This is a course about both historical and scientific exploration. It aims to introduce students to the science of geology from a historical perspective instead of diving directly into the science itself. Based on a biography of William Smith, the founder of the science of geology. Its content is primarily historical, but the purpose of the class is to introduce students to the idea of “autonomous” exploration and the importance of such efforts. After learning how Smith essentially discovered geology as a by-product of his job as a surveyor, the students will use the online resources of the US Geological Survey (USGS) to learn about the vast array of activities performed by scientists today as a result of Smith’s solitary struggle to expand human understanding of the physical nature of our planet Earth.
