 View looking northeast from summit of Mt. Tallac. YouTube Video |
About Me
I am currently Professor of Geoscience at Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nevada. I teach courses on Natural Hazards (GEOL 100), Physical Geology (GEOL 101), Geology of Geothermal Energy (GEOL 206), and Introduction to Geological Field Methods (GEOL 260). Because of the growing importance of renewable energy, resources, and global climage change, I am currently helping develop a new A. S. degree emphasis In renewable energy and resources. This new degree emphasis will dovetail with the current renewable energy minor available for students at the University of Nevada, Reno. Prior to coming to Truckee Meadows Community College, I worked in the minerals industry for about 20 years looking for base and precious metal deposits—the fossil analogs of today’s geothermal systems, some of which serve as important sources of nonpolluting electrical and thermal energy. I feel privileged to have studied and earned degrees in geology and geological engineering from UC Davis, Colorado School of Mines, and Stanford University. In addition to teaching, I am currently writing an introductory reference book on the geology of geothermal resources to be published in 2016. Besides teaching, I also benefit from membership and participation in several professional societies including the Geological Society of Nevada, the Nevada Petroleum and Geothermal Society, the Geothermal Resources Council, National Association of Geology Teachers, and Geological Society of America. When not working, I enjoy hiking and skiing in the backcountry with family and friends.
Teaching Philosophy
I am a firm believer in learn by doing and be able to use what you have learned. Students participate in their learning through solving problems both individually and then sharing and discussing results with their peers in class. During labs, concepts are reinforced and applied to real-life geological situations, including classifying and identifying rock and mineral samples, assessing geologic hazards based on a region's topography, climate, and geological makeup, and identifying and assessing a region's potential for energy and mineral resources based on learned rock types and geologic structures. A capstone for all courses is one or more field activities that allow students to employ concepts learned in class and lab to interpret geologic phenomena exposed in and around Reno.