Meet Our Faculty
Enthusiasm and Active Learning
Faculty in Geology combine experiential learning with a welcoming environment.
See the Geology Department Directory for a full listing of staff and faculty.
Faculty Profiles
Hal Wershow
Assistant Professor I of Geology
Email: hwershow@cocc.edu
Hal began his geology career with research projects in Peru and Hawaii, before settling at Los Alamos National Laboratory where he monitored groundwater for high explosives and radioactivity. On his days off, he took school children on backyard geology field trips. After realizing that he made a more meaningful impact by sharing his stoke for all things earth, he decided to teach. Along the way, he studied glaciers and climate change at Western Washington University, where he completed his master's degree in geology. Since beginning at COCC in 2018, Hal has become enamored with the area's fabulous local volcanoes and the glaciers they host. He weaves Central Oregon geology into all of his classes, including the always-popular Cascade Volcanoes.
Hal's teaching style is hands-on, enthusiastic, and focused on equity, active learning, and field trips. He maintains several ongoing student research projects, including a long-term, spring-monitoring project that involves gathering data from springs in the Cascades and Ochocos to understand how these crucial resources are being affected by climate change. Hal places an emphasis on creating a welcoming environment for all students and making sure that students who are struggling get the support they need to succeed.