Historical Geology and Risk

  1. Provide an overview of the major distinctions of geologic time. How do they relate to plate tectonics? What are the major extinction events? (Sept 11th, Riesberg)
  2. Provide a well-documented case study of the evolution of a species, such as the horse. (Sept 11th, Bainbridge)
  3. Give a detailed account of the Ordovician Period and the rocks found in the Dubuque Area. How were they formed? what do they contain?(Sept 11th, Magee)
  4. What is the difference between a population, a sample, and an observation? Are each equally predictable? Use radioactive decay as an example. (Whoever gets this presentation should have already passed statistics.) ( Sept 18, Sample)
  5. How are regulatory thresholds for contamination set? What is an LD50 ? How is it used? Talk to Dr. Cowart about his research. (Sept 18, Blake)
  6. How do we predict the severity of hurricanes? What is the difference between a physical model approach and a statistical approach? Give specific examples. (Sept 18, Smutz)
  7. This summer, Iowa began testing milk for aflatoxin. What is it? Why is it a concern? How could it get into milk? (Sept 25, Borah)
  8. What chemicals are the most significant risk in drinking tap water? on the job? in streams? How is that risk determined? Since Dubuque is in a lead-bearing area, what is the risk of lead poisoning? ( Sept 25, Nie)
  9. What is the nearest Superfund site to Dubuque? What is Superfund. Tell the site's history, why it is a concern, and what its future is likely to be. (Sept 25, Skopek)