Hobart and William Smith Colleges

GEO 184—Introduction to Geology

We will explore the form and function of the solid Earth, using plate tectonics as a central paradigm. From this framework, we investigate minerals and rocks, volcanoes, earthquakes, the rise and fall of mountains, the origin and fate of sediments, the structure of our landscape and geological time. We analyze geological resources and the many ways human society interacts with our restless planet.  My course introduces students to geological research through a series of mini research projects that take students from question to reporting results.

GEO 206—Scientific Communication

Scientists communicate to two primary audiences: other scientists and non-scientists.  Each audience has different needs and successful communication requires that the writer keep the audience in mind.  Scientists communicate in a variety of media: technical reports, non-technical articles, literature reviews, research proposals, technical posters, abstracts, and presentations both technical and non-technical.  Each of these modes integrates verbal and visual elements.  This course will explore each of these eight modes to help students already familiar with scientific content to become better communicators.  We will begin by a close reading of examples of each mode of scientific communication to examine their elements, style and the ways in which the writer addresses the needs of the audience.  Then students will compose in that mode.  Composition will be followed by workshopping, detailed peer review and revision.  This course is designed for students who are already familiar with technical content and will not address the principles of scientific reasoning or practice.

GEO 207—Statistics and Design in the Earth and Environmental Sciences

Investigation design and statistical analysis of data are intimately linked.  This course will explore these facets of the scientific process iteratively.  We will examine probability and sampling, study design and data integrity, hypothesis generation and testing, and data analysis using descriptive statistics, t-tests, chi-squared applications, one- and two-way analysis of variance, correlation, time series analysis and linear regression.  We will also introduce multivariate methods of data structure exploration.  Students will practice concepts by designing investigations in the realms of Earth and environmental science, gathering and/or assembling data from other sources and analyzing it using the R statistical computing environment.

GEO 375—Earth History

This course develops the methods by which the Earth's history is deciphered. It looks at tectonics, sedimentary rocks and their structures, fossils and the fossil record, organic evolution, climate evolution and various ways of delineating geological time, using careful analysis of key moments from Earth's past. We investigate problems in the field and stress observation, data aquisition, synthesis, interpretation, and reading and writing in the primary scientific literature.

DATA 353—Data Analytics Capstone

This course concludes the Data Analytics minor. In it students learn to wrap their visualization, analytics and modeling in an interactive user dashboard with Shiny. Students complete two projects: One reflecting data from their own domain focus and one responding to the needs of a "client" who is selected each semester. In the DATA capstone, students will refine their coding skills as well as pracicing the "soft" skills needed by data analysts: listening, problem-solving, creativity, persistence, communication, teamwork, and ethical judgement.