Foundational Readings in the Earth Sciences

Catalog description

This class focuses on the reading and discussion of a number of foundational and highly influential papers in the Earth sciences. Topics of papers will cover all aspects of Earth science, including the age of the Earth, plate tectonics, the discovery of planets, climate change, and chaos. The focus of writing assignments and discussion will be on gaining an appreciation for what sets these contributions apart from other science of that time and will include brief discussions about why the authors of the papers are not representative of a diverse world population. Specific Learning Goals: (A) Improving critical thinking and evaluation of groundbreaking ideas; (B) Understanding the scientific context in which breakthroughs are made; (C) Improving communication (written and oral); (D) Understanding the changing diversity of scientists in historical context.