Contacts

Dr. Julia Clarke

Dr. Julia Clarke is  Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) as well as Professor in the Department of Geological Sciences. She leads efforts to promote and support diverse and inclusive classrooms and workplace cultures across three units as well as developing and refining equitable academic processes. With a long history of actions and recognition for outreach and extended learning,  Dr. Clarke was recognized in 2017 a leading scientific scholar-educator by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Named as an HHMI Professor, she has led a million-dollar program aimed at transforming undergraduate geoscience education centering educational frameworks that encourage designing, experimenting, and exploring. This work at the Jackson School has had three main components to date: development of new model for an interdisciplinary CURE; extension of that model into an interdisciplinary REU, and creation of the Geoscience Ambassadors program, which focuses on beyond the classroom or lab on mentored student-led programs for change making in geoscience outreach. Dr. Clarke was a founding faculty advisor to the JSG Geoscience Leadership Organization for Women (GLOW) more than 10 years ago.

Dr. Leah Turner

Dr. Leah Turner, (she/her) is the Program Director for GeoSTEM Career Exploration and Workforce Development at the Jackson School of Geosciences.  She earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education from Ohio University as a Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Doctoral Scholar. Her primary academic interests involve research on the college choice of underrepresented student populations to address prominent higher education issues such as access, retention, degree completion, student involvement, and satisfaction. Her portfolio includes positions in career and workforce development, K-12 outreach, student affairs, athletics, and academic affairs. Leah oversees the GeoFORCE Texas youth outreach program that received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) in 2016. She also serves as co-principal investigator for the JSG Champions of Diversity program supported by the National Science Foundation GOLD-EN EAGER grant. The program focuses on mentoring undergraduates and training a cohort of faculty and staff to build, normalize, and empower the Jackson School community around issues related to diversity in the geosciences. In 2021, Turner was chosen as an inaugural member of the AGU LANDInG Academy, a comprehensive, cohort-based professional development program for current and aspiring DEI leaders in the geosciences.

Dr. Dana Thomas

Dr. Dana Thomas, (she/her) is a geosciences educator who is passionate about developing and facilitating impactful, inclusive programs that provide students from all backgrounds the learning opportunities and support they need to pursue their goals. Current projects include the Jackson School of Geosciences summer undergraduate research traineeship experience (RTX) and a National Science Foundation-funded workshop series for helping faculty and researchers become more inclusive mentors. Having always cherished teaching, Dana is a Lecturer with the Jackson School’s Energy and Earth Resources graduate program, where she incorporates societally-relevant issues into geology courses.

Dr. Adam Papendieck

Dr. Adam Papendieck (he/him) is a Learning Scientist and Lecturer with the Jackson School of Geosciences. He leads the Learning Science CoLab, a design and research collaboratory connecting Earth scientists with social scientists and communities to improve learning, teaching, communication and public engagement in science. Adam also works with Jackson School faculty and staff on the development of models for better, more inclusive classroom experiences, such as Curiosity to Question. He also aids in developing approaches for learning and change- making beyond the classroom, such as Storytelling for Change and the Geoscience Ambassadors Program.