Thisismysixthnewsletterinstallmentsincebecomingchairin2013,andwillbemylastforthenearfuture,asIheadoffonsabbaticalnextyearandpassthereignsontomymostcapableandenthusiasticcolleague,professorIanDuncan.Ianjoinedourdepartmentasapart-timerin2011andbecameafulltimeinstructorin2016.Ithasbeenmorethanadecadesincewehavehadachairfromthegeographysideofthehouse,andthetransitionisincadencewithourdepartment’sphilosophyofrotatingchairandotherresponsibilities.ProfessorDuncanhasalreadycontributedmuchtoourdepartment,notonlyasapopularinstructor,butalsothroughhiscreationofnewcourses,andhisoversightandmanagementofourGeographicInformationSystems(GIS)program.

ThecollegecontinuestofacefinancialchallengesresultingfromaperfectstormoffactorssuchasSF’srapidincreaseincostoflivingandtheState’snewformulafordetermininghowmuchmoneythecollegegets–butyoucanfollowthosestorieselsewhere.Forus,ithasmeantafocusoncoreprograms,andmakingstrategicadjustmentstowhereandwhencoursesareoffered.Wehaveseenaslightreductiontoourscheduleintermsofthenumberofclassesoffered,butenrollmenthasbeenstrong,especiallythislastsemester.MovingourGISprogramtotheDowntownCenter,forexample,leadtofullsectionsbothfallandspring.

Infall,wedevelopedathree-yearprogramreviewandplan,reflectingbackonthepastthreeyears,andlookingforwardtothenext.AbigpartofthatplanbecameaproposaltothePerkins-StrongWorkForce(SWP)programtocompletethemodernizationofourlabs,includingreplacingagingcomputersandbuyingequipmentfortheenvironmentalscienceslab.ThePerkins/SWPprogramdistributesmoneyfromthestatetosupportcareerandtechnicaleducation.InApril,wereceivednoticethatourproposalhadbeenawarded$50,000.Goodnewsforfuturestudents,andemployerswillbenefitaswellfromamoreappropriatelytrainedworkforce.

EarthSciencesDepartmentSpring2019Newsletter

EarthScienceClubmembersEsterKang,CortBenningfield,GabrielPerezandReneBeckerwithChrisLewisattheNorthernCaliforniaPaleontologyConference,UCBerkeley

Allthisnewsfades,though,whencomparedtotheaccomplishmentsofourstudents,alumniandfaculty.Thisyear,wecelebrateadeckhandturnedStanfordmasterscandidate,amicroscopicmenagerieofplanktonicproportionfromastudentandvolunteerattheGreaterFarallonesNationalMarineSanctuary(GFNMS),andanout-of-this-worldalumniupdatefromastrobiologistwho’sheadingtoPennStateforadualgeoscience-astrobiologyPhD.Allthis,andmore–soIwillstepasideuntilmyownfacultyupdate–andinviteyoutotraveltheworldwithourfaculty,studentsandfriends…

Thank You to our lab aids, tutors and volunteers!

NickAnderson SamDenumCortBenningfield EsterKang

AliciaHahn GabrielPerezSarahNelson

DorisSloan,authorandgeoscientiststandsatanoff-setwallalongtheHaywardfault.Sam

DenumandAliciaHahninthebackground

GEOL21CstudentsstandnexttowherethefaultpassesthroughMemorialStadium,UCB.Notethestrainloopsinthecablesto

accommodateslip.Youcanalsoseetheseamallowingthetwohalvesofthestadiumtomoveindependently.

ScenesfromtheHaywardFault–GEOL21C

JamesE.CourtScholarshipinEarthSciencesThe2019winnerofthe

JamesE.CourtscholarshipinEarthSciencesgoesto…MaxwellSapp

CongratulationsMax!

IamincrediblygratefultohaveworkedwiththeEarthSciencesdepartmentthisspringandfuturesemesterstocome,andalsotobetheJamesE.Courtrecipientwhichwillallowmetofurtherprogressdownthatpath.BeinganEarthSciencesstudentwiththedepartment’sincredibleguidancehasgreatlyexpandedmycuriositiesandtenacitytounderstandtheformationprocessesbehindourhome.PhysicalGeologyanditsprofessorsherehavewidenedmyperspectivetobetterunderstandourplanetaryandhumanlyoriginswhilebroadeningmyappreciationfordecipheringtheseeminglycomplexnaturaleventsthatareexperiencedbyeveryhumanthatisandeverwaswhoallcallEarthhome(fornow).Whilemytimeasastudentinthedepartmentmaybelimited,Iplantobeactivelyengagedasastudentmentorinfuturesemesterstorefinemyownunderstandingsandhopefullyspreadthoseabilitiestootherstudentstohelpenlightenandovercomeconceptualobstacles.Ibelieveit’swithineveryslightlycurioushuman’sability,andrightto,beawareofhowourhome,theEarth,andourselvescameintobeing.BeingastudentofthecoursesofferedwithinCity’sEarthSciencesdepartmentareonlyonepartofjustthebeginningtoundertakethisintellectualroad.I’mastudentembarkinginstudiesofPlanetaryAstrophysicsandEnvironmentalEconomics.IamintendingtousemystudiestotietogetherandsolvesocietalimpactshereonEarthdrivenbycompetitivescarcityofresources,materials,andenergydemandstobeguidedintomoresustainablesolutionsandbeinasymbioticrelationshipwithourplanetwhichcurrentlyprovidesallofthesecommodities.MyexperiencesandknowledgegainedfromCCSF’sgeologycourseshavehelpedprovideagraspingofEarth’sabilitytoproducetheseresourcesessentialtoourmodernindustriesofproducinggoodsandmaintainingeveradvancingsocieties.Icannotgiveenoughthankstothedepartment’sstaff,associatedmembersandcontributorsforhelpingguideandcontributetofurthermyacademicandcareerfuturehereatCityCollegeandwhateverinstitutionsIamtakentobeyond.

StudentSpotlightsSarahNelsonSpringof2019findsmewrappingupmyfifthsemesterofscienceandmathcoursesatCCSF,andembarkingonmynextgreatacademicchallenge-pursuingateachingcredentialandMaster’sDegreeinScienceEducationatStanfordUniversity.In2016Iwasinmy7thyearofworkingasaferrycaptainordeckhandfortheSanFranciscoBayFerryServiceandIwasbored.EverydayIenjoyedtheviewandthefirsthandexperienceofthecyclicalchangesonthebay,buteverydayImissedthetimethatIhadspentasadeckofficeronstudentsailtrainingvessels.Imissed

thetrainingandsharingaspectsofworkingonavoyagingcrewaswellasassistingtheresearchersthatusedourvesselsasaplatformtocollectdata.Istruggledtoengagemycoworkersinmy“nerdtalk”exceptoccasionallyasitpertainedtolaborrightsandunionorganizing.ThisishowIlearnedaboutCityCollegeofSanFrancisco. CCSFhadrecentlybecomethedarlingofthelocallabor/activismmovementasCCSFfoughtitsaccreditationissues.Encouragedbyunionactiviststoenrollinourlocal“treasure”ofacommunitycollege,IstartedmyjourneybacktoschoolwithanonlineOceanographycoursetaughtbyKatrynWiese.ThecoursewokeuppartsofmybrainthatIthoughtwerelost.Withmytangibleexperienceinsailing,navigationandmy(mostlyforgotten)undergradcourseworkingeography,Iwaswell-preparedtoengagewithmyclassmates.Thecoursegavemeareasontotalkabouttheoceanandtolookatitwithascientificlens.Iwasfinallyengagedinsomethingthatusedmypastskillsandkeptmebusy.ButIcouldn’taffordtoleavemyjob.ThenfateintervenedIntheWinterof2017mylefthandwascrushedduringastormypre-dawnshiftontheferry.TheCCSFsemesterwasstillenrolling.Itookthedisabilitytimeandsignedupforthein-personOceanographyLabandtheeveningmarinebiologycourse.Ididmyfirstlabclasssincehighschoolwithabandagedlefthandandsomelimitedcognitionduetopainkillers.LuckilyIamrighthandedandthefacultyatCCSFwasamazing.ForthefirsttimeIhadprofessorsthatwereaccessible,acknowledgedhumanfrailtyandcomplicatedlivesandworkedwiththeirstudentstoachievelearning.Iworkedhardtoo.

ByFallof2017Ihaddecidedtopursuecollege-levelscienceliteracyandIsignedupfortheprecursors,chemistry40andalgebra60.InSpringof2018IbegantovolunteerasaclassroomassistantintheMarineBiologyclassroomatJuneJordanSchoolforExcellence-apublichighschoolintheExcelsiordistrictofSanFrancisco.IalsoassistedintheOceanographyLabwithProfessorWiese.Iwaslucky,withmyinjurysettlementandwithfreetuitionfromtheFreeCityprogram,Icouldaffordtoimmersemyselfinlearningthelanguageofscience.IhopetousetheStanfordTeachingEducationProgramtodevelopmyskillsasasciencecommunicatorandtranslator.MytimeatCCSFhasgivenmeastrongundergraduate-levelfoundationinchemistry,calculus,biology,ecologyandoceanography.ThediversityandpoliticalactivismatCCSFhasalsomadememoreconnectedtothelocalcommunityandbetterawareoftheirneeds.IgottomeetandworkwiththerecenthighschoolgraduatesofSF-andthey’regreat!Ican’twaittoworkwithSFUSDstudents.IamsureIwillreturningtothiscampusforprofessionaldevelopmentintheyearstocome-afterall,Ihaven’ttakenanyphysicsclassesyet!JanaiSouthworthTheprofessorsatCCSFhavehelpedmelearnnewwaystoframemyquestionsabouttheenvironment.FindingandexploringtheedgeofwhatIknow,andwhatisknown,isablast.TwiceaweekItowforplanktonatthe9414290tidestation.EverytimeIlookatplanktonunderthemicroscopeit’slikeopeningagiftfromtheocean.Thebestdaysarethe“mysteryfind”days,whenIfindsomethingintheplanktonsamplethatisnewtome.

Sometimesalocalexpert,orahelpfulreferencebookaidsmeinidentifyingwhatIhavefound.Occasionally,amysterylingers.Notlongago,Isawtiny,buglike,facesintheplankton.AtthesametimeIwasfindinglarge

clumpsofthebryozoanWatersiporasubtorquatawashinguponCrissyFieldbeach.WhenIfinallylookedatthebryozoansunderadissectingmicroscope,Irealizedthatthetinyfacesintheplanktonwerethedetachedoperculumofthosebryozoans.IenjoytinkeringwiththemicroscopeattheGreaterFarallonesNationalMarineSanctuary(GFNMS)VisitorCenteronCrissyField.Currently,asavolunteer,IamhelpingtofindwaystoenhancetheinterpretiveplanktonexperiencefortheirvisitorsfromtheBayAreaandtheworld.Istartedusingadarkfieldfiltermadefromaplasticdisccutoutofanoldreportcoverandacircleofelectricaltape.

Withdarkfieldilluminationtheplanktonimagestransformintosomethingotherworldly.TheirappearanceshiftsandsuddenlyDiatomsarejewelsandpolychaetesaredragons.Ihavelearnedagreatdealwhilephotographingtheplanktonfromthetidestation.MostdaysIpostthebestofmyimagesonInstagram@Pacificplankton(https://www.instagram.com/pacificplankton/).RecentlyIbegankeepingaplanktonnaturejournalinthestyleofJohnMuirLaws.Ifindthatacombinationofphotographing,drawing,painting,anddiagramminghashelpedmegainadeeperunderstandingofplankton.

IjustreceivedmyGreaterFarallonesSanctuaryNaturalistcertification.YoucanfindmevolunteeringmostWednesdaysandFridaysattheplanktonvideomicroscopystationattheGFNMSVisitorCenter.IamamemberoftheNatureJournalClubandtheSanFranciscoMicroscopicalSocietywhereIhavepresentedmyplanktonmicrographsattheMicroscopicalSocietymeetinginJanuary2019.NextsemesterIplanonphotographingplankton,enrollinginmoreclassesatCCSF,assistingintheOceanographylabandEnvironmentalSciencelab,andtryingtofigureoutwhatIwanttobewhenIgrowup.Untilthen,IwillescapeonSummertraveladventureswithmyteenageson.MostrecentlywetooktheGreenTortoisetoAlaskaandCanadawherewecampedatDenaliNP,hikedontheMatanuskaGlacier,andmarveledattheCanadianRockies.Seeyouinthehalls.

AlumniUpdates

EstherMuñozIstartedatCity-College-of-San-Francisco(CCSF)eight-years-ago.Iwas25-years-oldthenandIhadnoclueastowhatIwantedtopursue.Ittookmesix-yearstogetthroughmyfoundationtopursuethesciences,butnotwithouthelp.

Duringmysecondyear,myChican@StudiesProfessor,Dr.Cuellar,helpedmedefinemyinterestinAstronomy,whichledmetoapproachDr.Weil,myastronomyprofessor.Dr.WeilintroducedmetotheAstronomydepartmentchairinordertoproperlydefinemyinterestinastronomy.Dr.Kaoaskedmetodiscussmyparticularinterest,andIexplainedthatIwantedtounderstandhowtheEarthevolvedsuchthatlifewasabletoarise.HeproceededtotellmeaboutAstrobiologyandthesearchforliferesearch.HesuggestedthatI

firstdefinemypathtoAstrobiologybecauseanywalkofsciencecangointothisfield.

Fromthenon,mydeterminationwastobecomeanastrobiologist.ItookthetimeandmadeuseoftheopportunitiesIwasofferedwhileatCCSF.ProgramssuchastheMESACenter,EOPS,NIHBridgestoBaccalaureate,andmentorsImetwithineachdepartmenthelpedmealongtheway.WhenItransferred,IwasacceptedintotheUniversity-of-California,Santa-Cruz(UCSC)tocompletemyBachelors-of-ScienceinEarth-&-Planetary-Science.

Thetransitionintoaquartersystemwasunnervingatfirst,butonegetsusedtoit.Ihavecometoenjoythequartersystembecause,ifyoudonotlikeaclass,itisoverratherquickly.Programson-campus,liketheSTEM-DiversityProgram,havebeenpivotalwhileIhavebeenhere.Theyhavehelpedpreparemytransitionintograduateschool.In3-monthsIwillbereceivingmyBS,andin6-monthsIwillbemovingtoworkonadual-titled-PhDinGeosciences&AstrobiologyatPennsylvaniaStateUniversity.

FacultyUpdatesChrisLewis–Geology/PhysicalScience

Quiteayearfromme,andsinceIhavealreadyhadachancetowriteearlier,Iwillkeepthisshort.Thepicturesaysitall,butIamalsolookingforwardtosabbaticalthiscomingyear.Iwillbetakingclassesinpaleontology,GISandstratigraphyatCal,aswellasworkingondevelopingundergraduateresearchopportunitiesforcommunitycollegestudents.Georgina,ourten-montholdbaby,isclearlykeentogetstartedonsomefieldwork.BeforeIsignoffforthesemester,andsayfarewellforthenextyear,IshouldthankmycolleaguesfortheirsupportthesepastsixyearsasIstruggledtolearnhowtobechair,andespeciallythispastyear,asmyattentionwasdrawnelsewhere…ThanksDarrel,KatrynandIan!Tobefair,Ishouldincludethephysicsdepartment,inparticular,recentlyliberateddepartmentchairRogerKing,andlabmanager,TomDodge…andofcourse,ourDean,DavidYee.

Well,therearemanypeopletothank.Ithinkoneofthemostrewardingsidesofthisworkisthesenseofcommunitywebuildovertime.Asaformermiddleschoolteacher,Inowseemy6thgradestudentsagainasadultsincollege.AndformerCitycollegestudentsarereceiving4-yearandgraduatedegrees,goingontoprofessionalcareers,exploringtheworldandbeyond,expandingourknowledgeofselfandplace.HappyTrailseveryone–Ihopetoseeyouonanoutcropsomewherethisnextyear,orwhenIgetbackin2021.

FacultyUpdates

Darrel Hess — Geography The 2018-2019 academic year is winding to an end. After a two-year break, I’ve started working on the 13th edition of my textbook, McKnight’s Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation. For this edition I have a new coauthor, Professor Redina Finch, from Western Illinois University. She is taking primary responsibility for the atmospheric science parts of the new edition, but her contributions will be seen throughout the book.

Finishing the new edition, along with the California Edition of the book and my Physical Geography Laboratory Manual, will absorb most of my non-school working time for the next year and a half. This last year Nora and I had some nice travel adventures. In early August 2018, our nephew Nick flew up to the Bay Area in a small plane with his fiancée, Aimee. He took us up for a flight around the Bay. It was a picture-perfect afternoon.

San Andreas Fault looking north toward Crystal Springs Reservoir.

We flew out of Hayward, headed across the Bay to the Peninsula, where we had a great view up the San Andreas Fault. We flew north along the coast past Devil’s Slide, then right over the Golden Gate Bridge before heading back to Hayward. For a geographer, there is nothing better than seeing the landscape below from a small plane! In late August, Nora and I made a summer trip to Maui for a week of scuba diving and relaxation. In January of 2019, we returned to Maui for a winter trip when we could see (and hear) the Humpback Whales and their young calves. We went with Lahaina Divers to scuba dive in the waters off the island of Lāna‘i, Molokini Crater, and the coast of Maui.

Golden Gate Bridge from the air.

FacultyUpdates

Although we enjoy scuba diving, Nora and I often have the most fun simply skin diving from shore—we see almost as much marine life, and we can stay out as long as we want (or at least until we get so cold we need to come back to shore to warm up). In January, we were skin diving along the shore in about 30 feet of water when Nora spotted a tiny free-swimming nudibranch (a “sea slug”), less than an inch long, flapping just below the surface. It was a type of Spanish Dancer—one of the world’s largest nudibranchs (they can grow to lengths of 15 inches)—but in this case, we were lucky enough to see a tiny juvenile.

Tiny juvenile Spanish Dancer nudibranch (Hexabranchus aureomarginatus) off Kaanapali Beach, Maui.

Just before the fall 2018 semester began, I made a trip across the Sierra to Mono Lake to check my Field Guides for that part of the state. Several nesting pairs of Ospreys were around, taking turns watching over their young. The fledglings spent much of the day testing their wings with short hops above the nest, not quite having the nerve to take the big leap off for their first real flight. In September, Nora and I went back to Lake Tahoe to put the finishing touches on that new California Edition Field Guide. In November, I made a quick loop down through the San Joaquin Valley, and then a night at Saddleback Butte State Park in the northern Mojave (one of my favorite desert parks in California). Before heading home, I took a spin through the San Gabriel Mountains and over Tejon Pass to check those Field Guides.

Adult Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) flying over Mono Lake.

My annual solo trip to Death Valley was in late March this year. Although the heavy winter rains were creating a wildflower “super bloom” in parts of California, the timing of rain was such that Death Valley didn’t have many more flowers than usual when I was there. However, the lack of wildflowers was made up for by a “caterpillar bloom.” Especially on the alluvial fans south of Copper Canyon, nearly every tiny plant had a caterpillar feeding on it—and some plants had half a dozen caterpillars on them. The most common caterpillar species I saw was of the White-lined Sphinx Moth—adult moths can have a wing span of three inches! I’ve gone to Death Valley every year for two decades, but each time I visit, I see something surprising and new.

Caterpillar of White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata) in Death Valley.

I hope everyone has the chance this year to spend time with friends and family.

Safe travels to all.

FacultyUpdates

Katryn Wiese – Professor of Oceanography and Geology January 2019 I took the trip of a lifetime to the continent of Antarctica where I gathered some excellent photos, video, and life experiences that I will use in my future teaching. I followed that trip with an Intense focus on video development for my Physical Geology class adding about 20 new videos to the Earth Rocks! collection. Antarctica, my work on videos, and my work with students have been welcome and restorative distractions from the greatest sorrow of my life, the death in Fall 2018 of my boyfriend, Bart Kylstra, a mechanical engineer who designed and sold wheelchair attachments for improved mobility. The Bart Kylstra Memorial Fund now benefits young engineers in the CCSF Engineering Club. Watching them work on their projects has been an inspiring way to see his legacy endure.

Gentoo Penguin in Antarctica

Bart Kylstra

Fascinating rocks!

Halfmoon Island – standing on edge of crater

Chinstrap Penguins

FacultyUpdatesIanDuncan–Geography

ItwasanothergreatyearworkingwithmycolleaguesinEarthSciences.IagaintaughtWorldRegionalGeography,IntroductiontoGeographicInformationSystems,andPhysicalGeographyLecture/Lab.Ifeelluckytohavemetsomanyamazingstudentsthisyear.Manyofwhomworkedincrediblyhardandperseveredoverdifficultcircumstances.

Itwasanexcitingyearwithsomenotablesuccesses.Inparticular,ProfessorChrisLewisandIsuccessfullyappliedforandwereawardedagrantthroughtheStrongWorkforceProgram.Thefundsfromthisgrant,entitled“ModernizingCTEintheEarthSciences”,willgoalongwaytowardsupdatingourdepartmentalcomputersandexpandourGIScapabilities.AsIlookforwardtoourannualGISCTEmeeting,I’mexcitedtodiscusswithourcommitteemembersthepotentialavenuesforgrowthandimprovementintheservicesweoffertoourstudentsandthecollege.

Thissummer,IwillbetravelingbackandforthfromtheBayAreatotheEastCoast.IamalsoplanningtohavemanyadventurescyclingandbikecampingaroundtheBayAreawithmyfamily.

Finally,duringthenextacademicyear(2019-20),IwillbeservingastheinterimDepartmentChairwhileProfessorLewisisonsabbatical.IlookforwardtoassistingmycolleaguesandourstudentsthroughanotherexcitingyearatCCSF!

Notquitereadyforpress-timebutmanythanksandhopetocatchupwithyousoon!

ElizabethProctor(GIS,returningFall2018)andGordonYe(GIS)

HaveagreatsummerandhopetoseeyouintheFall!