Our Story
CHRIS BOLHUIS has been a high school educator at Hudsonville Public Schools for over two decades. He has developed many truly unique classes including a college-level Introduction to Geology course that many students take for college credit.
Chris has won numerous awards for his teaching ability and passion, including:
2020 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching Finalist
The 2021 Midwestern NATG Teacher of the Year
2021 American Geophysical Union’s Mentor Award.
Chris is a graduate of Grand Valley State University. After a brief stint working in Oregon, he starting his teaching and coaching career at Hudsonville High School. He teaches astronomy, geology, and field courses, as well as coaches Men’s Track and Field as well as Cross Country.
Dr. Jesse Reimink grew up appreciating science, but was distracted by biology until he was sitting in a class taught by none other than Chris Bolhuis.
Chris’ enthusiasm and energy inspired Jesse to focus on the Geosciences. He took two more classes from Chris including a field course, and then moved to Hope College where he graduated with a degree in Geology.
He then moved to Canada for graduate school at the University of Alberta, where he obtained a PhD in 2015. Jesse then worked for a research institute in Washington DC for several years before joining the faculty at Penn State University in 2019. Link to an interview by Penn State.
Jesse has won awards for teaching and research, and has obtained several research grants to study our planet:
Penn State Rudy L. Slingerland Early Career Professor of Geoscience
Young Author of the Year Award, Journal of the Geological Society
Mary-Claire Ward Award for Geoscience Mapping, Geological Association of Canada
National Science Foundation Grants to study ancient diamonds
National Science Foundation Grants to develop new types of instruments called mass spectrometers, that are used to study the ancient Earth, nuclear forensics, and determine the timing of geologic events
Runs a research lab that uses geochronology to study the Geological processes on Earth
Highlighted by the Geochemical Society’s Meet the Geochemist
You can find out more about Jesse here, at his personal webpage.