Snapshot Reef, San Salvador Island
"The Notch," San Salvador Island
History of Life on Earth--Global Change in the Biosphere (5 cr.) (Earth Sci 110)
(Syllabus)
The 3.5 billion year history of the biosphere is considered. Major evolutionary and extinction events (i.e., the extinction of dinosaurs) are studied in their paleoecologic context. Climate change and global processes in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere are examined for their role in global change of the biosphere.
Evolution: Contemporary and Interdisciplinary Perspectives (5 cr.) (co-taught with Dr. J.K. McKee) (Earth Sci 315)
(Syllabus)
As the foundational course for the Minor in Interdisciplinary Evolutionary Studies, this course develops an understanding of the interplay among different disciplinary approaches to evolutionary studies. The course considers things such as the historical development of evolutionary concepts, the differing time scales at which evolutionary processes can be observed, modern approaches used to understand evolutionary processes, and the interaction of evolutionary studies in to society.
Carbonate Depositional Systems I (3 cr.) (Earth Sci 602.01)
(Syllabus)
The study of the composition and origin of carbonates, identification of constituents and cement, and consideration of depositional facies models for modern carbonate environments, with an emphasis on Florida and Bahamian carbonates facies. This course has a lecture/laboratory format.
Carbonate Depositional Systems II (2 cr.) (Earth Sci 602.02)
(Syllabus)
Field study of modern and Pleistocene carbonates on San Salvador Island, Bahamas. Eight-day trip studying the geology of San Salvador Pleistocene and Holocene strata and snorkeling on reefs and other modern carbonate depositional environments.
Paleobiology (5 cr.) (co-taught with Dr. L.E. Babcock) (Earth Sci 614)
(Syllabus)
Advanced consideration of paleontological principles, paleontological inference, and evolutionary theory, including patterns and processes, paleoecology, numerical analysis, and fossilization.
Paleoecology (5 cr.) (Earth Sci 615)
(Syllabus)
Concepts and numerical methods for the advanced treatment of autecology, marine community paleoecology, and evolutionary paleoecology in the fossil record.
Seminar in Sedimentology (1-3 cr.) (Earth Sci 801)
Advanced sedimentation topics including petrography, depositional environments, and paleontologic interpretation of sedimentary rocks. Examples include a 4-day field trip to study the paleontology, paleoecology, and depositional environments of the Lower Mississippian Fort Payne Formation of south-central Kentucky.
Seminar in Paleobiology (1-3 cr.) (Earth Sci 810)
Advanced topics in paleobiology: morphology, taxonomy, and procedures; current questions in biostratigraphy, paleoecology, and evolutionary development of fossil floras and faunas.