Through biogeochemical cycles microbes influence the chemical composition of all of our habitable environments. They are found in the most extreme environments on Earth, from the upper atmosphere to the depths of our oceans as well as in the deep subsurface of Earth’s crust. In this seminar, we will examine tracers and proxies for microbial activity present in rock, sediment, soil and porewater. Environments to be studied include hydrothermal vents, deep sedimentary basins, early Earth and possible extraterrestrial habitats.

The majority of Earth’s volume is composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks, which originate through processes that operate deep beneath earth’s surface, driven by the movement of tectonic plates. Igneous and metamorphic rocks preserve an interpretable record of the creation and modification of continents, mountain building, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. The formation and existence of these rocks, in turn, modulate global volatile cycles, and the evolution of life on earth.

The majority of Earth’s volume is composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks, which originate through processes that operate deep beneath earth’s surface, driven by the movement of tectonic plates. Igneous and metamorphic rocks preserve an interpretable record of the creation and modification of continents, mountain building, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. The formation and existence of these rocks, in turn, modulate global volatile cycles, and the evolution of life on earth.

(Offered as GEOL-253 and ENST-253) Geospatial inquiry is an iterative creative process that involves asking, answering, and communicating the results of questions using data linked to geographic locations. The anticipated results of this process are thoughtfully assembled maps and geographic datasets that serve as accessible, persuasive, and even beautiful means of conveying large amounts of complex information. Geospatial thinking is a critical skill for pursuing a systems-based perspective on our rapidly changing and interconnected world.

(Offered as GEOL-253 and ENST-253) Geospatial inquiry is an iterative creative process that involves asking, answering, and communicating the results of questions using data linked to geographic locations. The anticipated results of this process are thoughtfully assembled maps and geographic datasets that serve as accessible, persuasive, and even beautiful means of conveying large amounts of complex information. Geospatial thinking is a critical skill for pursuing a systems-based perspective on our rapidly changing and interconnected world.

(Offered as GEOL-253 and ENST-253) Geospatial inquiry is an iterative creative process that involves asking, answering, and communicating the results of questions using data linked to geographic locations. The anticipated results of this process are thoughtfully assembled maps and geographic datasets that serve as accessible, persuasive, and even beautiful means of conveying large amounts of complex information. Geospatial thinking is a critical skill for pursuing a systems-based perspective on our rapidly changing and interconnected world.

How well do you know the planet on which we live? In this course we will explore Earth from its core to its surface, from the mountains to the deep ocean basins, from the past and present to the future. The  earth is an evolving and dynamic system, changing on time scales that range from seconds, to millennia, to eons: volcanos erupt, earthquakes vibrate the globe, continents separate and collide, and mountains rise only to be worn away and rise again. What physical processes drive this dynamism? How does the restless nature of Earth impact our residency?

How well do you know the planet on which we live? In this course we will explore Earth from its core to its surface, from the mountains to the deep ocean basins, from the past and present to the future. The  earth is an evolving and dynamic system, changing on time scales that range from seconds, to millennia, to eons: volcanos erupt, earthquakes vibrate the globe, continents separate and collide, and mountains rise only to be worn away and rise again. What physical processes drive this dynamism? How does the restless nature of Earth impact our residency?

How well do you know the planet on which we live? In this course we will explore Earth from its core to its surface, from the mountains to the deep ocean basins, from the past and present to the future. The  earth is an evolving and dynamic system, changing on time scales that range from seconds, to millennia, to eons: volcanos erupt, earthquakes vibrate the globe, continents separate and collide, and mountains rise only to be worn away and rise again. What physical processes drive this dynamism? How does the restless nature of Earth impact our residency?

The global ocean is one of the defining features of our planet’s surface. It regulates weather patterns, sculpts the coasts of the continents, and contains records of the past 200 million years of earth's climate in sediment on the seafloor. In this course we will develop an understanding of the global marine system through study of its interconnected geological, chemical, physical, and biological processes. These fundamental principles include seafloor spreading, the transport of heat from the equator to the poles, and cycling of nutrients and organic matter by plankton.