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GEOL110 Earth Materials
Why: Human history is closely coupled to Earth materials. For example early cultural evolution is classified based on Earth Materials (Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age) and we would not have buildings, toothpaste or I-phones without minerals and assemblages of minerals (rocks). The exploration and use of Earth Materials, especially since the industrial revolution, confronts us with important issues of social, environmental and economic sustainability. But Earth materials go much further back in time than the ~ 2 million years of human history: they can tell us about Earth processes over the last billion years and provide us with a window into the fascination history of our universe.
How: We will use lecture class meeting times to explore the necessary background ranging spatially from molecular scale structures to plate tectonic settings and temporally from the history of our solar system to sustainability challenges of the Anthropocene. Using group work, discussions and paper presentation everybody will be engaged during class meeting times. You will spend most of the lab meeting times in the petrology lab working with rocks and minerals but we will also use the computer lab occasionally. You will receive training in the identification minerals and rocks in hand specimen and thin sections. You will also work towards structured, easy to read writing using language appropriate for different audience. Peer feedback will be one of the tools we will use to improve your writing skills.
Course goals:
When:This course is offered every Spring
Who: You need intro to Geology (GEOL 001, GEOL 005 or GEOL 055.) before you can sign up. This course is an approved SU course.
Why: Human history is closely coupled to Earth materials. For example early cultural evolution is classified based on Earth Materials (Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age) and we would not have buildings, toothpaste or I-phones without minerals and assemblages of minerals (rocks). The exploration and use of Earth Materials, especially since the industrial revolution, confronts us with important issues of social, environmental and economic sustainability. But Earth materials go much further back in time than the ~ 2 million years of human history: they can tell us about Earth processes over the last billion years and provide us with a window into the fascination history of our universe.
How: We will use lecture class meeting times to explore the necessary background ranging spatially from molecular scale structures to plate tectonic settings and temporally from the history of our solar system to sustainability challenges of the Anthropocene. Using group work, discussions and paper presentation everybody will be engaged during class meeting times. You will spend most of the lab meeting times in the petrology lab working with rocks and minerals but we will also use the computer lab occasionally. You will receive training in the identification minerals and rocks in hand specimen and thin sections. You will also work towards structured, easy to read writing using language appropriate for different audience. Peer feedback will be one of the tools we will use to improve your writing skills.
Course goals:
- identify samples of the common rock-forming minerals in hand samples and thin sections of common rocks.
- synthesize mineralogical data (visual inspection, petrographic microscopy) to make inferences on the (plate tectonic) setting producing selected rocks.
- combine writing and visualizations to communicate these syntheses to science and non-science audiences.
- critically evaluate how the use of specific Earth materials impacts social, environmental and economic sustainability.
When:This course is offered every Spring
Who: You need intro to Geology (GEOL 001, GEOL 005 or GEOL 055.) before you can sign up. This course is an approved SU course.
