GEOLOGY 303 – NATURAL DISASTERS – SDSU, Department of Geological Sciences
Summer Abroad 2017 – Corresponding to the first SDSU Summer Session (S1)
~ Lecture and Field Course ~
Instructor: Isabelle SacramentoGrilo, Dept. Geological Sciences, GMCS building
6-week course in June: - In collaboration with Universidade dos Açores UAc, Universidade de Lisboa UL in Portugal, with 4 weeks completely abroad in this 6-week course
Course Location: Azores islands (São Miguel), continental Portugal (Lisbon)
My Office: SDSU, GMCS-228, (619) 594 5607
My Email: (when using email, please give your name)
Website: SDSU Blackboard site http://blackboard.sdsu.edu, Geol Website: http://www.geology.sdsu.edu/
Optional Textbook: “Natural Disasters” by Patrick Abbott, 10th edition (or any other), strongly recommended
Alternative textbooks: “Natural Hazards and Disasters”, by Hyndman/Hyndman, or any other
Needed: bring your laptop with you; bring your RedID with you to all excursions; bring clothes for rainy weather in Azores.
Brief schedule:
Mandatory Pre-Travel Meeting – Geology Department: at SDSU on Monday, 1st May 2017, 4PM (tentative date). You must attend this meeting, as a class requirement. Room TBD.
First Lecture Day – Lisbon/Azores: You must be present in the capital Lisbon, on the 2nd of June 2017, 2PM (or you’re considered late). Room TBD. (should fly from the USA on 1st of June)
Azores – We fly to the Azores island of São Miguel, to the capital Ponta Delgada, on Saturday, 3rd of June. Lecture resumes the following Monday, 5th of June, until Saturday, 17th of June.
First Lecture Day - Lisbon: We fly to Lisbon on Saturday, 17th of June. You must be present in Lisbon on Monday, the 19th of June, 930AM, (or you’re considered late).
Last lecture day – is 30th of June, Lisbon.
Last day of the summer session – will be Friday, 7th July.
This syllabus serves as a binding contract between student and instructor. By enrolling in this course you are agreeing to all terms of this syllabus. The instructor shall retain the right to adjust the course design.
I. COURSE DESCRIPTION:
· This Study Abroad course of 3 units is based on geological hazards in the world that dramatically affect life on Earth, with emphasis on plate tectonic hazards, particularly earthquakes, tsunami, volcanoes, and landslides/coastal erosion. You will gain knowledge of the geologic reasons and tectonic settings that produce natural disasters in the north Atlantic Azores islands and continental Portugal, and will subsequently be able to apply these new-found scientific skills into real field situations. Beyond this academic perspective, you will also get to know the Azores and continental Portuguese culture and some of its language, thereby appreciating the real impact that these natural hazards have on people’s lives here. Students will be enriched with these experiences: bringing the science and the people together, and in one of the most beautiful places in the world, indeed a historical heritage site. Please watch this short YouTube video about the Azores Islands.
· You will also learn which areas are generally susceptible to natural hazards and when these hazards become disasters. You will learn ways to mitigate the ill effects of these disasters.
· It is important to understand the interdisciplinary nature and the connections made in this course, not just the terminology, as this course builds on itself. Exam questions and homework will reinforce this.
· General Education Requirement
This course fulfills the following SDSU General Education requirement: IV EXPLORATIONS - Natural Sciences. As part of an intensive international course, students have special responsibilities. They are expected to be prepared to actively participate in all course activities, meet demanding deadlines, and value learning about different cultural perspectives. It will satisfy 45 contact hours.
II. SDSU OVERARCHING STUDENT LEARNING GOALS/OUTCOMES (SLOs). After completion of this course students will be able to:
· Think logically, critically, and contextually in assessing evidence and arguments from field sites visited.
· Locate, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information, making use of appropriate technologies and rock hand specimens from field sites.
· Speak and write clearly, coherently, and effectively, adapting modes of communication to the audience.
· Explain why the “Earth system” is an integrative system across many scientific disciplines.
· Articulate how the scientific method is used to infer the causes of global-scale changes that are affecting planet Earth through time.
· Identify and describe examples of everyday observations that indicate that Earth is dynamic and ever changing, and how these observations impact our daily lives.
The above overarching goals are intertwined with the following course-specific content goals:
III. CONTENT GOALS. To meet content goals students will learn the following:
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction to the course objectives: overview of the course; recent world disasters. Introduction to the Azores islands: history, geography, tectonics.
1.2 Characteristics and attributes of natural disasters, such as type, magnitude, frequency and recurrence interval, duration, and areal extent; Earth system processes and their interactions with civilization. Human population growth and the consequent lethality of natural disasters.
1.3 Introduction to Physical Geology: Earth’s origin, structure, composition. Mechanical attributes and chemical properties of Earth's interior; types and sources of heat energy that drive the motion of tectonic plates that produce natural events and hazards.
1.4 Major rock groups based on their physical characteristics and modes of formation. The rock cycle and its relationship to tectonic regimes, particularly in the North Atlantic Ocean floor and Portugal. Identification of hand specimens of these rock groups in the multiple planned excursions.
2. PLATE TECTONICS
2.1 Plate Tectonics basic tenets, basic evidence; role of lithospheric tectonic plates and their movements in shaping Earth’s topography, including its mountain ranges and ocean basins.
2.2 Three plate boundaries: detailed description, mechanics, examples in the world. Hot spots: description, mechanics, examples in the world.
3. PLATE TECTONICS AND VOLCANOES
3.1 Introduction to volcanology: types of magmas, eruption styles, volcanic edifices, their origin and tectonic regime.
3.2 Volcano distribution, volcanic hazards, and relationship to eruptions styles, and subsequent impact on people, with world case studies.
3.3 Volcanism of the north Atlantic Azores islands: tectonic regime, compositions, caldera eruptions, imminent hazards to local populations, cultural significance.
4. PLATE TECTONICS AND EARTHQUAKES
3.1 Introduction to seismology: types of faults, scales, stresses, tectonic regime, particularly faults in the North Atlantic ocean ridge and continental Portugal.
3.2 Earthquake distribution, earthquake hazards, subsequent impact on people, with world case studies; Focus on Azores and continental Portugal.
3.3 Historic earthquakes in Portugal, related evidence and cultural significance.
5. PLATE TECTONICS AND TSUNAMI
5.1 Genesis, tectonic implications, special distribution, and effects of tsunami; subsequent impact on people; World case studies.
5.2 Tsunami hazard in the North Atlantic Ocean and Iberia peninsula, focus on continental Portugal.
6. MASS WASTING (LANDSLIDES)
6.1 Major types of mass wasting events, their genesis, triggers, inherent factors, distribution, and tectonic implications.
6.2 Mass wasting (landslide) hazards and subsequent impact on people, with focus on the Azores islands and continental Portugal.
6.3 Weather and severe weather as causes for mass wasting events. Focus on hazards in the Azores islands.
6.4 Coastal cliff erosion and collapse in western Portugal and related hazards. Beach erosion and depletion.
In order to develop these abilities, San Diego State University's General Education program, and this class abroad especially, will allow you to develop and meet the following seven Essential Capacities:
Construct, analyze, and communicate arguments / Contextualize phenomena / Integrate global and local perspectivesApply theoretical models to the real world / Negotiate differences / Illustrate relevance of concepts across boundaries
Evaluate consequences of actions
IV. CLASS STRUCTURE and FIELD COMPONENT:
This class has a substantial field and cultural component, which will be critical and unique amongst other classes you’ve taken. We will spend roughly half our 4-week session in the volcanic Açores islands and half in continental Portugal (all during the month of June).
Locations abroad/Logistics:
· First half of session: Atlantic Azores Island of São Miguel (capital Ponta Delgada). Towns visited will include Sete Cidade, Furnas, and Ribeira Grande, amongst others. The focus is mostly on Plate Tectonics, Volcanism and Volcanic Hazards.
· Second half of session: mainland Portugal, in the capital Lisbon. Locations also visited may include towns like Caparica, Arrábida, Cascais, and Sintra, amongst others. The focus is mostly on Earthquakes, Seismology, Tsunami, and Ocean and Coastal Erosion.
Our Typical Day: The plan is to spend part of the day in classroom, with about 2.5-3 hours of lecture per day, and part in the field, with some walking and light hiking. We may also spend a whole day travelling, with no lecturing, or spend a day with no field trips. Weekends may be utilized as well. You will usually have Sundays off. All this can and likely will change easily, so I encourage you to please be flexible with me.
Regular lectures will start at around 930AM or at 3PM at the host university and run for at least 2.5 hours per day. Between morning and afternoon activities you’ll have a lunch break of about 1.5 hours. Please be prompt to every scheduled activity or lecture, even if it’s changed around. Please check your E-mail frequently.
There will be some guest lecturers from the host countries and we will visit local university classrooms while abroad. You may also interface with students from other countries and universities.
At the end of the 4-week period abroad, you will have about one week to turn in your final reflection paper in BB Turnitin, regardless of where you’ll be at that time (most of you will be back in the USA).
There is a required preliminary meeting with me in May at SDSU (while still in the USA), and you may watch some recorded lectures on class content.
Please refer to the complete Itinerary (subject to change) appended to this Syllabus.
V. REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS COURSE:
GRADING
3 Exams (at 100 points each) ______300
Weekly journal entries (at 25 points each) ______100
Substantial final reflection paper (due in USA) ______50
Total Points: 450
If total possible points = 450, then 405 and above = A; 360 and above = B; 315 and above = C; 270 and above = D; below 270 = F
Straight scale: A=90-100%; B=80-89.99%; C=70-79.99%; D=60-69.99%; and F=below 60%.
[For ex, let’s say your totals= 349 points out of 450; then multiply 349 by 100% and divide by 450 = 77.6%, or a C]
Grades within 2% of a boundary will receive + or – [For ex, let’s say that your overall total = 87.7%, this would be a B; if your total = 88%, this would be a B+. Similarly, a total of 81.5% would be a B-, and a total of 82.5 would be a B.]
If you are taking the course CR/NC, and want to pass the class, you must obtain a C (72%) or higher. A 70% is still a C-, which means that your grade will be NC (a failing grade).
Incomplete: The “Incomplete” grade is only for unforeseen, emergency, tragic, and justified reasons at the end of the term, and only upon a contract stating conditions for completing coursework. It’s not given to students who aren’t doing well and/or may be failing the course. It shall be the student's responsibility to bring pertinent information to the instructor and to reach agreement on the means by which the remaining course requirements shall be satisfied. A final grade shall be assigned when the work agreed upon has been completed. An incomplete shall be made up within 1 calendar year immediately following the end of the term in which it was assigned, or it will be counted as equivalent to an F.
If you think that you are not doing well in class, please ensure that you contact me early on in the session. I will do my best to help you succeed in this class. It is my goal that you learn the concepts and earn the grade that you’d like. Discussing your grade as late as when the session ends is not an option.
Note: No extra credit given to anyone at all. No exceptions! This is work not specified on a course syllabus.
1. EXAMS:
You will have a total of 3 exams: All exams will be in person with me, at the host university (UAc and UL). They may also be given with me, online in Blackboard. You are required to take all exams. No exam shall be dropped. All exams consist of MC, matching, TF questions, interpretation of figures/diagrams, and short answer/essay. You may have to use your laptop or the host computer facilities for exams. Exams can be in mornings or afternoons. Note that the logistics of our exams very likely will change. You’re expected to adhere to these changes.
Exams will cover geological principles covered, as well as local and regional geological experiences and excursions.
Exam questions will be drawn very heavily from my lectures and field trips, given by any instructor, but any material covered by any of your written reflections, documentary films, or guest speakers may be included.
Exam Protocols:
- You will not be allowed to leave the classroom for any reason during exams.
- You will not be accepted into the classroom during an exam if you arrive after the first student left.
- You are not allowed notes or textbooks of any kind during an exam.
- Grading errors or questions, if any, must be brought to my attention within 1 day.
- Handling a mobile phone during exams, as well as ANY other type of electronic devices, including electronic dictionaries and calculators, is expressly prohibited. No exceptions!
- Please read and follow the instructions stated on each test.
- If online test are given: Tests will be timed and you must complete them the first time you open them. You cannot resize or refresh a window, preview a test, or go back on your browser.
Please note: Exams CANNOT be made up, and especially in a short duration course abroad such as this one. I do not make any exceptions to this at all. You must be present to take all exams.
Exam schedule (tentative dates and topics): Time and room of the exams is still to be determined (likely mornings). Your exams are 1 hour long. These topics are also subject to change.