Tel.  001(559) 278-2912 
Fax. 001(559) 278-5980 
E-mail: pvandewater@csufresno.edu 

Office: Science II 124

Links: EES Department, University Homepage

Teaching Interests:

Dr. Van de Water's teaching interests are varied. His initial teaching duties will include Environmental Earth and Life Sciences (NSCI 115) and Geochemistry (GEOL 124). He hopes to teach Historical Geology (GEOL 2), Planet Earth Through Time (GEOL 112), Stratigraphy (GEOL 122) and/or Sedimentology (GEOL 122) in the near future. In addition he hopes to develop courses following his research interests in Quaternary vegetation change and the use of stable isotopes.

Research Interests:

Dr. Van de Water's research interests are varied, but center on vegetation changes during the late Quaternary using macro- and micro-fossils. Within the context of this focus, he has applied the burgeoning field of stable isotope analysis to reconstruct past plant physiological parameters. His research has also looked at the variability of natural populations as a means to test their suitability as proxy records for past changes. In addition, he has worked with atmospheric models to track the incorporation and downwind transport of modern pollen from source areas as a means to understand depositional processes. His most recent work has been to apply this research to plant gene-flow from genetically modified crop plants into wild relatives growing nearby.