Dean’s Message
October 17, 2025
Dear friends and alumni of the Jackson School,
It is with great excitement that I introduce you to the newly redesigned Advancing Excellence!
The goal of this publication is to illustrate the ways that your support helps the Jackson School of Geosciences deliver unparalleled education and research. While these stories make me so proud, they also make me a little wistful! That’s because, as many of you know, I will be stepping down as Dean of the Jackson School of Geosciences in January 2026.
Serving as Dean has been the highlight and highest honor of my career. I will move on to my next adventure knowing that the Jackson School is in a great position to thrive in the future. And, I have come to deeply appreciate the important role that you play in that success!
When I began this role six years ago, I knew I was joining one of the top geoscience institutions in the world that was striving to meet the lofty ambitions of the Jacksons’ transformational investment (as Jack Jackson would call it). What surprised me was the legacy of Longhorn pride — the powerful passion and energy that our alumni and friends bring to this school. Even as an alumna of three universities and veteran of two others, I still had never experienced anything close to your deep commitment and bountiful generosity. Your monetary gifts, your gifts of time, your advice and student mentorship, and your abiding confidence in us — all of these provide immeasurable value and truly enable all that we do! Getting to know many of you has been one of the great joys of this position. I will remember you with deep respect and great fondness!
Have fun as you read this issue of Advancing Excellence. The “fingerprint” of your giving is in every story (and your faces, too, in our photo highlights from the 20th anniversary event)! Inside you will meet recent B.S. graduate Danielle Zaleski and learn how she was supported to grow as a researcher and citizen. I just saw Danielle at our new graduate student orientation, so expect more stories from her to come! And we are very excited to tell you how a new gift is opening opportunities for our hydrology and environmental sciences majors to interface with Texas water agencies and help us have the water we need to grow and thrive.
Finally, enjoy our tribute to the one and only “Guad Father,” Professor Charlie Kerans. After a remarkable 40 years of science, education, field work and loud shirts, Charlie is retiring this August. I know many of you have your own memories of Charlie and how he inspired you (or left you far behind in the field). If you know Charlie, you won’t be too surprised to learn that he will jump right back into field work in the Bahamas; the top science, the field work and the sartorial splendor will continue! The combination of accomplished faculty and a great school is unstoppable. We are blessed to have both in this special school that we all work together to build.
Thank you so much! It has been an honor and a privilege.
Hook ‘em!