Geology

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Lecturers

Ahlstrom, Martha

Email: martha.ahlstrom@csun.edu 

Bio: I am a CSUN Lecturer in the Geological Sciences Department and am a geologist by training and inclination. I received my B.S. in Geology from Auburn University and my M.S. in Geological Sciences from CSUN. I worked as a geologist for the Geological Survey of Alabama and the US Dept. of Energy Resources. I changed careers into teaching several years ago. I enjoy teaching the geosciences (geology, oceanography, environmental geology, natural disasters, dinosaurs, etc.) and interacting with students. I am passionate about introducing and leading students into a greater appreciation of the Earth and her phenomenal geological qualities. My goal is that each of my students will walk away with a tremendous comprehension of the Earth, her processes, and the value of conservation of her resources, and an awareness of the environmental challenges that we face in this modern age. Geology field work and field trips are an enthusiasm of mine. I have previously conducted research in sedimentary processes, particularly mass wasting. I am married with 5 children and have a 3 beautiful granddaughters. I enjoy many extracurricular activities including: organic gardening, weight training, Taekwondo, traveling, reading (particularly science fiction and fantasy novels), photography, hiking, and campin

Castillo, Bryan

Email: bryan.castillo@csun.edu

Huerta, Brittany

Email: brittany.huerta@csun.edu

 

Pavia, Jennifer

Email: jennifer.pavia@csun.edu

Rousseau, Nick

Email: nicholas.rousseau@csun.edu

Bio: I am a lecturer with the department of Geological Science at California State University Northridge.  My classes include Geology 101 and Environmental Geology 300.  My professional growth in Earth Science sprouted from leading intern programs at the Southern California Earthquake Center and the NASA DEVELOP program at JPL.  Bridging my time with teaching, I am also a Senior Project Coordinator for My NASA Data, a science education and outreach group within NASA Langley where I specialize in working with other NASA educators.  I produce educational materials, science videos, animations, and graphic designs centered around NASA Satellite Data and Earth Science.  As part of the alumni with the department of Geological Sciences here at CSUN, it is my pleasure to be working with students who strive for academic success.  Success, no matter what your major is, can include learning a little bit about the rocks too!   

Savage, Karen

Email: karen.savage@csun.edu

Bio:  My name is Karen Savage. I started studying geology years ago when I was first in college, and I took the introductory class to meet my science requirement. My professor was a red-headed Scotsman, with an accent and excellent storytelling ability, I was mesmerized. He also made it clear that women had no place in geology. That was all I needed to catapult me into what would eventually become my life. After many interruptions (moving from Atlanta to Los Angeles, career change, marriage, and kids} I completed my bachelor's and master's degrees at CSUN. I have been teaching at CSUN and Moorpark College for over 20 years now. I teach geology and oceanography courses. I started out very interested in studying igneous rocks, especially volcanoes. But as I became more knowledgeable, I realized that instead of becoming more experienced in a specific part of geology that I wanted to see the bigger picture and understand what we know in that context. I continue my pursuit of knowledge today in all parts of science and human interaction to understand the bigger picture as there is so much new data available, knowledge, and ideas today than ever before. My purpose is to enlighten as many as I can about the importance of understanding the Earth and its processes to change the way we interact with this amazing planet we call home, and hopefully treat each other better, as well. Our survival depends on it.

Wales, Erin

Email: erin.wales@csun.edu