Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Other Staff
Simon George
Contact via simon.george@mq.edu.au
E7A 514
Send email to book time
Unit Convenor
Ed Saunders
Contact via ed.saunders@mq.edu.au
E7A 403
Send email to book time
Lecturer
Bruce Schaefer
Lecturer
Craig O'Neill
Lecturer
Michael Gillings
Lecturer
David Christian
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
12cp
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This is a broad-based interdisciplinary science unit which aims to present a non-technical overview of recent ideas in astrobiology, which is about the origin of life on Earth and the possibility of finding life elsewhere in the universe. The presentation is suitable for students without any science background. The unit presents an integrated view of science across a broad range of disciplines (geoscience, biology, astronomy, cosmology and organic chemistry); looks at some of the 'big questions' (such as the origin of the Universe; what is life?; are we alone?; early Earth; and the search for life on Mars and outer solar system moons); and presents science as it is actually done, not just as a set of facts.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Due |
---|---|---|
On-line quizzes, lectures | 8% | various |
On-line quiz: solar system | 2% | 8/3/2015 |
On-line quiz on meteorites | 2% | 29/3/15 |
On-line quiz, macroscopic life | 2% | 5/4/15 |
On-line quiz on rocks | 4% | 3/5/15 |
On-line quiz, VFT | 2% | 10/5/15 |
On-line quiz on biomarkers | 4% | 24/5/15 |
Assignment 1 | 11% | 20/3/15 |
Assignment 2 | 15% | 27/4/15 |
Assignment 3 | 20% | 15/5/15 |
Unit exam | 30% | Session 1 Exam period |
Due: various
Weighting: 8%
On-line quizzes on each learning module
Due: 8/3/2015
Weighting: 2%
On-line quiz on solar system formation
Due: 29/3/15
Weighting: 2%
On-line quiz on meteorites
Due: 5/4/15
Weighting: 2%
On-line quiz on macroscopic life
Due: 3/5/15
Weighting: 4%
On-line quiz on rock identification (Rock practical)
Due: 10/5/15
Weighting: 2%
On-line quiz on Virtual Fieldtrip computer exercise
Due: 24/5/15
Weighting: 4%
On-line quiz on biomarker identification (Biomarker practical)
Due: 20/3/15
Weighting: 11%
Assignment 1: Paper Review (800 words approx.)
Due: 27/4/15
Weighting: 15%
Assignment 2: ALH84001 table
Due: 15/5/15
Weighting: 20%
Assignment 3: Lander project (1,500 words min., maximum 3000)
Due: Session 1 Exam period
Weighting: 30%
Unit exam
The Unit will be presented in 4 broad themes:
1. Life and The Universe: (cosmology, Astronomy and space, Geoscience). What is life? Concepts about the origin of life; Origin of life; Origin of the Universe; Formation of the Solar System; What meteorites tell us.
2. Life and Rocks on Early Earth and Mars: (Astronomy, Geoscience). Formation of the Earth; Early Earth and Mars environments; The first billion years of life.
3. Biology of Life and Habitability (Biology, Astronomy, Chemistry). The environments of the planets; Molecular biology and predictions about the earliest organisms; Biomarkers as proxies for life.
4. Life Elsewhere, SETI: (Astronomy, Chemistry, Astrobiology). The diverse places that life can live (Extremophiles); The chemistry of space; Extra-solar planets; Are we alone (SETI)?
Classes:
Attend one two hour lecture, and a one hour practical/tutorial each week.
Lecture: W5A Price Theatre (W5A 230), Tuesday 16:00-17:00 and 17:00-18:00. This will usually be two separate lectures, stopping for a 10 min break approximately half way.
Practicals/tutorials: E5A 210, 7 classes:
1. Monday 10:00-11:00 (Practical 05)
2. Monday 11:00-12:00 (Practical 06)
3. Monday 12:00-13:00 (Practical 07)
4. Tuesday 11:00-12:00 (Practical 04)
5. Tuesday 12:00-13:00 (Practical 01)
6. Tuesday 14:00-15:00 (Practical 02)
7. Tuesday 15:00-16:00 (Practical 03)
Practicals and lectures start in Week 1 (23 to 27 February), please come along, it is important to start straight away! Note that this first week of study is also termed O-week.
Late enrolments
If you enrol late in the unit, you will have already missed one or more lectures. It is your responsibility to catch up. Also, you will still be expected to submit all three assignments within the remaining time.
Lectures, availability of lecture material and attendance requirements
It is the policy in this unit that students will normally attend the two hours of lectures per week, and one practical/tutorial, and make their own notes from the lectures. It is expected that many of the lectures will be interactive, with questions and answers throughout. Lectures will be recorded using Echo 360, and files of the lecture graphics will also be made available through iLearn. These will be particularly useful for revision purposes. Many of the practicals/tutorials are assessed, it is important that you attend one of these each week
Hours
This is a 3 credit point unit. It is anticipated that you will spend >9 hours per week involved with the unit, including the 3-hour class contact time per week. It is particularly important that you spend plenty of time preparing the three major assignments.
Contacts and communication
Convenor: Edward Saunders
ed.saunders@mq.edu.au 02 9850 8416 Office: E7A 403
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS), Macquarie University.
Please email for an appointment
EPS Admin (if Ed Saunders is not available): E7A 507, phone 02 9850 8426 or 02 9850 8373
Other staff teaching on unit and guest lecturers:
Prof. Simon George EPS
simon.george@mq.edu.au 9850 4424 E7A 519
A/Prof. Craig O’Neill EPS
craig.oneill@mq.edu.au 9850 9673 E7A 515
Dr Bruce Schaefer EPS
bruce.schaefer@mq.edu.au 9859 8368 E7A 506
Prof. Michael Gillings Biological Sciences
michael.gillings@mq.edu.au 9850 8199 E8A 271
Prof. David Christian Modern History
david.christian@mq.edu.au 9850 8769 W6A 406
If sending email, please include GEOS204 in the subject line. We will communicate to you mainly through your student email account/iLearn at Macquarie University. Please make sure you check this email at least weekly.
Set textbook and background reading
Bennett, J, and Shostak, S (2011). Life in the Universe (3rd Ed). San Francisco, Pearson/Addison Wesley. ISBN-10: 0-321-68767-1
Technologies used and required
Text book (see above)
Access to iLearn for quizzes and unit resources
You will use computers in some practicals/ tutorials
You will need to be able to access books and journal papers in the library
You will be exposed to a variety of materials and concepts in practicals
GEOS204: Life, the Universe and Everything (2015): Schedule: see unit handout.
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
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Lectures and practicals have been slightly re-ordered