Department of Earth Science

Dr. Horns teaches geology courses for the Department of Earth Science at UVU. In addition to teaching at UVU, Dr. Horns has worked for several years as a geologic consultant, providing expertise on issues related to geologic hazards, water resources, and groundwater pollution. Dr. Horns brings this practical experience into the classroom, providing introductory and upper-division students with insight into the interactions between geology and society.

Bachelor of Science: Applied Geophysics, University of California at Los Angeles, 1985

Graduate Work: Geophysics, University of California at Berkeley, 1985-1986

Doctor of Philosophy: Geology, University of California at Davis, 1992

Dissertation: Paleomagnetic and Structural Analyses of the San Gregorio Fault Zone, California.

Professor, Utah Valley University, 8/97 - present

Teach courses in general geology, geologic hazards, environmental geology, oceanography, and survey of physical science. Courses include a distance learning course that is broadcast live to sites throughout Utah. Develop several field trips to investigate the geology throughout parts of Utah, California, and Hawaii.  Supervise student research projects and theses.  Supervise laboratory courses in geology and oceanography. Earth Science Program Coordinator from 8/98 to 10/01 and Earth Science Department Chair from 10/01 to present, with duties including scheduling adjunct teachers, developing new earth science courses, and developing new earth science degree programs. 

Visiting Professor, Semester at Sea, summer 2009

Taught courses in geology and oceanography, developed and led field trips to explore the geology and oceanography in parts of Spain, Italy, Croatia, and Turkey.

Project Geologist, Kleinfelder Engineering,  Part time 10/92-12/94, full time 12/94-8/97, part time 8/97-1/07

Project geologist for a variety of engineering- and environmental-related jobs in Utah, California, Nevada, and Idaho. Projects include assessment of earthquake and landslide hazards pertinent to  development of homes, businesses, government buildings, water transmission pipelines, and gas transmission pipelines; assessment of soil and groundwater pollution associated with municipal landfills, gasoline stations, agricultural operations, industrial facilities, and mining operations; assessment of water resource potential in order to develop wells and springs for domestic and municipal use.

Adjunct Professor, Utah Valley State College,  1/93-12/94 (part-time)

Taught courses in geology, survey of physical science.

Lecturer, California State University at Sacramento, 1/92-5/92 (one semester)

Taught a physical geology laboratory course and developed a field trip to investigate the geology of the California Coast Ranges.

Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists: Member (1994-present, Intermountain Section Program Chair, 2003-2004, Intermountain Section President 2005 - 2007)

Geological Society of America: Member (2008-present, Co-Chair of the Rocky Mountain Section meeting, May 2009)

Utah Geological Association: Member (1992-present), President (1997), Program Coordinator (1994)

National Association of Geoscience Teachers (1998-present)

Utah Council of Professional Geologists (2001-2005)

Utah State Geologic Mapping Board: Member (1997)

Utah Quaternary Fault Parameters Working Group, invited presenter (2008, 2009)

Bunds, M.P., Horns, D., White, R., Gardner, P., Oxford, J., Sailer, V., and Healy, A., 2009, A slow-moving slump in an urban area as a case study in detection mass movements for urban planning, Rocky Mountain Section of the Geological Society of America, Utah, May 13, 2009.

Horns, D., Rey, K.A., Barnes, C.S., McShinsky, R.D., and Palmer, M., 2009, New constraints on the timing of Prehistoric earthquakes on the northernmost part of the Nephi segment of the Wasatch fault, Utah, Rocky Mountain Section of the Geological Society of America, Utah, May 12, 2009.

Horns, D.M., Rey, K., Barnes, C.S., and Vaderplas, R.M., 2008, Constraining the history of large (magnitude-7) earthquakes on the Nephi segment of the Wasatch fault, Utah, Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, Sept. 19, 2008.

Palmer, M., Vanderplas, R.M., Rey, K., Bagshaw, D., Barnes, C.S., McShinsky, R.D., and Horns, D.M., 2008, Constraining the history of large (magnitude-7) earthquakes on the Nephi segment of the Wasatch fault, Utah, Geological Society of America Cordilleran/Rocky Mountain Section joint meeting, Las Vegas, Nevada, March 20, 2008.

Bagshaw, D., Palmer, M., McShinsky, R.D., Rey, K., Vanderplas, R.M., Barnes, C.S., and Horns, D.M., 2008, Constraining the history of large (magnitude-7) earthquakes on the Nephi segment of the Wasatch fault, Utah, Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research, Orem, Utah, February 29, 2008.

Horns, D., 2008, Results of a Paleoseismic Study of the Nephi Segment of the Wasatch Fault, Utah, invited presentation to the Utah Quaternary Fault Parameters Working Group, February 13, 2008.

Dinklage, W., Bunds, M., and Horns, D., 2007, Geology of the Wasatch Mountains, Utah, unpublished field trip guidebook for a meeting of the Rocky Mountain Section of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, October 7, 2007.

Horns, D., . Dinklage, W.S., and R. Zollinger, 2007, Partnering with Industry to Improve Environmental Sustainability, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program, v.39, no.5, p. 16.

White, R.C., , Oxford, J., Gardner, P., Bunds, M., and Horns, D., 2007, Episodic Movement of a Suburban Slump, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program, v.39, no.5, p. 4.

Horns, D., Dinklage, W.S., Demming, D., and Heder, G., 2006, Geology of the Wasatch Front, unpublished guidebook for National Science Teacher’s Association field trip, 13 pp.

Horns, D., Dinklage, W.S., Bunds, M., 2005, Assessing the use of research to motivate students at an open-enrollment college, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program, v.37, no.7.

Bunds, M., Dinklage, W., and Horns, D., 2005, Geology of the Wasatch — A Two Billion Year Tour through the Upper Third of the Crust: unpublished guidebook for Geological Society of America field trip, 17 pp.

Horns, D. (editor), 2005., Utah Lake Comprehensive Management Plan, Resource Document: Written for the Utah Division of Fire, Forestry, and Public Lands, 109pp.

Horns, D., Bunds, M., and Dinklage, W., 2003, Geology Along the Wasatch Front: unpublished guidebook for American Association of Petroleum Geologists field trip, 15 pp.

Ashland, F.X., Lund, W.R., Giraud, R.E., McDonald, G.N., Horns, D.M., and Brimhall, W.H., 1999, Engineering Geology of Spanish Fork Canyon, Utah: Field Trip Guide for the 1999 Association of Engineering Geologists Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Horns, D., 1998, Monitoring of the Shurtz Lake Landslide, Spanish Fork Canyon, Utah: oral