Spring 2023

Course Code Title/Instructor Meets
ERSC 142-01 Earth's Changing Climate
Instructor: Marcus Key
Course Description:
An overview of our understanding of climate processes and their interaction with the atmosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere based on studies of ancient climates, which inform our understanding of climate change now and into the future. Topics include drivers of climate change at different time scales, evidence for climate change, and major climate events such as ice ages. Emphasis will be placed on the last 1 million years of earth history as a prelude to discussing potential anthropogenic impacts on the climate. Case studies of major climate players such as the US and China will be contrasted with those most vulnerable, Africa and SE Asia to determine mitigation and adaptation strategies. The lab component will use historic climate data, field experiences, and climate modeling to interpret climate change processes. Three hours classroom and three hours laboratory a week.
08:30 AM-09:20 AM, MWF
KAUF 186
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, M
KAUF 152
ERSC 142-02 Earth's Changing Climate
Instructor: Marcus Key
Course Description:
An overview of our understanding of climate processes and their interaction with the atmosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere based on studies of ancient climates, which inform our understanding of climate change now and into the future. Topics include drivers of climate change at different time scales, evidence for climate change, and major climate events such as ice ages. Emphasis will be placed on the last 1 million years of earth history as a prelude to discussing potential anthropogenic impacts on the climate. Case studies of major climate players such as the US and China will be contrasted with those most vulnerable, Africa and SE Asia to determine mitigation and adaptation strategies. The lab component will use historic climate data, field experiences, and climate modeling to interpret climate change processes. Three hours classroom and three hours laboratory a week.
08:30 AM-09:20 AM, MWF
KAUF 186
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, W
KAUF 152
ERSC 151-01 Foundations of Earth Sciences
Instructor: Alyson Thibodeau
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, M
KAUF 134
ERSC 151-02 Foundations of Earth Sciences
Instructor: Alyson Thibodeau
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, T
KAUF 134
09:30 AM-10:20 AM, MWF
KAUF 179
ERSC 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 of classroom and three hours of laboratory per week. This course is cross-listed as ARCH 218, ENST 218 and GISP 218.
09:30 AM-10:20 AM, MWF
LIBRY SLC
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, W
LIBRY SLC
ERSC 218-02 Geographic Information Systems
Instructor: Peter Sak
Course Description:
Cross-listed with ARCH 218-02, ENST 218-02 and GISP 218-02. 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 of classroom and three hours of laboratory per week. This course is cross-listed as ARCH 218, ENST 218 and GISP 218.
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, F
LIBRY SLC
10:30 AM-11:20 AM, MWF
LIBRY SLC
ERSC 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
KAUF 187
ERSC 302-01 Structural Geology
Instructor: Peter Sak
Course Description:
The description and analysis of intermediate-to large-scale rock structures. Topics include the analysis and graphical representation of stress and strain in rocks, deformation mechanisms and fabric development, the geometry and mechanics of folding and faulting, and structures related to intrusive bodies. Geologic map interpretation and cross-section construction are used to analyze the structural geology of selected regions. Three hours classroom and three hours laboratory a week; field trip(s). Prerequisite: 151 or permission of instructor. Offered every other year.
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, W
KAUF 153
09:30 AM-10:20 AM, MWF
KAUF 153
ERSC 311-01 Treetop to Bedrock: An Introduction to the Critical Zone
Instructor: Jorden Hayes
Course Description:
The critical zone (CZ) is the thin life-sustaining veneer of planet Earth that extends from treetop to bedrock. The CZ is constantly evolving as rock, water, atmosphere, soil and biota interact to support terrestrial life at the surface. The CZ also determines the availability of resources such as food production and water quality. Thus, an understanding of critical zone processes and functions is crucial to a sustainable future and particularly as climate and land use continue to stress life at the surface. Critical zone science is a transdisciplinary endeavor that requires diverse perspectives and we will explore these perspectives throughout the course content. In this course we will study the CZ using data from NSF-supported networks and observatories, embark on fieldtrips, and discuss the grand challenges facing society and its relationship to the CZ. At the end of this course students will be able to use a large variety of principles to analyze how Earth's terrestrial surface works and describe the CZ as a complex system. Three hours of classroom a week.
11:30 AM-12:20 PM, MWF
KAUF 146
ERSC 318-01 Advanced Applications in GIS
Instructor: Gordon Cromley
Course Description:
Cross-listed with ARCH 318-01, ENST 318-01 and GISP 318-01. The course is intended as a continuation of the introductory course on Geographic Information Systems, 218, and will concentrate on more advanced discussions and techniques related to spatial analysis and GIS project design. The main focus of the course will be on using higher-level GIS methods to investigate and analyze spatial problems of varying complexity; however, the specific project and topical applications will vary depending on student interests. Students will be required to develop and complete an individual spatial analysis project that incorporates advanced GIS techniques. Prerequisite: 218 or ENST 218 or ARCH 218 or GISP 218 or equivalent GIS experience. Three hours classroom per week. This course is cross-listed as ARCH 318, ENST 318 and GISP 318. Offered every two years.
11:30 AM-12:20 PM, MWF
LIBRY SLC
ERSC 333-01 Environmental Geophysics
Instructor: Jorden Hayes
Course Description:
Geophysics combines geological knowledge with fundamental principles from physics, mathematics, and computer science to indirectly image and elucidate Earths subsurface structure. This course focuses on understanding geophysical methods commonly applied to Earths shallow subsurface (less than 200 m) to solve environmental, geological, archaeological, and civil engineering problems. This course will include physical theory, field methodology (e.g., survey design and data collection), data analysis and interpretation. Course topics include refraction and reflection seismology, ground penetrating radar, electrical resistivity and conductivity, magnetism and magnetic surveying, nuclear magnetic resonance, and gravity. This course will involve collecting and integrating datasets from multiple geophysical surveys and culminate in a final project. Lectures, discussions, laboratories, and field trips. Three hours classroom and three hours laboratory a week. Prerequisite: 151.
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, R
KAUF 146
10:30 AM-11:45 AM, TR
KAUF 146
ERSC 500-02 Assistant Teaching at Carlisle High School Geo-Environmental Classes
Instructor: Marcus Key
Course Description:

ERSC 560-01 2023 IF-AMPS
Instructor: Ben Edwards
Course Description:

ERSC 560-02 IF-AMPS 2023: Glaciovolcanism in Chile
Instructor: Ben Edwards
Course Description:

ERSC 560-03 2023 Chilean Volcano and Ice Research
Instructor: Ben Edwards
Course Description: