Scribner Seminar Program
Course Description
Dangerous Earth: Climatologic and Geologic Disasters
Instructor(s): Kimberly Marsella, Environmental Studies (F05) and Amy Frappier, Geosciences
(F10 & F14)
Who will be the victims of the next natural disaster? When, where, and why will it
occur? Can we safeguard our communities? In this seminar, students examine the diverse
ways in which climatologic and geologic phenomena influence human lives and activities,
the root causes of disaster phenomena, and the principles that render seemingly random
natural disasters comprehensible and predictable. Through case studies and research
projects, students will investigate a variety of hazards, such as floods, droughts,
hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis, and will explore the extent
to which these events are regulated by cyclic and/or periodic earth processes. This
will enable students to make predictions and develop scenarios to mitigate against
potential effects of future natural disasters. We will also examine the influence
of diverse cultural perspectives about the causes and effects of natural disasters
on a community's ability to respond effectively to a disaster event.
Course Offered