Current Courses at Vassar
Sunsets at sea are one of the great joys of Oceanography!!
ESCI-153 The Fluid Earth: Oceans, Atmosphere, & the Climate System, Fall 2021
(Formerly ESCI-121 Oceanography)
Earth’s oceans are critical for human societies: They absorb carbon dioxide emissions, provide food and natural resources, and their life generates half of the oxygen we breathe. The oceans’ counterpart, the atmosphere, is where weather systems develop and our planet’s temperature is determined. In this course, we examine the physical, chemical, and biological building blocks of the oceans and atmosphere and how they are changing as a result of human activities. We use observational data as our window into processes such as circulation, sea-level change, and ocean acidification. We also explore case studies of ocean management to determine what can be done to create just and equitable solutions for environmental change in the 21st century.
Here we’re looking at oxygen concentrations in a cross section of the Atlantic ocean, ranging from the North (right) to South (left). Why are oxygen concentrations so variable, and what processes cause these changes? What are the ramifications for oceanic and terrestrial life?
ESCI-277 BIOGEOCHEMISTRY w/ lab, Spring 2021, 2022
Our planet is uniquely suited in our solar system to support complex life. In turn, the engines of biology have altered Earth’s geochemistry in ways that have allowed for the development of higher animals and the establishment of a relatively stable climate system. How do Earth’s biology, chemistry, and geology work together to create the Earth System we know today? Throughout the course we explore case studies from Earth History such as the oxygenation of the atmosphere, the colonization of the continents by land plants, and the advent of calcifying organisms. Lab and field exercises give us a chance to collect and analyze biogeochemical data. In the process, we cement our understanding of biogeochemical cycles and how humanity is altering them today.
These tiny fossil creatures called foraminifera are some of our best recorders of past climate, ocean conditions, and the nature of evolution and extinction.
ESCI-325 MASS EXTINCTIONS, Fall 2020, 2021
It is often argued that our planet today is undergoing the “sixth mass extinction”. What defines a mass extinction in the rock record? What forces are able to cause such immense destruction of life on Earth? And, what are the outcomes of mass extinction for life on the planet? In this course we use the geologic record as our guide to understanding the consequences of asteroid impacts, rapid greenhouse gas emissions, and glaciation for the Earth System. We also explore ongoing controversies in the scientific literature regarding the cause of these catastrophic events. In group discussions, we probe the ways that the context of past mass extinctions can be used to inform conservation policy.
ESCI Course Catalog: https://catalogue.vassar.edu/content.php?catoid=38&navoid=6837
Resources
If you are starting classes similar to the ones above, please reach out and I am happy to share materials!!
Earth Science cannot and does not exist in a vacuum! Science is a deeply human and political endeavor, reflective of the values and biases persisting in society at the time. Here are some resources you can use in teaching/outreach/etc. on colonialism & racism in Earth Science. For more see the work of Geocontext: https://serc.carleton.edu/dev/teachearth/geocontext/collection.html
Deconstructing the History of the Geosciences: A virtual Exhibit by Manavi Jaluka VC ‘22, Lily Tipton ‘22, Monika Sweeney ‘24, and Carolyn Frost ‘22- with more resources!
Colonialism & Racism in Early Oceanographic Expeditions Slides (w/ Sarah Greene & Rehemat Bhatia)
Discussion Prompts/Slides on Peatlands and Science as Modern Colonialism
Discussion Prompts/Slides on Exclusion of Māori knowledge in Ice Core Science