Geo 302d
Syllabus for
Fall 2016
Overview:
The Age of Dinosaurs is an
introduction to Natural History for non-science majors. The course focuses
on current scientific theories and controversies surrounding the evolution and
extinction of dinosaurs. In order to appreciate these issues, the course
presents an introduction to Earth history, plate tectonics, surface geology,
sedimentary processes, fossilization, and related topics. It also
presents an introduction to the theory of evolution, an overview of the
diversity of Life on Earth, along with a discussion on how modern scientists
study the relationships among organisms and interpret the evolutionary history
of Life. The geological and evolutionary processes that have affected the
history of dinosaurs are the focus throughout the course. In the end,
you will learn how Earth history and Life history are intricately intertwined,
and how scientists are using their knowledge of the past to predict what's ahead
for us all.
Instructor:
Dr.
Timothy Rowe
Office: Geology
3.216EA
Office Hours:
Tuesday,
11:00-12:00
Thursday, 11:00-12:00
or by appointment
e-mail:
rowe@utexas.edu
Teaching Assistants:
Lauren English
Tu 3:30 - 5:00, Th 11:00 - 12:30, Th 3:30 - 5:00
William Gelnaw
Tu
2:00- 3:30, Th 2:00 - 3:30
Selva Marroquin M 12:30 -
2:00, Tu 8:00 - 9:30, Th 8:00 - 9:30
Simon Scarpetta M 11:00 -
12:30, M 4:00 - 5:30, Tu 11:00 - 2:30
Charles Withnell M 2:00 -
3:30, Tu 12:30 - 2:00, Th 12:30 - 2:00,
TA office hours will be
announced in Lab.
Course Web Site Homepage:
http://www.geo.utexas.edu/302d/
The course website site will be your source for
information on the class schedule for all lectures, assignments, exams, and
quizzes.
Lectures:
GEO 2.324, Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30-11:00am
Labs:
GEO 3.202; see catalog; your lab schedule is listed by the unique number of the
section in which you are registered
Required Study Materials
(Electronic
versions will be distributed at no cost during the first Lab section bring
your laptop or a thumbdrive):
1)
Text:
The Mistaken Extinction,
by Lowell Dingus and Timothy Rowe, 1998, W. H. Freeman and Co., New York.
Available free, online from the course website.
2)
Multimedia:
The Age of Dinosaurs
CD-ROM, by Timothy Rowe, Kyoko Kishi, John W. Merck, Jr., and Matthew
Colbert, 1998, W. H. Freeman and Co., New York. This software will be
distributed at no cost during the first lab section.
Laboratory/Discussion:
Weekly Lab sections are a required part of the course. The labs provide an
opportunity to examine specimens, as well as a forum for group discussion of
issues raised in the course. Starting Week 2 of the semester, quizzes will be
given in Lab every week.