Sophie Bodek bio photo

Sophie Bodek

PhD Candidate in Civil and Environmental Engineering

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Teaching

Penn State Brandywine, Adjunct Instructor

As an adjunct instructor, I developed a general education syllabus focused on Earth Science literacy. This course, EARTH 100, touched on topics that included societal interactions with mineral and water resources, the changing climate, natural hazards, and geologic time. I also taught two courses, GEOG 3N and EARTH 111, that had syllabi developed for asynchronous remote instruction.

Courses Taught

  • EARTH 111: Water: Science and Society - Spring 2022
  • GEOG 3N: Future of Food – Fall 2021
  • EARTH 100: Environment Earth – Fall 2020, Spring 2021

Teaching Assistantships

As a teaching assistant for over five semesters, I have had the opportunity to work with students in a variety of learning environments, such as lecturing during weekly recitations, guiding students through active learning exercises in a flipped classroom setting, leading discussions in weekly laboratory sections, or just answering homework questions during office hours. Additionally, I have led students on local field trips to explore weathering and erosion, soil profiles, stratigraphy, and geomorphology of the White Clay Creek watershed for both Surficial Processes and introductory geology classes at the University of Delaware.

Courses Taught at Stanford University

  • CEE 262E: Rivers, Streams, and Canals - Spring 2024

Courses Taught at the University of Delaware

  • GEOL 203: Surficial Processes – Spring 2020
  • GEOL 107: Geology of Dynamic Earth – Fall 2018, Spring 2019

Courses Taught at the University of Pennsylvania

  • GEOL 130: Oceanography – Spring 2018
  • GEOL 100: Introduction to Geology – Fall 2017

Mentoring

  • Graduate Mentor to a Stanford University undergraduate (undeclared major) through the Sustainability, Engineering, and Science Undergraduate Research (SESUR) program during Summer 2024
  • Graduate Mentor to a University of Delaware Geological Sciences Major (now a PhD student at the University of British Columbia), who worked as a Geological Sciences Research Intern during Summer 2019

Photo of flume work. Setting up flume experiments with an undergraduate summer researcher [photo credit: Drew Bird Photography]

Outreach & Engagement

  • Stanford Geokids (2024-2025): volunteer for the Geokids program, which involves teaching 2nd graders about the rock cycle, minerals, and soils through interactive lessons and activities on Stanford’s campus.
  • Penn Geology Society (2016-2018): vice president and co-founder of the Penn Geology Society, which involved promoting the geosciences at Penn by planning field trips and events, and participating in university-wide sustainability initiatives. I helped plan events such as Chalk the Walk! a public art and education exhibit, a scientific illustration workshop series, and various field trips to Wissahickon Valley Park in Philadelphia, Palisades Park and beaches in New Jersey, and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.

Photo of a group of students. Discussing features of the landscape at Wissahickon Valley Park, Philadelphia on a field trip with the Penn Geology Society