2023 Faculty Courses School of Science Undergraduate major in Earth and Planetary Sciences
Field Excursion
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Earth and Planetary Sciences
- Instructor(s)
- Akira Ishikawa / Kazumi Ozaki
- Class Format
- Exercise/Experiment (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Wed (理学院 地球惑星科学系, 石川台2号館, 318室)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- EPS.L220
- Number of credits
- 013
- Course offered
- 2023
- Offered quarter
- 3-4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 8, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
To understand processes in Earth and planetary sciences, student will observe geology in the field and visit foreign research institutes. Before the field trip, students will study geological background of the field and writing a guide book of the field excursion. The field trip will be performed in foreign country (e.g., North America, Hawaii, etc). The students will discuss with the researchers in the foreign University/Institutes.
Course description and aims
It is important to observe geological phenomena in the field not only in Japan for understanding global scale geology. For this purpose, students will learn geology in their own eyes directly in the field. Students will acquire the method to reveal geological phenomena based on the observation in the field. Also, students will understand how earth scientists work through the discussions with foreign researchers and by communication with foreign students.
Keywords
Earth and Planetary Science, Field Geology, Astronomical Observation
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
To be announced. The plan below is an example for visiting Hawaii Islands, though the contents will be changed depending on conditions and states of preparations for excursions.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Guidance of the field excursion | Plate tectonics and volcanism |
| Class 2 | Writing a guide book of the field excursion 1 | Hotspot magma and Earth's interior |
| Class 3 | Writing a guide book of the field excursion 2 | Observation of planets and saterites |
| Class 4 | Writing a guide book of the field excursion 3 | Meteorite and Cosmochemistry |
| Class 5 | Presentaion | Presentation by each group, Q&A |
| Class 6 | Field Trip (The following is a schedule in FY2018) | Field excursion |
| Class 7 | University of Hawaii at Manoa | Meteorite and Cosmochemistry |
| Class 8 | Geology of Oahu Island | Geology and Paleoclimatology |
| Class 9 | Geology of Hawaii Island | Geology and Paleoclimatology |
| Class 10 | Kilauea volcano | Volcanology |
| Class 11 | SUBARU Telescope in Hawaii Observatory | Observation of planets and saterites |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend a certain length of time outside of class on preparation and review (including for assignments), as specified by the Tokyo Institute of Technology Rules on Undergraduate Learning (東京工業大学学修規程) and the Tokyo Institute of Technology Rules on Graduate Learning (東京工業大学大学院学修規程), for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Literature search will be performed by students.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
To be announced depending on individual research theme
Evaluation methods and criteria
Student performance will be assessed by presentation before the field trip and by report after the trip.
Related courses
- EPS.L205 ： Laboratory in Earth and Planetary Sciences (field geology)
- EPS.L202 ： Laboratory in Earth and Planetary Sciences (petrology)
- EPS.A205 ： Introduction to Earth Sciences
Prerequisites
None
Other
The field excursion is planed to be held from end of Feb. to early March, 2024, though the schedule and contents of the class might be changed depending on the situation of travel restrictions