Graham Baird

Contact Information

Education

• Ph. D., Geology, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
• M.A., Geology, State University of New York at Binghamton.
• B.S., Geology, St. Lawrence University.

Professional/Academic Experience

Dr. Baird fell in love with the outdoors growing up in the foothills of the Adirondacks of northern New York State, which led to his passion of geology and science in general.  While pursuing a Geology B.S. degree at St. Lawrence University, Dr. Baird realized his passion for teaching, which led to his career in academia.  Prior to arriving at the University of Northern Colorado, Dr. Baird was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Geology at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.  In addition to teaching and research, Dr. Baird has reviewed submissions to the National Science Foundation as well as journals, including Geology, Geosphere, and the Geological Society of America Bulletin.  Additionally, Dr. Baird has served as Guest Associate Editor of Geosphere and has co-chaired technical sessions at the Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America.  In 2017, Dr. Baird was acknowledge as an Exceptional Reviewer for the Geological Society of America Bulletin.

Courses Taught

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• GEOL 201 – Physical Geology (offered every fall)
• GEOL 415 – Ore Geology (offered spring of even years)
• GEOL 470/570 – Structural Geology (offered fall of even years)
• GEOL 481/581 – Geologic Field Techniques (offered spring of odd years)
• GEOL 485/585 – Tectonics (offered spring of odd years)
• ESCI 320 – Earth Materials (offered fall of odd years)
• ESCI 349 – ESCI Professional seminar (offered every fall)
• ESCI 330 – ESCI Statistical Analysis (offered every spring)

Past Courses

• Geol 320 – Mineralogy
• Geol 421/521 – Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology
• Sci 291 – Scientific Writing

Research/Areas of Interest

Dr. Baird's research interests are broad but focus on the structural geology of high-grade metamorphic terranes and the tectonics that led to their deformation and metamorphism. Field work is an important part of his research and he augments it with detailed structural analysis, metamorphic petrology, geochemistry, and geochronology. Current projects are focused on the Adirondacks in northern New York State, the Tarfala Valley in the Kebnekaise region of northern Sweden, and the northern Colorado Front Range.  In addition to tectonics research, Dr. Baird is also highly interested in identifying the most effective geoscience course content and how that content should be taught to students.

Learn more about his crystal research

Publications/Creative Works

*-denotes student author

Johnson*, J.E., Flowers, R.M., Baird, G.B., and Mahan K.H., 2017. “Inverted” zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He dates from the Front Range, Colorado: High-damage zircon as a low-temperature (<50 ^oC) thermochronometer. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 466: 80-90. [link]

Baird, G.B., 2016. The elements and society: how we need them, where do they come from, and the societal and environmental impacts. An InTeGrate On the Cutting Edge Peer Reviewed Teaching Activity. [link]

Baird, G. B., Figg*, S. A., and Chamberlain, K. R., 2014. Intrusive age and geochemistry of the Kebne Dyke Complex in the Seve Nappe Complex, Kebnekaise Massif, Arctic Sweden Caledonides. GFF, 136 (1): 556-570. [link]

Mahan, K. H., Allaz, J. M., Baird, G. B., and Kelly, N. M., 2013. Proterozoic metamorphism and deformation in the northern Colorado Front Range, in Abbott, L. D., and Hancock, G. S., eds., Classic Concepts and New Directions: Exploring 125 Years of GSA Discoveries in the Rocky Mountain Region: Geological Society of America Field Guide, 33: 1-20. [link]

Baird, G. B., and Shrady, C. H., 2011. Timing and kinematics of deformation in the northwest Adirondack Lowlands, New York State: Implications for terrane relationships in the southern Grenville Province. Geosphere, 7 (6): 1303-1323. [link]

Baird, G. B., Selleck, B. W., and Shrady, C. H., 2011. Introduction: New developments in Grenville geology: In honor of James McLelland, Geosphere, 7 (1): 1. [link]

Chiarenzelli, J., Regan, S., Peck, W. H., Selleck B. W., Cousens, B., Baird, G. B., and Shrady, C. H., 2010. Shawinigan Magmatism in the Adirondack Lowlands as a Consequence of Closure of the Trans-Adirondack Back-Arc Basin. Geosphere, 6 (6): 1-17. [link]

Baird, G. B., and Hudleston, P.J., 2007. Modeling the influence of tectonic extrusion and volume loss on the geometry, displacement, vorticity, and strain compatibility of ductile shear zones. Journal of Structural Geology, 29 (10): 1665-1678. [link]

Baird, G.B., and MacDonald, W.D., 2004. Deformation of the Diana Syenite and Carthage-Colton Mylonite Zone: Implications for timing of the Adirondack Lowlands deformation. in Tollo, R. P., Corriveau, L., McLelland, J., and Bartholomew, M. J., eds., Proterozoic Tectonic Evolution of the Grenville Orogen in North America: Geological Society of America Memoir, 197: 285-297. [link]