Vas Petrenko: Professor
Where are you from?
I was born in the Soviet Union and my family immigrated to the US when I was 14. Since then I have lived in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, California, Colorado and Germany before arriving in Rochester in 2011.
What got you interested in Earth and Environmental Sciences?
I took a couple of Earth Science courses while working on my Master’s degree in Education at Harvard and became very interested in the subject. I then had a chance to volunteer on a glacier research project in Iceland, which helped me to decide to pursue research in Geoscience.
What do you enjoy most about U of R?
My faculty colleagues and the students I advise and teach — they are awesome.
What is the one thing that instantly makes your day better?
Doing something active (e.g., hiking, skiing, paddling) outdoors.
What three items would you take with you to a deserted island?
Assuming I already have what I need to survive and my family don’t object, I would take my wife, my daughter and my laptop :-).