Meeting with Dr. Paul Martin, Professor of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, one is immediately struck by his gray-flecked full beard and British accent. He has a unique philosophy and teaching style, which is a result of the time he has spent on both sides of the Atlantic. His experiences and habits make him a different kind of professor, but in the best way possible.
At Mines, it is not uncommon to get lost in the world of the engineering. However, the presence of English classes is certainly alive and well. One of the reasons is Shira Richman, a Teaching Assistant Professor in LAIS, who advocates and inspires the writing spirit within her classroom.
“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.
“I thought of Mines as untouchable. I grew up in the shadow of that ‘M,'” Liberal Arts Professor James Studholme said as he told the story of how he came to teach at Colorado School of Mines. Born and raised in Colorado, Studholme received his undergraduate degree from Colorado College in Colorado Springs. He fondly remembers playing football at Colorado College and competing against Mines, “It was always the last game of the season… a big deal for both schools.” From Colorado College, Studholme went on to receive a master’s degree in Creative Writing and English Literature from the University of Colorado at Boulder. When the opportunity arose to teach at Mines, he could not pass it up. “When I interviewed for the job, I just fell in love with it,” said Studholme.
Mines’ most unique Master’s program is getting a new director. Kathleen Hancock, recently promoted Associate Professor in LAIS, will begin to direct this exceptional cadre of students beginning next academic year. Dr. Hancock is excited to become even more involved in this growing program in International Political Economy of Resources (MIPER) because she gets to work with students from diverse backgrounds and age ranges who come to the program with national and international experience in engineering, business, economics, and other fields. This variety of student interests and experiences combines with the diverse faculty backgrounds to make the courses lively and bring an unparalleled depth to the classroom.
While some may consider older teachers inferior to the newer generation of faculty, it is professors such as Dr. Sam Romberger in Geology and Geological Engineering that prove these short-sighted hooligans wrong. Recently, “The Oredigger” sat down with this esteemed member of the faculty to find out what he is up to between his still impressive dedication to the students.
“I actually started out working in industry,” Joy Godesiabois, an Assistant Professor in Mines’s Department of Economics and Business noted, recounting her past. “ I had an undergraduate degree in accounting, worked in accounting, got into high technology. But my freshman year at college I had a great anthropology professor, and I knew that getting a PhD in teaching is something that I always wanted to do.”
Summer takes on a whole new meaning when you meet the young woman working behind the scenes in Meyer Hall. A member of the Physics Department faculty, this woman really knows what it takes to make things run smoothly for faculty and students alike at Mines. When she is not working on campus, she expresses herself through fashion. Colorado School of Mines, meet Summer Jackson.
Deep in the dark recesses of Chauvenet Hall lies the office of Yong Bakos. Owner of a software development company, part time jazz and reggae musician, and full-time Apple product fanatic, Bakos could be described as a very well-rounded instructor. This will be Bakos’ fourth year at Mines, though he taught previously at Colorado Free University as well as working professionally as a development trainer.
Similar to the freshmen in her BELS101 class, Dr. Judy Schoonmaker is also making the difficult transition from high school to college. She currently teaches at D’Evelyn High School in Lakewood, Colorado, and comes to the Colorado School of Mines campus to lecture in the afternoons.