SYLLABUS

Course Title Placeholder

Semester & Location:	Summer 2027, Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Session 3, 3 credits
Faculty:	Sebastian Zastruzny
Time:	TBA
Classroom:	TBA
Major Disciplines:	Geology, Geography, Environmental Science
Related Disciplines:
Program Contact:	EPSsupport@dis.dk

Earth, Water and Ice:
Environmental Assessment in the Geosciences
Summer Course

Course Description

Our soil and water resources are under increasing pressure. Erosion, pollution and climate change are all posing risks to the health of those vital resources. Being able to describe, measure and analyse environmental state is the first step when wanting to protect them.

Throughout the three weeks summer course, we will develop the skillset required to assess the environment: Accurately describing field observations, documenting the conditions and interpreting the results.

We will focus on the collection and analysis of soil- and water samples and will address the influence of previous ice ages on the present-day conditions found in Denmark today.

For each topic we will use one week, where we first learn the theoretical background, before measuring parameters during a field trip, and eventually recontextualize the material.

Learning Objectives

• Understanding the basic principles of the soil and water system.
• Correctly and safely plan and conduct field work.

• Use scientific equipment in practical applications.

• Describe and collect samples for later analysis.
• Use simple analytical methods to determine key factors of soil and water quality.
• Develop the ability to design a field campaign based on case studies.
• Write scientific reports using the correct format and language

Equipment

Students enrolling in this class must bring the following with them to be properly equipped for the activities during the course integrated field studies

• Waterproof outer layer (rain jacket and ideally rain pants)
• Waterproof footwear suitable for light hiking (e.g. hiking boots)
• Warm clothes (layers) suitable for outdoor activities in all kinds of weather in Denmark.

Field Studies (potentially)

• Stevns Peninsula- Geological History of Denmark
• Fields/Farm - Influence of agriculture
• Mølledal area – Rivermorphology
• Construction site - Building and Geotechnics
• Consulting company
• Protection agency
• Soil Science / Hydrological Laboratory at KU
• Geotechnical laboratory at DTU
• Additionally, several normal teaching sessions will be used to explore the surroundings of the campus and employ different measurement methods for sampling the environment.
• Visit of different laboratories in and around Copenhagen with explanation of the methods used and tools by resident staff, and use of equipment for analyzing student samples.

Faculty

Sebastian Zastruzny

PhD (Geography-Geosciences, University of Copenhagen). Educated in permafrost dynamics at the Centre for Permafrost, IGN. Research on permafrost cores, water samples, climate data series, process based modelling, and effects of future climate change. Conducted fieldwork and taught field courses in Greenland and Denmark multiple times.

Readings

Textbooks:

• Blume, H. P., Brümmer, G. W., Horn, R., Kandeler, E., Kögel-Knabner, I., Kretzschmar, R., ... & Welp, G. (2016). Scheffer/Schachtschabel - Soil Science.
• Grotzinger, J., & Jordan, T. H. (2010). Understanding earth. Macmillan.
• FAO. 2020. Soil testing methods – Global Soil Doctors Programme - A farmer-to-farmer training programme. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/ca2796enLinks to an external site.
• Jahn, R., Blume, H. P., Asio, V. B., Spaargaren, O., & Schad, P. (2006). Guidelines for soil description. FAO.

Scientific Papers:

• TBA

Approach to Teaching

The course utilizes a mixture of different teaching concepts, beginning with interactive lectures where core concepts are explained and consecutively applied in exercises and assignments. Once a basic understanding of a subject is achieved, the didactic environment is expanded to more participatory approaches, giving the students the agency to explore various topics.

Sampling techniques will be shortly introduced in class and then put into practice in the field, using the environment as a classroom. Exercises in the laboratory will happen in small groups that work together to apply the correct methods and document their work in a lab protocol.

The different weeks structured similarly, following a flexible schedule:

• Day 1&2: Theory, Background required for the field trip
• Day 3: Field study
• Day 4: Analysis and reporting from the Field study
• Day 5: Recontextualizing of Material and potential visit to organisation adjacent.

Evaluation

To be eligible for a passing grade in this class you must complete all the assigned work. The overall grade will come from the following: