Courses Taught at the University of Minnesota, USA (since 2020)
ESCI 1006/1106, Oceanography. Although the oceans surround us, in many ways they remain more mysterious than the surface of the Moon. The world ocean includes the deepest places and the largest mountains on earth, a dynamic and ever-changing pattern of waves, tides, and currents, and an array of unfamiliar creatures that live in a three-dimensional solution of life-sustaining nutrients. Humans derive great benefits from the oceans in terms of food, recreation, and mineral resources. And the oceans impact our daily lives, even in Minnesota, as a controlling force for weather patterns and global climate. In the short space of a semester, this course will provide an overview of the geological, physical, chemical, and biological processes of this complex and fascinating part of our world.
ESCI 1908, Sea Change: Geological Perspective. This seminar course is intended for first-year students who are interested in understanding how and why the planet has changed in the geologic past and learning how scientists gather evidence of environmental change from marine sediments. We will examine how to use fossils and other evidence for reconstructing sea-level, ancient ocean currents, and abrupt paleoclimatic events and their impacts on marine life. We will discuss major ideas about the driving forces of these past changes. Understanding the geologic past is highly relevant to understanding current and future environmental changes.
ESCI 2203, Earth Surface Dynamics. Earth's surface processes, drivers, and implications. Interactions between atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.
2024
ESCI 1908 (F), Sea Change: Geological Perspective.
ESCI 2203 (S), Earth Surface Dynamics. With Prof. Jake Bailey.
2023
ESCI 1006/1106 (F), Oceanography.
ESCI 2203 (S), Earth Surface Dynamics. With Prof. Jake Bailey and Andy Wickert.
2022
ESCI 1908 (F), Sea Change: Geological Perspective.
ESCI 2203 (S), Earth Surface Dynamics. With Prof. Jake Bailey and Joel Barker.
ESCI 8970 (S), Current Topics: Advanced Studies in Marine Palynology.
2021
ESCI 1006/1106 (F), Oceanography.
ESCI 1908 (S), Sea Change: Geological Perspective.
2020
ESCI 1006/1106 (F), Oceanography. With Prof. Katsumi Matsumoto.
Courses Taught at the University of Victoria, Canada (2004-2019)
EOS 330, Paleobiology. Processes and patterns in the evolution of life through time: extinction, evolution and diversification as recognized from the fossil record. Major events in the history of life. The relationship of biotas to depositional systems: paleoecology, biostratigraphy and paleobiogeography. The major groups of microfossils and invertebrates will be studied with emphasis on their applications in Earth Sciences. Laboratories and field trips will provide illustrative fossil examples.
EOS 313, Introductory Geological Oceanography. An introduction to the geological processes that shape the ocean basins, oceanic plate creation and structure, hydrothermal circulation at mid-ocean ridges, bathymetry, ocean islands, different types of ocean margins, ocean sediments, the sedimentary record of past ocean circulation, coastal geology.
EOS 120, The Dynamic Earth. Internal and external processes that shape the Earth and its landscapes. Nature of tectonic forces, earthquakes, volcanoes, rocks and minerals, and mountain building. Processes of erosion, sediment transport and deposition, and glaciation. Global water cycle and hydrological processes. Geologic record of past environmental change and its impact on life. Natural resources, natural hazards, and sustainability.
EOS 360, The Evolution of Life Through Time. This course is an introduction to the history of the Earth and its life over the last 4 billion years. The primary goal of this course is to introduce students to the complexity of Earth as a physical / biological system. Throughout the course, we will review the major events in the history of life beginning with the oldest known fossils and continuing until the present day.
EOS 525, Research Frontiers in Earth and Ocean Science. This interdisciplinary Earth and Ocean Sciences course examines, in detail, global topics that are current, significant and which require input and integration across diverse disciplines. The specific topics change annually and the subject is team-taught by several SEOS/UVic faculty members.
2019
EOS 330 (S), Paleobiology.
EOS 313 (S), Geological Oceanography.
2018
EOS 313 (S), Geological Oceanography.
EOS 518A (S), Advanced Studies in Marine Palynology.
2017
EOS 330 (F), Paleobiology.
EOS 313 (S), Geological Oceanography.
2016 - 1/2 sabbatical
EOS 330 (F), Paleobiology.
2015
EOS 330 (F), Paleobiology.
EOS 580 (F), Selected Topics in Paleoceanography.
EOS 580 (F), Selected Topics in Paleontology.
EOS 580 (S), Proxies in late Quaternary Paleoceanography.
2014
EOS 330 (F), Paleobiology.
EOS 313 (summer), Geological Oceanography.
EOS 490 (S), Directed Studies in Earth and Ocean Sciences: Environmental Micropaleontology.
EOS 120 (S), The Dynamic Earth. With Jessica Shaw.
2013
EOS 330 (F), Paleobiology. With Manuel Bringué.
EOS 490 (S), Directed Studies in Earth and Ocean Sciences: Selected topics in paleontology.
2012
EOS 330 (F), Paleobiology. With Manuel Bringué.
EOS 313 (summer), Geological Oceanography.
2011 - sabbatical
EOS 313 (summer), Geological Oceanography.
2010
EOS 330 (F), Paleobiology.
EOS 525 (F), Research Frontiers in Earth and Ocean Science. With Dr. Dante Canil.
EOS 490 (F), Directed Studies in Earth and Ocean Sciences: Environmental Micropaleontology.
EOS 580 (F), Environmental Micropaleontology.
EOS 313 (summer), Geological Oceanography.
2009
EOS 330 (F), Paleobiology.
EOS 313 (summer), Geological Oceanography. With Dr. Kathy Gillis.
EOS 580 (S), Selected Topics in Paleobiology.
2008
EOS 330 (F), Paleobiology.
EOS 525 (F), Research Frontiers in Earth and Ocean Science. With Dr. Kevin Telmer.
EOS 313 (summer), Geological Oceanography. With Dr. Kathy Gillis.
EOS 580 (S), Advanced Studies in Marine Palynology.
2007
EOS 330 (F), Paleobiology.
EOS 580 (F), Advanced Paleobiology.
EOS 313 (summer), Geological Oceanography. With Dr. Kathy Gillis.
EOS 360(S), The Evolution of Life Through Time.
EOS 490 (S), Directed Studies in Earth and Ocean Sciences: Quaternary Environmental Micropaleontology.
2006
EOS 330 (F), Paleobiology.
EOS 490 (S), Directed Studies in Earth and Ocean Sciences: Molluscs.
2005
EOS 330 (F), Paleobiology.
2004
EOS 360(S), The Evolution of Life Through Time.
2001
Geog 183-203A, Environmental Systems, McGill University. With Drs.Tim Moore and Michel Lapointe.