Department of Geosciences
Educational Background | Courses Taught | Research Interests & Specializations | Current Research
Recent Publications | Awards Recieved | Professional Memberships | Service Activities | Personal Interest
My teaching focus is in the "hard-rock" disciplines of geology (though at heart I am a geology generalist). At Fort Hays State University I teach Intro Geology (GSCI 100) and Environmental Geology (GSCI 340) at the introductory level and Mineralogy (GSCI 310), and Petrology (GSCI 320) for geology concentrators on a regular basis. Some other topics that I would enjoy teaching in the future include Field Geology, Geochemistry, Tectonics, Volcanology, Isotope Geology and Geochronology, Sedimentary Basin Analysis, Forensic Geology, and the Geologic Writings of John McPhee. In the past (at other universities) I have also taught a variety of introductory geology classes such as Earth System Science, Physical Geology, Geology of the National Parks, Mountains and Moving Plates, and Oceanography and upper level classes in Optical Mineralogy and Tectonics.
Ph. D.
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2000
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University of Wisconsin - Madison
Dissertation Title: Provenance evolution of the Late Cretaceous - Middle Eocene Gualala basin, California: Geochronologic, geochemical, and isotopic evidence from conglomerate clasts |
Geology
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M.S.
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1993
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University of Wisconsin - Madison
Thesis title: Provenance characteristics of the Late Cretaceous-Early Tertiary Gualala basin and implications for the evolution of the San Andreas fault: Geochronologic and geochemical evidence from conglomerate cobbles |
Geology
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B.A.
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1991
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Colgate University
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Geology, minor in Mathematics
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- Introduction to Geology
- Minerology
- Petrology
- Environmental Geology
Cordilleran Tectonics
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Igneous, Sedimentary & Metamorphic Petrology & Geochemistry
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Minerology
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Volcanology
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Geoinformatics
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Isotope Geochemistry
U/Pb Geochronology
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Publications related to my current research:
- Schott, R.C. and Nondorf, L.M., 2008, The Use of GigaPan Imagery and Hand-held Spectrophotometry in Support of Geologic Mapping in Rooks County, Kansas: Kansas Academy of Science Program and Abstracts, v. 140, p. 40.
- Nondorf, L.M. and Schott, R.C., 2008, Preliminary GIS-based Geologic Map of Rooks County, Kansas: Kansas Academy of Science Program and Abstracts, v. 140, p. 36.
- Adams, Paul, Hopkins, Amanda, and Schott, Ronald, 2008, Teachers' Perceived Changes in Earth System Science Instruction: Earth Systems Science Education Alliance Workshop, poster.
- Schott, Ronald C., 2007, Integrating Blogs, Podcasts, and Wikis into Geology Classes: Taking the Conversation Beyond the Classroom: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 39, p. 557.
- Schott, Ronald C., 2005, Integrating Google Earth Imagery and Cubic QTVR Panoramas into Web-based Virtual Field Experiences: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 37, no. 7, p. 408.
GigaPan Content Developer and Certified GigaPan Trainer – Spring 2009
- American Geophysical Union
- Council on Undergraduate Research
- Geological Society of America
- National Association of Geoscience Teachers Midcontinent Section
Sternnberg Geosciences and Geocaching Club - Co-Sponsor
Coordinated departmental recruiting efforts at high schools in eastern Kansas
Hays City representative, Vice President, and webmaster of the Ellis County Wellhead Protection Committee
Member, Hays Optimist Club, participated in Christmas tree sales and racetrack beverage sales fundraisers
My Ph.D. research used provenance analysis to address issues of Late Cretaceous and Paleogene tectonics and paleogeography of California. I intend to continue research in the North American Cordillera focusing in three areas:
- the application of geochemical and isotopic techniques to sedimentary provenance and basin analysis studies
- the integrated study of petrologic, geochemical, and isotopic evolution of large scale magmatic systems
- the application of petrologic, geochemical, and isotopic studies to problems of terrane motions and the assembly and evolution of the North American Cordillera
Some additional startup (pilot) projects in the Canadian Shield and the Rocky Mountains are also possibilities. Further opportunities for student research are available - interested students should contact me to discuss possible projects:
- petrographic and geochemical evolution of a Nipissing diabase-granophyre dike, near Desbarats, Ontario
- field and geochemical relations between Keweenawan basaltic and rhyolitic bodies, near Whiskey Point, Ontario
- petrologic, geochemical, and isotopic evolution of granitoids in the region between Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa, Ontario
Finally, I am very interested in employing the internet in the service of geoscience education. This research manifests itself in a number of ways: