E&ES 471 - Planetary Geology Seminar


Class Objectives

In this course, we will examine geologic processes as they operate on different planets in the solar system. By doing so, we gain a deeper understanding of the processes themselves. There are many exciting topics to explore on the planets, but we will focus on 4 primary topics and look at them in depth.

The primary objective of the course is to understand the historical development and current status of these topics, to understand the constraints provided by and the tools utilized by different research fields. The exercises are designed to provide you more experience in critical reading of the literature, problem solving and presentation skills. The final project asks that you propose a research project to address a problem in planetary science.

Format

Each student will present a 50 minute powerpoint presentation on a topic assigned by me. You will meet with me 10 days prior to the presentation to discuss the readings and provide an outline of the presentation. You will submit a draft powerpoint of the presentation to me 3 days prior to the date of the presentation.

Each week (except for the weeks of the long presentations), 2 students will be responsible for summarizing the lecture and discussions and preparing materials to be put online. These are due the following week.

Each week (except for the weeks of the long presentations), one student will have a reading assignment for which they will present a 15 minute summary to the rest of the class.

The final project is a research proposal, where you will identify an open problem(s) and propose a project to address this problem(s). The project is due May 14.

Grades and other constraints

Attendance is mandatory. If you cannot attend class for a good reason, let me know ahead of time.

Late assignments will not be accepted and receive a zero.

Your grade will consist of: