In the month of April, we celebrate Earth Day. And on the “Power of PennWest” podcast, we're diving into the wonders of our planet by exploring the great outdoors through the lenses of geology, science, and parks and recreation.

We’ll uncover the fascinating stories behind the rocks beneath our feet, the science that helps us understand our environment, and the parks that offer us a chance to connect with nature.

Our guests today share their outdoor learning and adventures and highlight the importance of preserving our natural world.

First up is Dr. Candice Riley, who teaches management, parks and recreation management and event planning management at the California campus. Dr. Riley believes that parks and leisure are essential components of our overall well-being and encourages students to examine the role parks play in communities.

Dr. Kyle Fredrick is a professor of Geology at PennWest and the president of the Pittsburgh Geological Society. He teaches a wide variety of courses, primarily related to Hydrology, Water Resources and Environmental Geology, and leads an annual field course to points of geologic interest in the US.

Next is Aaron Barnes, a geology and earth science student at our PennWest Edinboro campus. In addition to his studies in geo-physics, environmental geology and minerology, Aaron has also presented at several local and regional conferences.

Finally, we have Jesse Lewis, an environmental biology major at the Clarion campus. Jesse serves as the president of the local chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology. While outdoors, Jesse enjoys hunting, fishing, camping, hiking and learning about wildlife management and conservation.