12 EC
Semester 1, period 1
5264VAG12Y
| Owner | Master Earth Sciences |
| Coordinator | dr. Harry Seijmonsbergen |
| Part of | Master Earth Sciences, |
Central research themes are centered around the following topics
Due to the corona pandemic this years fieldwork on Tenerife Island has been cancelled. Instead, alternative excursion sites will be visited in the Netherlands: this means that the focus of central theses will be different. Less focus will be put on theme 1. an additional theme 6 has been added, that can be studied in-depth in the Netherlands.
Course set-up:
Theoretical information from lectures and a literature study, and preliminary GIS and remote sensing data analysis will be used to formulate research objectives and accompanying research questions that fit into one of the central research themes. The Dutch template of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) research proposal format will be used to write a proposal that has; title and general information of the applicants, scientific summary, summary for the general public, experimental design, descriprion of the proposed research, time table of the project, scientific embedding of the project, knowledge utilisation, budget and statement by the applicants. See the detailed NWO template on the Canvas site for details. Students will gain practical experience during field visits in three contrasting areas in the Netherlands: Texel Island, Rhenen (Veluwe) and South-Limbourg.
To prepare for the geodiversity and geosystem services approach, several assignments to evaluate geodiversity for Texel and Limburg will be made and digital datasets will be available for analysis, such as 1:50K geological, geomorphological and soil maps, as well as high resolution elevation data derived from LiDAR. In a separate technical log all data, models and metadata descriptions will be included. The research proposal is presented during a second presentation. All procedures, templates are published on Canvas and discussed during lectures, discussion meetings and in the field.
In addition, this course informs on the structure of the Master Earth Sciences, which includes:
Selection of research articles, short PowerPoint-presentations and hand-outs will be published on Canvas
An short excursion guide-line will be handed out before the field visits
GIS and RS basic exercises are available from Canvas; assignments on geodiversity will be available on Canvas; ArcGIS Pro will be available for installation on own laptops
ArcGIS Pro and other software
Precise activities will be published on the Canvas digital learning environment before and/or in the first week of the course.
| Activity | Contact hours | Activities for students | |
| Zoom lecture meetings and discussion groups (16) | 32 | Get inspired, informed, curious, get ideas and distill links between all topics, relevant for the design of an innovative and interesting research proposal and thorough contributon to the field visits Texel, Limburg and Rhenen | |
| Computer practical (10) | 40 | Use this time to support your deliverables (practical work and proposal) with digital data of your area by collecting / analyzing digital information. Use GIS and remote sensingtechniques for some basic technical procedures (clipping, masking, digitizing, printing various maps etc.). Examples available on Canvas. | |
| Presentation I and II | 8 | Team presentation using PowerPoint to communicate your literature review and your proposal to fellow students and staff | |
| Excursion/field visits | 40 | Practical field experience to relate geodiversity, ecosystem services and landscape management in contrasting environments (Texel, Rhenen and S-Limbourg) | |
| Self study (writing, reading) | 216 | Time around all other activities for preparing the deliverables (reading, (re-)writing, analysis using computer/statistical software/models etc.) | |
| Total | 336 |
This programme does not have requirements concerning attendance (TER part B).
Additional requirements for this course:
During the course you will be working in a team of two students. Diversity in background will ensure skills and knowledge necessary for successfull completion of this course are available within teams. We encourage teams composed of a Dutch student and a foreign student. Also, it would be great to have students of various track interest (EM, FPES and GED) mix in a team.
| Item and weight | Details |
|
Final grade | |
|
0% Assignments | |
|
25% Literature review | Must be ≥ 5 |
|
10% Presentation-I | Must be ≥ 5 |
|
25% Practical report | Must be ≥ 5 |
|
10% Presentation-II | Must be ≥ 5 |
|
30% Proposal and digital supplements | Must be ≥ 5 |
Evaluation criteria / grading information will be published on the Canvas Learning Environment. For each type of assignment (presentation, excursion/fieldwork, practical report) we use rubriks for assessment. These will be published on Canvas.
Deadlines - hand in via the Canvas digital learning platform:
1. Hand in literature review: Monday 21/9
2. Hand in Presentation 1: Friday 18/9
3. Hand in Practical report: Monday 5/10
4. Hand in Presentation 2: Friday 23/10
5. Hand in Proposal and digital supplements: Friday 23/10
The manner of inspection will be communicated via the digitial learning environment.
You will receive individual and / or group-wise feedback on each of the grading components using rubriks . You will receive an invitation for the evaluation of the final grading.
A team of two students write a short literature review. The topic is based on information from the lecture meetings and discussions and by developing ideas, research objectives and research questions that fit within this year's topics - geodiversity and geosytem services
The practical report presents the findings of the GIS-assignments and the field visits.
A two-days excursion on Texel island and to Limburg will cover contrasting physical geographical and geo-ecological regions. The active marine, dune and tidal environment on Texel will de discussed in the context of geodiversity, management and geosystem services. Exercises to link geodiversity and geosystem services are tested at Hooge Berg and the Slufter area to contrast natural and human systems.
In Limburg fossil processes (river terraces, loess sequences, chemical and physical weathering) and landforms as well as their significance for geodiversity and geosystem services will be illustrated in the field and studied along a catena gradient as part of practical work.
I. Students present their findings of the literature review . Topics cover specific elements of the geodiversity and/or ecosystem services and their links, from a science-based perspective.
II. Students present and 'defend' their proposed research.
Goal is to gain experience in presenting a research in an effective, convincing way, supported by scientific information and data.
Students write their proposal, based on the information gained during lectures, self study, GIS-assignments related to Texel and Limburg and field experience gained on geodiversity and ecosysten services. The proposal is supported by GIS-based maps, tables and/or other supporting materials prepared by the students. The topic includes geodiversity and ecosystem services, which are framed to a clear research area in the |Netherlands. Only in close communication with staff other areas can be selected.
The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl
| Week nr. | Activities | Hand in assignments | Deadline |
| 36 | Zoom lecture / discussions, master info, self study | ||
| 37 | Zoom lectures, GIS-practical, master info, self-study, Veluwe field visit | ||
| 38 | Lectures, GIS-practical, self-study, presentation | Presentation I; geodiversity & ecosystem services | Thursday 19/9; Friday 20/9 |
| 39 | Excursion and field visit Texel island | ||
| 40 | Excursion and field visit Limburg | ||
| 41 | Continuation course, self study, GIS, study plan | ||
| 42 | Self study, Lab/GIS, study plan | Digital data / field visit report | Friday 25/10 |
| 43 | Self study | Presentation II; Proposal | Friday 25/10 |
The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.
This year's course has a different structure compared to previous years as the reult of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Staff and students will unformtuanletly have less face-to-face interaction, because only a limited amount of teaching is allowed at our Science Park. Also, the fieldwork on Tenerife Island has been cancelled, due to the insecure circumstances and the accompanying difficult logistics. Regulations from national and local authorities may change from time to time - therefore the program may differ from the information presented in this manual - when necessary, announcements will be posted via Canvas.
We will remain in the Netherlands and we selected 2 two-days working excursions on Texel Island and Limburg, as well a 1-day excursion to the Oostvaardersplassen.
The students that enrolled in this course will receive practical information about the final content and set-up of the course via email or via the digital learning environment in the third week of August.
Knowledge of earth sciences and basic GIS knowledge are helpfull; contact the coordinator before the start of the course for updating or refreshing of these issues. This is not mandatory; you will be part of a group of students with various skills, that, in combination, are well prepared for this course.