Jessie McCraw is a new lecture professor at App State GES teaching various introductory lab courses. Her broader interests are in Marine Invertebrate Paleobiology, Paleoecology, and Biogeochemistry. Research questions ultimately center around the relationship between the stable isotope geochemistry of the shells of extinct cephalopods (ammonites) and their paleoenvironment and paleobiology. Jessie's recent research explores the relationship between ammonite shell isotope values and reconstructing paleoclimate and paleoenvironment. Her study area is the Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway, but conducts some work in the Hell Creek Formation of Montana. Historically, she has also worked with fossil corals looking at the same kinds of studies during her undergrad research at the University of Arizona in Tucson and my Masters at Syracuse University. Basically, if it has no bones and lives in the ocean, Jessie is all about it! She is ABD with her PhD from the University of Alabama, and is finishing her doctorate remotely.
She has experience mentoring undergraduate researchers, and her work lends itself particularly well to bite-size projects with applicable skills. Jessie is passionate about teaching excellence, having received numerous Teaching Assistant awards, and is enthusiastic about outreach and connecting folks of all ages with geology.
She previously taught Physical geology, Oceanography, and Historical geology at 3 different institutions prior to App. Beyond that, she frequently teaches K-12 field paleo camps and courses, and recently was an instructor for the Discoveries in Geosciences (DIG) Field School for K-12 Teachers.
Courses taught
- GES 1102: Historical Geology labs
- GES 1104: Water: Mountains to Sea labs
CV and website
Recent publications
McCraw J., Tobin, T.S., Cochran, J.K., Landman, N.H. Ammonites as paleothermometers: isotopically reconstructed temperatures of the Western Interior Seaway track global records. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, Nov. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2024.112594
Title: Lecturer: Paleobiology & Biogeochemistry
Department: Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences
Email address: Email me