Mark J. Sutherland
Associate Professor
Earth Science

E-mail:	sutherla@cdnet.cod.edu
Phone:	(630)942-2505
Fax:	(630)942-3077
Mailing Address:	Natural Sciences College of DuPage 425 22nd St. Glen Ellyn, IL 60137

"I think I was destined to become a student of the earth. As a child, I hoarded earth objects like rocks and minerals, fossils and seashells. No matter how much I avoided it, I always seemed to gravitate back to earth studies. As a freshman in college, I was determined to pursue a major in journalism. However, during my first quarter at Ohio Wesleyan University, I found myself fascinated with plate-tectonic concepts while completing a general education requirement in Physical Geology. Two quarters later, after completing the remainder of my science requirements in Historical Geology and Lab and Field Geology, I was hopelessly hooked.

"Six years later, I found myself teaching science to freshmen in a high school in upstate New York and marrying the English teacher down the hall. She convinced me to strive for a masters degree in geology, so we packed our things and moved to Los Angeles where I earned my degree at UCLA in 1990. One day of interviews later and I was in Glen Ellyn teaching earth science and geology in a wide range of educational delivery formats.

"In addition to the Online College format, I have taught earth science and geology at College of DuPage in the traditional classroom setting, through the flexible learning programs in the Center for Independent Learning, and in remote locations such as Hawaii, the Canadian Rockies, and the Grand Canyon through the Field and Interdisciplinary Studies program.

"The broad spectrum of my educational experiences has led me to the conclusion that students learn best when they are interested and involved in a subject that has inherent relevance to their lives. My goal as a teacher is to provide you with an educational experience which generates these feelings. I hope that your experiences in the study of the earth generate the same sense of curiosity, excitement, and awe as mine have done for me!"