1^st lesson free

Donald

Rate $15
Response 1h

$15/h

1^st lesson free

Biology
Anatomy
Geology

Ph.D. geologist and paleontologist. Can tutor all Earth science courses, plus biology and ecology. Get a rock-solid education with me!

Biology
Anatomy
Geology

Lesson location

- At Donald's house: Parkersburg

About Donald

Greetings! My name is Don Esker. I was a Geologist III for the West Virginia State Government. I’ve enjoyed the work, but I’m looking to move out of the area. I’m familiar with many of the fossil-bearing deposits of the US. I’ve done work in Ohio, West Virginia, Utah, Montana, South Dakota, and Texas. I graduated from Marietta College with a bachelor’s in geology in 2004. During my time there I learned a great deal, including basic fossil excavation and preparation. I went on several expeditions to the San Rafael Swell in Utah to collect Upper Jurassic dinosaur fossils, where I became familiar with field techniques. After I left Marietta, I decided to follow the Utah material that I helped to excavate to The University of Cincinnati. I pursued my master’s degree there, doing my thesis on a multivariate analysis of the fauna of the Morrison Formation. In addition to refining my preparation skills, I learned molding and casting techniques there, and produced replicas of several of my specimens so that they could be sent out for study. I also continued to build on my experience in the field by working three six-week field seasons in Montana. In June of 2007 I took a position as the Assistant In-Situ Curator and Secondary Educator for The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs South Dakota Inc., at the same time working to revise my thesis. In doing so I learned how to operate total stations, and put the GIS skills I had picked up in college to good use. The curator resigned that fall, so I took over the position. I taught thousands of middle school to college level students remotely and in person. In addition to revamping the internship program, I also wrote a grant to the IMLS that secured $50,000 to install systems that have successfully mitigated a humidity problem in the bonebed. In the spring of 2009, I successfully defended my master’s thesis. In the winter of 2019, I published my doctoral dissertation on fossil vertebrates as paleoclimate proxies and graduated with a Ph.D. I have published on material from the Late Jurassic through to the Late Pleistocene. I possess experience in bonebed cartography, collections management and curation, having written papers and presented professional talks on each subject. When pursuing my Ph.D. at Baylor University, my focus remained on the Pleistocene, but expanded to include the thermal paleoecology of tortoises and isotope biogeochemistry of mammalian tooth enamel. After starting at Marietta College, I taught classes in introductory geology, historical geology, Earth resources, and vertebrate paleontology. I ran the college’s dinosaur dig in SE Utah, and successfully developed a pair of brand-new Mesozoic sites in Utah’s Abajo Mountains. I also adapted 3D printing to the service of teaching paleontology, printing out life-sized replicas of entire dinosaur skeletons. As part of the college’s outreach, I ran educational programs for local schools, teaching children from K-12 about geology and paleontology. In my work assessing groundwater movement and characteristics for the state of West Virginia, I have identified contamination sources and developed comprehensive plans tо protect drinking water wells. By designing and executing monitoring programs with advanced field and lab techniques, I have evaluated water quality and identified emerging risks. My efforts include staying current with state and federal regulations tо ensure compliance and collaborating with communities, water authorities, and stakeholders tо raise awareness, communicate findings, and provide technical support for wellhead protection initiatives. My scope is wide, I am at home teaching kids and conversing with Ph.Ds., I am able to come up with endless ideas, get them funded and carry them out. I’m in my element in the field, in the classroom, in the lab, or in front of a computer.

About the lesson

I can teach geology, Earth science, natural disasters, biology, evolution, and anatomy. I've worked with kids as young as middle school, but high school and college are my specialties. The secret to my teaching technique is enthusiasm. I think that getting the students excited about what they're learning, and that is impossible if the instructor isn't pumped about it too. I've been committed to science since I was five, and my ardor for the field has not diminished.

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Pack rates

5h: $75
10h: $150

free lessons

This first lesson offered with Donald will allow you to get to know each other and clearly specify your needs for your next lessons.

Ph.D. geologist and paleontologist. Can tutor all Earth science courses, plus biology and ecology. Get a rock-solid education with me!

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About Donald

About the lesson

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free lessons

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Ph.D. geologist and paleontologist. Can tutor all Earth science courses, plus biology and ecology. Get a rock-solid education with me!

Lesson location

About Donald

About the lesson

Rates

Rate

Pack rates

free lessons

Other tutors in Biology

Dr Sonali

Christopher

Georges

Ammar

Franshesca

Pratima

Mustafa

Olivia

Al Hamza

Raheel

Renata

Syeda

Óscar Mauricio

Zeina

Laura

Zainab

Manjot

Fadel

Ahmed

Adelajda

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