Geology of Coal, Oil, and Nuclear Energy

Catalog description

This course covers the fundamentals of coal, oil, and nuclear, with an emphasis on their environmental and climate impacts. Concepts to be developed include the geologic formation of these materials, their relationships with the biosphere and geochemistry, and the long-term environmental consequences of their extractions. Students will conduct specimen and data analysis, field sampling, and lab work in order to examine local environmental impacts related to mining and drilling, as well as global impacts related to climate change. Emphasis will be placed on the scientific process, and how scientists obtain, process, and interpret data. No previous scientific training is required; however, a basic proficiency with data analysis in Excel or R is beneficial, as this course will rely heavily on data analysis.