Instructors
Carolina Londoño Michel, Ph.D.
I am an enthusiastic, bilingual geologist that loves inspiring others to appreciate and respect the Earth. I have experience in face-to-face, hybrid, and online environments. My goal as an educator is to create science-literate citizens, empowered to make informed and responsible decisions/actions regarding our environment. Two things drive my teaching: the deep love and respect that I have for our planet and the critical environmental issues that we face. Through science and education, we can learn the laws of the Earth and live up to them.
Besides Geology and teaching, the pillars of my life are my two little ones, my husband and my community. I practice yoga and mindfulness. I bring my whole self to my instruction. I believe that education is about transforming lives, our communities, and the world, but it all starts with ourselves.
Michael Santoro, Ph.D.
It has been said that you don’t find the best things in life but they find you. I feel that is true for my career and passion for teaching and education. As an undergraduate, my mentor insisted that I would be a great teacher, but I did not believe him. Those high school aptitude tests all came back “teacher”, but I did not believe them. Before 2009 I had no plans to become a teacher, and I had no idea what was to come. After being asked to take an adjunct position at CGCC in 2009, my passion was awakened. I have always loved earth science; as a child I would sit and watch the weather channel. Now I have the opportunity to share that love and inspire others to fall in love with our natural world.
Jeff Simpson
When not teaching geology at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, a job he loves with people he admires, Jeff works as a technical writer for the Nonlinear Geophysics Group at Los Alamos National Laboratory, builds energy-efficient tiny houses, and teaches hands-on science to little folks in China, though not during the summer of 2020. Jeff has worked for the BLM's Anasazi Heritage Center in Dolores, CO and for the National Park Service as an interpretive ranger at Volcanoes National Park & Glen Canyon/Lake Powell. Jeff has lived & worked in Pago Pago, American Samoa & Athens, Greece. He enjoy biking on his Yeti SB 5.5, hiking, travel, acoustic guitar, gardening, writing, computing, studying environmental issues focusing on sustainability and alternative architecture, and spending time with the beloved SweetieBunch. Jeff teaches geology both as content and a process, with a hands-on approach, and with a sense of humor. Learn more at Jeff's geology web site.
Wael Hassinan
My name is Wael, and it sounds as the letters Y & L. I currently live in Phoenix, Arizona. I have worked for Arizona Department of Environmental Quality since 1993 as a hydrologist/Geologist. My wife is an active duty and we have three kids whom enjoyed the great care and generosity within the Air Luke Base. My job involves investigation and remediation of contaminated groundwater for the federal and state "Superfund" sites. I have been an on-ground and Online instructor since 1989, teaching Science and Math courses for various universities. In 1992, I received my Master degree in Geology with minor Environmental Engineering from Rutgers University in New Jersey. During my graduate work, I was teaching Earth Science courses as a teaching assistant.
Carolyn Taylor
Historical Geology, Intro to Physical Geology