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Geosciences
The College of Geosciences is dedicated to advancing the understanding of Earth Systems and to educating students to meet future challenges in both finding and developing natural resources and in measuring and responding to environmental change. These goals are achieved through rigorous pursuit of excellence in integrating the main domains of faculty work: teaching, research, and service, for the benefit of student learning and success.
Student Excellence
The College of Geosciences expects its students to achieve the broad learning outcomes defined by the university: mastering the depth of knowledge for a degree; demonstrating critical thinking; communicating effectively; practicing personal and social responsibility; demonstrating social, cultural, and global competence; preparing to engage in lifelong learning; and working collaboratively. Evidence of excellence in mastering these outcomes specific to the geosciences includes:
- Student success and placement in the work force
- Student success and placement in graduate school
- Participation in high impact learning activities such as undergraduate research, internships, service learning, and study abroad
- Retention rates, time-to-degree, and grade point average for students
- Scores on standardized tests such as SAT, GRE, or professional exams such as that for geoscience licensure in the state
- Employer feedback
Faculty Excellence
Measures of excellence that come from sources external to Texas A&M are most important in assessing excellence, particularly in the area of research. However, the College recognizes that both internal and external measures need to be considered for reasons such as career stage or the unique strengths of individual faculty members. Listed below are measures used in the College for the main domains of faculty work.
Teaching
- Teaching awards from professional societies, the state, university, or college
- Evidence of continued curricular innovation such as new course development, implementation of new pedagogical approaches, involvement in honors program, or study abroad
- Student evaluation of teaching
- Peer evaluation of teaching
- Textbook or lab book authorship, especially if texts are widely used at other institutions
- Quality and quantity of student mentoring, at all levels: undergraduate and graduate
- Student success and placement after graduation
Research
- Quality and quantity of publications in peer-reviewed journals
- Quality and quantity of book chapters, or books written or edited
- Impact of publications as measured by number of citation, or outside letters
- National awards such as election to the National Academies of Science, receipt of medals of recognition or fellowship status from major professional societies
- Receipt of best paper awards at national conferences
- Receipt of external funding, primarily from federal agencies
- Impact of research on industry, especially in the area of technology, patents, or commercialization
Service
- Leadership roles and/or participation in advisory panels for state or federal agencies or professional societies
- Awards for service from professional societies or the university or college
- Leadership roles in the department, college, or university that are accompanied by demonstrable outcomes or positive change
- Interaction or influence with the media in the form of interviews, op-ed pieces or the like that benefit the profession
- Demand for manuscript or proposal review by major journals and federal agency