SURF AND TURF - Fall 2012 Department Newsletter (in pdf format)

GEMS STUDENT HANDBOOK - Download a copy (in WORD format)

ISM STUDENT HANDBOOK - Download a copy (in WORD format)

DEPARTMENT NEWS

KATE KRSNAK '13 LANDS A COVETED PALEONTOLOGY INTERNSHIP WITH THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES IN PHILADELPHIA

An avid Jurassic Park fan growing up, Kate Krsnak ’13 received the opportunity of a lifetime when she participated in a paleontology field camp in Montana earlier this summer. There, Krsnak unearthed fossils, gained a greater understanding of methods — and landed a fall internship with the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia.

Through the program, based out of Yellowstone Bighorn Research Association (YBRA), Krsnak spent July working with paleontologists and students to extract fossils along the border of Montana and Wyoming. The camp was run by David Parris, curator and Jason Schein, assistant curator of the New Jersey State Museum and strongly assisted by Jason Poole, manager of the Fossil Prep Lab at the Academy of Natural Sciences.

Krsnak, a Secondary Education and Geosciences double major, explained that depending on the location of the fossils, the team used different extraction methods, including surface collecting, quarrying a pit, using a rock saw or applying a plaster jacket.

“We spent our days in the field and our nights in the classroom back at YBRA looking over the fossils we collected, cleaning them a bit, applying glue where we could, and properly labeling them, as well as working with mapping, learning about the geology, and learning about the bones and dinosaurs,” she said. (Click here to read more about Kate)

DOUG STURGIS ’83 INDUCTED INTO THE RIDER UNIVERSITY SCIENCE STAIRWAY OF FAME

Douglas S, Sturgis '83, a Rider Geosciences graduate, was inducted into the Rider University Science Stairway of Fame (SSOF) on June 9, 2012. The SSOF, located in the research wing of the Science and Technology Center, honors individuals who were exemplary students and who have achieved significant professional success in their chosen careers following graduation. The honorees also are loyal and generous supporters of Rider’s science programs. Doug becomes the fifth GEMS alumni to be inducted into the SSOF since its founding in 2006, joining Steve Bell ’79, Jim Ierubino ’82, Randy Kertes ’84, and Dick Alexander, Faculty.

At Rider, Doug studied under, Dr. Richard Alexander, Dr. Mary Jo Hall, Dr. Jonathan Husch, Dr. Joseph Nadeau, and Dr. Walter Spink, who instilled in Doug his long-term love and passion for geology, fieldwork, exploration, and the responsible utilization of petroleum resource reserves. He also completed a senior thesis on the geochemistry of four diabase bodies in west-central New Jersey under the direction of Dr. Husch and Dr. Nadeau, as well as co-authoring two journal articles and two abstracts with Dr. Husch and other GEMS students. After graduating from Rider, Doug earned a Master’s Degree in Geology from Bowling Green State University in 1985.

Doug has spent the majority of his professional career at ExxonMobil where he has served as a Geoscientist, Production Technical Advisor, and Exploration Supervisor in the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Ireland, North Africa, Norway, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom. He currently lives in Houston with his wife, Melissa, and his two children, Nathan and Jennifer. Doug’s current position at ExxonMobil center is Geoscience Advisor to exploration teams in Nigeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, and Chad. He also spent four years as a Project Manager with Parsons Engineering Science in their Cleveland, Ohio office. With expertise in subsurface exploration using 4D seismic interpretation techniques, Doug has parlayed his Rider education into a very successful and fulfilling international career in geosciences management and energy exploration and development.

In addition to his significant career achievements, Doug has been a consistent supporter of Rider, in general, and GEMS, in particular. Thanks to his and Melissa’s generosity, as well as that of the Friends of GEMS alumni donor group, the department recently was able to complete the purchase of six new Leica petrographic microscopes.

All of GEMS congratulates Doug for this much-deserved honor and recognition. We could not be more proud!

EMILY DI PAOLO '10 RECEIVES A 2010 NEW JERSEY DISTINGUISHED STUDENT TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Emily Di Paolo ’10, an Integrated Sciences and Math (ISM)/Elementary Education double major with concentrations/minors in Mathematics and Middle School Education, was selected as a recipient of a 2010 New Jersey Department of Education Distinguished Student Teacher of the Year Award. This prestigious honor recognizes the 15 most outstanding prospective teachers in the state. The Rider University School of Education nominated Emily for the award based on her overall GPA, involvement in extracurricular activities, and her outstanding performance as a student teacher

As a second-grade student teacher at Toll Gate Grammar School in Pennington, NJ, where she had the opportunity to teach math, social studies, science, language arts, and reading during the fall of 2009, it became obvious that Emily possessed the very same qualities she admired most in her teachers and professors – dedication, professionalism, passion, curiosity, respect, and, above all, student-centeredness. She also developed a reputation among her Rider professors for being a team player who is eager to learn, while willing to share her own creative ideas and best practice methods. In addition, Emily is known for having a knack for developing cooperative learning activities and creating a positive classroom environment, as well as being exceptional in small, one-on-one settings

Since she was a sophomore at Rider, Emily also has worked as a tutor in the Math Skills Lab of Rider’s Student Success Center. As a tutor, she not only boosted the confidence of the students she assisted, but she also grew as an effective educator. Emily credits the experience for helping her understand different types of learners and to cater her teaching style and strategy to what they already know and how they learn best.

Emily has known that she wanted to become a teacher since she was in kindergarten in the Andover Regional School District in Newton, NJ. At the time of her graduation in May, Emily was hoping for a fourth- or fifth-grade teaching position in northern New Jersey. However, because of her ISM background, she also is certified to teach middle-school math and science and is keeping her options open.

All of us in GEMS are extremely proud of Emily and can’t help but think that she is exactly the kind of teacher the ISM program was meant to produce. Congratulations Emily!

STEVEN BELL '79 INDUCTED INTO THE RIDER UNIVERSITY SCIENCE STAIRWAY OF FAME

Steven R. Bell '79, a Rider Geosciences graduate, was inducted into the Rider University Science Stairway of Fame (SSOF) on June 12, 2009. The SSOF, which is located in the research wing of the Science and Technology Center, honors individuals who were exemplary students and who have achieved significant professional success in their chosen careers following graduation. The honorees are also loyal and generous supporters of Rider’s science programs.

While at Rider, Steve worked with, and studied under, Drs. Mervin Kontrovitz, George Lager, Joseph Nadeau, Henry Posamentier, and Walter Spink, who instilled in Steve his long-term love and passion for geology, fieldwork, exploration, and commitment to developing energy resources. After graduating from Rider, Steve received his M.S. degree in geology from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) in 1981. He also is a 2001 graduate of the Advanced Management Program at the Wharton School of Business – University of Pennsylvania.

Most of Steve’s professional career has been spent with a number of companies within the energy and production sector, including Sun Oil, EnCana, Apache Corporation, BHP Billiton Petroleum, and currently, Remora Energy. At Remora, Steve leads the company’s management team as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman. For over 25 years, Steve has explored for energy resources on six continents, doing fieldwork from jungles to deserts and mountain ranges, conducting surveys and drilling campaigns, and bringing value to numerous countries and states in the process. His collaborative efforts with his colleagues have led to many newly discovered oilfields and trends in basins throughout the world. Very active in a number of professional and educational organizations, Steve has served as Chairman of the Board for the University of Utah’s Energy and Geoscience Institute, as well as serving on the Board of Trustees for the American Geological Institute, the Corporate Advisory Board of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the Energy Institute at the University of Louisiana, the Advisory Committee for Continuing Education at the Wharton School of Business - University of Pennsylvania, and the Boards of the American Petroleum Institute, the Domestic Petroleum Council, and the National Ocean Industries Association.

Although unable to attend the SSOF Induction Ceremony because of prior commitments, Steve did communicate his feelings about Rider and his selection to the SSOF: “I have had a fantastic career and a fascinating life, and so much of it was because of the excellent education provided to me by my professors at Rider. They set me off in a direction that I have never looked back on and I have always been grateful for all the wonderful opportunities that the geosciences and Rider have provided. My sincerest apologies for missing such a wonderful event and please know that I am truly humbled by the honor.”