Dr. Jen Pierce is a Professor at Boise State in the Department of Geosciences, where she has been since 2005. Her research and professional interests include wildfires and landscape response, soils and carbon storage, climate science education and outreach, and building diverse leadership in Geoscience. Dr. Pierce grew up in Colorado and Wyoming, and received her undergraduate degree from The Colorado College, her master’s degree from the University of Oregon, and her PhD from the University of New Mexico, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Friends of the Teton River.

Dr. Pierce received the 2018 Boise State College of Arts and Science Faculty Excellence Award, is the founder of the Idaho Climate Literacy Education Engagement and Research (i-CLEER) network and was named a Geological Society of America Fellow in 2020. When she is not working, she enjoys mountain biking, backcountry skiing, playing music, and exploring the outdoors with her family and dog.

From 2011 to the present, Ian Miller, Washington Sea Grant’s coastal hazards specialist, has played an active role in investigating and assessing the coastal influences of the Elwha watershed restoration. Removal of the two dams eventually led to the transfer of 19 million metric tons of mud, sand and gravel that had been trapped in the reservoirs to the coastal zone. WSG-funded research confirmed that sediment reconfigured the shoreline, restored eroding beaches and led to cascading ecological changes in the estuary and nearshore zone around the river’s mouth.  Based at Peninsula College, Dr. Miller focuses on research, education, and outreach on natural coastal hazards on the Olympic Peninsula, including hazards due to climate change, tsunamis, and chronic erosion. He has a bachelor’s degree in marine ecology from Western Washington University and earned his doctorate in oceanography from the University of California—Santa Cruz in 2011. Ian spoke to the QGS in 2013, and has lead field trips to the Elwha River in 2013 and 2021.  (Updated Oct. 2021)

In 2015, Nick received the prestigious James Shea Award, a national award recognizing exceptional delivery of Earth Science content to the general public. Past Shea Award recipients include John McPhee, Jack Horner, Robert Ballard, and Stephen Jay Gould. Nicks audio and video podcasts are some of the most followed in the geological field.  Nick’s wife, Liz Zentner, teaches science at Ellensburg High School. The Zentners have grown three boys – Max, Sam, and Jack.

Nick presented our highest attended event in June 2019.  Approximately 350 persons attended his talk entitled “Nick on the Rocks—Videos of geologic topics” at Chimacum High School. (Updated Oct. 2021)