Geologic Disasters Workbook with Applications to Physical Geology and Oceanography

David grew up in North Carolina, where he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B. S. in mathematics. He completed his M. S. in geology and then served in the U. S. Navy. After returning to UNC-Chapel Hill to obtain his Ph. D. in geology, he began his teaching career at Northern Arizona University in 1978. During his more than three decades at NAU, he has taught classes in introductory and physical geology, geophysics, statistical methods, and the geology of Arizona. He has also served in various administrative roles, including department chair, and associate dean and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. After returning to the teaching ranks in 2003, he began teaching geologic hazards along with the geocommunications course required of geology majors. Since 1998 he has team-taught a biology and geology field course in the national parks with Syl Allred.

Originally from Massachusetts, and son of Italian immigrants, Mario and his parents settled in southern California in the mid-1950s. After college preparatory at St. Francis High School, he was trained in classical geology at San Diego State University (BSc 1976), general geology at Northern Arizona University (MSc 1981) in Flagstaff, sedimentology at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado (1981,1983), and sedimentology, paleoecology, and coastal and eolian geomorphology at the University of Cincinnati (PhD 1988). His employment history began in oil and gas exploration for 4 years with Mobil Oil Corporation in Denver, Colorado, followed by a full-time teaching career in geosciences at Mississippi State University, with adjunct appointments at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, and at the Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, Mississippi. Mario is emeritus professor of geosciences at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California, where he was a four-time recipient of the Outstanding Educator Award, then followed as lecturer/adjunct professor in sedimentology at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and at San Diego State University. 

Professional involvement as field trip leader and session chair has been with the Society for Sedimentary Geology (SEPM), Geological Society of America (GSA), National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT), Utah Geological Association (UGA), San Diego Association of Geologists (SDAG), and the San Diego State Geology Alumni. He continues to serve the Pacific Section, Society for Sedimentary Geology (PS-SEPM) as managing editor.    

His published field research continues in sediments and sedimentary rocks in southern Utah, southern Nevada, northern Arizona, southern California, northern Gulf of Mexico, and San Salvador Island, the Bahamas.