Teaching

Field experiences are integral to understanding geologic processes. UF's capstone course typically visits the Rio Grande Rift in New Mexico (pictured) in and the nearby Colorado Plateau to map Phanerozoic (<~540 million year old) rocks, although in recent years we have visited the Appalachian Mountains and the Great Lakes region. This course is chance for students to synthesize all their geoscience knowledge prior to graduation and their next opportunity.

This course introduces geologic mapping to undergraduate students, including  learning the use of a geologic compass (pictured) and learning basic structural relationships between rocks like faults and folds. Students begin their journey into 3-dimensional thinking with stereonets. This course is a precursor to Structural Geology and  Field Camp.

In Structural Geology, students learn how rocks and minerals deform when subject to 3-dimensional stresses under different heat and pressure regimes. This is an advanced undergraduate course, combining knowledge learned in field methods and metamorphic petrology. For example, stereonet analysis is emphasized.

This sophomore-level course focuses on the Phanerozoic Eon (~540 million years ago to present), because this is the time complex life evolved on Earth. The Precambrian Eons are often neglected in Historical Geology because they lack interesting fossils and our knowledge of events is based on chemistry and physics. As a Precambrian-focused geoscientist, I try to find creative ways for students to learn more about Earth's unique Precambrian history.

Introduction to Geology is a great class for "Majors" and "Non-Majors" alike, and is often used to capture the interest of beginner students who are curious about  which Major to choose (such was the case for me). The course introduces how rocks and minerals for (including the rock cycle), basic geologic time, and Earth's formation, structure, and plate tectonic theory. While all this is crucial information, the class has essentially been taught the same way for 20-30 years and is in need of some creativity!

 Geologic Hazards may be the most relevant geoscience course to global society, focusing on geologic characteristics of earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, flooding, landslides, and other hazards. I was a Teaching Assistant for this course for one semester in 2017 under the direction of Dr. Paul Ciesielski. The course was ahead of the (COVID-19) curve in terms of being offered online, although my involvement was rather minimal and limited to grading.