Course: ATM688, Atmospheric Science Informal Seminar, spring 2010, 1:30-3:00 pm, Wednesdays, IARC 401 (Attention: Due to a conference some seminars will be in IARC 417, see time schedule)

Instructor: Nicole Mölders
Office: IARC 309

Office Hours: Tuesday 1:00-2:00 pm, Thursday 1:00-2:00 pm Telephone:474-7910
Email: molders@gi.alaska.edu
Internet: http://www.gi.alaska.edu/~molders/syllabus_seminar.html

Course Description: In this seminar series, ongoing research in Atmospheric Sciences is presented by the scientists. This seminar is the oppertunity to get to know about newest research results, ideas and directions long before you can find them published in peer-reviewed journals. Themes that will be discussed cover various aspects of atmospheric remote sensing, air chemistry and climate at various scales. Students will develop skills on how to participate in scientific discussions, which includes interpreting questions, answering questions, techniques for preparing a talk and writing an abstract. Role playing in a small group (i.e. we need at least 5 students in this seminar) will help students develop discussion skills. The abstracts will also be used to introduce students to how a reviewing system works.

Suggested readings/textbooks: I expect that you read the memos that I will distribute in class.

Course objective: At the end of the semester you should be able to understand typical questions in Atmospheric Sciences addressed in talks, put up questions, and contribute to the scientific discussion. You will also have chances to learn how to defend a scientific hypothesis and response to questions of various kind.

General Information:

Attendance: You should attend the seminar regularly. Excused absences are absences arranged and approved in advance or absences due to a documented emergency. Such documentation must be made immediately upon the student's return to class. Please understand that this is a college course - you are expected to be on time for the seminar and have all the required material unpacked. A lateness or unpacking disturbs the seminar and is unfair to the other attendees and the speaker.

Homework: I expect that you read the memos that I will distribute in class and that you prepare for the class as assigned. You will once be asked to write and abstract and once to write a review on two abstracts of your classmates. You will have to revise your abstract according to the classmates comments on your abstract and write answers to the comments.

In-class presentations: You should be able to ask questions and participate in the discussion of the talks. Give the person who is speaking your undivided attention. It is not only common courtesy, but whispering or talking can distract, annoy, and even intimidate students around you as well as myself. Essentially, you should treat speakers as you would like, and expect, to be treated yourself.

Examinations: N/A

Additional policies: All kinds of weapons will not be allowed in the seminar. If you have a disability and require any auxiliary aids, services or accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact me after class, see me in the my office, or call me during the first week of the semester to be able to define specific accommodation needs and have enough time for any necessary planning or preparation. If you have any kind of a physical or learning disability you must tell me about it. All disabilities are documented by UAF's Center for Health & Counseling and instructors receive a formal letter requesting that accommodation are made following student with disabilities. Any student who is an UAF sponsored athletic or who has other personal or situational difficulty that might affect performance is invited to contact me in the first week of the semester (or as soon as such matters emerge) so that ways of accommodating the difficulty may be anticipated.

Grading Policy: This seminar has a pass/fail grade. To pass you have to attend the classes and contribute to the discussion of the talks. Moreover, you are expected to participate in the role plays, read the memos that I will distribute in class and provide the work assigned. Attending the seminars will provide 10 points each (70 total). Contributing to the seminar discussion will be evaluated by maximal 5 points each and I expect 30 points in total in this category. 20 points can be gained from the abstract, review and the revised abstract. The amount of points you gain depends on the quality of your question. A question like "Is the index a 1 or 2 in figure 5?" is allowed, but not evaluated as a serious contribution to the discussion deservable a point. The contributions in role plays, assigned work, and knowledge of the contents of the memos will be evaluated as a total over the semester with maximal 20 points each. A pass grade will be given for 120 points. Missing more than one seminar without reasonable excuse will automatically result in a fail grade.