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Dr. Steven Anderson

Dr. Steven Anderson MAST Institute Director
Winchester Distinguished Faculty
Professor of Earth Science

Dr. Anderson specializes in research on the relationships between teaching and learning in the geosciences. As MAST Director, he facilitates partnerships and collaborations that positively impact science and mathematics education. His research on active lava flows has taken him to the far corners of the planet, and some of the most spectacular landscapes on Earth.

Contact Information

  • E-mail: steven.anderson@unco.edu
  • Phone: (970) 351-2973
  • Office: 1210 Ross Hall, University of Northern Colorado, Campus Box 123, 80639

Education

Ph.D1990Arizona State UniversityGeology
M.S.1998Arizona State UniversityGeology
B.S.S.1985Cornell CollegeGeology

Scholarly/Creative Activities

Selected Publications
  1. Libarkin, J.C., and Anderson, S.W., 2008, Development of the Geoscience Concept Inventory, in Proceedings of the National STEM Assessment Conference, Washington DC, October 19-21, 2006, p. 148-158.
  2. Anderson, S.W., Flood, T.P., and Munk, L., 2006. Bucking the trend: Three new geoscience programs; Journal of Geoscience Education, v. 2, p. 41-49.
  3. Anderson, S.W., McColley, S., Fink, J.H., and Hudson, R., 2005. The development of fluid instabilities and preferred pathways in lava flow interiors: insights from analog experiments and fractal analysis; in Manga, M., and Ventura, G., eds., Kinematics and dynamics of lava flows; Geological Society of America Special Paper 396, p. 147-161, doi: 10.1130/2005.2396(10).
  4. Libarkin, J.C., and Anderson, S.W., 2005. Assessment of Learning in Entry-Level Geoscience Courses: Results from the Geoscience Concept Inventory; Journal of Geoscience Education; v. 53. p. 394-401.
  5. Stofan, E.R., Anderson, S.W., Crown, D.A., and Plaut, J.J., 2000. Emplacement and composition of steep-sided domes on Venus; Journal of Geophysical Research - Planets, v. 105, p. 26,757-26,772.
  6. Anderson, S.W., Stofan, E.R., Smrekar, S.E., Guest, J.E., and *Wood, B., 1999. Pulsed inflation of pahoehoe lava flows: Implications for flood basalt emplacement; Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 168, p. 7-18.
  7. Anderson, S.W., Stofan, E.R., Plaut, J.J., and Crown, D.A., 1998. Block size distributions on silicic lava flow surfaces: Implications for emplacement conditions; Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 110, p. 1258-1267.
  8. Anderson, S.W., Fink, J.H., and Rose, W.I., 1995. Mount St. Helens and Santiaguito lava domes: The effect of short-term eruption rate on surface texture and degassing processes; Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 69, p. 105-116.
  9. Anderson, S.W., Krinsley, D.H., and Fink, J.H., 1994. Recognition of constructional silicic lava flow surfaces; Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, v. 19, p 531-541.
  10. Anderson, S.W., and Fink, J.H., 1992. Crease structures as indicators of emplacement rates and surface stress regimes of lava flows; Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 104, p. 615-626
  11. Fink, J.H., Malin, M.C., and Anderson, S.W., 1990. Intrusive and extrusive growth of the Mount St. Helens dome; Nature, v. 348, p. 435-437
  12. Anderson, S.W., and Fink, J., 1990. The development and distribution of lava textures at the Mount St. Helens dome; in Fink, J.H., ed., The Mechanics of Lava Flow and Dome Growth, IAVCEI Proceedings in Volcanology, v. 2, p 25-46.
  13. Anderson, S.W., and Fink, J.H., 1989. Hydrogen isotope evidence for extrusion mechanisms of the Mount St. Helens dome; Nature, v. 341, p. 521-523

Selected Grants
  1. NASA-Global Climate Change Education – (Principle Investigator (PI)) "NCAR Global Climate Change Research Experience for Teachers" 2010-2013$409,103
  2. NASA – Education and Public Outreach (Co-Investigator (Co-I)) "Workshops in Science Education and Resources (WISER): Planetary Perspectives" 2010-2014$990,458
  3. National Science Foundation – S-STEM (Co-PI) "S-STEM: Promoting and Supporting Community College Transfer Students in Chemistry" 2009-2012
     $599,982
  4. National Science Foundation – Course Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) (Co-PI) "Collaborative Research: Community development of an expanded Geoscience Concept Inventory: A webcenter for question generation, validation and online testing" 2007-2010
     $500,000
  5. NASA – Education and Public Outreach Program (Co-I) "Planets R Places Too!" 2007-2011$150,000
  6. NASA – Planetary Geology and Geophysics (Co-I) "Investigations of Terrestrial and Planetary Lava Flows" 2007-2010$228,128
  7. NASA – Mars Fundamental Research (Co-I) "Characterization of Terrestrial Primary, Eroded, and Mantled Volcanic Surfaces for a More Complete Understanding of Martian Volcanic Deposit Modification" 2005-2009
     $257,526
  8. NASA - Mars Fundamental Research (PI) "Mars Lava Flow Surface Morphology: An Avenue for Answering Fundamental Questions Regarding the Rates and Styles of Volcanism" 2004-2008$162,660
  9. NASA – Planetary Geology and Geophysics (Co-I) "Geologic Analysis of Venusian Rifts, Coronae, Volcanoes and Flow Fields" 2005-2008$180,000
  10. National Science Foundation - Assessment of Student Achievement (Co-PI) "Conceptual Understanding of Three Dimensions of Earth Processes in General Education and Introductory Courses: Test Development and Validation" 2001-2005$498,983
  11. NASA - Mars Fundamental Research (Co-I) "The Origin of Transverse Ridges on Large Mass Flows on Mars" 2003-2006$180,000
  12. NSF Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement (ILI) (Co-PI) "The Use of a Global Positioning System in Biology and Environmental Physical Science Laboratories" 1995-1997$18,781
  13. NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) (PI) "The Impact of Urban and Rural Activities on Water Quality in Spearfish, South Dakota" 1994-1995$45,000
  14. NASA Venus Data Analysis Program (Co-Investigator) "Steep-sided Domes on Venus: Morphology, Origin and Evolution" 1992-1995$220,100
  15. NSF Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) (Co-Investigator) "Emplacement of Silicic Lava Flows and Domes" 1991-1992$129,612

Professional Organizations
  • Phi Beta Kappa1985-Present
  • American GeoPhysical Union1986-Present
  • Geological Society of America1989-Present
  • Sigma Xi1989-Present
  • National Association of Geoscience Teachers1990-Present
Contact for this page

Jerry Overmyer, MAST website last major upgrade: 2011.July.15
Poster printing information
Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity/Title IX