Faculty Spotlight: Gus Grievel

“Students never fail to entertain.” That is how Mathematics and Computer Science Professor Gus Greivel views his job as lecturer at the Colorado School of Mines.

Greivel, a native of Colorado, has a long history with CSM, graduating with both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in math and computer science back in the 1990s. His teaching career began early on when, as an undergraduate, he was offered the opportunity to become a teaching assistant. “I got to teach some classes and found it to be fun. I fell in love with teaching.” The job convinced Greivel to continue the education route, and he chose to remain in Golden to pursue his master’s degree.
After completing his master’s degree in 1994, his vision to become a teacher became a reality when he was offered an adjunct teaching position at CSM. He remained at Mines for one year before accepting a job at a local, private high school. “I had a blast, but the material is a lot more interesting at the university level,” Greviel said.

Greivel’s career path then took yet another turn. In 2001, he entered into the private industry, where he discovered that he “really enjoyed working here [at CSM] more than anywhere else… [I love] the interaction with students, it’s kind of nice to be out there sparking interests in things you care about.”

But while Greivel is heavily involved in his education career, he does enjoy spending his free time elsewhere. The math professor loves to take advantage of Colorado’s landscapes, characterised by the bicycle that resides in the corner of his office. “I am an avid cyclist, I like to get out and go on long rides.” When he is not on campus or outdoors on his bike, Greivel devotes his life to his other job as a husband and a father, “Spending time watching my kids grow up.”

Greivel has an impressive impact on his students. As sophomore Arjumand Alvi said, “He (Greivel) was the best math teacher I ever had. He is really funny and awesome at what he does.” Alvi’s comments echo throughout the many students who have had the pleasure of being taught by Greivel.

Greivel has had many interesting experiences during his career at Mines. But, when it comes to guidance for new students, only one memory came to mind. “I have had a student pass out during an exam. They started taking shallower and shallower breaths, which lead to them losing consciousness. So my advice for Freshman, go ahead and breath.”