Environmental Geology

Knowledge gained through study of the geosciences is essential for the future sustainability of life on our planet. This course explores the intersection of geoscience features and processes with several of humankind?s critical needs: the sustained supply of energy, water, soil and mineral resources; the reliance of land- and ocean-based ecosystem services on underlying geoscience systems; and risk mitigation and resilience building in response to natural and human-made hazards. We will examine the current state of the energy-water-climate-food nexus and predictions for its future to improve understanding of the complex linkages between the geosciences and society. We will also practice quantitative characterization of geoscience datasets such as statistical descriptions of data, model design and hypothesis testing, and the limits of predictions and inferences drawn from real-world data.