Teaching

I regularly engage in STEM education initiatives.  Currently, with College of Education colleagues Alec Bodzin, and Tom Hammond we are developing iVR activities for outreach at local libraries and environmental education centers, which use geospatial technologies (e.g. ArcGIS) and inquiry to historical understanding of the Lehigh River watershed.  Research in science education can foster a more diverse and expanded pipeline of future scientists and engineers for the global workforce.  To learn more about the current education research or curricular modules go to the Environmental Literacy and Inquiry website -- https://eli.lehigh.edu/

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY:

I aspire to teach innovative, memorable courses by making the material interesting and tractable irrespective of its conceptual difficulty. This task is achieved in different ways in different instructional settings, which range from First Year seminars [EES 90], to large natural science distribution courses [EES021, EES095], upper class electives [EES223] graduate courses [EES427], a summer field course [EES341] or the introductory course for Earth and Environmental natal Science majors [EES080]. To achieve this goal takes enthusiasm, continual commitment, and dedication to teaching. Courses can always be improved to elevate the learning of the entire class; therefore, my courses are always in revision. I integrate evolving technologies into classes such as web content and online learning, and the Coursesite system, for example.  While willing to take risks in the classroom, I strive to maintain an understanding of both the curricular role a course plays and the specific audience. I work to be well prepared and organized for all classes, knowledgeable of the subject matter to the point of not needing notes. I design my own laboratories and problem sets for my classes to better integrate lecture and laboratory material and to take advantage of Lehigh’s location in the Appalachian Mountains. I find that laboratories are especially powerful learning environments because of the positive impact of hands-on, inquiry-based experiential learning. I integrate numerous field trips into my courses and require students to make measurements and collect data in the field so that they are practicing scientists, not simply passively learning. I strive to keep a positive atmosphere in the classroom, field, and laboratory by being fair, clear on expectations, available and approachable in class and out, respectful at all times, and accommodating of students with disabilities; all while attempting to be as rigorous and demanding as possible. My graduate courses are current, benefit from my research, and are accessible to all EES geologists. I believe that graduate students should be competitively trained for a national marketplace, finish in a timely fashion, and to benefit personally from their research efforts. My teaching is generally praised on student evaluations.

REGULARLY SCHEDULED LEHIGH COURSES