THANK YOU FOR VISITING
ME!
A little about me? My name is Phillip Larson (you can call me Phil!). I have a fantastic family consisting of my partner in crime, Liz, of 15 years, I'm a geo-dad (7-year and 4-year old boys), and have the greatest field assistant in the world - my 16 year-old border collie-mix, Zion. I am a donut and pizza enthusiast (...must maintain self control!), coffee addict and snob, miserable and tortured Minnesota sports fan, and comic and sci-fi nerd ("in brightest day, in blackest night..."). I have always loved camping, hiking, fishing, and observing while I explore the natural world. My favorite places include: northern Arizona and southern Utah (e.g. Mogollon Rim, San Francisco Peaks, Canyonlands, Grand Staircase Escalante, Grand Canyon, Paria Canyon), Iceland (the whole dang island is spectacular!), the Lake Superior basin, the Hawai'ian Islands, and the Scottish Highlands.
I am an earth/geo-scientist (geography and geology by training), outdoors fanatic and conservation advocate, and I am passionate about public lands, teaching about the landscapes around us, training interested folks in field and laboratory methods, and doing what I can to protect our environment for future generations. My commitment to and appreciation of the natural world led me to study geology and physical geography throughout my academic training and has fueled a career of research, teaching, and mentorship that continues today.
In my current professional life, I am a Full Professor and founder and Co-Director of the AGES (Archeology, Geography, Earth Science)(now EARTH Systems Laboratory) at Minnesota State University in Mankato, MN. In addition, I am a graduate faculty member at the University of Minnesota in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Co-Faculty leader of the MNiMORPH research group with my friend and colleague at University of Minnesota, Dr. Andy Wickert. Within this context, my current career revolves around taking part in scientific research with incredible geoscientists - including students, professionals, and faculty around the world. My goals as a scientist and professor are to explore and investigate the landscapes of our planet with an inquisitive eye aimed at understanding process, form, and rates of change on the earth's surface. This work has inherent ties to natural resources, natural hazards, climatic change, and human-environment interactions.
Further, understanding how natural processes and phenomenon interact with anthropogenic factors and environmental/climatic change is crucial to this endeavor. How do human activities and/or change in the environment/climate dictate how surficial systems like rivers, glaciers, sand dunes, and landslides function? What is the impact of that change on human populations today? How can natural change to these systems through deeper time help us understand modern change and its impacts? How can we manage and interact with Earth's systems, with sustainability in mind, for current and future populations? This is what I try to focus on in my work and teaching and this often ties directly to immediate pressing concerns in communities I try to serve. Ultimately, it boils down to a passion for understanding the natural world and our place in it and adamantly expressing and educating on the critical importance of human-environment interactions. This passion lead me to want to educate and share my excitement about our planet with thousands of students over greater than a decade of teaching. Although I cannot predict where my career will take me, I do hope to continue to teach to and learn from students, colleagues, community members and beyond so that we can shape our understanding and appreciation of our place in the world and protect the natural world for generations to come.
With that said, THANK YOU for stopping by my website. Please feel free to explore my C.V., research group website, teaching page, and reach out if you want to know more or talk about anything you have read here! Have a nice day!
A little about me? My name is Phillip Larson (you can call me Phil!). I have a fantastic family consisting of my partner in crime, Liz, of 15 years, I'm a geo-dad (7-year and 4-year old boys), and have the greatest field assistant in the world - my 16 year-old border collie-mix, Zion. I am a donut and pizza enthusiast (...must maintain self control!), coffee addict and snob, miserable and tortured Minnesota sports fan, and comic and sci-fi nerd ("in brightest day, in blackest night..."). I have always loved camping, hiking, fishing, and observing while I explore the natural world. My favorite places include: northern Arizona and southern Utah (e.g. Mogollon Rim, San Francisco Peaks, Canyonlands, Grand Staircase Escalante, Grand Canyon, Paria Canyon), Iceland (the whole dang island is spectacular!), the Lake Superior basin, the Hawai'ian Islands, and the Scottish Highlands.
I am an earth/geo-scientist (geography and geology by training), outdoors fanatic and conservation advocate, and I am passionate about public lands, teaching about the landscapes around us, training interested folks in field and laboratory methods, and doing what I can to protect our environment for future generations. My commitment to and appreciation of the natural world led me to study geology and physical geography throughout my academic training and has fueled a career of research, teaching, and mentorship that continues today.
In my current professional life, I am a Full Professor and founder and Co-Director of the AGES (Archeology, Geography, Earth Science)(now EARTH Systems Laboratory) at Minnesota State University in Mankato, MN. In addition, I am a graduate faculty member at the University of Minnesota in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Co-Faculty leader of the MNiMORPH research group with my friend and colleague at University of Minnesota, Dr. Andy Wickert. Within this context, my current career revolves around taking part in scientific research with incredible geoscientists - including students, professionals, and faculty around the world. My goals as a scientist and professor are to explore and investigate the landscapes of our planet with an inquisitive eye aimed at understanding process, form, and rates of change on the earth's surface. This work has inherent ties to natural resources, natural hazards, climatic change, and human-environment interactions.
Further, understanding how natural processes and phenomenon interact with anthropogenic factors and environmental/climatic change is crucial to this endeavor. How do human activities and/or change in the environment/climate dictate how surficial systems like rivers, glaciers, sand dunes, and landslides function? What is the impact of that change on human populations today? How can natural change to these systems through deeper time help us understand modern change and its impacts? How can we manage and interact with Earth's systems, with sustainability in mind, for current and future populations? This is what I try to focus on in my work and teaching and this often ties directly to immediate pressing concerns in communities I try to serve. Ultimately, it boils down to a passion for understanding the natural world and our place in it and adamantly expressing and educating on the critical importance of human-environment interactions. This passion lead me to want to educate and share my excitement about our planet with thousands of students over greater than a decade of teaching. Although I cannot predict where my career will take me, I do hope to continue to teach to and learn from students, colleagues, community members and beyond so that we can shape our understanding and appreciation of our place in the world and protect the natural world for generations to come.
With that said, THANK YOU for stopping by my website. Please feel free to explore my C.V., research group website, teaching page, and reach out if you want to know more or talk about anything you have read here! Have a nice day!
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Phillip
H. Larson, PhD
Professor
Co-Director,
EARTH
Systems Laboratory
Minnesota
State University, Mankato
Graduate
Faculty
University
of Minnesota, Earth and Environmental Sciences
Email:
phillip.larson@mnsu.edu
Office:
5073892617
Website
(Personal): https://www.philliphlarson.com
Website
(Research Group): https://mnimorph.science/
(Colorado River,
northeast Utah; Victoria Glacier, Alberta)
“The problem with ... Iceland is that you’re basically confronted by a new soul-enriching, breath-taking, life-affirming natural sight every five goddamn minutes. It’s totally exhausting.” - S. Markley