Rocky Mountain College Geology Program
Visiting Assistant Professor of Geology
Rocky Mountain College
1511 Poly Drive
Billings, Montana 59102
emily.ward@rocky.edu
406-238-7264
Rocky Mountain College
1511 Poly Drive
Billings, Montana 59102
emily.ward@rocky.edu
406-238-7264
Research Interests
- Design and impact of place-based education and assessment on
learning in the geosciences
- Evolution of the Rocky Mountain foreland basin in northwest Montana
- Exploration and development oil and gas along the Rocky Mountain Front, Montana
My current research is in the field of Geocognition and Geoscience Education Research. This research is interdisciplinary, combining geological sciences and the fields of cognitive science, educational psychology, and human geography. Presently, I work with science educators, cultural experts, and tribal college faculty and staff on a National Science Foundation grant to develop valid and reliable place-based assessment for the geosciences. The resultant assessment identifies culturally significant local landscapes to infuse with geoscience content in order to effectively measure the conceptual understanding.
Within geology, I enjoy pursuing field-based research to decipher the history of the Rocky Mountain foreland basin and thrust belt of Montana and related natural resources. This work combines structural analysis of fractures, faults and folds within the thrust belt system with stratigraphic relationships within the foreland basin to unravel the tectonic history of the region. Understanding the geologic history has practical application in the exploration and development of oil and gas in this area. My interest is in using this geologic knowledge to work with communities in order to better understand oil and gas development along the Rocky Mountain Front and address community questions and concerns regarding exploration and extraction.
| CV 2012 |
