Teaching

Courses I teach:

Intro to Environmental Geology - ESC 185 (Fall)
Introductory Geology - ESC 190 (Fall)
Mineralogy and Petrology I- ESC 220 (Fall)
Mineralogy and Petrology II - ESC 410 (Spring)
Economic Geology - ESC 430 (Spring, irregular offerings)
Fundamentals of Science I and II - SCI 100 and 200 (Fall/Spring)

Course descriptions:

Introductory Geology - ESC 190

In Introductory Geology, we explore the exciting effects of plate tectonic activity, including earthquakes, volcanoes, folds, faults, and mountains, and we learn about surface processes that affect our everyday lives, such as the movement of water and the erosion of landscapes. We become familiar with rocks and minerals both in lab and on field trips, and we visit sand dunes at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve, wooded streams at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center, limestone cliffs laden with fossils at Thacher Park, and a mile-long cave, Howe Caverns. We talk about environmental issues and climate change, and we take a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Albany Landfill.

Field trip to Onesquethaw Creek in Intro Geology.

Mineralogy and Petrology I - ESC 220

In Mineralogy and Petrology I, we study the physical and chemical properties, identification, and classification of rock-forming minerals, and the compositions, origins, and classification of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. The first half of the course focuses on mineralogy; the second half of the course focuses on the study of rocks (petrology). Mineralogy labs focus on crystallography and mineral classification and identification.  Petrology labs focus on rock recognition and interpretation of various rock types.

Mineralogy and Petrology students on the Potsdam Sandstone.

Mineralogy and Petrology II - ESC 410

Mineralogy and Petrology II builds on the content of ESC 220 and involves a systematic study of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks with an emphasis on laboratory and petrographic analysis.  Topics include: phase diagrams and chemistry of mineral assemblages, relationship of rock systems to plate tectonic regimes, relationship of environments of deposition to sedimentary facies, relationship of metamorphic environments to metamorphic facies.  Lab involves the classification and identification of rocks with emphasis on thin-section petrography.

(Left) Mineralogy and Petrology students examining chlorite schist. (Right) PreCambrian-Cambrian unconformity.

Economic Geology - ESC 430

In Economic Geology, we study the geologic and geochemical characteristics of metallic mineral deposits: classification, composition, structure, and occurrence.  This course focuses on tectonic and geochemical models of hydrothermal, magmatic, and sedimentary ore deposits. Lab involves hand specimen and petrographic study of metallic and non-metallic ores and the study of selected mining districts.

Students examining an amphibolite.

Fundamentals of Science I and II - SCI 100 and 200

I co-teach the physics and geology parts of the year-long Fundamentals of Science course that is required for Childhood Education and Special Education majors who are not science concentrators. The course is taught from a problem-based learning perspective, so we emphasize ways in which content can be applied in real-world problem-solving situations. We take field trips to the Pine Bush Preserve, Albany Landfill, Five Rivers Environmental Education Center, and Thacher State Park.

Students building a windmill in SCI 100.

Field trip to the Albany Interim Landfill in SCI 200.

Office: 167 Science Center/Albertus Hall
Mailing address: The College of Saint Rose, 432 Western Avenue, Albany, NY 12203
Office phone: 518-454-2910
Email: maess AT strose.edu