This course will expose students to the principles that underlie our understanding of how the Earth works. The goal of Earth Systems Science is to obtain a scientific understanding of the entire Earth system by describing its component parts (lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere) and their interactions, and describe how they have evolved, how they function, and how they may be expected to respond to human activity. The challenge to Earth Systems Science is to develop the capability to predict those changes that will occur in the next decade to century, both naturally and in response to human activity. Energy, both natural and human-generated, will be used as a unifying principle. Knowledge gained through this course will help students make informed decisions in all spheres of human activity: science, policy, economics, etc.

Directed study for individuals or small groups under supervision of a faculty member.

This course explores the nature and use of digital geographic information systems (GIS) for the analysis and synthesis of spatial patterns and processes through 'cartographic modeling'. Cartographic modeling is a general but well defined methodology that can be used to address a wide variety of analytical mapping applications in a clear and consistent manner. It does so by decomposing both data and data-processing tasks into elemental components that can then be recomposed with relative ease and with great flexibility.