When Tim Hawthorne arrived at Auburn in the summer of 2024, he brought with him a lifelong love of exploration. “I knew early on I wanted to become a geographer and travel the country,” Hawthorne said. As the new chair of Auburn’s Department of Geosciences, Hawthorne found not only a professorship but a bold new endeavor. Soon after his arrival to the Plains, Auburn’s College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) invested in a start‑up science lab on wheels — a project designed to spark curiosity and bring hands‑on STEM learning directly to communities across Alabama. “We wanted to bring something big to the children and teachers of Alabama — something that gets them excited about the science and technology work we do here at Auburn and beyond,” Hawthorne said. That vision accelerated in fall 2024 when COSAM purchased a used 2023 Thor Windsport RV from Bama RV. Their mission was ambitious: gut the entire vehicle and rebuild it from the ground up. “This was built at Auburn by our faculty, students, and staff,” Hawthorne said. “Everything is hands‑on. There is movement, motion, and sensory engagement at every turn.” The team transformed an old bathroom into a tornado tunnel. A former bedroom was converted into an augmented reality topography sandbox. Geosciences research associate Dustin Braden designed a custom vehicle wrap. Six months later, Geo Explorer Auburn — now the largest mobile geosciences‑themed lab in the world — roared to life. “When people first see it, they’re like, ‘What is this thing?’” Hawthorne said. “Then they step inside and say, ‘It’s even cooler than I thought.’” Last summer, the thirty-five‑foot, solar‑powered mobile lab logged 14,000 miles from San Diego to Oklahoma City to Gulf Shores, serving more than 5,000 students at open houses, school visits, and pop‑up events. “We see more smiles than a dentist’s office,” joked Amanda Savrda, curriculum director for the Department of Geosciences. Savrda — an Auburn alumna who has been “bleeding orange and blue” since her father began teaching at Auburn in 1986 — says the mobile lab advances Auburn’s land‑grant mission by taking STEM education directly into communities. Geo Explorer Auburn aligns with state of Alabama science and education standards, strengthening students’ foundations in science, technology, engineering, and math. “It’s incredibly immersive,” she said. “Students can examine biological and mineral samples, study topography, and explore rainforests or coral reefs through virtual reality headsets.” The mobile lab also offers students the opportunity to explore maps, gaze through microscopes, fly mini drones, and interact with touch screens displaying weather data. And yes — there is even a simulated tornado. “We have some powerful leaf blowers that can get us up to about an EF3 tornado,” Savrda said. Students rotate through ten‑minute learning stations, and the curriculum continues to evolve with modern technology, including AI‑powered learning tools. The result? Kids step off the RV buzzing with excitement. “They’re just fired up every visit,” Hawthorne said. This summer, the geosciences team is shifting into high gear. Beginning in July, Geo Explorer Auburn will travel to Washington, D.C., then head west as part of Auburn’s official America 250 programming. The national tour will highlight environmental education, civic engagement, and public service while celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary. “We’re calling it America 250 Coast to Coast with Geo Explorer,” Hawthorne explained. “We’ll visit national parks, landmarks and wildlife refuges to tell the story of America’s public lands.” The tour also brings Auburn innovation to a national stage — and brings those stories back home. Events are already planned in New Mexico, Virginia, and Gulf Shores State Park. The team kicked off the celebration last month at the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, where they met pilots and Blackhawk helicopter crews from Fort Rucker. “We want to inspire the rest of the country to get behind what we’re leading here at Auburn University,” Hawthorne said. “Our goal is to build more of these mobile labs across the U.S., with home base right here at Auburn.” Support from the department’s education advisory council, Auburn alumni, and partners like 15 lightyears has helped fuel the project. Auburn undergraduate and graduate students also play a key role, serving as informal science educators and mentors. “To have a fifth‑ or sixth‑grader talk with an Auburn student and hear, ‘I’m from your community, and I’m succeeding at Auburn,’ is a powerful moment,” Savrda said. For Hawthorne — a National Geographic Explorer himself — the mission is personal. “My parents always talked about the importance of education and taking care of others,” he said. “This is our way to pay it forward.” For Savrda, the motivation is simple: passion. “This shows the spirit of the Auburn family coming together to do something truly innovative,” she said. Want to bring Geo Explorer Auburn to your school? Are you an Auburn alum interested in donating your time, talents, or resources? Visit Geo Explorer Auburn’s website to learn more — and follow Geo Explorer Auburn’s America 250 Coast to Coast summer road trip on Instagram and Facebook. Check out our Everything Auburn Podcast Hub!
