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Courses Taught:
GEOL 101 Exploring Earth
GEOL 103 Environmental Geology
GEOL 405 Computer Applications in Geology
GEOL 455 Engineering Geology
GEOL 606 Geophysics
GEOL 658 Soil Mechanics in Engineering Geology
GEOL 659 Principles of Rock Mechanics
GEOL 755 Advanced Engineering Geology
Research:
Dr. Chester ("Skip") Watts specializes in engineering geology
and is a Certified Professional Geologist in the state of Virginia. Dr.
Watts currently holds the title of Dalton Distinguished Professor of
Geology at Radford University, where he has taught since 1984. He
is the author of ROCKPACKTM computer
software, used internationally for analyzing the safety and
stability of mountain slopes, mines, quarries, highways, buildings, and
bridge foundations. During the 2001-2002 academic year, Dr. Watts is
serving as the GSA/USGS Congressional Science Fellow.
In addition to teaching various courses in environmental and engineering
geology, he serves as a rock slope stability consultant to numerous
highway departments, federal agencies, and engineering firms throughout
North America. The Virginia attorney general’s office, the U.S.
Geological Survey, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Army Corps of
Engineers are among those to have enlisted Watts’ assistance. His
projects have included FEMA studies in Hot Springs, Arkansas,
evaluations of dam spillway stability adjacent to the San Andreas Fault,
highway rock fall litigation support, and rock slide studies in Yosemite
National Park in California.
Watts is the recipient of several regional and national teaching awards,
including the 1998 Virginia Outstanding Professor Award from the
State Council for Higher Education in Virginia. He recently appeared
in a television documentary called SLIDE! on TLC (The Learning Channel)
as well as on NPR (National Public Radio) while rock climbing during a
rockslide investigation in Yosemite National Park.
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