Dr. Christy E. Briles
Postdoctoral Research Associate; Texas A &M University
Contact Information
Palynology Laboratory
Texas A&M University (TAMU 4352)
College Station, Texas 77843-4352
Phone: 406-579-7654
Email: christybriles [at] gmail.com
Education
Ph.D., University of Oregon, Eugene, 2008
M.S., University of Oregon, Eugene, 2003
B.S., University of Denver, Denver, 1999
Research and Teaching Interests
My research interests are in the areas of vegetation and climate history and the role of disturbance, in particular fire, as a catalyst for environmental change over the late-Quaternary. Pollen, macrofossils and charcoal preserved in lake and wetland sediments are the main proxies that I use to reconstruct vegetation, fire and climate. My past and present investigations are located in the western U.S. (Oregon, California, Colorado, Nevada, Montana and Idaho), are experimental in nature, and address a number of important questions related to theories, problems and issues in paleoecology, ecology, geology, biogeography, palynology and forest management.
Teaching is an opportunity to encourage students to question the world around them and to develop skills in the scientific method, data analysis, scientific interpretations of presentations, critical thinking, and metacognition. The classroom, field and laboratory are venues where students can get excited about science. My teaching philosophy emphasizes application of classroom material in the real world, active learning, and using the scientific method to solve problems. I have taught a variety of geography courses including Biogeography, Weather and Climate, Introduction to Physical Geography, Global Environmental Change, Oregon Natural Landscapes (field-based), Introduction to GIS (assisted), and Geomorphology (assisted) .