Steve Goldsmith earned his MS and PhD from SES in 2005 and 2009, respectively. Steve is now an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography and the Environment at Villanova University.
Contact: steven.goldsmith@villanova.edu
"Take the time to get to know your fellow students both in and outside of the classroom! Many of your cohorts will not only end up as future colleagues, but also life-long friends."
Where has your degree taken you?
Upon graduation, I was fortunate enough to obtain a post-doc at Brown University where I studied the effect of erosion rates on the biogeochemistry of tropical, granitic-derived soils in locations, such as Brazil, Taiwan, Guatemala, and Puerto Rico. It was my first experience working with ecologist, which provided me with different way of thinking about biogeochemical cycles! More recently, I have been a faculty member in the Department of Geography and the Environment at Villanova University since 2010, where I teach course ranging from Introduction to Environmental Science, Environmental Geology, and Watershed Biogeochemistry. I also have active research projects ranging from the impact of hydraulic fracturing on stream water quality in North Central Pennsylvania to the impact agricultural practices on the quality of nearshore coral reefs in southwestern Puerto Rico.
How do you feel your experience, specifically as an SES/geology student at OSU, prepared you for your career or life in general?
The ability to take both field and lab courses in wide ranging topics, such as geochemistry, hydrogeology, petrology, and paleoclimatology provided me with the perfect multi-disciplinary lens to observe current large-scale changes to our surficial biogeochemical cycles. Also, having hands-on training with a variety of analytical instrumentation greatly prepared me to run a research lab of my own.
What is your favorite memory as a student?
Sampling a Taiwan river during a typhoon with my advisor Anne Carey! We not only endured a white-knuckle drive along land-slide prone roadways to our sampling site but also the roar of the river in pitch-black conditions. Getting to see the Taiwan macaques come out to forage after the storm was as an added treat.
What advice do you have for current and future students?
Take the time to get to know your fellow students both in and outside of the classroom! Many of your cohorts will not only end up as future colleagues, but also life-long friends.