Education
B.S. - Ferguson College
M.S. - University of Brussels
Ph.D. - North Carolina State University
Courses Taught
GEOL 105. Exploring Earth
GEOL 120. Earth Science and Society
GEOL 310. Mineralogy (every Fall semester)
GEOL 365. Earth’s Ocean and Climate Systems (every alternate Spring semester)
Research
Parvinder ("Parv") Sethi's research interests center on a variety of paleoclimatic
and environmental applications of clays and other minerals. In addition, he is interested
in the emerging field of instructional technology as it applies to more effective
teaching/learning in geosciences.
Some of his research areas have included:
- Use of black-shale mineralogy and geochemistry for investigating the pyrite-based
pollution potential and engineering aspects of such strata in the Devonian Millboro
Shale exposed in parts of Virginia.
- Use of mineralogy, sedimentary micro-and macro-structures, and organic and inorganic
geochemistry of sedimentary rocks to investigate ancient global climate change events
and their role in the enhanced burial and preservation of organic carbon in Utah and
Kansas.
- Design and development of online, interactive, multimedia applications for teaching
and learning introductory-level physical geology and mineralogy. Technologies used
have included Geo-Wall, GigaPan, ArcGIS and StoryMap and 3D-modeling of mineral, rock
and fossil samples using photogrammetry (Agisoft Metashape and Sketchfab).
Awards
- "The Geological Society of America - Biggs Award for Excellence in College Teaching"
in 1997,
- "The National Association of Geoscience Teachers - Eastern Region - John H. Moss
Award for Excellence in Teaching" in 2002,
- “Radford University – Donald N. Dedmon Distinguished Teaching Professor Award” in
2017,
- “Radford University - Artis College of Science & Technology – Outstanding Teaching
Award” in 2018.
