Teaching

Courses Taught

GEOLOGY 3310 Structural Geology (LEC 3.0)

Structural Geology introduces scientists and engineers to quantitative and qualitative methods of Detailed Structural Analysis to understand the relationship between stress and strain of Earth materials at scales ranging from bonding in mineral lattices to deformation of tectonic plates. For Engineering Students you can think of this course as being similar to “Mechanics of Materials” where the material is rock.

Why Structural Geology?

Society is directly impacted by the devastation caused by earthquakes, tsunamis, and even rock falls that bury highways. Natural disasters like these are common headlines. Such dramatic events demonstrate that the “Solid Earth” is actually in continuous motion. The redistribution of energy on the planet creates the driving forces behind this motion. It is these forces that move tectonic plates and leads to the accumulation of tremendous stress within the solid Earth. And stress leads to strain – The crumpling, buckling, and distortion of the solid Earth resulting in high Mountain chains or stretching of the crust until it breaks to form deep rift valleys.

If society is to advance, we need to understand how planet(s) evolve. This includes understanding how minerals and rocks respond to stress. Under what pressure, temperature, and fluid (P-T-P_fluid ) conditions will rocks fail along fractures? Or fold like the crumpled edge of a rug? Can “hard” rocks really stretch without breaking? Finding the answers to these types of questions is the realm of Structural Geology and brings us closer to understanding the origins of great mountain chains, intracontinental basins, and deep sea trenches on this planet and others.

Clean Water, Green Energy, High Strength Alloys, Mobile High Speed Communication are just some of the burgeoning demands of an ever increasingly technological society. Geologists, Geophysicists, Geological-, Mining-, Petroleum-, and Civil-Engineers routinely apply the fundamentals of Structural Geology in their professions to help society meet these demands and create a more hospitable world. This is a necessity because we live at the fuzzy boundary between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere – the interface where fluids and rocks interact. And it is fluid-rock interactions that control the quality of life on the planet. All fluid-rock interactions (such as ore formation, groundwater geochemistry, petroleum migration and trapping, climate change, etc.) are dramatically influenced or controlled by structures that form within the Solid Earth (such as joints and fractures as shown in the figures above.). Therefore a knowledge of the three dimensional patterns of the structures produced during deformation “The Architecture of the Solid Earth” is critical to the advancement of society. Exploring for and developing economic deposits of rare earth elements needed in for efficient wind turbines or lightweight long lasting batteries requires a applying the fundamentals of structural geology. It is essential to mitigating the destructive effects of natural hazards such as earthquakes and landslides, as well as evaluating sites for the disposal of hazardous waste or monitoring the movement of contaminant plumes through the groundwater. Structural geology is part of the core of the petroleum industry as faults and folds control the migration and trapping of hydrocarbons, stress and strain in rocks is essential to the development of mechanical earth models, as well as the underlying principles of “fracking”. These same principles can be applied to understanding the movement of molten rock or “magma” through the Earth’s lithosphere.

In time, the stewardship of the Earth will be passed on to your generation. And it will be the innovative thinking and hard work of Missouri S&T geoscientists and engineers which will improve the quality of life on this planet and others for many generations to come. You with a working understanding of the fundamental principles of Structural Geology will make a difference.

Course Goals

Upon completion of this course you will enhance your critical thinking skills by practicing the following:

1) Identify geologic structures (e.g. cleavage, axial planes, faults) and systems of structures from the macroscopic (e.g., hand sample/outcrop) to regional scale (e.g., mountain belts).

2) Be able to collect and interpret qualitative and quantitative structure data to solve problems in the geosciences and engineering fields (for example using Mohr Circle Diagrams, slope stability, depth to faults).

3) Be able to qualitatively and quantitatively describe strain (deformation) in minerals and rocks and relate this physical record to the stress that caused this deformation.

4) Interpret the deformation/tectonic histories of the areas of the Earth from geologic structures observed in the field, on maps, in geologic cross-sections, and from experiments.

5) Develop strategies to enhance your learning.

6) Work collaboratively with your peers and communicate effectively in a professional manner.

• Taught every Fall Semester

Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology

Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology is the study of the origin of igneous and metamorphic rocks as complex evolving geochemical systems. Building on fundamental knowledge of Mineralogy, a variety of qualitative and quantitative petrologic approaches are used to constrain the processes which lead to the diversity of igneous and metamorphic rock mineral assemblages. The temporal and spatial occurrence of different assemblages of igneous and metamorphic rocks are then used to discuss processes which have affected the evolution of planet Earth. The class includes a trip to examine these rock types in the field. Prerequisite: Geology 2610

Course Overview

Reading the Earth’s Story 

Geologists “Read the Earth’s Story” as it is “Written in Stone”. These are common phrases, really cliches, that we all hear – but really “How do they do that?” How can they pick up a rock, look at a thin section, and then tell that it came from an explosive volcanic eruption, or was part of the mantle, or part of the crust? What are the tell-tale clues in a rock that enable a petrologist to know that  this rock formed in a convecting magma chamber whereas another rock is the refractory residue that was left behind after part of the original rock melted and that melt migrated away? Previously you learned to identify minerals and recognize the difference between the major rock types. In this course you will continue to develop those same skills but at the same time you will begin to look at igneous and metamorphic rocks, some of them many, many, millions of years old, in a new way, with new eyes that all you to discern the processes that were operating to form these minerals, these rocks, the crust, and in this way you will begin to build a personal understanding of the plate tectonic processes that shape the Earth –The Earth’s Story.

Rock Fabrics and Textures

The Earth’s Story is recorded in the mineralogy and textures of rocks. The description of rocks is Petrography an essential skill for all petrologists. Petrography involves the description and classification of minerals and assemblages of minerals i.e., rocks, rock assemblages, and the spatial relationships of different rock types to one another. Petrography involves investigating rocks at many scales, in the field, in the lab, and using many different tools (hand lens, microscope, electron microprobe etc.). Petrologists map out spatial relationships at many scales: 1) trace elements within individual mineral grains, 2) distinct mineral species within thin sections, 3) different rock types in the field, across continents, deep in the Earth, and on other planets! In this course you will learn to characterize rocks and minerals from the scale of microns to well over tens’ even hundreds of kilometers.

Rocks are Geochemical Systems

In the process of doing petrography you will gain insight into the origin of igneous and metamorphic rocks. This is known as Petrology the investigation of the processes by which different rock types form. Petrologists discover the processes which create mineralogical and textural diversity in rocks, and how the different types of igneous and metamorphic rocks are ultimately linked to different plate tectonic settings and processes. Petrologists are interested in the “how and why”. Examples of some of the fundamental questions include: 1) How are different rock types produced? 2) Why do certain rock types commonly occur together? 3) Why are some rock types associated with a particular tectonic environment? Petrologists use many techniques to try and constrain the answers to such questions. They rely upon a sound knowledge of mineralogy, geochemistry, keen observations in the field and with the microscope, as well as advanced laboratory techniques (e.g., mass spectrometry) to develop a better understanding of rocks. As a Petrologist, you will learn to view and think of rocks as “Geochemical Systems”. In addition to learning to be a good petrographer you will also be learning to become a good petrologist – which requires strong fundamental scientific skills and a bit of imagination!

Course Goals

Technical Skills

During this course you will develop the following technical skills which are essential for success in your chosen career as a geologist or geophysicist: 

1)      You will be able to identify and describe the common igneous and metamorphic rock types and the major rock forming minerals in hand sample.

2)      You will be able to identify and describe the common igneous and metamorphic rock types and the major rock forming minerals in thin section using a transmitted polarizing microscope.

3)      You will be able to read and prepare professional petrographic reports, utilizing proper scientific vocabulary, for the common igneous and metamorphic rock types.

4)      You will develop an appreciation of mineral crystal chemistry and how to apply these principles to constrain rock forming processes.

5)      You will be able to explain how fundamental igneous processes lead to a diversity of igneous rock types.

6)      You will be able to explain how fundamental metamorphic processes lead to a diversity of metamorphic rock types.

7)      You will be able to utilize basic geochemical data, thermodynamics, phase equilibria, and graphical analysis to discuss how igneous and metamorphic rocks form.

8)      You will be able to discuss the relationship between igneous and metamorphic rock assemblages, the different domains of the solid earth, and specific tectonic settings.

Scientific Skills

During this course you will also develop the following scientific skills which are necessary for success in any field of science: 

1)      You will improve your ability to make good observations.

2)      You will demonstrate clear and accurate documentation of data in multiple formats.

3)      You will analyze data and formulate multiple working hypotheses.

4)      You will practice critical evaluation of hypotheses.

5)      You will share observations and ideas with peers through oral and written communication and current technologies.

Personal Skills

During this course you will also develop the following personal skills which are necessary for success in many aspects of life: 

1)      You will stimulate your curiosity, imagination, and creativity.

2)      You will develop independent thinking (life-long learning skills).

3)      You will increase the Pride in your work.

4)      You will increase the confidence in your scholarly abilities.

5)      You will develop respect for yourself and your peers.

• Taught every Spring Semester

Teaching Methods and Approaches

I employ a variety of teaching methods to enhance an active, collaborative learning environment, including personal response devices (aka clickers), in-lecture skill Building Opportunities (SBOs), short video’s, in addition to traditional methods (power point lectures). members of the learning community are encourage to engage their peers several times during lectures to build personal skills and foster better understanding and retention of material.

Student Engagement

I encourage student engagement through active participation in lecture (using clickers), collaborative learning with SBOs, projects, and observation and discussion of physical rock samples.

Office Hours

I hold office hours on Tuesday and Wednesday from 9:00 am to 11:30 am. Appointments can be scheduled via email: jhogan@mst.edu

Professional Development

I am dedicated to continuous professional growth and regularly attend on-campus workshops and seminars on teaching innovations and pedagogy. I also participate in professional field trips, conferences, and workshops to stay current in my field and in the realm of education.

Resources for Students

Please refer to these resources to supplement your learning:

1. Burns and McDonnell Student Success Center
2. KNACK On-line Tutoring
3. Student Well-Being

(This list may include textbooks, online learning platforms, useful websites, recommended reading etc.)

Contact

Feel free to reach out to me at jhogan@mst.edu or during my office hours for any questions or clarifications.