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TEACHING

My goal in teaching is to help students develop their scientific reasoning, curiosity, and communication skills to be effective thinkers, citizens, and geoscientists. Where possible, I make use of field experiences and real geological datasets so that students understand the complete process of data acquisition, interpretation, and hypothesis testing. My courses are structured with the aim of making these skills and activities accessible to all. I innovate and revise my teaching practice to better meet these goals.

Courses taught

Assistant Professor of Geology, Utah Tech University

Innovative Solutions - Research and Design

Students work together to identify real-world problems and design solutions in a cohort-based scholarship program designed to increase retention of STEM students from low-income backgrounds. Funded by an NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics grant.

Advanced Geological Investigation of National Parks

This course gives intermediate-level undergraduate students experience with intensive, field-based observation and analysis of the geologic record. We focus on the stratigraphic record, using excellent exposures in southwestern U.S. National Parks to explore lateral continuity and variation in sedimentary facies, as well as basic geologic mapping and kinematic interpretation of folds and faults.

Environmental Science and Geoscience Field Methods

Students build field skills in rotating, applied projects. Last year, we used GPS instruments on loan from the EarthScope Consortium to measure the offset of a creeping landslide near Zion National Park.

Structural Geology and Tectonics

Through field and laboratory activities, students develop their skills recognizing, visualizing, and calculating geometries of geologic structures. Students also quantitatively describe rock deformation from microscopic to continental scales.

Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

Students use a combination of field and laboratory observations to build their understanding of sedimentary textures and structures, facies, and basin evolution.

Earth and Environmental Sciences Career Seminar

Students hear from guest speakers who are professionals in a variety of Earth and environmental science careers while undertaking guided exploration of their own interests and relevant opportunities. The course also includes development of student professional portfolios.

Introduction to Geology

This introductory course for non-majors seeks to develop students' observational and reasoning skills for use outside of an Earth science career through extensive in-class and online discussions, exercises with maps and geological samples, and field experiences.

Advanced Geological Investigation of National Parks students map deformed Mesozoic strata of the Waterpocket Fold, southern Utah.

Introduction to Geology students ponder the landscape and geology of Upheaval Dome, Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Geological Field Methods students use a drone to collect high resolution aerial imagery of a study area to constrain fault geometries, with Professor Zhenyu Jin (Utah Tech).