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Dr. John Galbraith

Teaching and Advising Effectiveness

A. List of courses taught since the date of faculty appointment to Virginia Tech. Courses in bold are new courses.

Starting Year Term Course No. Course Title Participation Credit Hours
2004 I, II 3144 Soil Description and Interpretation 100% 3
2003 II 4844Soil Interpretation Using GIS and DSS 100% 3
2003 II 5244Adv. Soil Interp. Using GIS and DSS 100% 3
2002 I 4984Wetland Soils and Mitigation 33% 3
2002 I 5984Advanced Wetland Soils 33% 3
2000 II 4984§ Advanced Soil Evaluation 100% 3
2000 II 4984§ Appl. of GIS in Ag and Env. Sci. 100% 3
2000 II 5984§ Adv. Appl. of GIS in Ag and Env. Sci. 100% 3
1999 I 4984§ Soil Evaluation 100% 3
1999 I 4124 Soil Survey and Taxonomy 100% 2

† Listed on the currently proposed GIT Graduate Certificate/Concentration Program and on the future Geospatial Doctoral program being developed in Geography.

‡ Submitted for permanent course approval. The undergraduate version is being considered for

the Undergraduate Watershed Management Certificate when it becomes a permanent course. § These courses have evolved into permanent courses.

G. Course, curriculum, and program development

1. New courses developed

a. CSES/ENSC/GEOG 4844 “Soil Interpretation Using GIS and DSS” This 3-hr course involve soil interpretations with GIS, global positioning systems, and decision support systems. This course will be an elective for a new graduate GIT Certificate proposed (http://ecs.lib.vt.edu/VT_OGIS/wwwmain.html) and for a new PhD program to be offered by the Geography Department called “Geospatial and Environmental Analysis.” It has become a required course for two options and technical electives for three CSES and ENSC options.

b. CSES/GEOG 5244 “Advanced Soil Interpretation using GIS and DSS.” This course is the graduate equivalent of CSES/ENSC/GEOG 4844 “Soil Interpretation Using GIS and DSS.”

c. CSES 3144 “Soil Description and Interpretation.” This 3-hr course replaces the 1-hr CSES 2124 “Soil Evaluation,” CSES 4984 “Adv. Soil Evaluation,” and CSES 4964 “Field Soil Evaluation” with a course that involves advanced soil description and substantial soil interpretation skills. The course involves numerous field trips. This is now a technical elective for two CSES and two ENSC options.

2. Courses under development

a. CSES/ENSC 4984 “Wetland Soils and Mitigation.” This 3-hr course involves wetland soils, hydrology, and wetland creation and mitigation, and a field trip. I teach approximately 1/3 of the lectures. This course will be considered for the Undergraduate Watershed Management Certificate when it becomes a permanent course. The proposal for regular status is going forward in Fall 2004.

b. CSES 5984 “Advanced Wetland Soils.” This is the graduate equivalent of CSES/ENSC 4984 “Wetland Soils and Mitigation” but includes a field project and report for graduate students. The proposal for regular status is going forward in Fall 2004.

L. Recognition and awards for teaching or advising effectiveness

Harry A. McDonald Award for Excellence in Teaching, awarded by Dept. Soil, Crop, and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University. 1997.

  1. Undergraduate Soil Judging Team Honors

    1. National Champoions 2005.
    2. Finished in the top 8 of 24 teams two times at the National Soil Judging Championships. 2000-2003.

    3. Finished in the top 3 of 24 teams in the Team Judging Competition at the National Soil Judging Championships. 2004.

    4. Finished in the top 3 of 12 teams four times at the Regional Soil Judging Championships. 1999-2003.