Teaching

As citizens of a complex and quickly changing world, it is essential that students understand the Earth’s interrelated systems, especially the relationship between humans and their surroundings. In today’s environment, much of the information confronting them will be politicized, contradictory, or simply sensationalized, and it will be necessary to think critically about what they hear. Given the prominence of Earth Science education in the Next Generation Science Standards, it is clear that providing students with the tools to evaluate claims surrounding the subjects of natural hazards, energy, and climate change is one of the greatest services performed by the university system.

If the goal of Earth Science education is endowing students at all levels with the ability to make sense of our complicated planet, active learning offers the clearest path to success. When teaching students with diverse backgrounds and experiences, I believe that it is important to relate course concepts to their knowledge and insights. For me, this manifests itself both in and outside the classroom, from fostering small group discussion and in-class interaction, to applying course concepts to the students’ interests instead of relying on generic examples.

 

Courses taught:

GEOL  789E – Inverse Theory Seminar (Syllabus)

Guest Lecturer, GEOL 200 – Earth’s Fury

Guest Lecturer, GEOL 457 – Seismology