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Geosciences Current Courses

Spring 2024

Course Code Title/Instructor Meets
GEOS 151-01 Foundations of Earth Sciences
Instructor: Ben Edwards
Course Description:
How do mountains and oceans form? Why do the positions of continents shift? Can rocks bend or flow? What is the history of life on our planet? This course explores the materials that make up the Earth and the processes that shape it, both at and below the surface. Students will take field trips around the Carlisle area as well as complete analytical and computer laboratory activities in order to acquire basic field, laboratory, and computer modelling skills. This course serves as a gateway to the Earth Sciences major, but is also appropriate for non-majors. Three hours of lecture and three hours of lab per week.
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, M
KAUF 140
09:30 AM-10:20 AM, MWF
KAUF 179
GEOS 151-02 Foundations of Earth Sciences
Instructor: Ben Edwards
Course Description:
How do mountains and oceans form? Why do the positions of continents shift? Can rocks bend or flow? What is the history of life on our planet? This course explores the materials that make up the Earth and the processes that shape it, both at and below the surface. Students will take field trips around the Carlisle area as well as complete analytical and computer laboratory activities in order to acquire basic field, laboratory, and computer modelling skills. This course serves as a gateway to the Earth Sciences major, but is also appropriate for non-majors. Three hours of lecture and three hours of lab per week.
09:30 AM-10:20 AM, MWF
KAUF 179
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, T
KAUF 140
GEOS 218-01 Geographic Information Systems
Instructor: Deb Sinha
Course Description:
Cross-listed with ARCH 218-01, ENST 218-01 and GISP 218-01. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a powerful technology for managing, analyzing, and visualizing spatial data and geographically-referenced information. It is used in a wide variety of fields including archaeology, agriculture, business, defense and intelligence, education, government, health care, natural resource management, public safety, transportation, and utility management. This course provides a fundamental foundation of theoretical and applied skills in GIS technology that will enable students to investigate and make reasoned decisions regarding spatial issues. Utilizing GIS software applications from Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), students work on a progression of tasks and assignments focused on GIS data collection, manipulation, analysis, output, and presentation. The course will culminate in a final, independent project in which the students design and prepare a GIS analysis application of their own choosing. Three hours per week. This course is cross-listed as ARCH 218, ENST 218 and GISP 218.
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, W
LIBRY DSRL
GEOS 221-01 Oceanography
Instructor: Jorden Hayes
Course Description:
An interdisciplinary introduction to the marine environment, including the chemistry of seawater, the physics of currents, water masses and waves, the geology of ocean basins, marine sediments and coastal features, and the biology of marine ecosystems. Topics include the theory of plate tectonics as an explanation for ocean basins, mid-ocean ridges, trenches, and island arcs. The interaction of man as exploiter and polluter in the marine environment is also considered. Three hours classroom and three hours laboratory per week. Prerequisite: One introductory lab science or permission of instructor. Offered every other year.
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, R
KAUF 146
10:30 AM-11:45 AM, TR
KAUF 178
GEOS 250-01 Introduction to Arctic Studies
Instructor: Ben Edwards
Course Description:
This course is designed to give a broad introduction to the physical/social geography, geology and ecology of the Arctic region of earth particularly through the lens of global climate change. Students will use a variety of media (lectures, readings, videos, blogs) to build knowledge about this critical region of earth to serve as a basis for individual and group projects on a specific Arctic region (e.g., Siberia, Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland, Nunavut, Alaska) and topic (e.g., climate change, Arctic tourism, Arctic flora/fauna species, Arctic archeology, Arctic exploration). Learning goals include: i) exposure to spatial analysis and Geographic Information Systems, ii) foundational knowledge of the Arctic cryosphere and its response to climate change, geological history, human geography and ecological systems, and iii) mastery of Arctic geography. Course meetings will include student presentations, fieldtrips and basic GIS instruction.
09:00 AM-10:15 AM, TR
ALTHSE 106
GEOS 310-01 Introduction to Geographical Information Systems for Field Scientists
Instructor: Peter Sak
Course Description:
Lecture/Lab course on special topics which vary depending on faculty and student interest and need. Three hours classroom and three hours laboratory per week. Prerequisite: dependent upon topic.
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, R
LIBRY DSRL
10:30 AM-11:45 AM, TR
KAUF 153
GEOS 331-01 Geochemistry
Instructor: Alyson Thibodeau
Course Description:
An introduction to the origin, distribution, and behavior of elements in the geochemical cycles and processes of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. Topics include the chemistry of magma, hydrothermal fluids, weathering, fresh and ocean waters, sediment digenesis, hydrocarbons, and metamorphism. Includes radiometric dating and stable isotope applications. Lab will focus on sampling, instrumental analysis, and data interpretation of earth materials. Prerequisites: 151 and CHEM 131 or 141, or permission of instructor. Offered every other year.
10:30 AM-11:20 AM, MWF
KAUF 134
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, W
KAUF 134
GEOS 500-01 Metamorphic Petrology
Instructor: Ben Edwards
Course Description:

GEOS 560-01 Trace metals in millpond legacy sediments
Instructor: Alyson Thibodeau
Course Description:

GEOS 560-02 Investigation of trace metals in millpond legacy sediments
Instructor: Alyson Thibodeau
Course Description:

GEOS 560-03 Tracing Puebloan Glaze Sources through Lead Isotopes
Instructor: Alyson Thibodeau
Course Description: