MY TEACHING
Earth Sciences, from Intro to Advanced
Recipient of the 2016 Jackson School Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award
INTRODUCTION TO GEOLOGY (GEO 401)
Fall 2014
We look at the fundamental principles of geological sciences. Â My lab sections covered mineralogy, petrology, sedimentology, geomorphology, structural geology, and hydrogeology, with the aim purely being to excite the students in the room, hoping they want to learn the story the Earth wants to tell us. Â My teaching style in this class involves a mix of lecture, group project, multimedia, and field trips.
INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL HYDROGEOLOGY (GEO 346K)
Fall 2017, Spring 2014
Water is the necessary ingredient of life, and this class introduces us to how and why it does what it does. We look at groundwater, surface water, and energy budgets in broad strokes. The class is often amplified with laboratory activities involving Darcy flow, evapotranspiration, infiltration, and other critical hydrologic concepts. I augmented the class with projects that required them to go to USGS data sources and analyze publicly available hydrologic data--those projects are available below.
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Sample Course Materials:
PHYSICAL HYDROLOGY (GEO 371)
Fall 2015
We introduce a more quantitative understanding of water systems. The syllabus is, in essence, the water cycle, and a unit each is given to (a) energy balance (radiation and latent heat), (b) surface water processes (runoff, infiltration, evapotranspiration), and (c) groundwater processes (through the lens of the the groundwater flow equation). The entire course is taught from the perspective of fundamental balances in mass (i.e. water) and energy.
GROUNDWATER (GEO 476K)
Fall 2016
The quintessential hydrogeology course. We cover both the geology of porous media and the physics of flow. Jack Sharp has been teaching this class since 1970 and is the best in the business at it.
FIELD METHODS IN HYDROGEOLOGY (I.E. 'HYDRO FIELD CAMP', GEO 376L)
Summers 2017, 2016
Arguably our most exciting course, we bring students to a field site to employ the hydrologic methods they've learned in class to answer interesting scientific questions.  The course spans physical and chemical methods, and it is the responsibility of the TAs to develop the questions, prepare the scientific tools, and teach the methods.  Previous field locations include Valles Caldera National Preserve in New Mexico and Colorado Bend State Park in Texas.
ASSOCIATE FOR K-12 SCHOOLS
2013 - Current
The Jackson School has within it a strong Environmental Sciences Department that runs an extensive outreach program between UT-Austin and area public schools. I have volunteered as an instructor for middle and high schools through this program, teaching the basics of hydrogeology and environmental science through small field trips around Austin and in-class laboratory experiments. These efforts occur a few times each semester.
EARTH, WIND, AND FIREÂ (GEO 302E)
Spring 2016
Our most fundamental survey of geology, geared for non-science majors. Â We introduce students to the underpinning principles of plate tectonics, geologic time, earth materials, climate, and evolution. Â The class often has an economic focus, attempting to make the case for science to students who won't necessarily interact with it much directly.