Geology: Interdisciplinary Earth

Introduces theory, practice, and real-world examples of advantages and challenges of interdisciplinary approaches. This includes an understanding of natural science principles, but also a critical interrogation of origins and issues related to the prevailing, often exclusive, culture in natural sciences. Drawing from examples in the geosciences and critical zone science, medicine, and engineering, students will be engaged in discussions on science, sustainability, data analyses, teamwork, and communication.

Open to Degree and PACE students

Welcome! This course examines the intersection of various scientific disciplines to address global challenges related to sustainability. You will explore the disciplinary vs. interdisciplinary context, integrate the historical context of knowledge production, including its colonial history, and the dynamics of knowledge transmittance. Through this, we will discuss how diverse experiences, epistemology and identities shape interdisciplinary research. You will also critically engage with the nature of science, tools for analyzing data, and the use of both inductive and deductive reasoning. Mid-semester, we will integrate team dynamics, exploring effective communication in science and the importance of collaboration across disciplines. This course fulfills the Natural Science (N1), Quantitative and Data Literacy (QD), and Sustainability (SU) requirements for the Catamount Core.

In this interdisciplinary course, you can expect to encounter a mix of familiar and new material. Some topics may closely align with your interests or major (if declared), while others may push you outside of your comfort zone. This is intentional—embracing diverse perspectives and methods is essential to interdisciplinary sciences. Regardless of the topic, you are expected to be fully present, both mentally and physically, bring your own perspective, and remain open to other viewpoints and ways of doing things.

Your performance will be evaluated through a combination of pre-meeting quizzes, open-book quizzes, a reflection on sustainability and a group project. These assessments are designed to evaluate your understanding of scientific thought and data analysis (N1, QD), your ability to work with data and draw conclusions from real-world examples (QD), and your understanding of the complex dimensions of sustainability (SU). You will also participate in group exercises and reflect on the importance of collaboration and team functioning. Tools like iClicker and Yellowdig will help track engagement.