Educational philosophy
My personal philosophy on teaching is that experiential learning is the best method of introducing students to science. However, this comes with the caveat that in order to best understand and learn from a particular experience, a student needs to have a certain level of base knowledge with which to interpret what they have observed. In a lecture environment I help students to quickly build a base of knowledge, and then work to get the students involved in projects where they can put that knowledge to work.
Science education should not be primarily about the brute memorization of facts, although in some circumstances that is required. Science is about the process of observation and interpretation of data, and the finding of falsifiable rules / theories with which to explain it. Therefore when teaching, it is important not to simply state a finding of science as fact, but to explain, to whatever level is required, where a particular statement comes from. Science has introduced more changes into the human world in the last 200 years, than in the previous 2000, and it is important that students understand what science is, how it operates, and at least have a grasp of basic scientific principles so that they can function effectively in the modern world. Basic scientific literacy should be considered an integral part of education. |
Courses Taught
East Carolina University (2019-present)
*Dynamic Earth (GEOL-1500)
*Dynamic Earth Lab (GEOL-1501)
*Environmental Geology (GEOL-1700)
*Earth Resources and Materials (GEOL-3070)
*Summer Geology Field Course (GEOL-4000)
Washington and Lee University (2017-2018)
*Introductory Geology with field emphasis (GEOL-100)
* Introductory Geology (GEOL-101)
*Introduction to Geophysics (GEOL-275)
Florida State University (2009-2017)
Undergraduate:
* Dynamic Earth (GLY-1000): Introductory course (100-200 students)
* Physical Geology (GLY-2010): Majors introductory course (30-40 students)
* Geology Field Camp (GLY-4790): Field based course taught in New Mexico (15-30 students) (Taught 2012-2019)
Graduate:
*Magmatic Arcs seminar (GLY-5931): Seminar style course (10-15 students)
*Tectonics (GLY-5425): (5-15 students)
*Introduction to Geophysics (GLY-5455/4451): Cross-listed graduate and undergraduate course (5-15 students)
California State University, Los Angeles (2007)- Lecturer
*Mineralogy
*Earth Revealed
University of Southern California (2000-2006)- Teaching assistant
*Earthquakes
*Nature of Scientific Inquiry
*Planet Earth
Macalester College- (1999-2000)- Teaching assistant
*Structural geology
*Historical geology
East Carolina University (2019-present)
*Dynamic Earth (GEOL-1500)
*Dynamic Earth Lab (GEOL-1501)
*Environmental Geology (GEOL-1700)
*Earth Resources and Materials (GEOL-3070)
*Summer Geology Field Course (GEOL-4000)
Washington and Lee University (2017-2018)
*Introductory Geology with field emphasis (GEOL-100)
* Introductory Geology (GEOL-101)
*Introduction to Geophysics (GEOL-275)
Florida State University (2009-2017)
Undergraduate:
* Dynamic Earth (GLY-1000): Introductory course (100-200 students)
* Physical Geology (GLY-2010): Majors introductory course (30-40 students)
* Geology Field Camp (GLY-4790): Field based course taught in New Mexico (15-30 students) (Taught 2012-2019)
Graduate:
*Magmatic Arcs seminar (GLY-5931): Seminar style course (10-15 students)
*Tectonics (GLY-5425): (5-15 students)
*Introduction to Geophysics (GLY-5455/4451): Cross-listed graduate and undergraduate course (5-15 students)
California State University, Los Angeles (2007)- Lecturer
*Mineralogy
*Earth Revealed
University of Southern California (2000-2006)- Teaching assistant
*Earthquakes
*Nature of Scientific Inquiry
*Planet Earth
Macalester College- (1999-2000)- Teaching assistant
*Structural geology
*Historical geology