Department of Geological Sciences

Dr. Liu has a research focus in geochemistry.

Dr. Plenge is interested in determining how students’ knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about geoscience (and science in general) correlate to teaching methodology.

She has always loved Earth Sciences and hopes that her enthusiasm and expertise can help other students grow to understand the importance of Earth Science to the modern world. Many students whose lives are impacted by science every day cannot see the relevance or importance of science in their lives; she frames her teaching style and content around these students, and hopes her research helps determine the most effective methods for connecting with students who consider themselves “non-scientists.”

Dr. Surge’s research interests bridge the fields of paleoclimatology, paleoecology, archaeology, and low-temperature geochemistry. Recent efforts are focused on climatic and ecological archives contained in accretionary, hard-part remains of coastal marine shellfish and finfish from Holocene archaeological deposits and Neogene fossil deposits.