Teaching

Teaching Philosophy

My teaching interests are wide-ranging, from introductory survey courses to advanced graduate courses, such as regional tectonics, basin analysis, sequence stratigraphy, and Earth’s past climate. Hands-on, interactive laboratory exercises will make up a chief component of my courses. This allows students to discover concepts for themselves or fortify visually phenomena discussed in lecture. I attempt to incorporate a field trip into any course I teach, taking advantage of the proximity of such opportunities as the world-class Guadalupe and Sacramento Mountains.

I believe that it is my duty as an educator to not only teach students the subject matter, but to help students at all levels refine their presentation skills, both oral and written. Courses that involve a field trip or laboratory work also incorporate oral or written presentation. As many students struggle with scientific writing, I provide constructive editing to each paper.

Courses Taught

GEOL 4201: Field Methods in Sedimentary Geology; GEOL 4325: Sedimentation & Stratigraphy; GEOL 5426 Sequence Stratigraphy; GEOL 5422 Sedimentary Geology of Carbonates [Fall semester of even years]; GEOL 5322 Sedimentary Processes [Fall semester of odd years]

 

Research & Mentoring

Research is the pinnacle of hands-on, self-driven learning, thus research experience is important for both graduate and undergraduate students earning degrees in the sciences. At an undergraduate level, I encourage mini-research projects in upper-division courses, and senior theses for those with the necessary interest and ambition. Given the time frame of M.S. programs, students entering into the department need timely guidance to quickly develop a project, however, a balance must be attained between mentoring and self-exploration. Thus, my goal is to help M.S. students quickly develop a strong foundation in a research project that aligns with both of our interests which ultimately leaves more time for the students on creative thinking. For Ph.D. students, my goal is to build up from a mentoring to a collaborative relationship. In the early stages, I help the student develop their own research project with the hopes that the research would evolve to showcase the student’s own specific flair.

I strongly encourage all my students to publish, but require it of my doctoral students. I strive to maintain open and upfront discussions regarding publication while developing the research plan. Furthermore, theses and dissertations are prepared as close to manuscript ready as the University guidelines allow. I enthusiastically provide my students with numerous constructive reviews of their drafts to improve their writing as well as mine. I encourage all levels of students to participate at professional meetings to present their work.