Teaching

GLG 201 The Dynamic Earth (each semester, I teach Spring semesters, alternate years)
4 credits, for entry-level undergraduate students, required for undergraduate majors in Geological Sciences and Environmental Geoscience, fulfills science distribution requirement

Learning objectives:

  1. How does the Earth work: describe the dynamic processes that formed and govern the Earth system
  2. How do we know what we know: explain methods for observing the Earth
  3. Why does the Earth work that way: apply physics, chemistry, and other disciplines to Earth and environmental problems
  4. Why should we care: describe and quantify how humans and other life change and are changed by the Earth
  5. What do geologists and environmental geoscientists do: explore what is Earth science about, what more can you learn, and what careers are available?

GLG 321: Mineralogy and Geochemistry (every Fall semester)
4 credits, required for undergraduate majors in Geological Sciences and Environmental Geosciences

Learning objectives:

  1. What are the chemical compositions and crystallographic properties of major rock-forming minerals?
  2. How can we identify minerals in hand specimen, in thin section, and with other analytical techniques?
  3. How does atomic-scale structure affect macro-scale properties?
  4. How do the formation and stability of minerals relate to their geologic environment?
  5. What is the role of minerals as host phases for chemical elements of interest?
  6. What is the relationship between mineralogy and physics, chemistry and other fields?

GLG 864 Mineral and Rock Physics (Spring semesters, alternate years)
4 credits, for graduate and upper-level undergraduate students, requires GLG 321 or permission of instructor

Learning objectives:

  1. Relate atomic- and grain-scale structures to macro- to planet-scale processes and phenomena.
  2. Explain and interpret geophysical observations in terms of physical properties of Earth materials.
  3. Quantify uncertainty in measurements and observations of physical properties of Earth materials.
  4. Interpret and explain data and literature on mineral and rock behavior.
  5. Evaluate strengths and limitations of observational and modeling methods for understanding planetary interiors.