Mon Dec 1 12:38:57 2008
| Effective Term: |
New:
1109 - Fall 2010 Old: 1089 - Fall 2008 |
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| Department: |
New:
11130 - Geology & Geophysics Old: 11130 - IT Geology & Geophysics Admin |
| Proposal Changes: |
New:
New CLE proposal for Environmental Theme designation Old: <no text provided> |
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Faculty Sponsor Name: |
New:
Katsumi Matsumoto, William Seyfried Old: |
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Faculty Sponsor E-mail Address: |
New:
katsumi@umn.edu Old: |
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Requirement this course fulfills: |
New:
ENV
- ENV The Environment
Old: |
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Criteria for Theme Courses: |
Describe how the course meets the specific bullet points for the proposed theme
requirement. Give concrete and detailed examples for the course syllabus, detailed outline,
laboratory material, student projects, or other instructional materials or methods. Theme courses have the common goal of cultivating in students a number of habits of mind:
New: Because the marine environment and human society have been intimately linked throughout human history, it is quite natural to consider this link in GEO1006/1106. The fact that most major cities are located along the coasts attests to the strong interrelationship between humans and the oceans. Humans seek dwelling near the oceans in part because they provide easy waterway transportation, resources, and recreation. Oceans can also severely affect human society through tsunamis and extreme weather events like hurricanes. Human exploitation of the oceans, for example, in terms of pollution, often comes back to haunt humans. Seeking ways to minimize human impact and coexist peacefully with the marine environment provides ample ground to address the issues required by the CLE Environment theme. GEO1006/1106 will cultivate the habit of mind of “thinking ethically about important challenges facing our society and world” by considering, for example, the common public good such as global marine fishery and global climate change. These goods transcend traditional geopolitical boundaries, and competition to maximize individual benefits (overfishing or burning fossil fuels) will destroy the common good (fish stocks and clean air). These are thus classic examples of the tragedy of the commons and provide excellent cases to consider the ethical challenges. Discussions to find resolutions to these problems will cultivate the habit of mind of “reflecting on the shared sense of responsibility required to build and maintain community.” A shared sense of responsibility is critical to building consensus amongst different interest groups in order to protect the common public goods. Finally, the course will cultivate the habit of mind of “fostering a stronger sense of our roles as historical agents” by showing how human reach is now global in terms of pollution (plastics, CO2 and acidity, overfishing) and therefore certain marine environments are now collapsing (Arctic sea ice, world fish stocks, coral bleaching). The conclusion that humans are now the dominant force of climate change is inescapable. THE ENVIRONMENT THEME: SPECIFIC CRITERIA “Significant marine environmental problems facing the global society” are numerous: global sea level rise, acidification of surface waters, pollution, toxic algal blooms, coastal development and beach erosion, loss of natural ecosystem services, and food provision. GEO1006/1106 will give “explicit attention to interrelationships between the natural environment and human society,” because humans cause many of these problems. Unfortunately, the well-being of the modern society is in part dependent on exploiting the oceans. The course will also discuss “technologies” for example in the context of overfishing. Today, the global fisheries capacity is twice that needed to make the annual catch. This excessive capacity is in the form of fast fishing boats and large fishnets and drives fish stocks to commercial extinction. In addition, the use of drift nets ensures indiscriminate harvesting and enormous waste of fishes. The use of a more appropriate technology, for example, modified fishnets with escape openings, can reduce unwanted bykills. Appropriate technology use and actions to address environmental problems require us to “identify and evaluate credible information concerning the environment” in GEO1006/1106. This is especially an acute problem in global warming, when there is misinformation purposefully distributed by certain interest groups. However, obtaining and credible information is also important to address emotionally charged issues such as whaling. Finally, as noted above, when considering how to solve serious environmental problems, this course will visit the positions of different interest groups in order to arrive at a common framework that is “consistent with the ethics and values of the society.” Old: <no text provided> |
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Provisional Syllabus: |
Please
provide a provisional syllabus for new courses and courses in which
changes in content and/or description and/or credits are proposed that
include the following information: course goals and description;
format/structure of the course (proposed number of instructor contact
hours per week, student workload effort per week, etc.); topics to be
covered; scope and nature of assigned readings (texts, authors,
frequency, amount per week); required course assignments; nature of any
student projects; and how students will be evaluated. The University policy on credits is found under Section 4A of "Standards for Semester Conversion" at http://www.fpd.finop.umn.edu/groups/senate/documents/policy/semestercon.html . Provisional course syllabus information will be retained in this system until new syllabus information is entered with the next major course modification, This provisional course syllabus information may not correspond to the course as offered in a particular semester. New: Geology & Geophysics 1106 Oceanography (Lecture Section 1) Lecturer: Katsumi Matsumoto Pillsbury Hall 212 katsumi@umn.edu Office Hours: Mondays 3:30-4:30 pm; Fridays 11:00-noon; by appointment Course website: WebVista via the MyU Portal (http://myu.umn.edu) Lectures: 2:30-3:20 pm, SciCB 125 Final Exam: 8:00 am – 10:00 am, Tuesday, December 16 in SciCB 125 Textbook: Tom Garrison, Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science, 6th Edition, Thomson Brooks/Cole (Few copies have been put on Reserve at the Walter Library) Grading: Lecture Quizzes (best 5 of 6 quizzes) 66% Final Exam (comprehensive) 34% Welcome to Oceanography! Although the oceans surround us, in many ways they remain more mysterious than the surface of the Moon. The world oceans include the deepest places and the largest mountains on earth, a dynamic and ever-changing pattern of waves, tides, and currents, and an array of unfamiliar creatures that live in a three-dimensional solution of life-sustaining chemical nutrients. In the short space of a semester, this course will try to provide at least a flavor of this complex and fascinating part of our world and how it relates to human society in significant ways. We start with the nature of the ocean basins: their physical structure and evolution. We then examine the linkage between the evolution of the Earth and the formation of the oceans, and explore why and how seawater is what it is. These physical settings have a profound influence on how humans live. Recently discovered spectacular geysers of hot seawater issuing from vents on the ocean floor, not only help to regulate seawater chemistry, but provide a unique environment for unusual microbial species, which serve as the base of the food chain for a diverse community of organisms. Next, we consider the dynamics of the great water masses, currents like the Gulf Stream, and the waves and tides that directly affect the lives of people on and near the sea. We then examine biological production and decomposition of organic matter and how they control nutrient distributions and form the base of the marine food web. The course ends with a look at how oceans and climate have evolved over time and where we may be headed in the future. Throughout the course, we emphasize ways in which the oceans directly affect humans. Some examples include ocean-atmosphere interactions, which account for the El Niņo phenomenon that has such a profound affect on global weather patterns and the human condition on Earth; tsunamis, which can influence people’s lives in virtually all coastal communities; coastal storms and the effects they produce. We will also examine how humans are impacting the oceans, for example, in terms of exploitation of marine resources (fishes, minerals) and global warming. Both of these examples constitute a common public resource, and therefore the tragedy of the commons, public policy, and ethics come into play. An inescapable conclusion of the course is that humans are now the dominant agent of change. Discussions in the course are expected to instill a need for a shared sense of responsibility by all people in order to solve these global problems as well as more local but pressing problems. Lecturer: Katsumi Matsumoto is a professor in the Department of Geology and Geophysics. He has a PhD in oceanography from Columbia University. He conducts theoretical research on ocean carbon cycle, addressing questions such as “What happens to the carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning?” Visits and Office hours: You are encouraged to visit the professor and TAs during office hours and at other times by appointment. Fieldtrip: There is a required, self-guided trip to 'Underwater World' at the Mall of America. We will purchase your tickets at a reduced, bulk rate and distribute them in your labs. Learning outcomes: At the end of this course successful students will be able to: • Explain the basic structure of ocean basins and land-ocean configuration • Explain major features of ocean circulation and the mechanics of waves and tides • Explain how life in the ocean is intricately related to the physics and chemistry of the oceans • Explain the role of oceans in the global climate system • Understand trends, ethics, and public policies in exploitation of marine resources • Discuss the potential for renewable energy sources from the oceans Attendance and Etiquette: Regular attendance is expected. Cell phones must be switched off. Quizzes and Final Exam: If there is a conflict in time with another university activity, you must notify the instructor in writing before the quiz or exam. If you are sick or have family emergency, you must communicate this in writing as soon as possible. A makeup quiz or exam will be given without penalty, if these conditions are met. Otherwise, makeup quizzes and exam can be given within a week of the missed quiz/exam with a 25% penalty. In anticipation of an unexpected event that may prevent you from taking a quiz, you are allowed to drop your worst grade (i.e., final grade based on best 5 of 6 quizzes). Each quiz consists of 10 multiple choice questions that focus on comprehension. There will be questions about this syllabus on the first quiz! Academic integrity: Academic integrity is essential to a positive teaching and learning environment. All students enrolled in University courses are expected to complete coursework responsibilities with fairness and honesty. Failure to do so can result in disciplinary action. The University Student Conduct Code defines scholastic dishonesty, which includes plagiarizing; cheating on assignments or examinations. A student responsible for scholastic dishonesty can be assigned a penalty including an "F" or "N" for the course. Disabilities statement: It is university policy to provide, on a flexible and individual basis, reasonable accommodations to students who have disabilities that may affect their ability to participate in course activities or to meet course requirements. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the professor. Video clips during class time: Videos provide an alternate form of communication that reinforce and complement the lectures. Grades: Final course grades will be “curved” (i.e., not based on absolute scores). As a rough guide, the top third of the class will get A’s, the next third B’s, and the last third C’s. Students with scores significantly lower than the bulk of the last third may receive D’s or F’s. Class notes: Most lecture slides will be posted on WebVista. Council on Liberal Education (CLE) Requirements: Geo 1106 (which is GEO1006 without labs) satisfies the CLE requirements for the environment theme. As such, this course will be more than a survey of different physical aspects of the world ocean but also examine the relationship between the oceans and human society at various time and spatial scales and from different perspectives. Environment Theme: Because the marine environment and human society have been intimately linked throughout human history, it is quite natural to consider this link in this course. The majority of the global population lives near the coast and rely on the oceans for transportation, resources, and recreation. Oceans can also severely affect human society through tsunamis and extreme weather events like hurricanes. Unfortunately human well-being today is made possible by exploitation of the oceans, which often comes back to haunt humans later. Seeking ways to minimize human impact and coexist peacefully with the marine environment provides ample ground to address the issues required by the CLE Environment theme. The fact that many of the marine resources are common public goods that transcend traditional geopolitical boundaries make them subjects of the tragedy of the commons, where maximizing individual benefit (e.g., overfishing) will destroy the common good (fish stocks). Attempts to understand and come up with solutions require humans to recognize their outsized role as historical agents of significant environmental change and to consider ethics, shared sense of responsibilities, and proper use of technologies. Class Schedule: Class Date Lecture topics (video clips) Quiz Reading Text Chapter W Sept 3 Introduction None F Sept 5 Basics of the planet: Size, shape, and age 1, 2, App. II M Sept 8 First steps; Ocean basins and human society 1, App. III W Sept 10 Seismicity and Earth’s interior 3 F Sept 12 Making the pieces fit; Continental drift 3 M Sept 15 Evidence of crustal motion Quiz 1 3 W Sept 17 Plate tectonics; Quiz 1 review 3 F Sept 19 Over the edge; Sea floor topography 4 M Sept 22 Ocean sediments and human society 5 W Sept 24 Physical properties of seawater; CIQ 6 F Sept 26 It’s in the water; Chemical properties of seawater 7, App. VIII M Sept 29 Radiative balance Quiz 2 8 W Oct 1 Coriolis force; Quiz 2 review 8, App. V F Oct 3 Something in the air; Atmospheric general circulation 8 M Oct 6 Beneath the surface; Density structure of the ocean 6 W Oct 8 Interior water masses and circulation and human society 9 F Oct 20 Blue Planet: The Deep (life on seafloor & in deep ocean) 16 M Oct 13 Surface circulation: Gyres Quiz 3 9 W Oct 15 Surface circulation: Upwelling and Eddies; Quiz 3 review 9 F Oct 17 Going with the flow; El Nino and human society 9 M Oct 20 Lake Superior (guest: Brooke White); CIQ None W Oct 22 Ice in the oceans and climate 6 F Oct 24 Ice age and Lessons for the future Sec. 4.9 M Oct 27 Basics of waves (guest: Brooke White) Quiz 4 10, 12 W Oct 29 Waves and human society (guest: B. White); Quiz 4 review 10, 12 F Oct 31 Ebb and Flow; Tides and sea level change 11 M Nov 3 Theories of tides 11 W Nov 5 Blue Planet: Tidal Seas (life adapted to tides) 16 F Nov 7 Constraints on life in the oceans Quiz 5 13 M Nov 10 Trophic levels and primary production; Quiz 5 review 13, 14 W Nov 12 Remineralization and nutrients; CIQ 14 F Nov 14 Waste dumping and oil spills and human society 18 M Nov 17 Carbon cycle, carbon sequestration, ocean acidification 18 W Nov 19 Fishes (guest: Prof. Sorensen) 15 F Nov 21 Mammals (guest: Prof. Sorensen) 15 M Nov 24 Chemosynthesis communities Quiz 6 16 W Nov 26 Blue Planet: Deep Trouble (overfishing and marine reserves) 17 F Nov 28 No class - Thanksgiving None M Dec 1 Biological invaders, overfishing; Quiz 6 review 17 W Dec 3 Marine resources and human society 17 F Dec 5 Global warming 18, Reserve* M Dec 8 Global warming and human society 18, Reserve* W Dec 10 Review session Videos are italicized. CIQ=Critical incident questionnaire. *Reserve reading: James Hansen, “Defusing the global warming time bomb,” Scientific American, March, 2004 Several hard copies will be put on reserve at the Circulation Desk of the Walter Library. As a member of the University of Minnesota, you may also access this article online via the university library system. Old: <no text provided> |