Trinity’s Ben Surpless Honored with Prestigious Piper Professorship​

In the rugged terrains of Nevada, a young geologist found more than just fault lines and fold systems. The hands-on experience of deciphering Earth's history ignited a passion that would shape his future. Reflecting on his journey, Ben Surpless, Ph.D., shares, “My professors at Carleton inspired me to teach. My interaction with them in the classroom and their inspired push for greater depth and breadth of knowledge made the next step an easy decision.”

This commitment to education has been a hallmark of Surpless’s career at Trinity University, where he has served as a geosciences professor since 2005. Twenty years later, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to teaching, advising, and service in higher education, Surpless has been named a 2025 Piper Professor by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation. This prestigious award, established in 1958, honors 10 professors annually across Texas for superior teaching at the college level.

“The Piper Professorship honors Dr. Surpless’ individual achievements and highlights the excellence of Trinity’s Department of Earth and Environmental Geosciences and the Semmes School of Science,” says Megan Mustain, Ph.D., provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. “It also underscores Trinity University’s commitment to putting science on display and fostering an environment where teaching and research go hand in hand.​”

Surpless’ dedication is evident in his teaching and research philosophy, which emphasizes active field and laboratory inquiry, thoughtful discussion, and the use of clear, concise visual examples to accompany complex material. Of course, his impact extends beyond the classroom: Over the past decade, he has co-authored peer-reviewed articles with seven student collaborators and has mentored more than 50 undergraduate students in presenting 73 oral and poster presentations at national and regional conferences since 2007. And, he was honored for similar work in 2020 when he was awarded the Dr. and Mrs. Z.T. Scott Faculty Fellowship at Trinity.

In their nomination of Surpless for the Piper Professorship, a Trinity student wrote, “Because of Dr. Surpless, I have grown tremendously as a learner in all senses of the word. This growth can be traced back to his ability to make scholarly curriculum relevant to the many interests of his students, his commitment to hands-on learning that cultivates self-confidence within students, and his willingness to provide students and researchers with educational opportunities that are wholly unique amongst typical undergraduate experiences.”

Surpless believes that formal and informal advising are crucial and sometimes overlooked parts of student success. He meets with students to help them plan their academic goals, instilling in them an attention to detail, academic integrity, and perseverance.​ David Ribble ’82, Ph.D., dean of the D. R. Semmes School of Science, praised Surpless’s innovative approach. “Ben has taught and led innovative classes at all levels, from First-Year Experience to upper-division geosciences field courses, designing them from the ground up on principles that focus on active learning,” Ribble says. “He is a dedicated teacher who truly exemplifies what it means to be a teacher-scholar.”​

And here, at the intersection of schists and strata, of mentorship and scholarship, Surpless says, “I believe the best teaching happens when you’re helping students ask and answer their own questions. That’s what research is, too: curiosity-driven learning. My goal has always been to support students as they become independent thinkers, capable of tackling big problems with confidence and clarity.” ​

It is, perhaps, the same clarity that comes to him in fresh, crisp air on a mountainside, connecting students with the natural environment and mentoring the next generation of scientists and scholars.