Departmental Assessment Update - Ocean and Earth Science and Technology Report
Department: Geology and Geophysics
Program: MS/PhD
Level: Graduate
1. List in detail your graduate Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for each degree/certificate offered.
The department has a large faculty with diverse research interests; most faculty members teach regularly. Additional researchers in or associated with the department may advise and employ graduate students. The department offers programs of research and study leading to the MS and PhD degrees. Currently the department offers graduate programs in six fields and has approximately 60 graduate students in residence. Student Learning Outcomes are fcoused in these six areas.HIGH-PRESSURE GEOPHYSICS AND GEOCHEMISTRY/MINERAL PHYSICS
This program offers exciting opportunities for studying the physio-chemical, thermodynamic, and structural properties of earth materials, including minerals, rocks, silicate melts, ceramic, metals, and alloys under high pressure and temperature. The mineral physics laboratories are used for both basic and applied research. Current research programs include high-pressure, high-temperature x-ray diffraction studies using a diamond-anvil cell for elucidating phase transitions and equations of state (EOS) of mantle minerals, ultrasonic studies for elastic, anelastic and EOS properties; Brillouin and Raman scattering studies on the interrelationship of elastic and structural properties in mantle minerals under high pressure, electrical conductivity studies to understand the role of partial melting in the transport properties of upper mantle rocks, and acoustic studies on marine sediments for developing geoacoustic models.
HYDROGEOLOGY AND ENGINEERING GEOLOGY
This program provides students with an opportunity to address both practical and theoretical problems in geology, with a focus on physical processes that operate in the Earth's crust and impact society. The types of phenomena currently under study include fluid-flow through rocks and soils, groundwater quantity and quality (with an emphasis on groundwater problems in the Hawaiian Islands), subaerial and submarine landslides, three dimensional rock fracture processes, geothermal processes, and fault mechanics. Research characteristically involves a combination of field work, laboratory research, and computer modeling. Owing to the interdisciplinary nature of the problems being addressed, students can expect to interact with investigators in the Water Resources Research Center, the College of Engineering, and in the Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences. The graduate curriculum is largely elective so that it can be best tailored to the particular needs of the individual.
MARINE GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS
The focus of this program is to provide students with a background that combines geology, geochemistry, and geophysics for technical and professional work in marine science at industrial, governmental, and academic institutions. The combination has also been useful for students entering a career in resource exploration and management. The program provides instructional and research opportunities in a wide range of topics including sedimentology, stratigraphy, micropaleontology, paleoceanography, carbonate petrology, geological and geophysical investigations at sea, stable and radiogenic isotope geochemistry, organic geochemistry, chemical oceanography, coastal geology, littoral processes, sea-level change, geochemistry of marine sediments, geology of Pacific islands and atolls, crustal and upper-mantle structure, geophysical instrumentation, marine acoustics, marine gravity, geomagnetism and paleomagnetism, geodynamics, petrography of volcanic islands and ocean crust, physical properties of sediments and crustal rocks, reflection and refraction seismology, and plate tectonics at accreting and subducting plate margins. These diverse research efforts involve several marine expeditions each year. Graduate students in the program are encouraged to participate in these voyages as a part of their career training.
PLANETARY GEOSCIENCES
Instruction and research in this program are focused on the study of the surfaces and interiors of planetary bodies in order to understand their origin and evolution. Such studies apply principles of geomorphology, geophysics, mineralogy, petrology, and geochemistry to the analysis of remotely acquired planetary data, meteorites, and laboratory and field analogues. The program also studies Earth in the context of other planets, and seeks to develop and utilize remote-sensing techniques and instruments for application to planetary and terrestrial (including submarine) science. Several faculty members are actively involved in NASA spacecraft missions studying terrestrial, inner, and outer planet (and planetary satellite) locations. Students from a wide range of backgrounds in geology, astronomy, and engineering, focus their studies in one or more of the following areas: a) application of geological techniques using laboratory studies of planetary materials (meteorites and returned lunar samples) to understand the origin and evolution of planets, b) studies of the Earth in the context of comparative planetology, and/or c) the utilization of remote sensing data and the development of remote sensing techniques and instruments for planetary and terrestrial (including submarine and volcanological) science.
GEOPHYSICS (Seismology/Solid Earth Geophysics)
The Geophysics program covers the disciplines of seismology, geodesy, and geodynamics, and other applications of physics to the study of the Earth. In seismology, students study propagation, attenuation, and scattering of waves from earthquakes, explosions, and shipboard sources. Data from ocean bottom and borehole seismometers, as well as from land-based stations, help us to understand the structure and seismicity of passive and active plate margins and the growth of undersea volcanoes. Inversion and seismogram synthesis procedures aid in the interpretation of crustal structure and rock physics. In geodesy, students study crustal motion using the Global Positioning System (GPS). Current GPS research involves volcano deformation studies in Hawaii, plate motion studies in the South Pacific and South America, and measurements of atmospheric water vapor (in collaboration with the Department of Meteorology). In geodynamics, emphasis is on laboratory and computer modeling of heat flow and deformation in a continuum. Current research includes studies on mantle convection and the structure of plate margins. The Geophysics program and Marine Geology and Geophysics program work in concert. The two programs share students and faculty, and many studies straddle the disciplinary boundaries.
VOLCANOLOGY, GEOCHEMISTRY, AND PETROLOGY
The University of Hawaii is well placed to study volcanoes. The Hawaiian Islands are volcanic and include Mauna Loa, the world's largest volcano, and Kilauea, one of the world's most prodigious lava producers. Other Hawaiian volcanoes are deeply dissected by erosion, providing access to stratigraphic sequences suitable for studies of volcanic evolution. The Pacific Ocean contains a great number of volcanic islands, the Galapagos, Tahiti, Samoa, and Marianas among them, but also conceals an immense number of submerged volcanoes. Hawaii's geographic position makes the volcanoes of Alaska, the Cascades, Mexico, Central America, the Philippines, and Japan, as well as the submarine rifts of the East Pacific Rise and western Pacific back-arc basins relatively accessible. This program’s studies are varied in nature: the petrology and geochemistry of basalts and their fractionation products in Hawaii and at other mid-plate volcanoes, mid-ocean ridges, volcanic arcs, and the back-arc basins; the chemical and isotopic variability of mantle and crustal magma sources; the mechanisms of explosive eruptions that generate silicic ash-flow tuffs (ignimbrites); lava flow morphology; the hazards arising from volcanic eruptions; the origin and emplacement mechanisms of oceanic and continental flood basalts; the nature and dynamics of magmatic plumbing systems; and the characteristics and products of underwater volcanism. Much of the volcanological research on Hawaii is conducted by the Hawaii Center for Volcanology, formed in 1992.
2. Where are these SLOs published (e.g., departmental web page)?
GG website http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/asp/GG/index.asp
GG Student "survival" manual
3. Explain how your SLOs map onto your curriculum, i.e., how does your program of graduate studies produce the specific SLOs in your students?
Master’s Plan A (Thesis)
The Masters Plan A schedule is presented here as an example. PhD students follow a similar track with the exception that students are asked to take a comprehensive examination with both oral and written components to test overall and specific expertise in Geology and Geophysics.
Students must take at least 30 credits overall from coursework and research. A maximum of 12 credits from research (GG 699 and GG 700) and six credits must be for GG 700. Credits for GG 700 can only accrue after a thesis proposal is approved. At least 18 credits in courses must be taken for a letter grade (A, B, C, etc.) at the 300-level or above. To find the actual number, subtract the number of research credits from 30. At least 12 of these credits must be in graduate courses (GG 600 – 798) outside of GG 699 and GG 700. All students must take GG 610, Graduate Seminar once each year for two years or until graduation. Departmental course requirements vary depending on the area of concentration (see Area Requirements). Requirements for students entering from fields other than geological sciences will be determined on an individual basis by the GSC and the thesis committee.
Preliminary Conference (Plan A)
The purposes of the preliminary conference are to determine in which field the student will pursue a degree, to consider undergraduate deficiencies, to advise the student of a suitable selection of courses for the first semester, and to appoint an interim adviser in his or her field. Entering students will be advised by mail as to the time and place of the preliminary conference, which is normally conducted prior to registration for the first term. The department chair, student's interim advisor and a representative from the Graduate Admissions Committee (GAC) and Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) may also be present. Undergraduate deficiencies will be assigned as follows. For all applicants, any of these courses not already completed: one year each of college calculus, physics with labs, chemistry with labs, and geology-geophysics with labs. For applicants from majors that are equivalent to a BS (or BS in engineering) at the University of Hawaii, any deficiency in a course required for the same BS (or BS in Engineering) at UHM will be an undergraduate deficiency (e.g., a geologist entering without petrology, a physicist entering without electricity and magnetism). Normally, applicants from a field other than science, engineering, or mathematics would not be admitted. If circumstances suggest that such a student be admitted, all courses needed for a bachelor's degree at UHM in the field he or she intends to enter will be listed as undergraduate deficiencies. Students shifting to a different field will not have the upper division courses (300-400) listed as undergraduate deficiencies (e.g., a geologist shifting to geophysics who has not had mechanics; a physicist shifting to geophysics who has not had structural geology).
Appointment of Committee (Plan A)
The student and his or her advisor will mutually agree on a thesis committee consisting of at least three members. The chair and a majority of the committee members must be of the graduate faculty of the Geology and Geophysics department. If a committee chairperson wishes to nominate someone not in the graduate faculty he or she may nominate that person as a fourth member.
Approval of Thesis Topic (Plan A)
A thesis proposal is required. The first purpose of the master's thesis is to demonstrate that the student can master a research effort of moderate scope, and write and defend the results of his or her work in a logical and clear manner. The student is encouraged to discuss potential topics with the faculty as early as possible. A thesis prospectus or proposal is required. An acceptable thesis prospectus should be submitted to the Thesis Committee near the end of the student’s second semester. The prospectus should contain at least three pages of text and should include the topics listed below. Approval of the thesis topic is official when Graduate Division Form II is filed.
Outline of Research Prospectus
1. TITLE
2. INTRODUCTION (Problem statement, rationale)
3. OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS (Concisely written list)
4. APPROACH (Brief overview with references to established methods)
The student may not register for GG 700 (Thesis Research) until after the Graduate Division accepts the department chair's recommendation of the thesis topic. Registration in GG 700 must total 6 credit hours, including at least 1 credit hour in the semester or summer session in which the degree is awarded. Copies of the completed thesis must be submitted to committee members at least two weeks prior to the date of the final examination.
This department encourages theses to be organized so that they are ready for submittal or have been submitted for publication. Details that require material extraneous for publication but deemed necessary for the thesis such as extensive reports of previous work and lengthy tables of data, should be set in chapters or appendices clearly independent of the principal work, discussion, and conclusions. The student should be aware of current Graduate Division rules on co-authorship of publications. The current instructions for the preparation of the thesis are available in the Graduate Division office. The second purpose of the thesis is to allow a student to develop thoughtfully an original scientific project under the tutelage of a faculty mentor, so as to add to the knowledge of the discipline and to establish the student as a qualified scientist in his or her own right. The research program typically involves: a study of the literature to establish a broad base of knowledge; making new measurements, or finding an intriguing and previously undiscovered method of understanding existing data; explaining the results, defending the thesis; and publishing.
It is especially important for students to gain direct, first-hand experience in creating their own database when this is practical and feasible. But in any case, scientific integrity mandates that the student fully acknowledge in the thesis any and all collaboration, e.g., samples, sample preparation, measurements, analyses, data, or computer algorithms produced by others involved in the crafting of the thesis research.
Schedule Thesis Defense (Plan A)
Graduate Division rules stipulate that copies of the completed thesis must be submitted to committee members at least two weeks prior to the date of the final examination. Keep in mind, however, that this should be considered a minimum: outside members, or members who are away from the campus must be sent the thesis long enough in advance to accommodate mailing transit times. The policy of the Department of Geology & Geophysics is that a student should not be permitted to defend until his or her committee has agreed that the written thesis is defendable, i.e., that the thesis is likely to require only modest revisions in consequence of the oral defense.
Thesis Defense (final examination for Plan A)
Of the two alternative styles described in the Graduate Division Manual for the MS final oral examination, the GG Department normally prefers the one in which results are presented at a departmental seminar. At the option of the thesis chairman, however, the final oral examination may be open only to members of the graduate faculty. In either case, reasonable notice must be given, and all members of the thesis committee must be present. If a committee member cannot be present at the defense, the student should consider re-scheduling the defense date, however, the student has the options of allowing a proxy member, or changing the committee entirely. At the defense the candidate will present his or her work and principal results within a period of time (usually 30 to 40 minutes) agreed upon in advance by the thesis committee chairman. Next, questioning by members of the audience is allowed. Then, the room may be cleared of persons not in the graduate faculty for additional questioning by the thesis committee, if members so wish. After questioning is completed, the committee decides privately whether or not the final examination was passed. Students failing the examination may repeat it only once. The committee also records its opinion as to whether or not the thesis is satisfactory. Modest rewriting may be needed, in which case signatures on the approval page of the thesis may be delayed. If the student wants to continue his or her graduate work in this department, a final duty of the thesis committee is to recommend to the Graduate Studies Committee whether or not the student may be admitted to the PhD program.
Submit Written Thesis (Plan A)
The approved thesis and necessary copies are to be submitted to the Graduate Records Office, Spalding Hall Room 352. Specific instructions included with the application for graduation. Effective Spring 2007, all students in GG are required to submit a pdf and a hardcopy of their thesis to the GG Department prior to graduation. The Graduate Division’s Student Progress form III will be submitted by the department when the thesis documents are in hand.
Exit Interviews
Effective Spring 2005, all graduate students in Geology and Geophysics will be required to participate in an exit interview prior to graduation. The Graduate Division's Student Progress Form III will be signed by the GG graduate chair only upon completion of the exit interview. Interviews will not be conducted by faculty members. These required interviews are being conducted as part of the University of Hawaii's accreditation with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
Semester Evaluations
Department policy requires that a graduate student meet with their thesis/dissertation committee every semester for the goal of reviewing progress and seeking guidance. It is the student’s responsibility to organize this meeting and to complete the required form. In the rare case when a meeting of all committee members is not possible, a gathering of those who are available will occur and the missing faculty will be provided with a copy of the form. Forms to document completion of evaluation is available at: www.soest.hawaii.edu/asp/GG/resources/official_forms.asp.
Annual Evaluations
The academic record of all students and the length of time to earn that record will be evaluated annually in mid-spring. This evaluation of progress will include a written statement of progress and problems from the student and an interview of the student by members of the Graduate Studies Committee. The student's adviser or committee chairman, and his or her employer (if any) will not be present at the oral evaluation, although they will complete written evaluations. Members of the GSC will review and evaluate the student's plan of study and progress. All evaluators will report their opinions to the GSC of how deserving of financial aid and office space each student is for the following year. Suggestions from students for departmental improvements are strongly encouraged during the interview. The results of the spring evaluation become part of the student's file.
Time Allowed
All work towards a master's degree must be completed within seven years preceding the date upon which the degree is conferred. Credits earned prior to the seven-year period are not valid for the application toward the degree. Candidates for doctoral degrees must complete all requirements within seven years after admission into the doctoral program. Candidates who fail to complete all requirements in the specified time are automatically dropped from the program. Reinstatement for a limited period of time is only possible upon favorable recommendation of the field of study and concurrence of the Dean of the Graduate Division.
Summary of Procedures (Plan A)
1. Preliminary conference; appointment of interim advisor. Commence Student Progress Form I.
2. Appointment of thesis committee. Commence Student Progress Form II.
3. Approval of thesis topic. (Student Progress Form II)
4. Application for graduation, payment of graduation fees. Forms and thesis style guides are available at the Graduate Records Office (Spalding 352).
5. Schedule thesis defense.
6. Defend thesis. (Student progress Form IIA).
7. Submit written thesis to the Graduate Records Office. (Student Progress Form III).
8. Submit pdf and a copy of written thesis to the GG Department Office.
9. Exit interview.
10. Graduate Chair certifies that all degree requirements have been met.
11. Conferral of degree.
4. What population(s) is covered by your assessment(s)?
Approximatly 30 to 60 graduate students
5. Please list/describe all the assessment events and devices used to monitor graduate student progress through the program. Consider the following questions:
- How are written exams used to assess graduate students?
Masters students take normal written exams as part of their class work. They also produce a written thesis or dissertation that is a combination of all papers published in international perr-reviewed scientific literature.
PhD students also take written exams in normal class work. They also publish written research results in peer-reviewed literature. These students also must pass a comprehensive examination containing a written component administered by a faculty committee.
- How are independent and/or culminating projects (theses, dissertations, performances, capstone courses, etc.) used to assess graduate students?
Theses are the product of several semesters of collaborative and personnal research culminating in publication of results in peer-reviewed literature. The peer review process as one outcome of the research committee oversight is considered the highest assessment of research potential. Lastly, the oral presentation of results is publically provided as a defense of research consisting of both public and private questioning.
- How are oral presentations/reports/performances used to assess graduate students?
Students join our GG610 class every other semester. This requires providing oral reports of research results and critical review by classmates and mentoring faculty to improve oral presentation of scientific results. Oral testing is also a part of our PhD comprehensive examination process adminsitered by a faculty committee consisting of representatives from all GG divisions. Students are also asked to attend national and interantional conference to present oral reports as grant funding allows. The final defense of research results is an oral process consisting of public and private questioning by faculty.
6. Please list/describe how your graduate students contribute to your discipline/academic area? Consider the following questions:
- To what extent do your graduate students present their work at professional conferences?
Students are encouraged to attend conferences but this is limited by grant funding. Nonetheless the vast majority (>90%) of graduate students attend and present at national conferences. GG students are also regular recipients of awards for excellence in these venues.
- To what extent do your graduate students publish their work?
The normal expectation is that a MS student will publish at least one paper and the PhD student will publish at least three. This is stated in the GG literaure ("survival" manual) and nearly all students (>90%) do publish their work during the course of their degree.
7. What attempts are made to monitor student post-graduate professional activities?
GG conducts annual alumni surveys, maintains an alumni mailing list, publishes an annual newsletter that is sent to >600 alumni addresses. Alumni are invited to give luncheon talks to students on every other friday. Surveys indicate that 100% of graduates find professional employment within their first year of graduation.
8. How were the assessment data/results used to inform decisions concerning the curriculum and administration of the program?
- Was pedagogy changed?
The GG Curriculum committee makes ongoing assessments of curriculum. In the past 2 years we have implemented new courses in matlab programming, numerical modeling, geographic information systems, and remote sensing. We have introduced new degree tracks in Professional Geology, and an undergradaute track in research focussed on admittance to a graduate program.
- Did you make administrative changes?
In the past 2 years new admin changes include: students must meet with research committees each semester, provide hardcopy and pdf copies of theses, and take exit interviews.
- Were there changes in interactions with students? Advising, counseling, etc.
No
- Were degree requirements changed?
No
- Were courses changed?
course changes are constantly ongoing to meet student demand. We now publish on our website a 5 year teaching plan so that students may plan the schedule and also react to offered courses and request new ones.
9. Has the program developed learning outcomes? Please indicate yes or no.
yes
10. Has the program published learning outcomes? Please indicate yes or no.
yes
11. If so, please indicate how the program has published learning outcomes.
Learning outcomes are stated in individual course syllabi, published on the GG website, and in the GG student "survival" manuals.
12. What evidence is used to determine achievement of student learning outcomes?
Annual alumni surveys, student evaluations in each course, faculty mentoring committees, exit interviews.
13. Who interprets the evidence?
GG Chair, SOEST Student Services Administrator, GG standing committees.
14. What is the process of interpreting the evidence?
To assess programmatic success and make adjustments to improve achievement of learning outcomes.
15. Indicate the date of last program review.
2002