AOSC 494

Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Seminar

 

Instructor: Dr. Daryl Kleist, CSS 3421, dkleist@umd.edu

 

Seminar Schedule: Thursdays, 3:00-5:15 p.m., AOSC Seminar Series Website and Schedule

3:00-3:30 p.m., CSS 2400 (Atrium), Pre-seminar refreshments

3:30-4:30 p.m., CSS 2400 (Auditorium), Seminar

4:45-5:15 p.m., CSS 3400 (Library), Meet the Speaker

 

Office Hours: By appointment

 

Prerequisite

Minimum grade of C- in AOSC431 and AOSC432

 

Description

Exposure to a wide range of contemporary topics in atmospheric, oceanic, and climate sciences, to foster research interests and promote critical thinking through the weekly AOSC departmental seminar series

 

Attendance

Attendance and participation in the seminar series and meet-the-speaker sessions is mandatory.  Students will be expected to check in with designated representative each week.  Students will only be excused due to illness with proper justification and documentation (such as a doctor's note).

 

Seminar evaluations

During the semester, the seminars will be broken up into thirds.  For each batch of four seminars, students will be expected to select one seminar for which to provide a short written report (1/2-1 page, 12 point font, double spaced) evaluating the seminar.  In the short report, students will be expected to give their overall impression of the presentation as well as critique various aspects of the seminar.  This could include:

• Delivery:  Was speaker effective at conveying main points?  Could you easily understand speaker?  Was speaker able to effectively communicate to a wide ranging audience including ability to answer questions?
• Slides:  Were slides/graphics easy to understand and well explained?  Was there an appropriate mix of graphics and text?
• Content:  Was topic well covered and explained?  Were things left out that may have been important?
• Organization:  Was there flow to the presentation?  Was there appropriate transitional material if needed?

 

These reports will be submitted via ELMS.  The due dates will be as follows:

• Assignment 1 - From seminars given on 1/28, 2/4, 2/11, and 2/18:  Choose one, Due Wednesday, 2/24/16
• Assignment 2 - From seminars given on 2/25, 3/3, 3/10, and 3/24:  Choose one, Due Wednesday, 3/30/16
• Assignment 3 - From seminars given on 4/7, 4/14, 4/21, and 4/28:  Choose one, Due Wednesday, 5/4/16

 

Extended report

For one of the seminars this spring (Rasmusson Lecture, 3/31), students will be assigned to read at least two papers related to the material to be presented.  Students will be required to schedule a short discussion with instructor (group or individual).  At the meeting, students will be expected to participate in a discussion on the topics presented at the seminar and as part of the assigned reading.  Students will also be required to submit a longer report (2 pages, 12 point font, double spaced) providing a seminar evaluation as well as discussion of the science contained within the talk and supplementary reading.

 

Grading

Grading will be done as following:  50% attendance and participation, 25% short reports, 25% extended report and discussion.