Second Bibliography and Index for the Philosophy of Geology

The body of writings on the philosophy and history of geology has grown in a remarkable way since the end of the Second World War. There is no obvious explanation for this quickening of interest in what are surely the most academic aspects of a science best known for its practical applications. Influences arising both from within and from outside the geological profession have probably been responsible. It is a matter of record that many departments of geology, upon resuming full-time operations after the war, decided not to go on moving in the old curricular ruts. The new courses, even those in the classical geological disciplines, became more analytical, relying less and less upon the memorization of factual material. This trend has called for a rethinking of the basic principles of geology. There has even been some pecking and scraping around that mossy Victorian cornerstone of historical geology, the principle of the uniformity of nature-and some of us have been astonished to find that the shape of the moss is not the shape of the stone

Teaching Climate Literacy Using Geospatial Tools

Antarctica is the world’s coldest, driest and windiest continent. It is a harsh environment that few people will ever see but it is a very important part of our Earth system. Over the past 34 million years the climate in Antarctica has deteriorated from one that supported lush vegetation to the conditions observed today. By studying this trend and the associated changes to ice and vegetation we can gain critical insight into climate changes taking place today. This thesis presents three pieces of curricula that will help students and the general public understand some of the research currently underway in Antarctica while introducing them to geospatial tools that can be used to study climate and other large spatial and temporal events. The first paper guides students through an investigation of changing palynological distributions over time. In the activities described, students will use these data to infer climatic change on different geologic time scales and in different locales. Students will use published data-sets to trace changes in plant assembly over the past 34 million years on the Antarctic Peninsula as well as to understand the demise of the North American Ice Sheet during the last 20,000 years. The activity also introduces the use of GeoMapApp mapping software for the preparation of geo-spatial imagery and data processing. In the second paper, I outline a forensics activity that is based on actual cases where pollen has been used to solve crimes. This paper outlines a method to geo-locate a crime scene by combining Google Earth and data from NOAA’s paleo-climate website. Here the focus is on spatial, rather than temporal, changes in climate and flora. Finally, I present an activity that uses GeoMapApp and multi-beam sonar data from the Ross Sea to find and map megascale glacial lineations which can then be used to infer paleo-ice stream locations and grounding zone wedges that were laid down during the last glacial maximum

ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE COMPUTING AGE

The utilization of computer technology applied to historical artifact investigation has opened a number of locked doors despite numerous concerns by critics. Through the use of computer technology, both scientist and historians now have the ability to perform in-depth investigations into aspects surrounding various questionable historical occurrences. However, some critics feel the application of computer technology could bring unwanted answers to some historically significant events. In this paper I will introduce my research by initially giving a brief background into the evolution of computer technology applied to historical investigation. Through the explanation of various technological tools of the trade, I will attempt to justify computing technology’s practicality through examples such as; finding lost history, science vs. religion, solving mystery, and historical preservation

Adaptation and the Courtroom: Judging Climate Science

Climate science is increasingly showing up in courtroom disputes over the duty to adapt to climate change. While judges play a critical role in evaluating scientific evidence, they are not apt to be familiar with the basic methods of climate science nor with the role played by peer review, publication, and training of climate scientists. This Article is an attempt to educate the bench and the bar on the basics of the discipline of climate science, which we contend is a distinct scientific discipline. We propose a series of principles to guide a judge’s evaluation of the reliability and weight to be accorded a given climate scientists’ claim or opinion. The principles are designed to aid a judge in evaluating whether the expert’s testimony complies with the Daubert test for the admissibility of scientific evidence but are broadly applicable to a judge’s evaluation of agency science-based decisions

Adaptation and the Courtroom: Judging Climate Science

Climate science is increasingly showing up in courtroom disputes over the duty to adapt to climate change. While judges play a critical role in evaluating scientific evidence, they are not apt to be familiar with the basic methods of climate science nor with the role played by peer review, publication, and training of climate scientists. This Article is an attempt to educate the bench and the bar on the basics of the discipline of climate science, which we contend is a distinct scientific discipline. We propose a series of principles to guide a judge’s evaluation of the reliability and weight to be accorded a given climate scientists’ claim or opinion. The principles are designed to aid a judge in evaluating whether the expert’s testimony complies with the Daubert test for the admissibility of scientific evidence but are broadly applicable to a judge’s evaluation of agency science-based decisions

Research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln: 2013-2014 Report

The 2013-2014 UNL Research Report, published by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Office of Research and Economic Development, highlights some of the diverse research, scholarship and creative activity at the heart of UNL’s research enterprise during the fiscal year July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2014. A companion website includes more photos, videos and additional resources

College Catalog, 2014-2015

https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/buffstatecatalogs/1227/thumbnail.jp

College Catalog, 2016-2017

https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/buffstatecatalogs/1231/thumbnail.jp