GEOL 105 - Geohazards

Geohazards is an introductory course for students of all backgrounds aimed at: 1) understanding the geology behind disasters, including earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, sinkholes, landslides, climate change, asteroid impacts, and changes in Earth’s magnetic field; 2) investigating the intersection of risk with society (e.g., how communities and governments evaluate risk and implement risk-appropriate mitigation strategies) and at a personal level (e.g., understanding hazards you may face as homeowners or renters and determining your level of risk aversion). Three meetings (lectures, movie clips, discussions, and activities) per week, one fieldtrip to view sinkholes, landslide debris, and spelunk in the Twin Cities, no lab. Alternate years. (4 Credits)