Geology 300 – Environmental Geology – Spring 2009
Time and Place:
Tuesday-Thursday 9:30 to 10:45, Stevens Hall Room 134
Instructor:
Adam Lewis, 226 Stevens Hall, 231-6197, adam.r.lewis.1@ndsu.edu
Office hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:30 to 2:30
Text:
Geology and the Environment 5th edition, Pipkin, Trent, Hazlett and
Beirman
Class overview: This class will center on the interaction of humans with the natural
environment. The class will be organized into three parts. Part 1 will focus on large-scale
topics that affect people worldwide. Part 2 will focus on our local region with a special
emphasis on soils and the Red River. For these first two parts of the class, we’ll use a
combination of lectures, including several guest speakers, and in-class projects. Part 3 is
reserved for student presentations of research projects (they also include a written report).
You have wide latitude in choosing a topic. Make it something you’re interested in and be
creative. The point of the project is give you practice putting your knowledge to use.
Designing studies and presenting results are things you’ll all have to do in the future for
work or as grad students. For this class there are several expected student outcomes:
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An understanding of human interaction with the physical environment
An understanding of natural hazards and mitigation
The ability to apply the scientific method and simple mathematical models to
environmental questions
A well-documented report on an environmental issue with results presented
in both written and oral form.
Grading: Grades will be based on two lecture exams and a final exam (multiple choice,
short answer, 1 paragraph essay); quizzes, in-class projects and homework; and individual
research projects and presentations.
Two lecture exams
Quizzes and homework
40%
15%
Final exam
Research project
20%
25%
A final letter grade will be based on percentages of points earned: 90 to 100% = A, 80 to
89% = B, 70 to 79% = C, 60 to 69% = D, <60% = F. If the class average is significantly
higher or lower than 75%, the grades will be curved. Demonstrated effort and in-class
participation can influence borderline grades.
Special needs: Any students with disabilities or special learning needs are invited to share
their concerns with the instructor as soon as possible such that reasonable
accommodation(s) can be made.
Academic responsibility and class conduct: I emphasize your adherence to North Dakota
State University’s Code of Academic Responsibility and Conduct (NDSU University Senate
Policy section 335). You can familiarize yourself with the details of academic conduct at
www.nodak.edu/policy/335.htm.
Tentative Class Schedule
Week 1
Introduction; numerical literacy; Thursday Jeremy Brown – Library
Reading: Ch 1
Week 2
Review plate tectonics; Earthquakes
Reading: Ch 3 and 4
Week 3
Earthquakes and tsunamis; Volcanoes
Reading: 281-286 and Ch 5
Week 4
Soil erosion, Mass movements
Reading: Ch 6 (161-177), Ch7
Titles for projects due on Tuesday
Week 5
Water resources
Reading: Ch 8
Week 6
Exam 1; Flooding
Reading: Ch 9
Week 7
Climate change and desertification
Reading Ch 12 and 323-346
Week 8
Mineral resource extraction
Reading: Ch 13
Week 9
Energy resources
Reading: Ch 14
Week 10
Spring Break
Week 11
Energy resources; Waste management
Reading: Ch 15
Pre-submission interview for projects this week
Week 12
Exam 2; Glacial history of the Red River Valley
Week 13
Soils of the Red River Valley; possible guest speaker
Week 14
Soil failures in the Red River Valley; possible guest speaker
Week 15
Flood plain management in Fargo; possible guest speaker
Week 16
Student presentations; finish any missed lectures
Written reports due by Friday, May 1st, 5:00 PM
Week 17
Student presentations
Week 18
Final Exam Friday May 15, 8:00 AM
Details of the research project
A major requirement of this class is a research project (25%). Your project must include
original work, which means that you personally investigate a problem. This might involve
site visits, physical measurements, interviews, photographs, map or air photo
interpretation. Creativity will be rewarded with higher grades. Literature reviews should
only support your own research.
Examples of topics: The best topics come from your own hometowns. For example, does
your hometown need a new landfill? Where should it go? Are any major construction
projects going on? How are the local soil properties being dealt with? A good place to start
is to scan the local newspaper to see what issues are being talked about (check past issues
online). Other examples: Wind farm site selection - wind resources, environmental
impacts and the power grid of ND, radon gas in your basement, flood mitigation in Fargo
(dikes or a Winnipeg-style canal?), an examination of a superfund site, slumps along local
rivers/stabilization of active slumps, asbestos contamination from mining in northern
Minnesota, mitigating storm runoff from huge parking lots in Fargo, watershed
management of some river basin like the Lac Qui Parle in SW Minnesota, or even a map and
air photo-based examination of coastal hazards in Miami, Florida. Don’t bore your fellow
students or me with a standard “man does bad things - bad, bad man” report; find
something interesting. I emphasize that you have wide latitude in choosing a topic.
Paper:
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Titles are due with approval Tuesday, February 3rd.
You must complete a pre-submission interview week of March 23rd (10% of grade)
o Scheduled individually; takes 10 to 15 minutes.
o Bring source materials; be prepared to discuss your topic
Papers should be 8 to 12 pages of single-spaced text or double-spaced equivalent.
Illustrations should be embedded and of high quality with credit given to sources.
Citations must be included in the text and provided in a reference list. They must
follow Geological Society of America format (see Geology or GSA Bulletin for
examples). This should be your own work. If you quote, it had better be within
quotation marks and properly cited.
Finished papers are due May 1st, 5:00 PM. 5% points come off each day late.
Presentation:
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A 15-20 minute presentation to be scheduled during last 2 or 3 weeks of class
Summarize the main points and findings of your project.
Grading for the paper and presentation:
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Is material presented in an orderly and coherent fashion?
Are the major points developed and the main questions answered?
Is a clear distinction made between previous work and this research?
Did the work provide new data/new thinking?
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For presentation, were slides coherent and helpful?