TEACHING
I am motivated to teach scientific concepts that underpin some of humanity’s greatest challenges in the modern era, particularly understanding, managing, and securing sustainable water and energy resources.
I teach large, general education classes designed for students from all subjects and all backgrounds, including scientists and engineers but also those studying humanities, business, and the arts. My class in Energy Systems: Past, Present, and Future surveys the state of world energy supply and use. In the process, students are introduced to basic concepts in chemistry, biology, and physics. Laboratory activities include making ethanol and biodiesel and testing their energy contents, simulating ocean acidification and its effects on carbonate minerals in the lab, and using a simple web-interface energy calculator that I built to explore trade-offs between energy sources.
I also teach smaller specialized undergraduate classes in Geochemistry and Hydrogeology, often with enrollments of 10-20 students or fewer, designed for those with a scientific background and a focused interest in the Earth and environmental sciences. Finally, I teach graduate classes covering advanced content in geochemistry, hydrology, and geomorphology, aiming to prepare doctoral students for their careers. Some of these graduate classes are lecture format and others are seminar-style discussions with exercises in skill development such as making oral presentations, preparing academic reviews, and writing proposals.
At all levels, my approach to teaching emphasizes engaging students through experiential learning, and my classes involve a significant component of learning in the lab, on field trips, and through discussion.
I particularly enjoy teaching my field course on Tropical Hydrology and Biogeochemistry, which I developed with support from the National Science Foundation through a CAREER award. This course takes around 12 advanced undergraduate and early graduate students to Peru to explore key problems related to tropical environmental science while actively taking part in research activities. The images below are from the 2016 and 2019 classes.
I teach large, general education classes designed for students from all subjects and all backgrounds, including scientists and engineers but also those studying humanities, business, and the arts. My class in Energy Systems: Past, Present, and Future surveys the state of world energy supply and use. In the process, students are introduced to basic concepts in chemistry, biology, and physics. Laboratory activities include making ethanol and biodiesel and testing their energy contents, simulating ocean acidification and its effects on carbonate minerals in the lab, and using a simple web-interface energy calculator that I built to explore trade-offs between energy sources.
I also teach smaller specialized undergraduate classes in Geochemistry and Hydrogeology, often with enrollments of 10-20 students or fewer, designed for those with a scientific background and a focused interest in the Earth and environmental sciences. Finally, I teach graduate classes covering advanced content in geochemistry, hydrology, and geomorphology, aiming to prepare doctoral students for their careers. Some of these graduate classes are lecture format and others are seminar-style discussions with exercises in skill development such as making oral presentations, preparing academic reviews, and writing proposals.
At all levels, my approach to teaching emphasizes engaging students through experiential learning, and my classes involve a significant component of learning in the lab, on field trips, and through discussion.
I particularly enjoy teaching my field course on Tropical Hydrology and Biogeochemistry, which I developed with support from the National Science Foundation through a CAREER award. This course takes around 12 advanced undergraduate and early graduate students to Peru to explore key problems related to tropical environmental science while actively taking part in research activities. The images below are from the 2016 and 2019 classes.