Moravian College is more than a few miles from the Lake Ontario region of upstate New York. That’s the stomping ground of one of Moravian College’s newest professors, Erik Larson, Ph.D. Dr. Larson, who teaches geology and meteorology, earned an undergraduate degree at Unity College in Maine and a doctorate from Mississippi State in Earth and Atmospheric Space.

What inspired you to study geology?

“I like the outdoors and how the world works. Geology is the catch-all category, everything falls into it, and to understand any of the other sciences we have to understand how the world works and why we’re he

What research are you currently working on?

“My research is on caves and karsts, which are features formed from the dissolution of rocks. I’m interested in how these features form and develop.”

What don’t many people know about you?

“I like trains. I’ve always had a fascination with both the real-size trains and the model ones. I [also] like hiking and camping, but I guess that goes with [being] outdoorsy.”

Why did you grow the killer mustache? 

“I’ve had a mustache since eighth or ninth grade. Now it’s who I am. That’s my distinguishing feature. I don’t think I’d be able to get rid of it and be who I am.”

What are your biggest student pet peeves?

“Two of the biggest ones are when students don’t staple their pages together and when they ask me when assignments are due.”