About This Episode
Join me on my latest podcast featuring Mr. Joaquin Ruiz, the esteemed Dean of the College of Science at the University of Arizona. With a wealth of experience and accolades, including serving as the President of the Geological Society of America, Mr. Ruiz offers invaluable insights into the innovative new courses offered at the University of Arizona.
Tune in to this exclusive interview to gain insider knowledge on these advanced courses and learn how you can secure your spot in them. Don't miss out on this opportunity to stay ahead of the curve in your academic journey!
Host & Guest
Joaquin Ruiz
GuestDr. Joaquin Ruiz is an internationally recognized geoscientist and a distinguished academic leader whose career spans more than four decades across geology, geochemistry, environmental science, and global scientific collaboration.
Ruiz earned his B.S. in Geology and Chemistry from the University of Miami (1977) and his M.S. (1980) and Ph.D. (1983) in Geology from the University of Michigan. He began his academic career as an Assistant Professor at the University of Miami before joining the University of Arizona in 1983. Over his long tenure at Arizona, he progressed from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor (1989) and Professor (1993), later serving as Head of the Department of Geosciences from 1995 to 2000.
From 2000 to 2019, Ruiz served as Dean of the College of Science, one of the university’s largest and most research-intensive units. He also held major universitywide leadership roles, including Executive Dean of the Colleges of Letters, Arts and Science (2009–2018), Vice President for Innovation (2013–2019), and later Vice President of Global Environmental Futures (2019–present). Since 2013, he has served as Director of Biosphere 2 and as the Thomas R. Brown Chair, guiding research at one of the world’s most unique large-scale environmental laboratories.
A globally respected scientist, Ruiz served as President of the Geological Society of America (2010–2011) and is a Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists. He is an active member of the American Geophysical Union, American Chemical Society, Geochemical Society, and the National Research Council of the National Academies of Science. He is also a member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences.
Ruiz’s scientific achievements have earned significant recognition. In 2010, the Mexican government named him a National Researcher, acknowledging his contributions to strengthening Mexico's scientific and technological capacity through international collaborations. In 2018, he was honored by the Mexican Secretary of State as one of forty distinguished Mexican citizens living abroad who have brought distinction to the nation.
Throughout his career, he has contributed extensively to professional service, including roles with the National Science Foundation, the Geological Society of America, and the American Geophysical Union. He has served as Associate Editor for the American Journal of Science, Geology, Revista, and Geofísica International.
A scientist trained in both chemistry and geology, Ruiz’s research addresses foundational questions in Earth Sciences—from developing innovative isotope systems for studying ore deposits to investigating tectonic processes shaping Mexico’s geological evolution. His research team tackles problems ranging from the origins of life to modern climate change.
Key Highlights:
1. Vice President of Global Environmental Futures, University of Arizona
2. Director of Biosphere 2 and Thomas R. Brown Chair
3. Former Dean of the College of Science (2000–2019)
4. Former Executive Dean, Colleges of Letters, Arts and Science
5. Former Vice President for Innovation
6. President, Geological Society of America (2010–2011)
7. Member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences; named a National Researcher (2010)
8. Honored as one of 40 distinguished Mexican citizens abroad (2018)
9. Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists; member of multiple leading scientific societies
10. Extensive editorial and national service roles
11. Research spanning isotope geochemistry, ore deposits, tectonics, origins of life, and climate change
Ashish Fernando
HostFounder & CEO, EDMO
Ashish Fernando is the visionary founder and CEO of EDMO, a revolutionary educational technology platform that's transforming how people learn and grow. With over 15 years of experience in education and technology, Ashish has dedicated his career to making quality education accessible to learners worldwide. Before founding EDMO, Ashish held leadership positions at several prominent EdTech companies and worked as an educational consultant for Fortune 500 companies. He holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and a Master's in Computer Science from MIT. Ashish is a frequent speaker at educational conferences and has been featured in publications such as EdTech Magazine, Learning & Development Today, and TechCrunch. He's passionate about the intersection of technology and human potential, believing that the right tools can unlock extraordinary learning outcomes for everyone. Under his leadership, EDMO has grown to serve over 100,000 learners globally and has partnerships with leading educational institutions and corporations. Ashish continues to drive innovation in personalized learning, adaptive assessment, and educational analytics.
Key Achievements:
1. Founded EDMO in 2019, now serving 100,000+ learners globally
2. Named 'EdTech Innovator of the Year' by Learning Technology Awards 2023
3. Featured speaker at Global Education Summit 2024
4. Published researcher in educational technology and learning analytics
5. Advisor to multiple EdTech startups and educational initiatives
Show Notes
- 1 2:00 Dr. Ruiz explains his passion: using geochemistry to understand Earth's early evolution, including how life and the atmosphere began.
- 2 4:13 He discusses running Biosphere 2 and how it sits at the core of today’s environmental challenges due to climate change.
- 3 6:00 Highlights how Biosphere 2 enables controlled environmental experiments, like simulating drought in a rainforest or relocating coral ecosystems.
- 4 8:15 Description of a sealed portion of the facility for lunar and Mars exploration, where proto-astronauts stay in isolation for experimentation.
- 5 9:00 A major past experiment: increasing CO2 to 420 PPM inside the biosphere, which resulted in coral death—accurately predicting current real-world coral bleaching.
- 6 11:00 Introduction of the Landscape Evolution Observatory, a collaborative effort to study water flow and vegetation impacts in arid environments.
- 7 25:20 Explanation of agrivoltaics and how AI is now being integrated to optimize irrigation using plant sensors.
Key Quotes
"The beauty of my field is that nobody can prove me wrong, because what happened 4 billion years ago is set in stone, literally."
"Facilities like the Biosphere are icons of all possibilities. If someone built this to understand the world, almost anything can be done."
Resources
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