The Vermont State Colleges System (VSCS) Board of Trustees named Castleton Natural Sciences Professor Helen Mango as a VSCS Faculty Fellow for the 2021-2022 academic year. This distinguished fellowship award is given to tenured faculty at Castleton University, Northern Vermont University, and Vermont Technical College who show outstanding accomplishments in teaching and learning.
Mango’s fellowship focused on geochemistry for the public good, specifically focusing on the application of chemical principles to solve geologic problems like environmental and human health.
Mango first came to Castleton in 1991, teaching geology and chemistry. She teaches a range of courses, including general chemistry, physical and historical geology, geochemistry, energy resources, and hydrogeology. Mango has also taught several travel courses, taking students to Costa Rica and Iceland to study the countries’ geology. In addition to this work, she currently serves as academic coordinator for Castleton’s women’s soccer team.
Her research has involved studying the geochemistry of a large ore deposit in Mexico, using chemical principles and mineralogy to explain how the ore deposit formed. She has also focused her research on heavy metals (such as arsenic) in drinking water.
Mango holds a Ph.D. and master’s degree in Geology from Dartmouth, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Geology from Williams College.
To celebrate this recognition, Mango will present her work – which includes over 30 years of research covering the diverse application of the use of geochemistry for the public good – on April 13.