Biography

He was raised and attended local schools in Martin where he developed a love of the outdoors, STEM-related subjects, and travel. After advanced training and some teaching at UTK, he taught at APSU for a few years before returning to UT Martin in 2002. When he isn't teaching on campus or with students in the field, Dr. Dunagan loves working on his farm and traveling. He has been to 48 states, 30+ countries, and all 7 continents. He also stays busy on local boards and various side hustle / entrepreneurial projects with his wife and family.

Education

  • BS - The University of Tennessee, 1993
  • PhD - The University of Tennessee, 1998

Awards & Recognitions

  • Co-PI on two USDA/NIFA and NLGCA/USDA/NIFA grants totaling over $1 million, 2022 to present.
  • Outstanding Service, CAAS, UT Martin, 2017
  • Teaching Award of Merit, NACTA and UT Martin, 2016
  • Cunningham Outstanding Teacher/Scholar Award, 2014

Courses Taught

  • GEOS 110, Geoscience in Everyday Life
  • GEOS 120, Earth Materials and Processes
  • GEOL 345, Disaster Mitigation and Preparedness
  • GEOL 360, Sedimentation and Stratigraphy
  • GEOL 445, Hydrology
Selected Publications, Articles & Presentations
  • DePriest, T., Dunagan, S.P., MacKewn, A.S., and Bell, E.L., in press, Attrition Indictors Among Students in Introductory Physical Geology: Traditional vs Online Learning: Journal of Educators Online, 20 pages, 4 tables.
  • Tewari, R., M. Miller Foster, E. Sanchez, D. Foster, I. Lepcha, E. Pelren, B. Wolters, S. Dunagan, and J. Mehlhorn, 2025, Embedded courses as collaborative pedagogical tools: fostering sustainability and global engagement in higher education. Selected presentation at the 9th International Academic Conference on Education. University of Zurich, Switzerland.
  • Honbarger, L., Dunagan, S.P., 2024, Assessing Risk of Nitrate Contamination in the Surface Waters of the Mississippi River and its Tributaries, 1980-2010: 134th Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science (Lincoln Memorial University), p. 31-21.
  • Tewari, R., Lepcha, I., Wolters, B., Foster, D., Miller-Foster, M., Sanchez, E., Gavel, T., Pelren, E., Mehlhorn, J., Dunagan, S., and Bird, W., 2024, Empowering Small Farmers and Agriculture Students: FSAS (Farmers’ School for Agricultural Sustainability) and Global Experiential Learning Programs, ASSA/CSA/SSA Annual Meeting (San Antonio, TX).
  • Dooley, W.K., Dunagan, S., Winters, S., Sellars, E., Reeves, K., and Winters, T., 2024, High Impact Learning during a Service-Learning Travel Study Trip to Kenya: ELLI Conference (UT Martin).
  • Pelren, J.F., Dunagan, S.P., and Van Boening, A., 2022, Comparative Analysis of Lava Tube and Lava Flow Basalts, Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 54 (5). doi: 10.1130/abs/2022AM-382234
  • Pelren, J.F. and Dunagan, S.P., 2022, Adaptation of Geology and Chemistry Instructional Methods in Response to COVID-19 Safety Guidelines: ELLI Conference Proceedings (The University of Tennessee at Martin), p. 8.
  • Dunagan, S.P., 2022, How Do We Have Class When the Big One Hits? (Or Instructional Content Delivery and COVID-19 Lessons That Education Providers Shouldn’t Forget): ELLI Conference Proceedings (The University of Tennessee at Martin), p. 10-11.
  • Dunagan, S.P., 2020, Prepping for Disaster: A New Way to Engage Students and The Community: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 52 (6).
  • Dunagan, S.P., 2019, Academic Provenance Assessment Spurs Geoscience (Geology) Curriculum Changes: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 51 (5).
Areas of Expertise
Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
Disaster Mitigation and Preparedness
Geomorphology and Hydrology
Geological Travel Studies to Iceland, Costa Rica, Colorado, and California
Departments
Department of Agriculture, Geoscience, and Natural Resources
Office
222E Johnson EPS Bldg