Schafersman holds a B.S. in Geology and Biology from
Northern Illinois University, a M.S. in Geology, and a Ph.D. in Geology (1983) from
Rice University. He currently resides in
Midland, Texas with his wife Dr. Gae Kovalick, at the
University of Texas of the Permian Basin professor of
Biology. He specialized in
invertebrate paleontology,
stratigraphy, and
sedimentary petrology. Schafersman grew up collecting fossils, mushrooms, insects, rocks, minerals, and playing outdoors in Texas, Arkansas, and Illinois. Schafersman taught at the
University of Texas of the Permian Basin (2000-2002),
Miami University (Ohio) (1994-1999),
University of Houston (1984-1989) and
Houston Community College (1974-1978 and 1984-1994). In addition, he created the Free Inquiry (defunct) website, dedicated to educating the public on humanism and skepticism and the
Texas Citizens for Science website, committed to opposing the representation of religious concepts such as
intelligent design and
creationism as science in Texas textbooks. Schafersman contributes to a
blog column for the
Houston Chronicle at Evo.Sphere Blog. ==Texas State Board of Education==