Cal Poly Pomona, Geological Sciences Department

GSC 350: Natural Disasters - Winter 2008

Professor: Dr. Jeff Marshall

Lecture: Tu & Th 10:00-11:50, Rm. 4A-634

Office: Bldg. 4, Room A-406

Text: Natural Hazards & Disasters (Hyndman)

Phone: 869-3461

Exercise Manual: Practical Earth Science

E-mail: marshall@csupomona.edu

Exercises (Nourse, Marshall, & Berry)

Office Hours: Mo & We 10:00-12:00, Th 1:30-2:30

WEEK

DATES

LECTURE TOPIC

EXAMS

READING

1

1/8, 1/10

Disaster Fundamentals: Earth Systems, Energy, and Population Growth

Ch. 1

2

1/15, 1/17

Catch My Drift: The Dynamic Earth & Plate Tectonics

Ch. 2

3

1/22, 1/24

What's Shakin'?: Faults & Earthquakes

Ch. 3 & 4

4

1/29, 1/31

Waves Gone Wild: Tsunami Disasters

Ch. 5

5

2/5, 2/7

The Burning Ring of Fire: Volcanic Eruptions

EXAM #1 (Th 2/7)

Ch. 6 & 7

6

2/12, 2/14

Look Out Below!: Landslides & Debris Flows

Ch. 8

7

2/19, 2/21

The River's Rising: Storms, Rivers, & Flooding

Ch. 11 & 12

8

2/26, 2/28

Blown Away: Hurricanes & Tornadoes

Ch. 14, 15, 19

9

3/4, 3/6

An Inconvenient Truth: Climate Change

Ch. 10

10

3/11, 3/13

Poly-i Reports: SoCal Disaster Project Presentations (Tu 3/11)

EXAM #2 (Th 3/13)

Ch. 18

11

Finals Week

No Exam During Finals Week!

GRADING:

Exam #1

25%

Exam #2

25%

Homework Assignments

20%

Poly-i Report Fact Sheet

15%

Class Presentation

15%

Total

100%

Exams:

The two exams will cover material from the lecture, readings, videos, and homework assignments. They are non-cumulative.

There will be no make-up exams without a documented emergency or prior consultation with the instructor.

Homework Assignments:

Periodic homework assignments will be given in class. While you may consult with other students while completing these

assignments, the work that you turn in for grading should be written in your own words and should reflect your own

individual effort. No late work will be accepted.

Poly-i Report Fact Sheet & Class Presentation:

Each student will work in a team with one other classmate to create a "Poly-i Report Fact Sheet" on a Southern California natural disaster.

You and your partner will also give a class presentation at the end of the quarter. More information will be provided in a separate handout.

Participation:

Students are expected to attend all class sessions, take careful notes, ask questions, and join in class discussion.