Claire O. Harrigan

Visiting Assistant Professor

Earth and Oceanographic Science

Bowdoin College

Brunswick, ME

she/her

I value collaboration, using multiple modes of inquiry, and incorporating diverse voices in science. I find deep joy and satisfaction in teaching, and I use research-informed pedagogical approaches that facilitate both individual personal growth and the collective development of knowledge. My research focuses on how Earth systems evolve with time and how careful contextualization can inform the interpretation of complex age spectra. I also engage in geoscience education research to understand and improve student experiences.

Research Interests

four titanite grains imaged by back scattered electron imaging and three zircon grain imaged by cathodoluminescence

Geochronology

I study pluton emplacement and deformation in mid-crustal shear zones using tandem zircon and titanite petrochronology. Through a combination of in situ methods and high precision ID-TIMS geochronology, I seek to understand the timing and rates of orogenic processes in continental arcs.

schematic box and whisker plot and bar graph

Geoscience Education Research

I use quantitative and qualitative methods to understand the effectiveness of an undergraduate program, particularly in regards to undergraduate career preparedness.

You can learn more about these and other research projects here.

Teaching

I believe my role as an educator is to create a learning environment that stimulates students’ innate curiosity and supports their desire to know more about the Earth and our place in it. When we teach students to think like geoscientists, we are teaching them how to connect and relate different types of evidence and ways of knowing. In my teaching, I emphasize development of essential skills like critical thinking, problem solving, and communication.

I have experience teaching laboratory courses, leading field trips, developing curriculum, guest lecturing, and assisting with workshops.