November 16, 2011

by Cathryn Westra

Johnson examines a sample of rock with (l-r) Devon Harris '15, Alexis Valauri-Orton '12 and Stephanie Schauder '15. (Cathryn Westra photo)

Hiking along rock formations, creeks and old landslide locations was the perfect environment for geologist Brad Johnson to teach students about Carolina topography. On a recent three-day, two-night Eco-Education Backpacking Trip, hosted by Davidson Outdoors, Johnson enlightened eight students about the geological phenomena that shaped surrounding landscapes. The students visited Toxaway Falls, the Auger Hole hiking trail and Caesar's Head, a South Carolina rock formation overlooking the Blue Ridge mountain range.

"Geology influences our lives in ways people don't often consider," commented Johnson, assistant professor of environmental studies at Davisdon. "It affects where we live, where we build, where our water comes from and how much water we can use. Being outside on a trip like this is an optimal opportunity for students to learn about geology."

Johnson hopes to incorporate additional field trips as part of his curricula, but will not limit trips to students in his geology course. Undergraduates on his first eco-education trip varied in class year and interests, from senior math major Austin Totty '12 to undecided first-year student Stephanie Schauder '15.

"The trip was beautiful," said Schauder. "I hadn't had much camping experience and I thought it was fun to learn about nature while experiencing it first-hand! We also got to see the colorful autumn leaves before the weather got too cold."

"There is no better way to experience an environmental topic like geology than to witness it on your own," added Johnson. He suspects more students will have chances at hands-on learning with Davidson's newly strengthened emphasis on environmental studies because "environmental studies and learning outdoors go hand in hand."

Johnson is the first professor assigned to teach solely in the Environmental Studies department.. In his first semester at the college he is teaching an environmental geology course that considers the subject through fields such as biology, chemistry and physics. He is also teaching an associated environmental geology lab.

The other new faculty members in environmental studies Graham Bullock, assistant professor of political science and environmental studies and Abigail Schade, ACS/Mellon Post-Doctoral Fellow in Environmental History. All are working to incorporate lessons from across disciplines in their courses.

Davidson is a highly selective independent liberal arts college for 1,900 students located 20 minutes north of Charlotte in Davidson, N.C. Since its establishment in 1837 by Presbyterians, the college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently regarded as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country. Through The Davidson Trust, the college became the first liberal arts institution in the nation to replace loans with grants in all financial aid packages, giving all students the opportunity to graduate debt-free. Davidson competes in NCAA athletics at the Division I level, and a longstanding Honor Code is central to student life at the college.
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