Hazardous geologic processes and current environmental concerns are related to the Earth, the forces acting upon it and the resulting surface features and materials. Human interaction with the environment is illustrated using modern case studies.

Course summary

The focus of this course is investigating human interactions with the natural world – how the environment impacts us, and how we impact our environment. To accomplish this, we establish foundational knowledge about geology and the scientific process. We can then apply that knowledge to understand the processes that shape the Earth’s surface and natural systems. From this context we can also examine the complex relationship between humans and their environment. The goals of this course include:

• Learning about the materials, processes and events that comprise and shape the Earth to better understand the environment in which we live.
• Investigating how the intersection of human activity and geology relates to and impacts modern engineering and environmental issues such as resource utilization, environmental impacts of human activity, and natural hazards.
• Understanding the process of scientific inquiry to refine critical thinking skills.
• Improving scientific literacy - the concepts and terminology needed to understand science stories in the news, or to make informed decisions on science-based issues.
• Building scientific communication skills – the skills and mindset to understand, articulate, and discuss technical concepts to peers and the public. This is done through discussions and the course project.

Syllabus

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