Teaching
GEOL 102. Environmental Geology and Landform Development. 4 Credits. Winter 2018; Winter 2020.
Landforms, surface processes, and interactions between humans and the environment. Weathering, erosion, sedimentation, ground water, streams, glaciers, deserts, oceans, and coastlines; geologic hazards.
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GEOL 420/520. Geocommunication. 3 Credits. Fall 2018; Fall 2019.
For science to have impact, it must be communicated. More, our individual and collective successes as scientists are ultimately defined based on how we communicate, whether that is through academic papers, grant proposals, exam questions, professional and public lectures, testimonies, informal discussions or social media. Just as we spend countless hours to develop our technical skills and foundational knowledge, we must also work to build our abilities to communicate our science effectively and accurately. This class aims to make you a better science communicator, through writing, speaking, and making graphics to explain your ideas. We will couple readings and assignments with in-class activities to systematically consider and practice different components of science communication, focusing on defining goals and evaluating audiences in order to craft our messages. We will specifically practice writing, reading, and making good figures, as well as discussing peer review, proposals, posters, and other student-identified topics related to the world of science communication.
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GEOL 410/510. Soil and Environmental Chemistry. 4 Credits. Winter 2019.
The goals of this course are to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence for interpreting large-scale soil and environmental chemical phenomena from a molecular perspective.
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HC 441H. Soils, Environmental Quality and Global Challenges. 4 Credits. Spring 2019.
As the world population grows toward 10 billion people by 2050, we will be pressed to increase food security, respond to the consequences of a changing climate, and improve human health – all while protecting the environment and maintaining natural resources. Soils play a critical role in many of these challenges, particularly in regulating environmental quality. The primary goal of this course is to teach you how soils mediate environmental impacts through a host of chemical, physical, and biological processes. We will examine a series of global challenges, assess their main related environmental issues and policies, and analyze the roles of soils in each issue. Examples of the Global Challenges covered in the course include food security, drinking water and sanitation access, and climate change adaptation and mitigation. Key themes throughout the course will include data sources and limitations for understanding soil processes and global challenges, the interconnections between (and among) various environmental issues and societal needs, the roles of science in policy analyses, and challenges and opportunities for communication of complex topics.