Geology's Scott Linneman named next director of WWU Honors Program

Western Washington University’s Scott Linneman, professor of Geology and Science Education and the 2013 Washington Professor of the Year, has been named the new director for the Honors Program at Western. Linneman succeeds George Mariz, who is retiring at the end of the year.

"The WWU Honors Program is a gem," Linneman said. "It attracts outstanding students from all over the country to join the Western community of scholars, and it involves many of our best faculty doing some of their most creative teaching."

Linneman, who has taught at Western since 2000, strives to teach his geology courses out in the field as well as in the classroom; his students have observed geologic processes first hand on the area’s rivers, beaches, glaciers and landslides and gone on overnight trips to national parks.

“I look forward to working with Professor Linneman," said WWU Provost Brent Carbajal. "His commitment to the liberal arts and sciences, his vision for the future of the Honors Program, and his record as an excellent teacher/mentor all position him well to continue and to expand the legacy of thoughtful Honors leadership at WWU. I am pleased that Professor Linneman has agreed to take on this important work."

Linneman is very involved, inside and outside of Western, from running workshops for teachers in the Bellingham community to helping geoscience professors all over the country. As part of his professorial duties, he is a member of Western’s Science, Math and Technology Education program, assisting in the training of future science teachers. He was the president of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers which promotes teaching of Earth science and was recently awarded the association’s Robert Christman Distinguished Service Award. In 2001, he held a Senior Fulbright fellowship to conduct teacher training and research on science teachers in South Africa. In 2011, he was named Washington State’s Higher Education Science Teacher of the Year by the Washington Science Teachers Association.

"Dr. George Mariz built the Honors Program into a national model of excellence," Linneman said. "Though daunting to follow in George's footsteps, I look forward to working with every academic department, Admissions, Residences, and the Foundation to support and strengthen this wonderful program."

The Professor of the Year award, bestowed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, is recognized as one of the most prestigious awards honoring undergraduate teaching.

Linneman received his bachelor’s degree from Carleton College and his doctorate from the University of Wyoming.