Dr. Ferguson is part of the Earth System Science department and teaches a range of courses including Introduction to Earth System Science, Oceanography, the Atmosphere, and much more. She also carries out research in the field of paleoclimate – analyzing the stable isotope and elemental composition of biogenic calcium carbonate e.g. coral, to reconstruct sea surface temperatures, salinities, upwelling and ocean currents for the past. She is now trying to move into carrying out geoscience education research. Among other things she is interested in the role that large general education geoscience classes can play in changing student attitudes to societally relevant geoscience topics such as climate change, sustainable fisheries. She is also interested in studying how the adoption of the new generation science standards affect the background geoscience knowledge of non-science majors.

Nicole Gilbertson creates opportunities for educators to learn and collaborate with one another as the Director of the UCI Teacher Academy and as interim Site Director of the UCI Science Project. Gilbertson earned a Ph.D. in history with an emphasis on modern Europe and world history, while at the same time engaging in UCI’s teaching credential program for history-social science. She then led the UCI History Project for over 15 years partnering with K-12 teachers throughout Southern California to support them to increase their content, pedagogical, and disciplinary knowledge, all in the service of supporting students’ inquiry-based critical thinking. Centering of her work is the goal of creating communities for teachers as they engage their students in the habits of mind and practices that are essential for participation and leadership in our democratic system.