Dr. Reed A. Schwimmer, a 1984 Rider geosciences graduate, received his M.S. degree in geology from Bryn Mawr College in 1986 and his Ph.D. in geology from the University of Delaware in 1999. Reed currently holds the rank of Associate Professor of Geological and Marine Sciences. Reed has a broad background in the Earth sciences, particularly in coastal geology and geomorphology. Reed's primary research focuses on the development and evolution of coastal salt marshes and barrier islands in New Jersey, and elsewhere along the Atlantic coast. Specifically, he strives to understand which physical processes affect the shape of a coastline (e.g. sea-level rise) and how do these processes operate and interact. It is also important to understand the time frame over which these processes operate, as this provides a basis to interpret and predict both short-term and longer-term coastal changes. Reed also is active in the Rider Science Education and Literacy Center (SELECT) and in the development of new science education curricula, integrating scientific concepts with educational pedagogy. This directly supports the department’s Integrated Sciences and Math (ISM) program.
Primary Teaching Responsibilities
- Earth Systems Science
- Oceanography
- Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
- Marine Processes and Environments
- The Learning and Teaching of Marine Science
- Introduction to Field Marine Sciences
- Introduction to the Integrated Sciences and Math
- Seminar in the Integrated Sciences and Math
Selected Publication Titles and Sources
- Synthesizing process and pedagogy in the development of a field marine sciences course for K-8 teachers. Journal of Geosciences Education.
- A temporal geometric analysis of eroding marsh shorelines: Can fractal dimensions be related to process? Journal of Coastal Research.
- Concepts maps illustrate the integrated nature of Earth systems science. Geological Society of America Abstracts.
- Rates and styles of marsh shoreline erosion in Rehoboth Bay, Delaware, U.S.A. Journal of Coastal Research.
- A model for the evolution of marsh shorelines. Journal of Sedimentary Research.