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Undergraduate and Graduate
Texas A&M University faculty and researchers have engaged in a range of education activities related to polar science including: development course work, support of graduate student research, and involvment of students in field work.
Of particular note is the develoment of a directed studies course for undergraduate and graduate students capitalizing on the Intenrational Polar Year 2007-2208
GE0SCIENCE 489/689 - International Polar Year 2007-2008 Directed Study Course
Instructors:
- Mahlon C. Kennicutt II, m-kennicutt@tamu.edu , Office 979-458-0115, Rm. 318C Admin Bldg. MS 1112
- Office hours by appointment
EXAMPLES OF GUEST LECTURERS AND TOPICS THAT MAY BE COVERED IN THE COURSE
| Name | Expertise | Department/Unit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainer Amon | Biogeochemcical fluxes in the Arctic Ocean, land-ocean transport of carbon and nitrogen, chemistry of dissolved organic matter, bacteria and carbon cycling | TAMU Galveston | amonr@tamug.edu |
| David Brooks | Dynamics of shelf, marginal, and coastal seas; western boundary curretn fluctuations; observational and modeling studies in shelf and coastal ecosystems | Oceanography | dbrooks@ocean.tamu.edu |
| David Cairns | Biogeography, landscape, ecology, ecosystem modeling, GIS applications | Geography | cairns@tamu.edu |
| John Hopper | Arctic geology | Geology & Geophysics | hopper@geo.tamu.edu |
| Andrew Klein | Remote sensing, GIS, glacial geomorphology, cryosphere, hydrology | Geography | klein@geog.tamu.edu |
| Alejandro Orsi | Oceanic thermohaline circulation, currents and water mass structure of the Southern Ocean, the role of the Southern Ocean in climate change, | Oceanography | aorsi@tamu.edu |
| Gil Rowe | Benthos and biogeochemical processes | TAMU Galveston | roweg@tamug.edu |
| Gunnar Schade | Atmospheric trace gases and biogeochemical cycles, biosphere-atmosphere interactions, analytical chemistry for the atmospheric aciences | Atmospheric Sciences | schade@ariel.met.tamu.edu |
| Jose Sericano | Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), fate and effects of organochlorine contaminants | Geochemical and Environmental Research Group | jose@gerg.tamu.edu |
| Terry Wade | Environmental contaminants, fate and effects of chemical contaminants, analytical methods for environmental matrices | Geochemical and Environmental Research Group | terry@gerg.tamu.edu |
| Sarah Brooks | Atmospheric aerosols, Ice cloud nucleation, chemical and physical processes of aerosols. | Atmospheric Sciences | sbrooks@ariel.met.tamu.edu |
Course Description:
This course capitalizes on the celebration of the International Polar Year 2007-2008 that will begin in March 1, 2007 and continue for two years to educate undergraduate and graduate students about current “cutting-edge” polar science and research. The International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008 is an unprecedented world-wide focus on science, research, technology and issues in the polar regions of our planet. The IPY 2007-2008 is envisioned as an intense, internationally coordinated campaign of research that will initiate the dawn of a new era in polar science. IPY 2007-2008 will include research in both polar regions and involve strong links to the rest of the globe. It will be multi- and interdisciplinary in scope and truly international in participation. It will educate and excite the public, and help train the next generation of engineers, scientists, and leaders. The IPY will include elements from a wide range of scientific disciplines, including issues related to human populations. The role and importance of the polar regions in earth systems and their interactions with human systems will be emphasized. This course includes a broad overview of the relevant disciplines and topics that define modern polar science with perspectives from the north and the south. The course will be primarily lecture in style with opportunities to participate in actual IPY activities for course credit such as K-12 teaching and informal education activities. The course will include invited lectures by renowned polar scientists. Extensive web based activities and resources will be available during the IPY and will be used to enhance the in-class experience.This is an unique opportunity for learning and exploration with a group of expert Texas A&M University faculty and researchers that have come together to offer a 3 credit-hour one semester course designated GEOS 489/689.
Note: GEOS 489, Section 200 Honors Credit - Honors student written assignments will be expected to be more comprehensive and in-depth than non-honors undergraduate reports. H onor student reports will be graded more stringent on content, clarity, scope, and accuracy. Honor students will be matched with Graduate students to assist in organizing and supervising the team project. Honors students are expected to actively participate in the in-class presentation. Honors student team project grading will take into account the quality of the organization and participation in the team project.
Note: GEOS 689 Credit - Graduate student written assignments will be expected to be more comprehensive and in-depth than undergraduate reports. Grading will be more stringent on content, clarity, scope, and accuracy for graduate student reports. Graduate students will be expected to lead the team projects organizing and supervising the undergraduate participants. Graduate student team project grading will take into account the organization and participation of the team.
Meeting Time and Location: Tuesday and Thursday - 12:45-2:00 PM
Class web site - Updates to the syllabus as well as other course materials will be made available on this course website.
Textbooks and Readings
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Lecture Text - There is no lecture text associated with this course. There are extensive reading lists associated with each topic as summarized in the Course Schedule.
Class Attendance - The university views class attendance as the responsibility of the individual student.
Cellular Telephones - As a courtesy to the instructor and other students please turn off all cellular telephones and two-way pagers before the class begins. It extremely impolite interrupt the class with a cellular telephone call.
Email - All Texas A&M students should use their neo email accounts when emailing the instructor and teaching assistants. Class announcements may be distributed via the neo email system. It is your responsibility to regularly check your neo email account.
International Polar Year 2007-2008 Links
Background Documents on the IPY 2007-2008
Recent Articles of Interest
- Celebrating Polar Science
- Momentous Changes at the Poles
- IPY Means Doing What it Takes to Get to the Ends of the Earth
- Arctic Air Pollution: Origins and Impact
- Perspectives on the Arctic's Shrinking Sea Ice
- Recent Sea-Level Contributions of the Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets
- Sailing the Southern Ocean
- Opening Doors to Native Knowledge
- Boom and Bust in a Polar Hot Zone
- Race to Plumb the Frigid Depths
- For Extreme Astronomy, Head Due South
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