GRC Office phone: (253) 833-9111 ext. 4380  • E-mail: tscharks@greenriver.edu

EDUCATION

PhD         Public Policy and Management, University of Washington, June 2016        

Environmental Policy, Risk Communication, Demography, Quantitative Analysis, Survey Methods

PhD Advisor Ann Bostrom

Dissertation: Threatening Messages in Climate Change Communication

Winner of the UW Graduate School’s Distinguished Dissertation Award

MS         Public Policy and Management, University of Washington, 2013

        Major Area Paper: Fear Appeals in Public Information Campaigns

Certificate in Demography, Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, UW, 2012

MS         Geography, Western Washington University, 2001

MS Thesis: Survey of climbers on Coleman glacier route, Mt. Baker, Washington: Population characteristics and attitudes towards solutions to human waste management.

BS         Geography, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, 1996

ACADEMIC POSITIONS

PUBLICATIONS

Scharks, T., & Bostrom, A. (under review). Psychological Reactance to Threatening Climate Messages Decreases Policy Support and Donations.

Masuda, Y.J., & Scharks, T., (2017). “Science communication is receiving a lot of attention, but there’s room to improve”, Chapter 18 in Karieva, P.K., Marvier, M., & Silliman, B. (Eds.) Protecting Conservation and Environmental Science from Confirmation Bias. New York: Oxford University Press.

Scharks, T., & Masuda, Y.J. (2016). Don’t Discount Economic Valuation for Conservation. Conservation Letters, February 2016, doi: 10.1111/conl.12234

Masuda, Y.J., & Scharks, T. (2014). Fauna in decline: A big leap to slavery. Letter in Science, 346(6211), 819. doi: 10.1126/science.346.6211.819-a

Scharks, T., Bostrom, A., Reimann-Garretson, L., & Rix, G. (2014). Risk Decision Making and Seismic Risk Preparedness at North American Seaports: Analysis of a System-wide Survey.  Earthquake Spectra, 30(4), 1-19. doi: 10.1193/081711EQS199M

OTHER WRITING

Scharks, T. (2011). Test Bank for Rubenstein, J.M. (2012). Contemporary Human Geography (2e), New York: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Scharks, T. (2010). Test Bank for Rubenstein, J.M. (2010).The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography (10e), New York: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Scharks, T. (2010). Instructor’s Manual for Rubenstein, J.M. (2010).The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography (10e), New York: Pearson Prentice Hall.

as Schultz, T. (2008), PRS Review Questions for Christopherson, R. Geosystems: An Introduction to Physical Geography (7e), New York: Pearson Prentice Hall.

as Schultz, T. (2007). Instructor’s Manual for Rubenstein, J.M. (2008).The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography (9e), New York: Pearson Prentice Hall.

as Schultz, T. Outdoor Writer, Fall 2001-Summer 2005: ~40 feature-length outdoor stories and numerous short pieces in The Bellingham Herald (circulation 24,425), Bellingham, Washington.

PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS

“Reactance to Threatening Messages about Climate Change”, International Congress for Conservation Biology, August 5, 2015, Montpellier, France

“Threatening messages in Climate Change Communication: A Dreadful Idea?” Economics Seminar, April 23, 2015, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington

“Threatening messages in Climate Change Communication: A Dreadful Idea?” Evans Research Seminar, April 15, 2015, Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.

“Developing a new online geography text,” Association of Washington Geographers Fall meeting, October 12, 2013, Bellevue Community College, Bellevue Washington.

“Using HBO’s The Wire to teach introductory human geography to non-majors,” Association of Washington Geographers Spring meeting, May 4, 2013, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington.

“Questioning the Montana Meth Project: Quantitative Policy Analysis of an Intensive Anti-Drug Abuse Information Campaign.”  (coauthor Yuta J. Masuda) Presentation to Association of Washington Geographers spring meeting, May 15, 2010, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington.

Scharks, T. & Y. Masuda (presenting) (April 29, 2010). Questioning the Montana Meth Project: Quantitative Policy Analysis of an Intensive Anti-Drug Abuse Information Campaign. Presentation at the Evans School Symposium of Public Affairs Research, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.

Scharks, T., A. Bostrom, L. Reimann-Garretson, & G. Rix (2010). Seismic risk perception, planning, and management in North American seaports. Poster at the Evans School Symposium of Public Affairs Research, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.

“The geography of Washington State,” Presentation to University of Washington Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows, September 22, 2009, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.

“Update on the Washington Geographic Alliance,” Association of Washington Geographers fall meeting, October 25th, 2008, Green River Community College, Auburn, Washington.

“Washington Geographic Alliance 2008 Summer Institute,” directed in-service training workshop for 23 Washington State K-12 teachers, July 7-11, Kent, Washington.  

“Establishing User Preference among Human Waste Management Alternatives on Coleman Glacier Route, Mount Baker, Washington,” paper presentation, 2008 AAG Annual Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts .

“Teaching introductory physical geography,” panel session organizer and chair, 2008 AAG Annual Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts.

“Place Name Learning,” invited panelist, Association of Washington Geographers Fall Meeting, November 3, 2007, Shoreline Community College, Shoreline, Washington.

“Bridging the Gap between Intensive English and the Transfer Education Classroom,” invited presentation to the Green River Community College Foundation Board, October 16, 2007.

“Washington Geographic Alliance 2007 Summer Institute,” directed in-service training workshop for 17 Washington State K-12 teachers, July 8-12, Enumclaw, Washington.  

“Using Blackboard to Augment Face-to-Face Instruction,” (two sessions) Washington Blackboard Users Group, December 1, 2006, Green River Community College, Auburn, Washington.

“Ecuador, Jewel of the Andes,” invited presentation for Green River Community College Faculty Lecture Series, November 30th, 2006, Green River Community College, Auburn, Washington.

“Field Experiences, Real and Imagined,” Association of Washington Geographers fall meeting, October 22nd, 2006, Everett Community College, Everett, Washington.

“The Washington Geographic Alliance,” Association of Washington Geographers fall meeting, October 22nd, 2006, Everett Community College, Everett, Washington.

TEACHING 

My teaching portfolio represents a mix of policy, environmental studies, economics, and geography developed over nearly two decades of dedicated practice. Representative teaching evaluations are linked after some courses.

Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance,

University of Washington 

Topics in Environmental Policy and Management: Climate Change Communication

- PUBPOL 595B, Winter 2017

Politics, Philosophy, and Economics, Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington-Tacoma

Data and Discourse - TPHIL 251

This is an exciting course on the use (and abuse) of data in contemporary discourse. Students discover the challenges of generating accurate social statistics, sources of error and bias, and common misuses of statistics in argumentation. Students use contemporary data sources and examples to gain statistical literacy and critically analyse claims and reasoning based on data.

Current Issues in US Public Policy - TECON 316

Economics of Public Policy - TECON 410

Behavioral Economics - TECON 430 evaluation
Environmental Policy - TECON 421 evaluation

Contemporary Issues in  International Political Economy - TECON 425 (now TECON 325)

Geography and International Trade - TGEOG 349

Huxley College of the Environment, Western Washington University

Upper-division courses:

Environmental and Natural Resource Policy - ESTU 304/ENVS 304 evaluation 2010, evaluation 2013

I’ve used two different texts for this Huxley Core course and a variety of approaches. Student feedback is most positive on the group policy memo assignment where students are asked to apply their learning to a pressing environmental policy issue in the Salish Sea ecoregion.

Nature Writing and Photography - ESTU 397W evaluation

Started in part due to student requests to learn nature photography without majoring in Art, this course endeavored to tap students’ creativity in both writing and photography with mandatory time outside and semi-structured assignments on a different theme each week.  

Environmental Journalism - ESTU 481/ENVS 412

Writing and Editing The Planet - ESTU 480/ENVS 413/414

Writing and Editing The Planet Capstone - ESTU 497

These courses were taught over the two years I served as adviser to the Environmental Journalism program, an intense and enjoyable experience. The Writing and Editing The Planet course is much more mentoring and advising than teaching, while teaching Environmental Journalism served to fuel some of the research interests I am now pursuing.

Geography of Mount Baker - EGEO 397M

One of my favorite courses (both to teach and for my students), this course is taught primarily in the field with three-day trips on Mt. Baker in the Mt. Baker Wilderness. It was a challenge to help students integrate the field-based learning into final projects but I refined this process with successive offerings of the course. I pushed students to write a literature review and then generate questions they thought they could answer in two visits to the field; most students gained an appreciation for how difficult of a task generating answerable questions and conducting field research in a short time frame really is, one of the course goals.

Study abroad courses in Tanzania:

Geography of Kilimanjaro - ENVS 337A evaluation

Nature Writing and Photo of the Serengeti - ENVS 337B

These courses represent a synthesis and application of much of my academic experience. They are intensive field-based courses (with reading and assignments beforehand) in one of the more exotic locales imaginable for a Study Abroad course. Students report the combination of coursework and experiences, including service learning, to be transformative; key challenges to future offerings in this program include making opportunities like these available to students facing economic challenges.

Regional geography courses:

Geography of Canada - EGEO 328

Geography of Alaska and the Canadian North - EGEO 397

Canadian Urban Geography - EGEO 497

General University Requirement (GUR) courses:

Environmental Studies: A Social Science Approach - ESTU 202 evaluation

Introduction to Human Geography - EGEO 201

Introduction to Physical Geography - EGEO 203

Green River Community College

Introduction to Human Geography - GEOG&200

Introduction to Physical Geography - GEOG 120

Introduction to Geography - GEOG&100

Geography of Globalization - GEOG&123

World Regional Geography - GEOG 201

Washington State Consortium for Community College Study Abroad

Cultural Geography of Europe* and Introduction to Physical Geography in Europe*

Taught in Salamanca, Spain Winter quarter 2008

GRANTS

2021, $5,000 Green River College Professional Development fund-travel to Western US sites to document wildfire, earthquake, and tsunami hazards as well as water resource issues.

2019, $7,500. Green River College Innovation Fund: Proposal and planning field geography-English Language Learner bridge program.

2015, $1333.13. Partial travel expenses to International Congress for Conservation Biology, Montpellier, France. Faculty Development Grant funded by Green River College.

2015, $1906.31. Partial travel and conference expenses for International Congress for Conservation Biology, Montpellier, France. Funded by The Nature Conservancy.

2013-2014, Sabbatical (full academic year) for professional development, GRCC

2009, $23,000. “Washington Geographic Alliance Education Network planning and capacity building,” funded in full by the National Geographic Education Foundation. Grant managed by Washington Geographic Alliance.

2008, $50,000. “Washington Geographic Alliance Education Network,” funded in full by the National Geographic Education Foundation. Grant managed by Green River Community College.

2007, $2,120. Travel to Association of American Geographers annual meeting, Faculty Development Grant, funded in full by Green River Community College.

2007, $50,000. “Washington Geographic Alliance Education Network,” funded in full by the National Geographic Education Foundation. Grant managed by Green River Community College.

2007, $2,050. With Elizabeth Longo, co-PI. “Bridging the Gap between Intensive English and the Transfer Education Classroom.” Faculty Excellence Award, funded in full by Green River Community College.

2007, $1,700. Travel to Association of American Geographers annual meeting, Faculty Development Grant, funded in full by Green River Community College.

2006, $30,000. “Washington Geographic Alliance Education Network Planning Grant,” funded in full by the National Geographic Education Foundation. Green River Community College.

LANGUAGES

Spanish (conversational and reading)

Kiswahili (travel and exchange of formalities)

PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES

Gladly provided upon request

Updated January 2021