As of Fall, 2025, I’m officially beginning my transition to retirement.
Transition? Temple allows faculty members to work half time their final three years while receiving full benefits — sweet! — so I will be teaching only the fall semester until I’m fully retired as of July 1st, 2028. I plan remain research active in retirement, just without all of the administrative headaches. I won’t be taking any new graduate students, but I’m open to mentoring undergraduate student research. I hope to become more involved at the Temple Ambler Field Station, adding geophysical investigations to the growing list of ecological research projects. The best part? I can do as little or as much as I feel like.
Having time to experiment with AI
It’s also fun to have time to experiment with all of the new AI tools that I find totally fascinating. This summer I ran a day-long AI workshop for faculty in my department, covering everything from the basics of using large language models, to designing AI resistant assignments. At the start of the workshop, I asked faculty to share three words the describe AI. The resulting word cloud illustrates the mixture of fear and excitement AI elicits.
Wouldn’t it be ironic if it’s the emeritus faculty who chart a path through all the disruption?
Did I mention more time to travel?
Just back from hiking in the Dolomites, the Italian Alps that are the type section for this rock type. Including a visit to the site of the plaque commemorating Deodat de Dolomieu,
French geologist and mineralogist best known for giving his name to dolomite.
