A Hands-On Instrumentation Workshop for Scientists

August 3–7, 2026 | Gentry, Arkansas

Registration for the GEARS 2026 workshop is officially open.

GEARS (Generalist Electromechanics for Applied Researchers) is a five-day, hands-on instrumentation workshop designed to help scientists become more confident with the tools and sensors they rely on in the field and lab.

If you work with instruments — or wish you understood them better — this week is for you.

Over the past five years, we’ve refined GEARS into a focused, practical training experience that emphasizes real-world problem solving: wiring, troubleshooting, power systems, fabrication, and sensor deployment. The goal is simple: help you move from instrument user to instrument builder and troubleshooter.

Who GEARS Is For

GEARS is designed for scientists working in:

• Physics

• Geology and geophysics

• Meteorology and atmospheric science

• Environmental science

• Biology and ecology

• Space science and planetary science

• Engineering disciplines

• Any research field that relies on data acquisition systems and sensors

If your research depends on field instruments, laboratory sensors, or custom measurement systems, the skills you’ll gain here apply directly.

This is not a discipline-specific workshop. It’s instrumentation training for scientists.

You’ll spend the majority of the week working directly with tools, equipment, and real systems.

We intentionally limit lecture time. This is applied learning.

Registration Details

Dates: August 3–7, 2026
Location: Leeman Geophysical LLC — Gentry, Arkansas
Registration Fee: $800

To apply, complete the registration form on the GEARS workshop page.

After submitting the form:

• We will send you an invoice for the $800 registration fee.

• Your spot is secured once payment is received.

• Students are accepted on a first come, first served basis.

We keep the cohort small to maximize hands-on time and direct interaction. Once the workshop fills, registration will close.

Every year the group brings a different mix of disciplines, experience levels, and ideas — and that’s what makes GEARS so much fun to teach. If you want a week of building, wiring, troubleshooting, testing, and actually understanding what’s inside the instruments you depend on, come join us. Spots go quickly, so don’t wait too long. We’ll see you in the shop this August.