FMARS-8 Crew Biographies Joseph L. "Jody" Tinsley Jody Tinsley grew up in the western corner of South Carolina, in the Upstate. His father worked in a rock quarry; this fact got him interested in geology early, but he has always been taken by a variety of topics. These varied interests led him to pursue a broad rather than deep series of studies at Clemson University, where he earned bachelor degrees in English and in geology, and then later an MA in English Literature and an MS in Hydrogeology. He is currently a Lecturer in Geology at Clemson, where he teaches various introductory classes and oversees the labs. His interest in rivers led him to co-edit the American Canoe Association's River Safety Anthology. He served as mission geologist on MDRS Crew 15. He is interested in the interplay between science and society, and he tries to share these connections with his students. In his leisure time, he reads voraciously, enjoys river trips (by raft and canoe), hiking, running, and playing softball and ultimate Frisbee, and engaging in other outdoor sports. He is also trying to learn to play the guitar, and he meets friends to play and sing a bit of folk and bluegrass music. His interests make him a "generalist": he is willing to turn his hand to just about any work or activity. His hobby of carpentry will pay off soon, he hopes, in that he and his wife, April Childress, are planning to build a house over the next year or so using a passive solar design and alternative energy systems.
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