Colorado School of Mines has appointed Alexis Navarre-Sitchler as the new department head for Geology and Geological Engineering, effective July 1. Navarre-Sitchler has been a faculty member at Mines since 2012 and holds the position of professor of geology and geological engineering.
Undergraduate students in the department can earn a Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering, while the department also offers PhDs, master’s degrees, and certificates in geology, geological engineering, and mineral exploration. As a Mines alumna, Navarre-Sitchler has observed the evolution of the university’s programs and curriculum.
“I started as a faculty member in 2012, so I’ve been in the department for 12 years, but I also have a master’s degree from Mines in geochemistry,” she said. “Over that time frame, especially going back to the early 2000s, I’ve seen the university as a whole transition into a premier research institution with new programs and a dedicated focus on the problems society will face in the future. I’m really excited about leading the department forward in education and research that supports the integration of the earth sciences across the board in energy, water, climate and critical materials.”
One immediate challenge for Navarre-Sitchler is to increase undergraduate enrollment in the department and change students’ perspectives on career opportunities after graduation. “We need to respond to the common perception that geologists only get jobs in oil and gas or mining,” she said. “There is a shift in what our students want and the kind of problems they want to solve.”
Navarre-Sitchler holds a PhD in geochemistry from Pennsylvania State University, an M.S. in geochemistry from Mines, and a bachelor’s degree in geology from Mesa State College. She is also affiliated with the Energy and Natural Resources Security Group at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Currently, her work includes studying the reactions between water and rocks in watersheds and developments in geothermal energy production. She has been recognized with several awards, including a National Science Foundation CAREER Award in 2016 and a Mines Excellence in Research Award in 2018.