Peter Reiners

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Geoscientist Peter Reiners came from Yale University and the often soggy, relentlessly green East Coast to the University of Arizona and the parched tan of Tucson. He's pleased with the raw, in-your-face geology and nature of this place.

The associate professor of geosciences considers himself to be from Wyoming, a Westerner at heart despite having hop-scotched all over the country during his education. Reiners says he feels more at home here after just a year and a half than during his five-year Ivy League hitch in New Haven, Conn.

"We knew we wanted to to settle in the West," he says of his and his wife's intentions after his first job at the University of Washington, "but we tried it (the East) out for five years."

His work involves using specialized techniques to date geologic formations and events.

"Sometimes I describe myself as a geologist and sometimes as a geochemist," says Reiners.

"It's a terrific place for geosciences. Many scientists tend to think in abstract terms. Many don't think they need to see it on the ground. But here it's so in your face, surrounding."

What he misses most about the East Coast: "I miss the pizza, possibly the theater, some of the restaurants and one or two colleagues from Yale."

What he likes about Tucson and Southern Arizona: He likes everything natural about Tucson and Southern Arizona — even steam season. "The seasons kind of roll along, you look forward to the next stage. The end of June you see those puffy clouds start to build up in the south and then a couple months later you get tired of thunderstorms. Right now I'm savoring the 80-degree days."

Also: "I really like the fact that people here are aware of their surroundings and they appreciate the uniqueness, the wildlife, vegetation. People talk about the wildlife, the seasons, the plants and they like to go hiking.

And: "I like the culture, that it's close to Mexico."

What he likes about the UA: Good lab space in the Gould-Simpson Building and a "department that is ranked sixth, seventh or eighth in geology worldwide. It's not just the department, but the broader programs in Earth and planetary sciences are phenomenal, people like Peck (Jonathan Overpeck) and lots of others. The depth of the bench, if you will."