBA’s GEO (Geoprofessional Education Outreach) Kit. What started as an educational outreach initiative turned into a transformative experience for both Joe and the students at the Lamb Institute’s bilingual academy in San Buenaventura.
JOY Christian Academy in San Buenaventura.
The Journey to Honduras
Joe’s trip was part of an annual effort led by his father-in-law’s church, which has supported the Lamb Institute for several years. The Institute provides critical resources to children in Honduras, including an orphanage, an after-school program, and a bilingual academy.
The group of volunteers in Honduras
With a mission to share knowledge and spark curiosity, Joe introduced the GEO Kit—a hands-on educational tool designed by GBA’s Emerging Leaders—to students in grades five through eight. His goal was to bring engineering concepts to life in a way that was engaging, interactive, and easy to understand.
Joe demonstrates the GEO Kit for students in Honduras.
What Is a GEO Kit?
GBA’s GEO Kit were developed by the Emerging Leaders Class 5. Designed to make educational outreach accessible for geoprofessionals, the kits provide a ready-to-use, hands-on activity that can be implemented with minimal preparation. Each kit includes simple materials like kinetic sand, wooden dowels, and foam blocks, making complex engineering principles tangible for young learners.
GBA Board member Carrie Rodriguez, P.E., G.E. (BSK Associates) shares a GEO Kit at a middle school presentation in November 2024.
The kits cover key topics such as:
• Soil compaction
• Zone of influence
• Bearing capacity
• Shallow vs. deep foundations
• Bridge foundation failure
By providing these materials and structured activities, GBA members aim to spark early interest in engineering and geoscience, ensuring that the next generation of geoprofessionals has the opportunity to explore these fields before making career decisions.
Chuck Shaw, P.E. (ECS) uses GEO Kits to show kids what geotechnical engineers do at the ABC Delaware Governor’s Construction Expo.
Bringing the Geoprofessions to Life
At the bilingual academy, Joe introduced the Bridge Foundation Failure GEO Kit to two groups of students. The hands-on experiment quickly turned into a friendly competition as students tested different foundation designs, exploring concepts of stability, economy of design, and soil reinforcement.
Joe speaks with young learners in Honduras about the geoprofessions.
“I was blown away by how much the students already knew,” Joe shared. “They understood igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks, and they were eager to experiment with different foundation techniques.”
The GEO Kit allowed students to see engineering in action, sparking curiosity about how structures are designed and built. Teachers at the academy also took an active interest, ensuring that the kit would be used for future lessons, extending its impact beyond Joe’s visit.
Bridging the Gap
In her presentation at the 2024 GBA Annual Conference, Carrie Rodriguez, P.E., G.E. (BSK Associates) shared that the number of new geoprofessionals entering the workforce is struggling to keep pace with those retiring or eligible for retirement.
Rodriguez presents at the 2024 GBA Annual Conference.
Why is this? Carrie recounted a few reasons that you may have heard before and discovered some new factors in conversations with university staff:
• People don’t know what geoprofessionals do.
• People don’t pay attention to infrastructure – they just expect it to work.
• People especially don’t pay attention to what they can’t see (the subsurface elements of the built environment).
• Students aren’t introduced to geoprofessional disciplines until late in their college careers.
• The introduction they do get isn’t very interesting.
• There aren’t enough professors of geoprofessional disciplines.
• There isn’t enough real-world focus in the classes – students don’t get an idea of what a day in their life would look like as a geoprofessional.
So what can be done? Carrie encourages geoprofessionals firms to develop internship programs, share images of the work they do, and establish a presence at local schools. This is where the GBA GEO Kit can be a valuable tool.
How to Get a GEO Kit
GEO Kits are available for any GBA member firm looking to engage in educational outreach. The kits come with an ingredient list, simple preparation instructions, and structured lesson plans, making it easy to introduce geoprofessional concepts to students of all ages.
Jamie Bates, P.E. (not pictured) with SME used a GEO Kit in her presentation at a Nontraditional Employment for Women workshop.
Those interested in bringing a GEO Kit to their community can contact GBA’s GEO Kit Task Force to get a list of materials and instructions to build and share the kit. Whether used in local schools or international outreach efforts like Joe’s, GEO Kits offer a hands-on way to inspire the next generation of geoprofessionals.
Joe’s trip to Honduras showcased the power of these kits to ignite curiosity and learning. As GBA continues to help members expand their educational outreach, GEO Kits stand as a testament to the impact that hands-on learning can have—one foundation at a time.