Summer Field Geology 2010
Ruth, Nevada

Presented by Departments of Geological Sciences at California State University Long Beach (CSULB) and California State University Northridge (CSUN).

GEOL 450

June 9 to approximately July 9, 2010
Final Report due approximately 10 days later.

Instructors: Nate Onderdonk (CSULB) and Doug Yule (CSUN)

• Instructor Schedule
• Contact Information
• Synopsis
• Field Station Facilities and Policies
• Course Description

Instructor Schedule

Onderdonk: TBA
Yule: TBA

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Contact Information

Robert D. Francis, Chair: (562) 985-4929, rfrancis@csulb.edu (on campus)

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Synopsis

It is a 4-unit course, with four weeks of field work, June 9 to about July 9, and a final report due about 10 days later.  Pre-requisites include an introductory field mapping course (unless fundamentals are covered in other courses), igneous and metamorphic petrology, sedimentology/stratigraphy, and structural geology.

The course will be based in Ruth, Nevada close to the major town of Ely. Students will be housed at the field station owned by Mackey School of Mines at University of Nevada, Reno. The field station has dormitory housing, showers and indoor facilities, kitchen and dining room, and study rooms. Field vehicles will be provided by CSULB and CSUN for travel to and from the field site from Long Beach and in the field each day. Mapping will be carried out in the White Pine  Range.

Total Fees for the 4-unit course is set at $2588.60, including a course fee which covers the cost of transportation, all meals and field station facility fee. Any unused part of course fee will be refunded.

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Field Station Facilities and Policies

CSULB students with the direction of the faculty will plan menus, buy groceries and cook all meals as well as clean dishes and maintain the kitchen. In addition, students will have facility cleaning duties, and a final cleaning must be completed before students can depart the field station.

Students should bring some or all of the following:

• Sleeping bag or sheets and blankets
• Pillow
• Toiletries
• Towels, soap, shampoo
• Sandals for shower
• Slippers and robe

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Course Description

Field Mapping will be taught in a part of the White Pine Range north of the field camp. Students are expected to be in the field each day, except for the one off-day per week. Field policies will be explained at the field site. All grading for the course will be based on work in the field, regular assignments based on the field work, possible field tests, and a final report.

Students will be introduced to the field area and some guidance will be given to where they should map. However, students are expected to take the initiative in mapping, describing and studying the geology. Field and office maps will be checked regularly by the instructors with field maps being checked on an almost daily basis. These checks will not be used in determination of the final course grade; instead, they are the most important means of providing feedback to students on their mapping ability and they are the primary means of instruction.

Although it is expected that students will relax and socialize in the evenings, students also are expected to work in the evenings, taking care of such duties as updating office maps, completing assignments, and reading pertinent literature.