Cosmorphology - Schedule

Cosmorphology: Creating forms thru geologic and artistic processes
Mayterm 2009 - Schedule

Class will meet in Hedco 129

The schedule (without details) is also available in calendar form.

Note that this schedule is tentative and all plans are subject to change.

Monday, Apr. 27 - Introduction to course and participants
Goals for today:

Introduce faculty and discuss their areas of expertise
Meet everyone in the class and discuss individual goals for the course
Watch a video about science and art, possibly Traveller's Tales from Cosmos
Discuss the relationship between science and art
Discuss course goals and contracts
Assignments:

Before the first class, read about Julie's research

http://newton.uor.edu/FacultyFolder/julie_rathbun/research.html
http://newton.uor.edu/FacultyFolder/julie_rathbun/cv.html

Before the first class, read about Monica's art

http://www.tandmaiello.com/monica_main.html
http://www.diehlgallery.com/artists/aiello_m.html
http://www.walkerfineart.com/artistsPortfolios/artistMainPge.html

Before the first class, read the class syllabus and consider:

What are your goals for the class?
What assignments will you complete to meet those goals?
How will you be evaluated on those assignments?
What will you do differently from this schedule? Why?
Tuesday, Apr. 28 - Introduction to geologic landforms
Goals for today:
- Learn about the four basic geological processes: What forms are produced by the different processes and how?
- Learn about how planetary properties affect which geological processes are active on a world.
- Practice describing and identifying geologic landforms on Earth and Mars
Assignments:
- Before class, read an introduction to planetary geology. In class, we will discuss this reading.
- Bring to class a draft of your course contract. Lack of a course contract will result in automatic failure from the course. The Johnston Center web site has a description of a course contract and an example of a course contract
- In class, work on the geologic landforms lab
- After class, check out spacecraft images from other planets, try these sites:
Wednesday, Apr. 29 - Purchase Supplies
Goals for today:
- The instructors will be taking a shopping trip to Aaron Brothers and/or Michaels to purchase basic supplies for the class.
- Final course contracts are due by 4 pm. Lack of a signed and agreed upon course contract will result in failure from the course. Unless your individual course contract specifies differently, your evaluation will be based on completion of assignments as described in the course syllabus and this schedule.
Thursday, Apr. 30 - Fundamentals of Art
Goals for today:
- Learn about the fundamentals of Art
Assignments:
- Before class, read:
  - http://arthistory.about.com/cs/reference/f/elements.htm
- During class, visit the campus art museum
- After class, by 2 pm, the e-mail assignment for tomorrow's class is due
Friday, May 1 - Geologic feature identification
Goals for today:
- Learn about the geologic landforms on outer planet satellites
- Learn about Io's geologic history
- Present and discuss several planetary images
Assignments:
- Before class, read:
  - This web page, including all the links to web pages about outer solar system moons and tidal heating
  - http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/outerp/moons.html
  - http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/galileo/gallery/io.cfm
  - and check out http://gishbar.blogspot.com/
  - and the web pages listed on Tuesday
- Additional recommended reading (see the instructor to borrow):
  - For more information about Io, see: Galileo's closest look at Io by John Spencer. Sky & Telescope May 2001 p 40-46.
  - For a more personal look at Io, see: Io and I by John Spencer, chapter 6 in "Our Worlds" by S. Alan Stern.
  - For more on volcanoes, see: The Ground Melts, chapter 13 of Pale Blue Dot by Carl Sagan.
  - For more about the Voyager spacecraft and its discoveries, see: The Triumph of Voyager, chapter 6 of Pale Blue Dot by Carl Sagan.
  - For more about Saturn's moons, see: Among the Moons of Saturn, chapter 7 of Pale Blue Dot by Carl Sagan.
  - For an introduction to Io and more art, see: pages 136-147, Io: A world turning inside out in "The Grand Tour: A Traveler's Guide to the Solar System" by Ron Miller and William K. Hartmann.
- Pick at least 4 spacecraft images (at least one from Io and one from another outer solar system satellite), be prepared to present the images and discuss what geologic features are shown, how they formed, and why the forms are interesting to you artistically.
- Pick at least one piece of art (preferably Monica's) inspired by geologic forms. Be prepared to describe the geology depicted in the image.
- E-mail all chosen images to the instructors by 2 pm on Thursday, April 30.
Saturday, May 2 - Field Trip to JPL
Goals for today:
- Travel to NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab for their annual Open House event
Monday, May 4 - Artist statement and science and art
Goals for today:
- Become familiar with artist statements
- Become familiar with materials used by artists
- Discuss what geologic forms you find interesting and wish to pursue in study projects
Assignments:
- Before class, read sample artist statements
  - http://www.artistsfoundation.org/art_pages/resources/resources_arts_statement.htm
  - http://painting.about.com/cs/careerdevelopment/a/statementartist.htm
- Check out some Art/Science Image Resources
- Come to class with ideas for study projects
- Lecture Notes
Tuesday, May 5 - Study projects
Goals for today:
- Study Projects are a way to experiment with artistic forms on a small scale. They allow you to practice different techniques.
Assignments:
- Come to class with at least 4 planetary images you will use for inspiration for your study projects.
Wednesday, May 6 - Field Trip to art museum
Goals for today:
- View many different types of art.
Thursday, May 7 - Geologic mapping
Goals for today:
- Practice the "black art" of Geologic mapping
- Learn the purpose of Geologic mapping in understanding the geology of a planet
Assignments:
- Before class, read the following:
  - A basic description of Geologic maps and the link in that page to "Introduction to Geologic Mapping"
  - A short introduction to geologic mapping in the UK
  - An introduction to geologic mapping
  - Check out this geologic map of California
  - Take a look at an older geologic map of Io and accompanying documentation, then compare it to some global images of Io and a paper including a newer geologic map
  - An article about a geologic map of Ganymede, compare to a global mosaic of ganymede
- Additional recommended reading:
  - Meeting Challenges with Geologic Maps
  - A book chapter about planetary geologic mapping
  - Pick another Galilean satellite (or piece of one) and compare its geologic map to its global mosaic
  - For geologic maps of major bodies in the solar system, see "The Compact Atlas of the Solar System" by Ronald Greeley and Raymond Batson (see instructor)
  - For more close-up geologic maps see "Satellites of the Outer Planets" by David A. Rothery or "The Geology of the Terrestrial Planets" (See instructor)
- In class, work on the geologic mapping lab (based on Exercises 10, 13, and 15 from Planetary Geology)
Friday, May 8 - Finish study projects
Monday, May 11 - Discussion of study projects
Goals for today:
- Discuss all study projects and begin planning for final projects
Assignments:
- Bring to class all study projects
- Bring to class a draft of an artists statement
- Think about possible final project ideas
Tuesday, May 12 - Impact cratering
Goals for today:
- Learn how impact craters are formed
Assignments:
- In class, work on Cratering Lab
Wednesday, May 13 - Field Trip to Griffith Observatory
Goals for today:
- Have fun visiting the Griffith Observatory
Thursday, May 14 - discuss final projects
Goals for today:
- Decide on a final project. Remember that the project consists of a piece of art inspired by planetary geology, a paper describing the inspirational geology, and an artists statement.
Assignments:
- Before class, e-mail the instructors a short paper describing your project ideas.
Friday, May 15 - Work on final projects
Monday, May 18 - Work on final projects
Assignments:
Tuesday, May 19 - Work on final projects
Wednesday, May 20 - Work on final projects
Thursday, May 21 - Display/critique of final projects
- Self-evaluations and completed final projects are due today at 9:30 am. Late self-evaluations or final projects will result in failure of the course.