College of the Pacific

Kurtis Burmeister

I am what you might call a "dirty boots" kind of geologists - I love being out in the field. I am deeply interested in the dynamic processes that tear the Earth's crust apart and thrust up enormous mountain belts. When not on campus, I'm usually away working in one of my field research areas (currently including Japan, upstate New York, and the Colorado Plateau) or in the wild mountains of Utah teaching the Wasatch-Uinta Geology Field Camp. This is a six-week course in geologic field methods required of graduating geology seniors from the Midwestern BIG TEN universities.

The only thing I love more than geology is watching students glow with amazement while discovering new things about the Earth. Geology of California is my favorite of the introductory courses in geology that I teach at PACIFIC, because I get to take students on three overnight camping trips during the semester! I also teach upper-division courses in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Structural Geology, and Geologic Field Methods. I love the generally low numbers in these upper-division classes, because they allow me to work closely with students in the classroom, lab, and field.

I challenge students in my classes - I am fair, but have very high expectations. I believe that cultivating a strong work ethic, self-confidence, responsibility, independence, and leadership are just as important as mastering the earth sciences. I use a variety of technologies in the classroom, but believe that many concepts are communicated much more effectively in the field. My courses train students to think critically, solve problems by employing cross-disciplinary approaches, and to be effective communicators. I also actively incorporate students in my research activates. In addition to providing opportunities for travel and adventure, my research trains students to think scientifically - to identify research questions, manipulate data, and interpret results. So, what are you waiting for? Come join the fun!!!

Kurtis Burmeister
Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Science
Email

For more information, please visit my personal website: http://www1.pacific.edu/~kburmeis/Home.html