Lecture 1: IntroductionLecture 1: Introduction

I am Dr. Rong Fu, your instructor of this class.I am Dr. Rong Fu, your instructor of this class.

Welcome to the first class of GEO 302C Climate: Welcome to the first class of GEO 302C Climate: Past, Present and Future!Past, Present and Future!

Before we proceed, let’s see a show of hands for Before we proceed, let’s see a show of hands for the following questions.the following questions.

Why Take This Course?Why Take This Course?

1.1. Want to know more about Want to know more about climate changeclimate change??

2. Want to know more about 2. Want to know more about global warmingglobal warming??

3. Want to become an informed citizen?3. Want to become an informed citizen?

4. Want to obtain science credits?4. Want to obtain science credits?

5. Others?5. Others?

Are you a ___________?Are you a ___________?

1.1. FreshmanFreshman

2. Sophomore2. Sophomore

3. Junior3. Junior

4. Senior4. Senior

5. None of the above5. None of the above

How would knowledge about climate help in these cases?

The Instructor

Name: Rong FuProfessor

Education: BS in GeophysicsMA and PhD in Atmospheric Science

Research: Climate dynamics, atmosphere-ocean-land interaction Global Water Cycle Satellite remote sensing application

Teach: Earth System Physics, Climate: Past, Present and Future

Office: GEO 5.206Hours: Wednesdays 3-5pm or by AppointmentPhone: 232-7932Email: rongfu@jsg.utexas.edu

Textbook

Ruddiman, 2008. Earth’s Climate: Past and Future 2nd edition

Teach all 19 chapters, with a focus on present-day climate.

Also use supplementary materials.

Course Website

• http://www.geo.utexas.edu/courses/302C

• Everything is online, from syllabus, lecture topics, reading assignments, lab discussions, to exams.

• Check out this site before and after each class. It is frequently updated and it is an extremely important resource!

Syllabus

• Click Syllabus.

• ~40 hour-long lectures, 3 hours per week, covering a wide range of key climate topics, taught by Dr. Fu.

• ~10 lab discussions, 1.5 hours per lab per week, taught by TAs.

Attendance will be counted

Schedule

• Click Schedule for listings of lecture topics and reading materials.

• This site will be updated every day!

• Print out lecture notes before each class, which will serve as a review guide.

• An actual lecture may not follow the online notes exactly. You must attend the class to notice the difference and to do well in this course.

Labs

• Click Labs for listings of lab topics and reading materials.

• This site will be updated every week!

• Print out lab assignments before each lab, which you will use during the lab.

• No labs this week! (Or the first lab begins in the week of January 25.)

• Your TAs are Kelly Hereid and Meaghan Gorman!

Exams

• Click Exams for listings of exam dates.

• No make-up exams!

• But only better two of the three mid-term exams count, which means you could miss one mid-term exam without penalty. The final exam cannot be missed.

• Pay special attention to the dates of the three mid-term exams (Feb 19, March 26, and April 23).

• Final exam: May 12, 7-10pm.

Grades Policy

• Click Syllabus.

• Three mid-term exams, 25% each, with the lowest grade dropped. Therefore, 25% + 25% = 50% is the full mid-term exams grade.

• Up to 10 labs, with a total of 25% is the full lab grade.

• Final exam has a full grade = 25%. • The only extra credit opportunity is points from

attendance check

• All add up to 100% for the final grade.

• Final Grade: > 90 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, 60-69 D, and

< 60 Ouch

Blackboard

• Blackboard http://courses.utexas.edu; “login” with your UTEID.

• From there select• “10SP CLIMATE: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE (26380) ”

• Useful for posting questions, answers, and discussions, which are extensively used before an exam.

Additional Reading Materials

• Click http://www.geo.utexas.edu/courses/302c/Links02.htm for useful climate-related web resources.

Questions?

• Email Dr. Fu at rongfu@jsg.utexas.edu

• Or call me 232-7932.

• Or ask me during my office hours Wednesdays 3-5pm in GEO 5.206.

• Or post your questions on Backboard, which will be monitored by me every which will be monitored by me every weekweek.