Outreach

I greatly enjoy creating fun, educational geology videos on a wide range of subjects. In particular, I love to meld together my passions for Disney and geology! Below are all the educational outreach videos I have created, in order of publication date.

Find my short-form videos on TikTok @its_sedimentary! You can also find these videos on YouTube.

Understanding Earth Fissures: A Man-Made Geohazard

Earth fissures are long, narrow cracks in the ground that form where the ground is sinking. They can erode very quickly, posing a hazard to nearby infrastructure. In Arizona, land subsidence–the sinking of the earth–is caused by groundwater withdrawal, meaning that earth fissures are a man-made–or anthropogenic–hazard.

The Geology of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge | Black Spire Outpost, Batuu

Travel with me to Black Spire Outpost on the planet of Batuu as I tell you all about the geology that inspired its namesake petrified tree spires. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge features spires of giant petrified trees, which are the remnants of a once great ancient forest. The petrified spires were inspired by Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. If you’d like to see a real petrified tree, head over to Frontierland in Disneyland and see a petrified tree gifted to Disneyland from Lillian Disney. The information in the park is not accurate about the tree, so I also explain its true geological origins.

Could an Earthquake Destroy Disneyland?

Disneyland is among the happiest places on Earth, but it’s also smack in the middle of earthquake country. The San Andreas fault runs through nearly all of California and has produced many great historic earthquakes. So what are the odds that Disneyland is at risk from an earthquake along the San Andreas?

Why are the Rocks of Sedona, Arizona Red?

WINNER – 2017 DIRECTOR’S CHOICE AWARD! More at https://riskinnovation.asu.edu/2017-s…

Arizona is home to some amazing geology, but you’ll be hard pressed to find rocks more vibrant than in Sedona. Sedona is known for their spectacular red rocks, but how exactly did the rocks become so red? Learn about how we have iron to thank for it.

Could a Sinkhole Swallow Walt Disney World?

Florida, the land of Sea World, Disney, put put golfing and SINKHOLES! Sinkholes frequently pop up in Florida—thanks to its limestone bedrock—and swallow cars and houses. There’s been many sinkholes in close proximity to the Walt Disney World resort, so what are the odds that a sinkhole could appear on Disney property? Well surprise, there’s already a massive confirmed sinkhole at Walt Disney World. Could more appear one day?

The Geology of Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Walt Disney World may seem to be a strange place to learn about geology, but there’s actually a lot of geology behind their attractions! In this video, I talk about the real-life geology behind three of the attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Expedition Everest, Dinosaur and Pandora-The World of Avatar.

The Geology of Disneyland

Disney and geology are among my greatest passions, so why not combine the two! In this video, I tell you about the real-life geology behind three attractions at the Disneyland Resort in California: the Matterhorn Bobsleds, Radiator Springs Racers and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.