Administrative Appointments


  • Co-Director Earth Systems Program, Stanford University (2012 - 2014)
  • Professor (Teaching) Environmental Earth System Science Department, Stanford University (2011 - Present)
  • Senior Fellow, Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University (2011 - Present)
  • Peter E. Haas Faculty Co-Director, Haas Center for Public Service, Stanford University (2010 - Present)
  • Senior Lecturer Environmental Earth System Science Department, Stanford University (2007 - 2011)
  • Senior Lecturer Woods, Institute for the Environment, Stanford University (2005 - 2011)
  • Associate Director Earth Systems Program, Stanford University (2001 - 2012)
  • Senior Lecturer and Academic Coordinator Earth Systems Program, Stanford University (1998 - 2001)
  • Lecturer and Academic Coordinator Earth Systems Program, Stanford University (1994 - 1998)
  • Postdoctoral Research Associate, Biogeochemical Laboratories, Indiana University (1992 - 1995)
  • Visiting Scholar Geological & Environmental Sciences, Stanford University (1992 - 1994)

Honors & Awards


  • Phi Beta Kappa, Highest Honors, UC Davis (1986)
  • Fellow, NAGT Fellowship (1986)
  • Fellow, Chevron Fellowship (1987)
  • Fellow, Stanford-USGS Fellowship (1988)
  • Partnership Award, Mentoring Hoefer Prize Winner, Writing-In-The-Major Program, Stanford University (1996 and1997)
  • Excellence in Teaching, School of Earth Sciences, Stanford University (1998)
  • Outstanding Undergraduate Advising Team for Freshman Advising, Undergraduate Advising Center, Stanford University (1999)
  • Lloyd W. Dinkelspiel Award for Distinctive and Exceptional Contributions to Undergraduate Education, Stanford University (2002)
  • Partnership Award, Mentoring Hoefer Prize Winner, Writing-In-The-Major Program, Stanford University (2005)
  • Excellence in Teaching, School of Earth Sciences, Stanford University (2006)
  • Landreth Family University Fellow in Undergraduate Education, Stanford University (2008 - Present)
  • Women's Voice and Influence Program, Inaugural Class Participant, Stanford University (2011 - 2012)
  • Leadership Academy Participant, Stanford University (2012 - Present)

Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations


  • Chair, Gardner Post-Graduate Fellowship Selection Committee, Haas Center, Stanford (2014 - Present)
  • Member, University Committee for the Review of Undergraduate Majors (2014 - Present)
  • Team Leader, Paris Campus Review, BOSP, Stanford (2014 - Present)
  • Co-leader and Panel Moderator, Panel on Board Service, New York City, Stanford Alumni Association and Haas Center (2014 - 2014)
  • Member, Site Visit Review Team, Madrid Campus, BOSP, Stanford (2014 - 2014)
  • Panel Moderator, Science and Policy of Climate Change, Reunion Homecoming Weekend, Stanford (2014 - 2014)
  • Member, Bing Overseas Studies Program Executive Board (2013 - Present)
  • Member, Beagle II Grant Selection Committee, Stanford (2013 - Present)
  • Member, ELISS Fellows Selection Committee (2013 - 2014)
  • External Review Committee Member, Department of Environmental Studies, Emory University (2013 - 2013)
  • Mentor, Leland Scholars Program, Stanford (2013 - 2013)
  • Member, Student Mental Health and Well-Being Advisory Board, Stanford (2012 - Present)
  • Member, Phi Beta Kappa Faculty Advisory Council, Stanford (2012 - Present)
  • Participant, Behavior, Energy & Climate Change Conference (2012 - 2012)
  • Search Committee Member, Stanford Dean of Students/Director of Undergraduate Advising & Research (2012 - 2012)
  • Member, Educational Farm Advisory Board, Stanford (2011 - Present)
  • Member, Writing and Rhetoric Governance Board, Stanford (2011 - 2014)
  • Presenter, 14th Annual Continuums of Service, National Conference (2011 - 2011)
  • Co-Chair, Facutlty Steering Committee, Haas Center for Public Service (2010 - Present)
  • Faculty Co-Director, National Advisory Board, Haas Center for Public Service (2010 - Present)
  • Advisory Board Member, Students for a Sustainable Stanford, Stanford (2010 - 2014)
  • Committee Member, Study of Undergraduate Education at Stanford (2010 - 2012)
  • Lecturer Search Committee Member, Earth Systems Program, Stanford (2010 - 2011)
  • Senate Review Committee, Earth Systems Program, Stanford (2010 - 2011)
  • Participant, American Association of Colleges & Universities: Institute on General Education and Assessment (2010 - 2010)
  • Participant, Conference on Environmental Science and Studies, Portland Oregon (2010 - 2010)
  • Committee Member, FSI-Haas International Public Service Advisory Committee, Stanford (2009 - 2012)
  • Curriculum Committee Member, Race and the Environment: Race Forward, Stanford (2009 - 2011)
  • Member, Goldman Honors Steering Committee, Stanford (2009 - 2011)
  • Steering Committee Member, McCoy Family Ethics Center, Stanford (2008 - 2013)
  • Member, Student Mental Health and Well-Being Oversight Committee, Stanford (2008 - 2012)
  • Participant, Stanford Sustainability Working Group (2008 - 2011)
  • Panelist, Stanford Judicial Affairs (2008 - 2010)
  • Member, Yang and Yamazaki Environment and Energy Building Leadership Team, Stanford (2008 - 2009)
  • Invited Participant, Stanford Faculty (Summer) | Service-Learning Institute, Stanford (2008 - 2008)
  • Participant, Behavior, Energy & Climate Change Conference (2008 - 2008)
  • Member, Stanford WASC Accreditation Steering Committee (2007 - 2013)
  • Participant, 2nd Environmental Studies Summit at Syracuse University (2007 - 2007)
  • Member, University Sub-committee on Exceptions to Academic Policy (S-EAP), Stanford (2006 - 2008)
  • Member, University Committee on Undergraduate Standards and Policy (C-USP), Stanford (2006 - 2008)
  • Particiipant, Santa Barbara Summit on Environmental Studies (2006 - 2006)
  • Member, I-Earth Steering Committee, Stanford (2005 - 2014)
  • Member, University Ethical Reasoning Advisory Board, Stanford (2005 - 2014)
  • Chair, School of Earth Sciences Diversity Committee, Stanford (2005 - 2006)
  • Member, Stanford Institute for the Environment ad hoc Marine Committee (2005 - 2006)
  • Member, Stanford Institute for the Environment ad hoc Building Committee (2005 - 2006)
  • Member, School of Education Teachers for a New Era Assessment Team, Stanford (2005 - 2006)
  • Member, Stanford Walker Proposal Advisory Group (2005 - 2005)
  • Mentor, Stanford-In-Government Fellowships (2004 - Present)
  • Co-Chair, Stanford Institute for the Environment Academic Programs Committee (2004 - 2006)
  • Faculty Fellow, Potter College, Stanford (2004 - 2005)
  • Member, School of Earth Sciences Strategic Plan Sub-Committee on Academic Programs, Stanford (2004 - 2005)
  • Member, Association of American Colleges & Universities: Conference on Campus Leadership for Student Engagement, Inclusion, and Achievement (2004 - 2004)
  • Particiipant, Academy for Educational Development: Teachers for a New Era Conference (2004 - 2004)
  • Member, Institute for International Studies, Goldman Honors Committee, Stanford (2003 - 2007)
  • Member, Map-Ming Visiting Professor Committee, Stanford (2003 - 2007)
  • Member, University Writing and Rhetoric Governance Board, Stanford (2003 - 2006)
  • Member, Stanford School of Education/Carnegie Corporation - Teachers For A New Era Initiative (2003 - 2006)
  • Member, School of Earth Sciences Sub-Committee on Web Design, Stanford (2003 - 2005)
  • Member, Earth Systems Executive Committee, Stanford (2002 - 2014)
  • Member, University Committee for the Review of Undergraduate Majors (C-RUM), Stanford (2002 - 2003)
  • Member, University Sub-Committee on General Education Requirements (S-GER), Stanford (2001 - 2008)
  • Program Oversight Committee, Approved Subject Matter of Teacher Education in Physics/General Science for the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and Stanford's STEP Program (2001 - 2006)
  • Member, University Committee on Undergraduate Student Diversity (Provost's Diversity Action Council) (2001 - 2005)
  • Member, University Subcommittee on Residential Education and Advising (S-REA), Stanford (2000 - 2001)
  • Member, University Committee on Undergraduate Studies (C-US), Stanford (1999 - 2002)
  • Panel member, USGS, INCLUDE Conference: Defining Science Synthesizers-The Natural Philosophers for the 21st Century (1999 - 1999)
  • Member, Earth Systems Advisory Committee of the Whole, Stanford (1998 - Present)
  • Member, USGS/GSA Advisory Committee on Interdisciplinary Training (1998 - 1998)
  • Freshman/Sophomore Adviser, Stanford University (1997 - 2014)
  • Member, Branner Library Committee, School of Earth Sciences, Stanford (1997 - 2007)
  • Member, Geological Society of America (1992 - Present)
  • Member, American Geophysical Union (1992 - 2005)
  • Member, Stanford-USGS Fellowship Steering Committee (1992 - 2003)

Professional Education


  • Ph.D., Stanford University, Geology (1992)
  • B.S., University of California, Davis, Geology (1986)

Current Research and Scholarly Interests


Research
For the past 21 years I have been active in designing and running the school's interdisciplinary environmental science and policy undergraduate major, the Earth Systems Program. I have specific interest in interdisciplinary teaching and learning, and in the effective communication of complex interdisciplinary problem descriptions, analysis methods, and solutions to expert and non-expert audiences. I advise and work on research projects with undergraduate and master's level students whose interests include ecology, energy, land systems management, ocean science and policy, sustainability, environmental education, and science communication.

Teaching
I teach classes in interdisciplinary problem analysis and in critical reading and review of environmental literature. I also am one of a number of faculty who co-teach the Earth Systems gateway course, Introduction to Earth Systems.

Professional Activities
My professional activities center on undergraduate education. I have been active for decades on Stanford committees that examine standards and policies, the review of general education requirements, undergraduate advising programs, student mental health, and student diversity.

2023-24 Courses