GEO 2350 - Field Studies: Wasatch in the Field 2018Overview: Description For this field course students will investigate the local geology of the Wasatch Range in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Big Cottonwood Canyon, Antelope Island State Park, Wasatch Mountain State Park, Park City, Heber Valley, and the Jordan River. We will spend two full weekends driving roads, hiking trails, making observations, and collecting real data in the field to investigate geologic problems. This field data may include the collection of: 1) soil samples to be analyzed for heavy metals in the field using a hand-held x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer and 2) water samples for analysis for water quality parameters such as dissolved oxygen (DO) and acidity (pH). Students will learn about the local geology, give mini-presentations on chosen topics in the field, and learn how to use the XRF analyzer, water quality meters, GPS device, and map the data using GIS. Lab class time will be spent learning how to use the field tools, preparing for you mini-field presentations, and analyzing data. These are resume builder skills and look good to employers and transfer institutions.
Everyone will do an independent research project that generates new knowledge and contributes to science. Students may choose from a list of suggested projects or develop their own with my help. Some students may want to use the data we collect during the weekend field trips as the foundation of their research project. Others may want to use these new field analysis skills to go collect new and unique data (such as metals in soil and water quality in a different river) to solve a problem that they have identified. In all cases, students will work with your professor to develop their own hypothesis or research question, and develop a plan for how to test it. Data will be collected in the field and analyzed in lab and mapped in GIS. Students will read about their topics in the literature and interpret their results in a research paper. From the text of the research paper, student will construct a poster and a PowerPoint presentation. This will be an amazing and transformative experience and show how doing science is actually really fun and interesting. The research paper and poster will be turned in on the last day of class (Lab 6) and each student will give a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation. Further, students can expand on this work, improve their poster, and present it at the March 2019 SLCC Research Symposium. This type of independent work looks good to transfer institutions and employers and can lead to internships.
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