#Exploretheworld this semester @Mizzou!

One of the most fascinating aspects of planet Earth is the incredible diversity to be found in the physical landscape around us.  Landscapes range in scope and intensity from the imposing Himalayan Plateau to the relative monotony of the High Plains of the central United States.  Geomorphology is the study of the processes at work all around us that shape and create the physical landscapes we find in our own backyards as well as the high mountains of Nepal.  At a more fundamental level it allows us to “peek behind the curtain” and examine how Earth and environmental systems function. 

Geomorphology as a discipline has been examining the shape of the earth, its landforms, and the processes which govern them formally for over a hundred years.  While traditional approaches emphasized a more qualitative approach to understanding landscape evolution, process geomorphology approaches the study of landforms by investigating the surficial mechanics regulating the systematic development of these features in a more rigorous fashion.  This has led to the widespread application of geomorphic techniques in applied human contexts such as environmental management, urban and regional planning, and natural resource planning and policy development.  This course provides a foundation of both theoretical and technical ways of understanding the dynamic evolution of environmental systems.