Earth, Wind, and Fire: Geosciences for Sustainability
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GDXXX |
Dr Katie ReevesModule Leader |
Option - Honours level optional module |
Term One10 weeks |
15 CATS |
9 x 1 hour lectures |
9 x 1 hour seminars |
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Available to students outside GSD on application |
Principal Aims
Geoscience is more than just understanding our Earth’s dynamic processes – it’s about uncovering the connections between our planet, its history, and our place within it. While exploring how our Earth works is crucial for human development, there is also a growing need to integrate geoscience with the three pillars of sustainability: environment, economy, and society. This module, Earth, Wind, and Fire, does just that, by taking an Earth system, nature-based approach to sustainability, and investigating the scientific basis of Earth’s processes and their impact on human development and experiences.
Earth system processes are an integral part of shaping landscapes, cultures, societies, daily life, and our sense of belonging. By interrogating these processes, we can understand how humans live alongside (and utilise) natural processes on Earth, within both creative and destructive environments, and explore our planet’s significance in shaping cultural practices and leading innovation. The dynamic themes of (1) Earth, (2) Wind, and (3) Fire integrates interdisciplinary insights by providing a bridge between science and real-world contexts (and people).
Students will gain the skills to apply geoscientific thinking to global challenges, adopting a holistic, whole-planet perspective. Using case studies, they will map technical geoscientific concepts onto the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, fostering a critical and ongoing engagement with the societal implications of our Earth system. This interdisciplinary approach will empower students to navigate the complex intersections of geoscience, sustainability, and human development in a rapidly changing (natural and anthropogenic) world.
Principal Learning Outcomes
- Understand and map fundamental geoscientific principles onto the Sustainable Development Goals
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Integrate traditional geoscientific understanding with an interdisciplinary approach to understand our planet's role in driving sustainability
- Examine the link between Earth System processes and human development and society, and explore geoscientific responses to global challenges
- Interrogate social geology and how creative tools (e.g. Serious Games) can be used as educational tools to disseminate complex processes
- Critically analyse the complexities, benefits and cultural implications of living with natural processes using a case-study approach
Employability Skills
Indicative syllabus
This module is structured into three thematic sections of (1) Earth (Weeks 1-4), (2) Wind (Weeks 5-7), and (3) Fire (Weeks 8-10). The Earth theme will engage with how Earth System processes are linked to sustainable development, consider social geology and creation (and communication) of knowledge, and how the Earth can shape societies and respond to global challenges. The Wind theme will explore weather and atmospheric processes, before shifting to the cultural, historical, and social dimensions of wind. The final theme, Fire, will explore sustainable responses to volcanology and will explore culture and belonging in volcanic landscapes.
Assessment
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Please note this is indicative only and has not been confirmed.
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Please note: Module availability and staffing may change year on year depending on availability and other operational factors. The School for Cross-faculty Studies makes no guarantee that any modules will be offered in a particular year, or that they will necessarily be taught by the staff listed on this page.