Meet the ESA Faculty

Mark Boryta

B.A. Geology (with honors), Amherst College
M.S. Geology, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Ph.D. Geology/Geochemistry, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

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email: mboryta@mtsac.edu

I am Councilor at Large for the National Association of Geoscience Teachers' Far Western Section, after serving as its president. Additionally, I have been collaborating with a team of scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory studying Saturn’s moon Titan using infrared spectroscopy data collected by the Cassini orbiting spacecraft. We are currently building lab facilities at Mt. SAC to study the infrared reflectance properties of materials expected to be found on Titan’s surface (90K, 1.5 bar), and will offer student research opportunities when the lab is functioning! My graduate work involved geochemical analyses of high-grade metamorphic rocks of Precambrian age from the Limpopo Belt in southern Africa and from Inner Mongolia, China, respectively. In my “spare time” I like to build things out of wood, kayak along the coast, and be the best dad I can manage for my two children.

Courses: ASTR 7 (Geology of the Solar System), GEOL 1 (Physical Geology), GEOL 8H (Honors Earth Science) and GEOL 9 (Environmental Geology)

Julie Bray-Ali

B.S. Physics, California Polytechnic University-Pomona
M.A., Physics,University of Southern California

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email: jbrayali@mtsac.edu

I studied physics at Cal Poly Pomona and the University of Southern California, with a research focus on magnetic properties of materials at low temperatures. While at USC I taught astronomy labs and found a true calling as an educator. After graduate school I joined the faculty of Mount San Antonio college in 1999 and am currently the chair of the Earth Science and Astronomy Department. My college education began at Santa Ana Community College where I learned the incredible opportunities community colleges create for students and the neighboring community with classes and educational events and destinations like our newly updated Randall Planetarium. In my personal time I love to travel all over the world and regularly visit different observatories and planetariums!

Courses: ASTR 5, 5A, ASTR 8

Micol Christopher

B.A., Physics and Astronomy/Astrophysics, Harvard University
Ph.D., Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology

email: mchristopher@mtsac.edu

Hi! While I come from a research background in astronomy (mostly studying how stars form during collisions between galaxies), I have always been drawn towards teaching and having the opportunity to share my excitement about the universe with others. I have been a full-time professor at Mt. San Antonio College since 2005 and have been thoroughly enjoying my time here! On campus I am getting increasingly involved with the Honors program and serve on the Student Preparation and Success Council. Outside of work, my wife and I enjoy staying active, particularly hiking and tennis, and traveling. Some astronomy-related travel highlights include seeing two of Galileo’s original telescopes in Florence, Italy and seeing the southern sky for the first time in Australia. We also enjoy trying out new foods and restaurants, particularly the wide variety of ethnic restaurants in the area.

Courses: ASTR 5 (Introduction to Astronomy), ASTR 5H (Honors), ASTR 5L (Introduction to Astronomy Lab)

Michael Hood

B.S., Astrophysics, Math, and Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison
M.S., Physics, University of California-Irvine

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email: mhood@mtsac.edu

I grew up in Minnesota, before moving to Wisconsin and then California for school. I am now an astronomer, and my main expertise is with stars and galaxies. I am currently working on spectroscopy of red giant stars in the nearby galaxy M33 in order to better understand how the galaxy formed. I started teaching at Mt. SAC in 2009, and love my job here. I have been running the night observing sessions, and I can’t wait until our new observatory is completed. I am married to an astronomer who studies black holes, and we have a young son and two dogs.

Courses: ASTR 5 (Introduction to Astronomy), ASTR 5L (Introduction to Astronomy Lab), ASTR 8 (Introduction to Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe)

Heather Kokorowski

B.S.,Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona
M.S., Forestry Ecosystems Analysis, University of Washington
M.S., Geological Sciences, University of Washington

email: hkokorowski@mtsac.edu

I grew up in Portland, escaped the Oregon drizzle for college in Arizona, then returned to the Pacific Northwest for graduate school at the University of Washington. My graduate research involved reconstructing past climatic conditions from various proxies in lake sediment cores as a means to better understand and predict the possible nature and mechanisms of future change, first in Siberia (M.S. 2004), then in Greenland (M.S. 2007). My husband and I moved to the Pasadena area in 2008, and had twin boys in 2009. After teaching part-time for 6 years, I found a permanent home at Mt SAC in 2012. I am super excited to have joined the Earth Science and Astronomy team at Mt SAC, and am currently working to develop online and hybrid options for several of our Earth Science classes. Look for those offerings in the coming semesters!

Courses: OCEAN 10 (Introduction to Oceanography), OCEAN 10L (Oceanography Lab), GEOL 8 (Earth Science), GEOL 8L (Earth Science Lab), GEOL 9 (Environmental Geology)

Hilary Lackey

B.A., Art History, Smith College
M.S., Geology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Ph.D., Geology, University of Wisconsin-Madison

email: hlackey@mtsac.edu

After graduating with a degree in Art History, my first post-college job was as a tour guide at a dinosaur quarry in Utah. I fell in love with the desert, rocks and fossils so I decided to pursue a doctorate in geology. My expertise is in paleontology, and I focus on fossil invertebrates such as clams and snails. I’ve had a lot of experience studying sedimentary rocks of ancient lakes and oceans, and I enjoy applying what I’ve learned to my geology and oceanography courses at Mt. SAC. Prior to coming to Mt. SAC, research took me to exciting locales including Hungary, Romania, Nova Scotia, and the Mississippi River valley. I am now interested in the sediments deposited in the lake that filled Long Valley volcanic caldera 700,000 years ago, and I hope to get Mt. SAC students excited to explore it with me! I love interacting with the students at Mt. SAC, and I serve on the Student Equity Committee. On my days off, you can find me camping, hiking and traveling with my geologist husband and two children.

Courses: Ocean 10-10L, Geol 8, Geol 9, Geol 2

David Mrofka

email: dmrofka@mtsac.edu

Courses: Geol 7, Geol 8, Geol 10

Larry Redinger

Dean of Natural Sciences

email: emailaddress

Courses: Geol 7, Geol 8

Rebecca Walker

B.A., Geology, Hamilton College
M.S., Geosciences, University of Arizona

email: rwalker@mtsac.edu

Courses: GEOL 1 (physical geology) GEOL 7 (geology of California) GEOL 10 (natural disasters) GEOL 8/8L (Earth science) GEOL 24 (field studies of Central California) GEOL 25 (field studies of Southern California—coming soon) OCEA 10/10L (oceanography) GEOL 99 (special projects in geology)

Craig Webb

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email: cwebb@mtsac.edu

Courses: Meto 3, Meto 3L, Geol 8, Ocean 10, Geol 10