Steven Semken

Steven Semken is a President's Professor of Geology and Education in the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University. He holds additional affiliations as an Affiliated Faculty member with the Humanities for the Environment Global Network, the Global Drylands Center, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, the Global Futures Scientists and Scholars program, and the Division of Teacher Preparation at the Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation.

Dr. Semken earned his educational credentials from prestigious institutions:

• Certificate in Diné (Navajo) Educational Philosophy, Diné College, 1991
• Ph.D., Materials Science (Ceramics), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1989
• M.S., Geochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 1984
• S.B., Earth and Planetary Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1980

As an ethnogeologist and geoscience-education researcher, Dr. Semken's work spans multiple interconnected domains that bridge scientific inquiry with cultural understanding. His primary research focuses on place-based and culturally responsive geoscience teaching methods, which he has developed through extensive fieldwork in geologically and culturally diverse regions of southwestern North America and Latin America. His research specifically investigates how sense of place influences geoscience learning, particularly among Indigenous and Latina/o communities, and how teaching approaches can be modified to honor cultural connections to land. This work extends to studying geological heritage and developing virtual field geology education experiences that maintain the pedagogical value of traditional fieldwork while increasing accessibility. His scholarship also encompasses the geological evolution of southwestern North America, which informs both his research and teaching practices.

Analysis of Dr. Semken's recent publications reveals several key trends in his scholarly work. His research increasingly focuses on the integration of virtual and immersive technologies in geoscience education, particularly examining how virtual field experiences compare with traditional in-person fieldwork. There is also a strong emphasis on culturally responsive pedagogy, with numerous studies exploring how Indigenous knowledge systems can inform and enhance geoscience teaching. His work consistently bridges cognitive and affective domains of learning, recognizing that emotional connections to place are as important as intellectual understanding in geoscience education. Additionally, his scholarship demonstrates growing attention to issues of accessibility and inclusion in geoscience field education, developing methods to make geological field experiences available to students with diverse abilities.

Dr. Semken's scientific achievements have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards:

• Fellow of the Geological Society of America
• Past-President and former Distinguished Speaker of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers
• ASU President's Professor (2025)
• 2014-2015 Zebulon Pearce Distinguished Teaching Award in Natural Sciences
• Highest awards for science teaching at Diné College in 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1995
• Goodwin Medal (highest award for graduate teaching assistants at MIT) in 1985
• Winner of the 2020 JGE Outstanding Paper Award from the National Association of Geoscience Teachers
• Winner of the 2015 Best Geologic Guidebook Award from the Geoscience Information Society

Dr. Semken has been deeply involved in mentoring graduate students and early-career educators through numerous professional development workshops and research collaborations. He has co-organized and led over 20 educator professional-development workshops since 2009, focusing on place-based teaching, cultural context in geoscience education, and virtual field experiences. His grant-funded work includes collaborations with NASA, the American Geosciences Institute, and the EarthScope National Office, particularly supporting teacher leadership academies and workshops for Native American science educators. As a Principal Investigator and Co-PI on multiple NSF-funded projects, he has secured significant resources to advance research on the affective domain in geoscience education, place-based learning methodologies, and culturally responsive teaching approaches.

Dr. Semken's research activities are supported by multiple collaborative teams and initiatives. He is associated with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory and is a Community Member of the Science Education Resource Center (SERC). His work on the "Trail of Time" at Grand Canyon National Park represents a significant public-facing educational initiative that combines geological time education with place-based interpretation. He has also developed the "Regional Geology of the Southwest" course as a living laboratory for place-based education research. His current research group includes graduate students working on projects related to virtual field experiences, ethnogeological knowledge systems, and cross-cultural science education. Through his leadership in the Earth Educators' Rendezvous and other professional networks, he has helped establish communities of practice focused on innovative geoscience teaching methods.