麻豆视频

Education

 

About Suki

I love rocks and the stories they have to tell us about our planet and solar system. In the scheme of things, we humans are small, but we have a big impact on our planet.  I鈥檝e always felt a deep connection to nature.  I chose to study rock chemistry because it鈥檚 a language they speak to help us understand how we came to be. 

I was a first-generation low-income student and I really struggled when I first got to college.  It was with the help of fantastic mentors that I finished my double science majors and finally learned how to learn. I was privileged to have two research internships while I was an undergraduate student.  I fulfilled my early dream of working for the US Geological Survey (USGS) right out of college, but I soon realized that I wanted to learn more, so I worked on my MSc while I worked full-time at the USGS.  That led me out to Hawai鈥橧 and my work on sea-floor volcano chemistry near Easter Island.  Life circumstances precluded another degree, but I discovered my love of teaching and have never looked back. 

I first taught adult non-credit classes in Hawai鈥橧 although I eventually moved back to the mainland and began my long career teaching undergraduate students, including providing research opportunities to undergraduate students who otherwise would not have thought of themselves as researchers.  In the past two decades, I have focused on the biogeochemistry of extreme environments as analogs for life formation on distant planets.  I鈥檝e been lucky to continue this path with many students at YVC.  

My classes are activity-based and there鈥檚 often a lot of discussion and problem-solving during class time.  I use Aristotle鈥檚 philosophy that 鈥渨e learn best by doing.鈥� This leads to lively classes and intellectual growth in my students.  

My job is my life (in a good way) but in my free time I love to cook good food, craft, read and be outdoors.  I take my two dogs on a 鈥榮niffari鈥� or hike every day and my two kitties keep me warm at night.