Instructor (main):
Prof. Katja Fennel
E-mail: katja.fennel@dal.ca
Teaching Assistant:
Bin Wang
E-mail: bin.wang@dal.ca
Office hours:
One class period per week is reserved for discussions and to address questions. In addition, we will use Slack for discussions and questions that arise at any time. If any additional one-on-one conversations are needed, please e-mail or message Katja or Bin for an appointment.
Course Times:
- Synchronous discussions and Q&A sessions: Wednesday, Jan 5, and Friday, Jan 7, 9:35 - 10:25 am, and all following Fridays until April 1, 9:35 - 10:25 am except for Feb 4 (Munro day) and 25 (study break)
- Asynchronous lectures and labs: at your own time, but to be completed before the synchronous session following the posting of asynchronous content
Course Objectives: This course is designed to introduce a variety of modeling techniques useful in oceanography and the natural sciences in general. The main objective is to provide an overview of a range of techniques, rather than exhaustive and in depth discussion of any particular technique. The approach is to introduce techniques, discuss their assumptions and limitations, and apply them to simple problems in oceanography and earth sciences. This is accomplished by a combination of lectures and labs. At the end of this course, students should have an understanding of various modeling approaches and their applicability; as a result, they will be better placed to both carry out their own research, and to critically evaluate the literature. A series of more or less independent modules will be presented, each of which will include an introduction to a particular technique, some examples, and an assignment in which the student will have the opportunity to apply the techniques to simple problems.
Course Assessment: Grades for the course will be assigned based on performance on weekly exercises and quizzes (40%), a term project, which will be presented orally and in written form (40%), and class participation (20%).
Full syllabus: Available here
Class schedule and materials: Schedule and materials are located here (password protected)