It is time to vote for the next cadre of leaders for Geo2YC: the two-year college division of NAGT. The ballot includes President, Vice President (and President Elect for the following year), and Archivist. Voting begins on June 1 and ends on July 1, 2020.
Officer Candidate Biographies
President
Sean Tvelia is a Professor of Geology and Chair of the Department of Physical Sciences at Suffolk County Community College.
His primary teaching responsibility includes both introductory and upper-level geology courses including a research-oriented field studies course and planetary geology. Sean's current research interest involves the relationship between glacial hydrology and glaciotectonic processes in the development of eastern Long Island landforms. Aside from his academic responsibility in the geology program at Suffolk, Sean is a founding board member of Montauk Observatory, a not-for-profit organization that provides free public science lectures on the east end of Long Island.
In addition to his work in the classroom, Sean is the PI for the NSF-sponsored Geoscience Educational Opportunities, served as senior personnel on the NSF-ATE: LIGHTES project, and is a change agent on the NSF IUSE: Faculty as Change Agents Transforming Geoscience Education in Two-year Colleges. Currently Sean is serving on the NAGT Professional Development Committee, is a member of the Earth Educator Rendezvous planning committee, and is a facilitator for the Traveling Workshop Program.
Vice-President
Karen Layou is a professor of geology at Reynolds Community College in Richmond, Virginia. She teaches seated and online physical and historical geology classes, while also serving as the Reynolds Honors Program Coordinator. Karen holds a B.S. in Geoscience from Pennsylvania State University, M.S. in Geology from University of Cincinnati, and a Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Georgia with a research background in Paleozoic invertebrate paleoecology. She recently participated as a Virginia SAGE 2YC Change Agent working with colleagues across the state to increase use of research-based high impact teaching strategies and to build professional networks. Karen has served the NAGT Geo2YC Division on the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award subcommittee (2013-2018). When she's not in the classroom, Karen can be found working on her goal of exploring as many National and State Parks as possible.
Archivist
Dave Mrofka is a Professor of Earth Sciences at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, California. His primary teaching responsibilities include Physical Geology and Earth Sciences, but also teaches Global Climate Change and co-instructs the college's field geology classes. He and another colleague have created a certificate program (Career and Technical Education) for Geotechnical workers, slated to begin in the Fall of 2020. After teaching at the University of California, Riverside for several years, in 2011 Dave joined the Earth Science and Astronomy Department at Mt. SAC. He is currently a SAGE 2YC Change Agent for one of the three southern California teams, working to provide resources and support for both adjunct instructors and geoscience graduate students hoping to establish teaching career. Dave's research background is in understanding the nature and timing the sedimentary and isotopic record of Neoproterozoic glacial intervals in southeastern California and in Namibia. He continues to work with colleagues and students on the geology of the Death Valley region.
