Graduate Courses

This course is intended for graduate students in paleontology, evolutionary biology, ecology, and anthropology. Its goal is to present the major tools and concepts employed in the collection and analysis of morphological data (via geometric morphometrics and cladistics) in studies of the systematics, taxonomy, and evolutionary history of organisms, principally animals. Emphasis will be on practice rather than theory, although the latter will appear as motivation for the work. The course requires an exam, and completion of a project employing one or more of the methods discussed. Basic univariate statistics is a prerequisite. Offered irregularly, by demand. (LEC & LAB, 4) 

This course introduces graduate students to successful strategies for designing and reporting on a scientific research project. Each student will choose, with the approval of the instructor, a project of current geological interest on which to work throughout the semester. Students will learn up to date literature search strategies for on-line data bases and reference management tools, practice research proposal preparation, practice scientific review skills, present scientific results, and discuss the process of writing and publishing a professional paper (e.g. thesis, report, manuscript). The most important product of this course will be a research proposal.  The target audience for GLY 501 is all Geology graduate students who are (relatively) new to UB. The course will be most beneficial to students that have not previously completed a graduate degree (e.g. MS or MA students or those who are entering the PhD directly following undergraduate degree completion). Students who have a Master’s degree from another institution or department and who are beginning a PhD may also find the course beneficial. Offered every year. (LEC, 3)

Applied field methods in geology. Geologic field trips and mapping from a mobile base in the western United States. Mapping projects include crystalline rocks in New Mexico and areas of increasingly complex sedimentary structure in Utah and Wyoming. Offered every year. (LEC, 2)

Occurrence and movement of water in the shallow subsurface, and its importance to water resource development and environmental pollution. Basic quantitative techniques for the prediction of water flow through porous and fractured geologic media. Laboratory includes hands on experience with aquifer testing methods, using wells located on campus. Designed primarily for students interested in the fields of hydrogeology, hydrology, environmental geology and environmental and geotechnical engineering, who have not completed a previous undergraduate course in hydrogeology. Offered every year. (LEC & LAB, 3)

Introduces the theoretical background and methods of application for several noninvasive near-surface geophysical imaging techniques, including seismic reflection/refraction, microgravity, magnetics, electromagnetics, resistivity, induced polarization (IP), and ground-penetrating radar. Laboratory provides hands-on experience with the commonest environmental geophysics techniques (i.e., resistivity, IP, GPR, and electromagnetics). The labs will cover discussions of experimental design, data acquisition, processing and interpretation. The demonstrations will involve both numerical and field-scale experiments. Offered every year. (LEC & LAB, 3)

Examines the generation, rise, storage, and eventual eruption of magma on Earth and other solid bodies in the solar system. Presents different magmatic compositions and their behaviors, as well as effects of environmental conditions on magma dynamics. Offered irregularly, by demand. (LEC, 3)

Examines the volcanic deposits on solid bodies throughout our Solar System, including the Moon, Mars, Venus, Io and Europa. Emphasis will be on understanding how different environments affect the mechanics and subsequent deposits of volcanic eruptions. Offered irregularly, by demand. (LEC, 3)

Computer modeling of complex processes is important in a number of geological areas, such as risk assessment, movement of toxic contaminants in an aquifer, and climate.  Students develop knowledge of the processes whereby a geological problem is reduced to a mathematical model, the model is translated into a computer program, and the program is used to produce numerical and graphical results.  The course assumes that students have a good familiarity with digital computers. Any mathematical complexities are explained as the course progresses.  Offered every year.  (LEC & LAB, 4)

Geological disasters to be investigated include volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, landslides, hurricanes, large ocean waves, and floods.  Exercises involve case studies, quantitative risk assessment using probability analysis, and construction of hazard maps. Graduate students prepare and present PowerPoint talks and Posters on case examples. Debate on a controversial topic or a simulated crisis takes place in the last week of the course. Offered every year. (LEC, 3)

Geological research often generates large amounts of data. The problems encountered in analyzing this data along with the appropriate statistical techniques are discussed. The emphasis is on the interpretation of the analysis in terms of solving the geologic problem. Recitation will be devoted to the study of data from real geologic problems from the areas of petrology, sedimentation, mineralogy, paleontology and geomorphology. Offered every year. (LEC, 3)

This course will focus on the fundamentals of groundwater flow modeling from developing a conceptual model to building and calibrating numerical groundwater flow models.  The governing equations for groundwater flow will be solved using a finite difference approach and will center on using the groundwater flow code MODFLOW.  In class we will learn how to set up and solve practical problems relating to groundwater flow using numerical models.  Students are not expected to know a programming language coming into this class.  However, as part of this class we will develop basic skills to solve simple problems in Excel and Mat lab(Python is also available).  At the completion of this course students will be able build and calibrated groundwater flow models as well as conduct flow path and travel time analysis. Offered every year. (LEC, 3)

An examination of volcanic eruptions and their products on Earth, other planets, and on the deep ocean floor, including famous and deadly historic eruptions. Includes investigations into what causes volcanic eruptions and the petrography and structural setting of volcanoes and extrusive volcanic material, as well as the evolution of volcanic constructs through time. Offered every year. (LEC, 3)

Selected topics related to the genesis, unit description, eruption mechanism , and emplacement process of pyroclastic materials.  Theoretical and practical applications including quantitative analysis of data. Offered every year. (LEC, 3)

A study of the principles of stratigraphy as illustrated by the Paleozoic succession of Western New York. Measurement and description of sections, facies changes, biostratigraphy, etc., will be included. Offered every other year. (LEC & LAB, 4)

Stratigraphy emphasizes the analysis of sedimentary strata, the layers of sedimentary (and some volcanic) rocks that cover about 3/4 of the earth's surface. Stratigraphy is the backbone of the geological sciences; it brings together sedimentology, paleontology, petrology and structural geology to reconstruct Earth history. Sequence Stratigraphy goes even further by integrating additional disciples such as geophysics, geomorphology, isotope geochem, and basin analysis through application of integrated data. In this course we will survey the impact of sea-level change, tectonics, and climate on sediment accumulation, with emphasis on sequence stratigraphy and integration of seismic data/techniques and core analysis. This course will cover basics of fluid flow and sediment transport, sedimentary structures and textures, and forming the bridge between modern landforms and ancient rocks' depositional sedimentary environments Offered every year. (Lec & Lab, 1-3)

Explores the spectacular landscapes created by glaciers and ice sheets. The course provides students with knowledge to understand present and past glacier and ice sheet processes, based on the most up-to-date findings and state-of-the-art techniques. Students get hands-on experience by studying the rich ice sheet history of the Buffalo area. This lecture and lab combination provides students with a comprehensive knowledge base with which they can interpret glacier processes and history from a variety of landform assemblages and surficial sediments found across the northern United States. The laboratory consists of map and aerial photograph, computer, and field exercises. Offered every other year. (LEC & LAB, 4)

The course covers the fundamentals of glaciology. It gives students a basic understanding of the main cryospheric processes with a focus on glacier and ice sheet dynamics and the key surface and subsurface processes that control ice motion.  It provides insight into the responses of glaciers to climate change and explores the challenges of predicting glacier and ice sheet dynamics, mass loss and related sea level rise. Throughout the labs the participants will be engaged in rigorous hands-on exercises that will introduce them to the use of remote sensing observations for monitoring glacier and ice sheet changes and to investigate the forcings causing these changes. Offered irregularly, by demand. (LEC & LAB, 3)

This seminar reviews advanced topics in Quaternary Geology, including glaciology, glacial geology, geomorphology and climate change.  Content based on published literature and ongoing faculty and graduate research.  Specific topics covered each semester will vary according to the interests of participating faculty and students. Offered every other year. (SEM, 1-3)

This course teaches the fundamentals of geodynamics to understand the structure and evolution of the solid Earth. The principals of stress and strain, elasticity and flexure, heat transfer, gravity, rock rheology, and fluid mechanics will be applied to understand Earth processes, including plate tectonics and mantle convection, mountain building, earthquakes and faulting, volcanic eruptions, and glacial flow and erosion. In this way, solid Earth processes will be quantified through a combination of observations and theory. The course will also explore the similarities and differences between the structure and dynamics of the Earth with that of the other planets and moons in the solar system.  Offered every other year. (LEC & LAB, 3)

Explores the Earth’s large swings in climate over the past 2 million years, how they are documented, the various dating techniques used to place them into a chronological framework, and the implications for how the Earth’s climate system operates. Focuses on marine sediment, ice core, and terrestrial archives of glacial and interglacial cycles, abrupt climate change, past warm periods analogous to our future world, and techniques used to date these records. Offered every other year. (LEC, 3) 

Students will compare and contrast geologic processes, and the resulting morphologies, on Earth and other solid bodies in the Solar System. Students will become familiar with spacecraft and lander-generated data sets, including how to access them from NASA data repositories and data limitations. Precise topics to be covered will be governed by current NASA Office of Solar System Research missions.  Offered irregularly, by demand. (LEC, 3)

Patterns and meaning of genetic variation in natural populations, species properties and boundaries; selection in its multiple guises; speciation and rates of change in ecological and geological time; the role and limitations of adaptation in evolution and the origin of evolutionary novelties; phylogenetic and biogeographic studies and their relationship to understanding macroevolution. Offered every other year. (LEC, 3)

Practical survey of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), techniques and software as applied to Geology and Hydrology, intended to “jump-start” graduate students who need to use these tools. The course is project-based and focuses on application rather than theory. Offered every other year. (LEC/LAB, 3)

Presents the chemical principles governing natural water chemistry and the behavior of anthropogenic pollutants. Emphasizes topics such as the evolution of groundwater chemistry, thermodynamics of water-rock interactions at low temperatures, and prediction of pollutant fate in aquatic systems. Offered every other year. (LEC & LAB, 3)

This field course will focus on the fundamentals of monitoring groundwater flow, water quality, and aquifer properties.  This field based course will expose students to the basics of setting up groundwater monitoring systems, installing wells, water quality sampling, quantifying aquifer properties, and analyzing field data. Students are expected to have a solid understanding of basic principles in Hydrogeology and/or Groundwater Engineering.  At the completion of this course, students will be able to design and implement groundwater-monitoring plans for a range of environmental studies. Offered irregularly, by demand. (LEC, 3)

This course covers the fundamentals of remote sensing, extraction of geological, biophysical, or land use/land cover information from remote sensing data, and provides guidelines as to how remote sensing data can be used to solve real-world environmental and geological problems. Throughout the course, the participants will be engaged in rigorous hands-on exercises that will introduce them to digital image processing techniques. The participants will learn how to extract and integrate lithologic and environmental information from a wide range of archival remote sensing data, real-time remote sensing data, digital elevation models, and maps. Offered every year. (LEC & LAB, 3)

In this course, students will learn about the processes that affect the fate and transport of organic chemicals in the hydrosphere. Course content will emphasize the study of the behavior of both organic contaminants in surface and ground water environments, with some coverage of the behavior of natural organic geochemical cycles. Upon completion of the course, students are expected to be confident in their use of physical and biogeochemical data to predict the important processes that will affect a particular organic compound in the hydrosphere.Offered irregularly, by demand. (LEC, 3)

This course bridges the gap between traditional descriptive techniques of geo-material characterization and advanced quantitative and experimental geoscientific methods. The course introduces state-of-the-art techniques used in structural geology, rock mechanics, volcanology, and petrophysics for the characterization and simulation of geologic processes. It covers the fundamentals of experimentation on rocks, minerals, magmas, and fluids and how to employ their results to understand and simulate geologic processes. The course is aimed at advanced undergraduate students as well as graduate students interested in learning common experimental techniques, why they are useful and where the limitations to experimental geosciences lie. Topics include the rheology of magmas and lavas, rock deformation and failure, and fluid flow in porous media. The course is accompanied by “hands on” lab work where students apply the theoretical knowledge covered in the lectures in experimental campaigns.Offered every year. (LEC & LAB, 3)

By acquiring information beyond the range of human vision, multi- and hyperspectral imaging sensors enable us to map and monitor the surface composition and conditions of the Earth and other planets. Applications range from mineral exploration and geologic mapping to monitoring environmental and vegetation changes. This course will teach how to process and interpret spectral images using physical models. After reviewing the fundamentals of optical and infrared remote sensing and the basics of image processing, the course will focus on advanced multi- and hyperspectral image interpretation methods. Students will learn how to identify different materials based on their spectral signatures, to perform subpixel-scale detection, and to create thematic maps from spectral images. Examples drawn from a variety of landscapes will illustrate the methods. Offered every other year. (LEC & LAB, 3)

With advances in sensor technology and data acquisition systems, there is growing applications of big scientific datasets in the Earth sciences. Reducing such data to gain insights about the physical world requires not only programming skills, but also the ability to setup basic computational workflow, use of mathematical models and visualization tools to help condense large, complex information into an intelligible report. This course aims to introduce Earth science students to computational methods and computer programming in the widely used MATLAB and python programming environments using Earth-science-specific applications. Computational topics will include numerical and Monte Carlo experiments, data visualization, model-data fusion, intro to machine learning, and uncertainty quantification. The students will obtain experience in the application of these methods through a series of theoretical and computing based exercises. Background in linear algebra and calculus is recommended. Offered every year. (Lec, 3)

Calculus-based course that provides students with the capability to analyze natural fluid dynamical processes. Topics include rheology of surficial materials, hydrostatics and aerostatics, equations of motion for fluid dynamics including Navier-Stokes equation, open-channel flow, kinematic waves, hydraulic jumps, advection-diffusion, dynamical and geometric similarity. Extensive use of computational tools to analyze flows and to organize fluid dynamical data. Offered every other year. (LEC, 3)

Advanced Field Methods is a field course designed to provide students with the capability to map, analyze, evaluate and interpret field data related to complex geological stratigraphy and structures, natural hazards, and Quaternary deposits and learn of the relationship of their geological work to cultural activities, particularly the exploitation of solid-earth resources and risk assessment. Offered irregularly by demand.(LEC, 3)

This interdisciplinary seminar-style and project-based science course relies on subject matter experts from across the UB campus and beyond, encouraging lively discussion of both current events and past developments relevant to our nation's energy and climate future. The main student activity will be a semester-long "Carbon Reduction Challenge", in which student teams apply their scientific knowledge to calculate carbon footprints of partner businesses or organizations by the end of the semester. Students will also learn how to communicate the science effectively with stakeholders. Offered every year. (Lec, 3)

Provides students with a familiarity of the elements that support the concepts inherent in plate tectonics. Demonstrates the application of tectonics to the geological history of eastern North America, primarily the Appalachians. Illustrates the multidisciplinary nature of geological synthesis through in-depth studies of classic areas in the Appalachians. Involves an optional spring field trip to the central and southern Appalachians. Offered irregularly by demand (Lec, 3)

Reviews in advanced hydrogeology based upon published literature, ongoing research, or the participation of visiting scientists. Specific topic will vary according to the interests of participating faculty and students.Offered every year. (SEM, 1-3)

Provides a forum for graduate students and faculty in the volcanology program to present the results of their research and to read and discuss pertinent literature in a critical environment.  This course may be repeated for credit. Offered every year. (SEM, 1)

The first semester of a two-semester course sequence that will introduce students to the fundamental concepts of scientific computing, with particular attention given to algorithms that are well-suited to high performance computer architectures. The first semester will concentrate on computational linear algebra, including iterative and direct methods for solving linear systems and for eigenvalue problems, and the use of BLAS and other public domain libraries. This course is equivalent to CDA 609, CSE 547, CE 620, MAE 609, MTH 667, and PHY 515. Offered every year. (LEC, 3)

Practical experience in skills and techniques of research through association with a faculty member actively engaged in research. May be taken for credit more than once. (Permission of instructor required) (TUT, 1-12) 

Writing and submission of thesis or dissertation under the supervision of the major professor. (Permission of instructor required) (TUT, 1-12)