معرفی
Dr. Randall J. Schaetzl is a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences at Michigan State University (MSU), with joint appointments in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at MSU and the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey. His research focuses on soil geomorphology, glacial processes, and the interplay between pedogenesis, climate, and landforms in the Midwest.
Education
- Ph.D. in Geography (Midwestern schools)
- Additional training in Geography at the University of Wisconsin, Kansas, and Illinois.
Research Interests
Dr. Schaetzl studies soil-forming processes, particularly podzolization and lessivage, and their relationship to glacial sedimentology and loess deposits. His work examines how soil patterns reflect climate change, post-glacial environments, and landscape evolution, with a regional focus on Michigan and the Great Lakes.
Scientific Awards
- Fellow, Geological Society of America
- Fellow, Soil Science Society of America
Teaching and Advising
He teaches courses like Soil Geomorphology Field Study (GEO 408), Environmental Geomorphology (GEO 306), and Geography of Michigan (GEO 333). His field-based pedagogy emphasizes hands-on learning, with mandatory trips to locations like the Saginaw Lake Plain and northern Lower Michigan. He offers funded research assistantships in soil-landscape analysis and Quaternary processes.
