2010 Academic Program Review Department Of
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Front Cover magnesium carbonate, synthesized by hot isostatic pressing at T=600oC, P=300 MPa (grain size = 1.1 m, SEM image by J. Newman, from Masters thesis research of N. Davis, 2005) Back Cover high-resolution seismic image of collapsed paleokarst system (from 3-D reflection survey, Y. Sun) 2010 Academic Program Review Department of Geology & Geophysics Texas A&M University Table of Contents Chapter 1 - Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Welcome from the Department Head .......................................................................... 1 1.2 Charge to Review Committee ..................................................................................... 3 1.3 Departmental Strengths and Challenges ...................................................................... 5 1.4 Schedule of Review ..................................................................................................... 8 Chapter 2 – Departmental Overview ............................................................................................ 11 2.1 History of Department ............................................................................................... 11 2.2 Statement of Department Mission & Goals .............................................................. 13 2.3 Summary of 2002 External Program Review ............................................................ 14 2.4 Changes since 2002 and Current State of the Department ........................................ 21 Chapter 3 - Departmental Administration and Management ........................................................ 33 3.1 Department Head ....................................................................................................... 33 3.2 Assistant Department Head ....................................................................................... 34 3.3 Department Meetings and Committees ..................................................................... 34 3.4 Geology and Geophysics Student Organizations ...................................................... 45 3.5 Administrative and Technical Services ..................................................................... 46 3.6 Financial and Academic Summary ............................................................................ 50 3.7 Faculty Endowments ................................................................................................. 58 3.8 Facilities .................................................................................................................... 59 Chapter 4 - Centers and Affiliations ............................................................................................. 61 4.1 Center for Tectonophysics ......................................................................................... 61 4.2 Berg-Hughes Center for Petroleum and Sedimentary Systems ................................. 62 i 4.3 Integrated Ocean Drilling Program ........................................................................... 63 4.4 Geochemical and Environmental Research Group ................................................... 64 4.5 Department of Oceanography ................................................................................... 64 4.6 Department of Geography ......................................................................................... 65 4.7 Water Management and Hydrological Sciences Program ......................................... 65 4.8 Industrial Partnerships ............................................................................................... 65 Chapter 5 - Undergraduate Programs ........................................................................................... 69 5.1 Program Goals ........................................................................................................... 69 5.2 Program Philosophy and Design ............................................................................... 69 5.3 Program Descriptions ................................................................................................ 70 5.4 Undergraduate Student Profiles ................................................................................. 81 5.5 Courses Offered to Non-Majors ................................................................................ 85 5.6 Administration ........................................................................................................... 86 5.7 Program Assessment and Outcomes ......................................................................... 87 5.8 Strengths and Challenges of Undergraduate Programs ............................................. 88 Chapter 6 - Graduate Program ...................................................................................................... 91 6.1 Program Goals ........................................................................................................... 91 6.2 Program Overview and Philosophy ........................................................................... 91 6.3 Degree requirements .................................................................................................. 92 6.4 Advising .................................................................................................................... 93 6.5 Recruitment and Admissions ..................................................................................... 93 6.6 Financial Support ...................................................................................................... 97 6.7 Graduate Student Profiles ........................................................................................ 100 6.8 Student Internships .................................................................................................. 104 6.9 Industry Contributions to Graduate Education ........................................................ 104 6.10 Program Assessment and Outcomes ....................................................................... 105 6.11 Strengths and Challenges of Graduate Programs .................................................... 106 Chapter 7 - Departmental Research ............................................................................................ 107 7.1 Research Strengths of the Department .................................................................... 107 7.2 Research Groups and Centers .................................................................................. 111 7.3 Research Facilities ................................................................................................... 115 ii 7.4 Research Publications .............................................................................................. 127 7.5 Research Grants and Contracts ................................................................................ 129 7.6 Faculty Recognition and Service ............................................................................. 132 Chapter 8 - Summary .................................................................................................................. 135 8.1 Status of Strategic Plan ............................................................................................ 135 8.2 New Initiatives and Planning .................................................................................. 138 iii Table of Figures Figure 2.1. Faculty and Staff in Department of Geology and Geophysics since Spring 2002 .... 25 Figure 2.2. Geology and Geophysics Student Enrollment since 2002. ....................................... 29 Figure 2.3. Undergraduate and Graduate Semester Credit Hours since 2002 ............................. 30 Figure 3.1. Total Research Funds for Calendar Years 2006 to 2009, and Annual Expenditures (including TAMRF, TAMU-RS, and TEES) for Department of Geology and Geophysics in Fiscal Years 2004-2005 to 2008-2009 ............................................... 55 Figure 4.1. Mutual Benefits of University-Industry Partnerships with Petroleum Companies. .. 66 Figure 5.1. Undergraduate Field Geology and Geophysics Methods Courses ............................ 78 Figure 5.2. Undergraduate Enrollment in Field Courses ............................................................. 79 Figure 5.3. Summer Field Geology (Geol 300) ........................................................................... 79 Figure 5.4. Undergraduate Enrollment in Department of Geology and Geophysics; Total Number of Majors and Geology (B.S. and B.A.) and Geophysics B.S. Students ..... 82 Figure 5.5. Nationwide Geoscience Student Enrollments (2009 AGI Geoscience Workforce Program) .................................................................................................................... 82 Figure 5.6. SAT Scores by Major (mean values and maximum/minimum scores of incoming freshman) ................................................................................................................... 83 Figure 5.7. Years to Complete Undergraduate Degrees .............................................................. 84 Figure 5.8. Diversity in Undergraduate Enrollment; Student Numbers shown by Year (Percentage of under-represented students among domestic students labeled) ........ 85 Figure 5.9. Undergraduate Enrollment by Gender. Student Numbers shown for Male and Female (and Total) Students by Year (Percentage of female students labeled) .................... 85 Figure