ATSC 570 01: Seminar

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Course Information

This syllabus describes the requirements and procedures for Graduate Seminar Series (ATSC-570). You are responsible for knowing this material, so please read it carefully. Any changes will be announced via email. You will be responsible for any changes. Your continued enrollment in this course is your implicit agreement to abide by the requirements of this class.

About the Professor & Contact Information

Name: Prof. Matt Gilmore

Preferred Pronouns: He/Him/His

Addressed: Dr.

Phone: 7-3124

Email: Matthew.Gilmore@und.edu

Office Location: Clifford Hall Room 460

Student Hours:  See “Faculty” section in Blackboard.

Course Description & Objectives

This is a discussion course on current research topics and publications related to the field of atmospheric sciences. Students, faculty and guest speakers will present their research and lead the discussion during seminar.  Repeatable to 3 credits.

After successfully completing this course, you should be able to:

  • gain familiarity with current research in the Atmospheric Sciences
  • think critically about and evaluate scientific presentations
  • know how to ask questions in front of a large audience

Materials – Text, Readings, & Supplementary Readings

Optional: Review the webpages of the guest speakers, and their associated journal articles.

Technical Requirements & Assistance

You will use Zoom text chat to submit your questions, or will ask your questions orally in class.

Students are expected to use their official UND email in the course. Visit the Office 365 Email Webpage for information on your UND email and how to download/install a free version of Microsoft Office. For technical assistance, please contact UND Technical Support at 701.777.2222. Visit the University Information Technologies (UIT) Website for their hours, help documents, and other resources.

Minimum Technical Skills & Computer Requirements:

To succeed in this course, you should be able to:

  • Navigate in and use Blackboard.
  • Send, receive, and manage email.
  • Use Zoom.

Visit the Knowledge Base for additional supports and information about general tech requirements for students including information about devices, operating systems, software, internet connection, and major-specific tech requirements.

Course Logistics

Access & Log in Information

This course was developed and will be facilitated utilizing Blackboard. To get started with the course, please go to: http://blackboard.UND.edu and log in with your NDUS.Identifier (Username and Password). If you do not know your NDUS Identifier or have forgotten your password, please visit Your NDUS Account Webpage on the UIT website.

Course Overview

Each week, we will have a seminar presented by a guest speaker, UND faculty member, or UND student.  The seminar list is traditionally organized by the Dept. Chair a few months in advance (mid summer) so students wanting to present at the regular seminar time should notify the chair no later than 1 July.   A few days before each speaker arrives, you will receive an email with a short abstract for their seminar.  The seminars are approximately 60 minutes long.  Students will listen attentively, take notes, think of questions, & ask at least one question during or at the end of the seminar. 

What Should Students Do First?

Peruse the speaker schedule and familiarize yourself with the speaker bio's on their websites.

Where Do I Find Information in Blackboard?

On the left side course menu in Blackboard there is a "Schedule" tab where you can find a list of speakers.

Resources

UND cares about your success as a student. For more information, visit the Student Resources Page for additional information. Students have access to assistance from the UND Writing Center, Tutoring and Learning Services, Testing Services, and more.

Students also have access to the UND Student Resource Site via Blackboard. It is recommended that you become familiar with the tools and tutorials within Blackboard to better equip you in navigating the course and Educational Technology including Yuja, VoiceThread, Discussion Boards, Riipen, Smart Thinking, Proctoring, etc.

Course Requirements & Expectations

  1. The student will review the syllabus and course schedule posted on Blackboard.
  2. The student will attend all seminars.  Students are permitted to miss 2 seminars (no questions asked).
  3. The student will participate fully by paying attention, taking notes, and thinking of questions to ask.
  4. The student will ask at least one question during or at the end of each seminar (during the Q&A period).

Communication

Students will receive email announcements about the format of the seminar for that week (whether in person or online) as well as the short abstract of the speaker.  Students who need to be absent more than twice should contact the instructor in advance.

  • Be respectful. Understand that the speaker may have conducted the research in a different way than you would have, but that doesn't mean the research is necessarily flawed or "wrong".  Respect diversity and opinions that differ from their own. Be tactful when you communicate.
  • Be professional. Everyone should strive to give their best impression. Truthfulness and accuracy are appropriate expectations for university students. Writing in a legible font and limiting the use of emoticons is considered professional behavior. Profanity and participation in hostile interactions are unprofessional as well as disruptive.
  • Be polite. Students should be addressing professors and instructors by the appropriate title or requested name. Students should interact online politely, just as they would be expected to do in a physical environment. Sarcasm, rudeness, and writing in all capital letters should be avoided.

For more information, read the Top 12 Be-Attitudes of Netiquette for Academicians.

Technology and Video Conferencing

In this class we will have a technology policy that is designed to support your attention to one another and to the lecturer/seminar speaker.  Technology should be used for educational purposes only during scheduled class times.  In this class, you might need technology when taking notes or when submitting a question to a remote speaker.

For our course interactions we will be in person except when stated otherwise.  Some of our speakers will be on Zoom, but we will try to attend in person, whenever possible, for watching the speaker on the big screen (for camaraderie).  When interacting with peers online or through video conferencing, it is important to consider your environment and interact professionally. Students should follow the Code of Student Life while interacting virtually or in person.

Many of the seminars will be shown live on Zoom.  Although we will generally not record these presentations,  if you choose to make your own recording, do not share this with people outside the course. If you have questions or concerns, please contact me.

Announcements

Announcements will be posted on Blackboard regularly and automatically sent to your email. Be sure to check the class announcements regularly as they will contain important information about class assignments and other class matters.  You will also receive email announcements about seminar speakers, such as their short abstract, from the administrative assistants in atmospheric sciences outside of the Blackboard environment.  Those outside announcements won't always be repeated within Blackboard.

Email

If you need to contact me directly, check the “Faculty” tab in Blackboard or the syllabus for my contact information. I will respond to you within 48 hours during the week.  You might need to contact me if you expect to be absent.

Assessment & Grading

Assessments

In this course your learning will be assessed in the following ways:

  • Attendance of all seminars, and asking of at least 1 question per seminar.  You can miss two seminars, no questions asked.

Grading Scale   Pass/Fail

For more information on grading review UND Grading Policies.

Course Evaluation

Near the end of the semester, you will be asked to complete an online course evaluation form (SELFI). Your feedback on the course is extremely valuable to me. I read my students’ comments carefully and use them to improve the course the next time I teach it.

  • When the time comes, please let me know which aspects of the course helped you learn—and which aspects might be modified to help future students learn more effectively. 
  • Please note that the course evaluations are anonymous and that I won’t see the results until after the grades for the course are submitted, allowing you to provide honest and constructive feedback. 
  • Throughout the semester if you have concerns or feedback, please reach out to schedule a time to discuss

Course Policies

Class Participation

Participation and presence in class are paramount for students to learn and be successful. Students are required to login regularly to the online class Blackboard site. Students are also required to participate in all class activities such as attending the seminar and asking at least one question at the Q&A period.

Incompletes

It is expected that students will complete all requirements for a course during the time frame of the course. For reasons beyond a student’s control, and upon request by the student or on behalf of the student, an incomplete grade may be assigned by the instructor when there is reasonable certainty the student will successfully complete the course without retaking it. The mark “I,” Incomplete, will be assigned only to the student who has been in attendance and has done satisfactory work up to a time within four weeks of the close of the semester, including the examination period, and whose work is incomplete for reasons satisfactory to his or her instructor. More information regarding UND’s Incomplete policy can be found on The Grading System Webpage.

University of North Dakota Policies & Resources

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a serious matter, and any deviations from appropriate behavior will be dealt with strongly. At the discretion of the professor, situations of concern may be dealt with as a scholastic matter or a disciplinary matter.

As a scholastic matter, the professor has the discretion to determine appropriate penalties for the student’s workload or grade, but the situation may be resolved without involving many individuals. An alternative is to treat the situation as a disciplinary matter, which can result in suspension from the University, or have lesser penalties. Be aware that I view this as a very serious matter and will have little tolerance and/or sympathy for questionable practices. A student who attempts to obtain credit for work that is not their own (whether that be on a paper, quiz, homework assignment, exam, etc.) will likely receive a failing grade for that item of work, and at the professor’s discretion, may also receive a failing grade in the course. For more information read the Code of Student Life.

Access and Opportunity, Disability Support, & Medical Services

The University of North Dakota is committed to providing equal access to students with documented disabilities. To ensure access to this class and your program, please contact DSS to engage in a confidential discussion about accommodations for the classroom and clinical settings. Accommodations are not provided retroactively. Students are encouraged to register with DSS at the start of their program. More information can be obtained by email UND.dss@UND.edu or by phone at 701.777.2664.

Resolution of Problems

Should a problem occur, you should speak to your instructor first. If the problem is not resolved, meet with the department chair, and next to the college dean. Should the problem persist, you have the right to go to the provost next, and then to the president.

Notice of Nondiscrimination

It is the policy of the University of North Dakota that no person shall be discriminated against because of race, religion, age, color, gender, disability, national origin, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, veteran’s status, or political belief or affiliation and the equal opportunity and access to facilities shall be available to all. Concerns regarding Title IX, Title VI, Title VII, ADA, and Section 504 may be addressed to Donna Smith, Director of Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action and Title IX Coordinator, 401 Twamley Hall, 701.777.4171, UND.affirmativeactionoffice@UND.edu or the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Dept. of Education, 500 West Madison, Suite 1475, Chicago, IL 60611 or any other federal agency.
 

Reporting of Sexual Violence

If you or a friend has experienced sexual violence, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking, or sex-based harassment, please contact UND’s Title IX Coordinator, Donna Smith, for assistance: 701.777.4171; donna.smith@UND.edu; or visit the Title IX webpage.

Faculty Reporting Obligations Regarding Sexual Violence

It is important for students to understand that faculty are required to share with UND’s Title IX Coordinator any incidents of sexual violence they become aware of, even if those incidents occurred in the past or are disclosed as part of a class assignment. This does not mean an investigation will occur if the student does not want that, but it does allow UND to provide resources to help the student continue to be successful at UND. If you have been a victim of sexual violence, you can find information about confidential support services on the Title IX webpage.

UND Cares Program

How to Seek Help When in Distress

We know that while college is a wonderful time for most students, however, some students may struggle or have issues that arise. You may experience students in distress on campus, in your classroom, in your home, and within residence halls. Distressed students may initially seek assistance from faculty, staff members, their parents, and other students. In addition to the support we can provide to each other, there are also professional support services available to students through the Dean of Students and University Counseling Center. Both staffs are available to consult with you about getting help or providing a friend with the help that he or she may need. For more additional information, please visit the UND Cares Program Webpage.

How to Recognize When a Student is in Distress

The term “distressed” can mean any of the following:

•      Student has significant changes in eating, sleeping, grooming, spending, or other daily activities.

•      Student has cut off or minimized contact with family or friends.

•      Student has significant changes in performance or involvement in academics, sports, extracurricular, or social activities.

•      Student describes problems (missing class, not remembering, destructive behavior) that result from experiences with drinking or drugs.

•      Student is acting withdrawn, volatile, tearful, etc.

•      Student is acting out of character or different than usual.

•      Student is talking explicitly about hopelessness or suicide.

•      Student has difficulty concentrating or difficulty carrying on a normal conversation.

•      Student has excessive dependence on others for company or support.

•      Student reports feeling out of control of one’s emotions, thoughts, or behaviors.

Land Acknowledgement Statement

Today, the University of North Dakota rests on the ancestral lands of the Pembina and Red Lake Bands of Ojibwe and the Dakota Oyate - presently existing as composite parts of the Red Lake, Turtle Mountain, White Earth Bands, and the Dakota Tribes of Minnesota and North Dakota. We acknowledge the people who resided here for generations and recognize that the spirit of the Ojibwe and Oyate people permeate this land. As a university community, we will continue to build upon our relations with the First Nations of the State of North Dakota - the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Nation, Spirit Lake Nation, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians.

Additional Resources

It is my goal to foster an environment of mutual respect in which everyone feels comfortable voicing their opinions, sharing their stories, and learning about potentially heavy or personally relevant material. If, at any point, you feel like the information covered in this class elicits thoughts, feelings, or concerns that you would like to discuss further, don’t hesitate to reach out to me, or the UND Counseling Center (701-777-2127). 

Further, if you experience extenuating circumstances, sexual violence, identity-based harm, or any other personal crisis during the semester, don’t hesitate to reach out to me so we can provide academic assistance and help you in this course, and put you in contact with the appropriate resources and services (if needed).