Faculty

Earth Science and Geography
Department

vassar.edu/earth-science-and-geography

The department combines the perspectives of the natural and social sciences. With the entire earth as a laboratory, earth science students investigate issues of climate change, hydrology, and pollution, oceanography, sustainable agriculture, earthquakes, and other natural disasters, sedimentology, and environmental planning. Geography students explore such topics as environmental perception and conservation, urban design and land-use planning, global economic change, migration and population patterns, regional studies, cartography, and geographic information systems. Both earth science and geography faculty also teach in various multidisciplinary programs, such as environmental studies, international studies, urban studies, and women’s studies. Options include majors as well as correlate sequences in each discipline, and two interdepartmental majors, anthropology-geography and earth science and society. For a major in geography, a senior seminar and thesis are required. For geology, senior research is a prerequisite for departmental honors.

Earth Science

Professor of Earth Science on the Althea Ward Clark Chair and Chair of Earth Science and Geography
Kirsten M. Menking wearing a light patterned shirt and eyeglasses with a tree in the background.
BA, Occidental College; PhD, University of California-Santa Cruz
Academic Computing Consultant for GIS
MS, University of New Haven
Assistant Professor of Earth Science on the Mary Clark Rockefeller Chair
Person standing smiling in a lab with scientific equipment in the background.
BA, Pomona College; MA, MPhil, PhD, Columbia University in the City of New York
Assistant Professor of Earth Science and Environmental Studies
Deon Knights in a blue v-neck sweater smiling, against a light gray background..
BS, University of Delaware; MS, PhD, Ohio State University-Main Campus
Visiting Assistant Professor of Earth Science
Person with long blond and dark brown hair wearing a black dress posing outside with trees in the background.
BA, Colgate University; PhD, The University of Texas at Austin
Visiting Instructor in Earth Science
BS, University of California-Santa Cruz; MPhil, CUNY Graduate School and University Center; MS, University of California-Santa Barbara

Emeriti

Jeffrey R. Walker , PhD
Professor Emeritus of Earth Science (1988–2024)

Geography

Professor of Earth Science on the Althea Ward Clark Chair and Chair of Earth Science and Geography
Kirsten M. Menking wearing a light patterned shirt and eyeglasses with a tree in the background.
BA, Occidental College; PhD, University of California-Santa Cruz
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Geography
Susan G. Blickstein wearing a gray sweater and silver necklace against a gray background.
BS, Cornell University; MA, Clark University; MS, Rutgers University-New Brunswick; PhD, Clark University
Professor of Geography
Mary Ann A. Cunningham wearing a black sweater against a light background.
BA, Carleton College; MA, University of Oregon; PhD, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Visiting Assistant Professor of Geography
Portrait of John Elrick in v-neck shirt in front of a window.
BA, MA, San Francisco State University; PhD, University of California-Berkeley
Professor of Geography and Director of Urban Studies
Man with grey hair and a blue button-down collared shirt smiling
BA, Pomona College; MA, PhD, University of California-Berkeley
Visiting Assistant Professor of Geography
BA, University of Toronto; MES, PhD, York University
Professor of Geography
BA, Middlebury College; MA, PhD, University of California-Los Angeles
Professor of Geography
Woman in suit jacket smiling - Pictured: Yu Zhou
BS, MS, Peking University (北京大学); PhD, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Emeriti