Amanda Schmidt

  • Associate Professor of Geology
  • Chair of Geology

Areas of Study

Education

  • BSE, Princeton University, 2002
  • PhD, University of Washington, 2010

Biography

I am broadly interested in tectonic geomorphology (the relationship between long-term rates of uplift, erosion, and climate) as well as more modern and anthropogenic topics. Specifically, I have projects that look at how the landscape shapes decisions people make about land use and how people alter the environments that they live in. 

At the moment I teach three classes a year: Earth Surface Processes (GEOL212), a required class for geology majors that looks at how the surface of Earth is being shaped by natural and anthropogenic processes; Applied Geographic Information Systems (GIS; GEOL235), a class about collecting, analyzing, and displaying spatial data to answer questions; and, Soils and Society (GEOL152), a non-majors class about soil, hillslope processes, and how people alter those systems. I will also be working with Lucy Gelb to offer a winter term GIS course this year.

Please check out my website for more information on classes and research.

Fall 2021

Earth Science and Social Justice — AAST 124
Earth Science and Social Justice — GEOL 124
Ind Study in Geology-Full — GEOL 199F
Ind Study in Geology-Half — GEOL 199H
Earth Surface Processes — GEOL 212
Senior Project — ACHS 300

Spring 2022

Earth's Environments — GEOL 120
Ind Study in Geology-Full — GEOL 199F
Ind Study in Geology-Half — GEOL 199H
Senior Project — ACHS 300

Notes

Amanda Schmidt Writes Op-Ed

July 27, 2020

Associate Professor of Geology Amanda Schmidt wrote an op-ed about the executive order to end the Fulbright program in Hong Kong and China for Cleveland.com. 

News

Educator in Death Valley National Park: Marcus Hill ’19

February 21, 2020

Geology graduate Marcus Hill is working alongside seasoned park rangers to run education programs for elementary school students. As one of the few geologists on staff, he’s discovering that visitors are excited to learn about rocks from someone who spent the last four years working with rocks.

In Cuba, Cleaner Rivers Follow Greener Farming

January 30, 2020

First joint Cuba-U.S. geology team in half a century discovers Cuban fertilizer pollution far lower than the Mississippi River—a model for global agriculture. Associate Professor of Geology Amanda Schmidt was a member of the team of scientists who studied the impact of contemporary agriculture on the water quality in Cuba’s rivers.

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