Geomicrobiology (Earth 413) – Winter 2018

This course explores how microorganisms drive geochemical cycles on Earth. With a combination of interactive lectures, group activities, and discussions revolving around primary literature, students learn how microbes obtain energy through the mediation of redox reactions and how these reactions shape elemental cycles in the environment. The course additionally considers microbial evolution and diversity, microbe-mineral interactions, and the microbial geologic record. Students also gain skills in scientific writing by working on a scientific proposal (topic relevant to geomicrobiology chosen by student) throughout the course, improved over the semester by constructive feedback from their peers.