Nick Zentner

Nick Zentner
Born (1962-07-20) July 20, 1962
Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, US
OccupationProfessor
SpouseLiz Zentner
Children3
AwardsGSA Public Service Award, E. R. Ward Neale Medal, James H. Shea Award
Academic background
Education
Academic work
DisciplineGeology
Sub-disciplineGeology of the Pacific Northwest
Institutions
Websitenickzentner.com

Nick Zentner is an American academic who works as a geology professor at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington. Outside of his work with the university, he is known for his online videos covering the geology of the Northwestern United States and his series Nick on the Rocks.

Early life and education

Zentner was born on July 20, 1962, in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.[1][2] Inspired during a 1983 trip to the Pacific Northwest on break from college, Zentner decided to study geology.[3] Zentner earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1986 and a Master of Science from Idaho State University in 1989.[4]

Career

From 1989 to 1992 Zentner taught geology at the Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. After that, he took on his current position teaching geology at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington.

He is known for his work in making online videos and public lectures covering the geology of the Northwestern United States.[5] Starting in the mid-2000s, he gave lectures to the public about local geology topics, such as one on the Columbia River Basalt Group. These led to the production of a series of shorts he made called Two Minute Geology. He then produced the series Nick on the Rocks that is aired on KCTS-TV to the Seattle metropolitan area.[6]

During the COVID-19 pandemic Zentner created live streaming lectures on various geology topics in a series called Nick From Home. In the Nick From Home series he focused on trying to provide an educational environment for children who might be out of school and to viewers from around the world.[7] After 3-years hiatus of COVID, in 2023 a 5th season of Nick on the Rocks was agreed upon.[8] In 2025 the 6th season was broadcast.[9]

Zentner geology academic interests are broad. They have included Missoula floods[10] (founded Ellensburg Chapter IAFI in 2007 and president later [11][12]), Baja B.C. hypothesis, geology of indigenous peoples,[13] Eocene,[14] Cascades[15] and Alaska.[16] Zentner requests and promotion of historic fieldnotes in 2023, let to the digitization of the fieldnotes, news items and expeditions of Bretz, Pardee, Large and Flint.[17] Moreover, Nick convinced rightholders to allow public access and usage of the works.[18]

Personal life

Zentner is a practicing Catholic and is married to a science teacher at Ellensburg High School. They have three sons.[19][20]

Honors and awards

In 2015, Zentner won the James H. Shea Award presented by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers for his work in presenting the geology of the Pacific Northwest to a broad audience.[21] Two episodes of Nick on the Rocks, "Teanaway Tropics" and "Saddle Mountains Buried in Ash", were granted Northwest Emmy Awards by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences on June 5, 2021.[22]

In 2023, he was also presented with the GSA Public Service Award by The Geological Society of America.[23][24] In 2024, Zentner was recognized by the Geological Association of Canada with their E. R. Ward Neale Medal for sustained outstanding efforts in sharing Earth science with Canadians.[25]

In 2025 Nick won the YouTube Silver Creator Award.[26]

Publications

  • Extension and Subsidence of the Eastern Snake River Plain, Idaho (2002), Idaho Geological Survey Bulletin no. 30.[27]

References

  1. ^ "Aasgard Pass Geology". Nick Zentner. July 20, 2022. 7 minutes, 42 seconds in. Retrieved August 10, 2025 – via YouTube.
  2. ^ "2016 Fall Lecture Series". Fort Atkinson Club. 2016. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  3. ^ "Memories and lessons from Mount St. Helens from CWU's Nick Zentner". Yakima Herald-Republic. May 17, 2020. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  4. ^ "Nick Zentner: Ellensburg Chapter President". Ice Age Floods Institute. n.d. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  5. ^ Jacob Wagner (February 20, 2019). ""Nick on the Rocks" scientist coming to town". The Star. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  6. ^ Sandi Doughton (April 10, 2017). "The Pacific Northwest is a Disneyland for geology lovers, and this CWU prof wants to be your guide". The Seattle Times. Ellensburg. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  7. ^ Kathryn Altena (April 15, 2020). "CWU professor teaches a global audience during pandemic". MyNorthwest.com. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  8. ^ "Central Washington University | CWU professor's award-winning geology show renewed for another season". www.cwu.edu. Archived from the original on March 12, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  9. ^ "Nick on the Rocks". Cascade PBS. March 27, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  10. ^ GSOC Geological Society of the Oregon Country (May 16, 2024). Nick Zentner - J Harlen Bretz and the Ice Age Floods: New Discoveries. Retrieved September 14, 2025 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ "Ellensburg Chapter". Ice Age Floods Institute. May 20, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  12. ^ "Nick Zentner". Ice Age Floods Institute. June 17, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  13. ^ "Randy Lewis Videos". YouTube. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  14. ^ "CWU Geological Sciences - Crazy Eocene A to Z". www.geology.cwu.edu. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  15. ^ "Cascade calderas- I'm interviewed by Nick Zentner on YouTube". Northwest Geology Field Trips. February 20, 2025. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  16. ^ "CWU Geological Sciences - Alaska A to Z". www.geology.cwu.edu. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  17. ^ "Explore Historical Ice Age Floods Field Research with Google Maps and Google Earth". Ice Age Floods Institute. May 17, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  18. ^ DeKay, Lloyd; Sheeran, Chris (December 17, 2023). "The Bretz Journals and Google Earth". Ice Age Floods Institute. Archived from the original on February 6, 2025. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  19. ^ "CWU Geological Sciences - Nick Zentner". Central Washington University. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  20. ^ "'Nick From Home' Livestream #29 - Geologic Time". Nick From Home. April 26, 2020. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  21. ^ "2015 Awardee - Dr. Nick Zentner, Central Washington University". National Association of Geoscience Teachers. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  22. ^ "'Nick on the Rocks' score 2 Northwest Emmys". Daily Record. June 9, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  23. ^ "2023 GSA Award & Medal Recipients". Geological Society of America. 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  24. ^ geosociety (October 31, 2023). Scott Burns & Nick Zentner Interview - GSA ConnectsCast. Retrieved September 14, 2025 – via YouTube.
  25. ^ "E.R. Ward Neale Medal". Geological Association of Canada. n.d. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
  26. ^ Torgersen, Rune (June 17, 2025). "Nick Zentner creates tv program that rocks". CWU. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  27. ^ Zentner, Nick (2002). Bonnichsen, Bill (ed.). Tectonic and magmatic evolution of the Snake River Plain volcanic province. Idaho geological survey / Bulletin (30th ed.). Moscow, Id: Idaho Geological Survey, University of Idaho. pp. 121–155. ISBN 978-1-55765-029-0.
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