ERS425 - Geology of North America

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The Rock

Field trip to the "The Rock": Newfoundland

The island of Newfoundland spans two ancient continents, Laurentia and Avalonia, brought together during the Acadian Orogeny. It is world famous for its unique geology, such as the evolution of multicellular animals in the Ediacaran at Mistaken Point, as well as one of the only places where mantle peridotites are exposed at the Earth's surface. We will traverse Newfoundland, starting with fragments of Avalonia, then crossing over the complex Iapetus suture to study the geologic remains of the Iapetus Ocean, and, finally, examining rocks of Laurentia. Students will develop field skills, including structural data collection and analysis, mapping, and geologic interpretation. Each student will be assigned a topic for a field presentation to be given during the trip. In addition, students will complete assignments throughout the trip and write a detailed field report following the trip.

Prerequisites: Enrolment in ERS Major or ERS Specialist or Geology Specialist Program, with a minimum of 1.5 credits at ERS or ESS 300 level. This course will be accepted as a substitute for ESS420 Benny Belt.

Instructors: Dr. Paul Ashwell & Dr. Semechah Lui

Staff:  Jess Slomka (ERS Lab & Field Coordinator)

When: 23-31 July 2025

You must register for the course on ACORN. If a spot becomes available, and you meet the enrolment requirements as determined by the department, you will be accepted into the course. 

When you are accepted into the course, field trip fees are due by the follow dates:

Installment 1: deadline passed

Installment 2: May 12

Installment 3: May 26

Field trip fees can be paid through the course e-commerce site. Please contact the course instructor or ERS Lab and Field Coordinator for more information about fees and a link to the e-commerce site. Only students who are accepted into the course will receive the link.

 

Upcoming: 

  • attend an information session (TBD)
  • complete the Field Trip Participant Form (an email will be sent to all participants)

 

Accessibility: If you are registered with Accessibility, please meet with your Accessibility advisor well before the trip to discuss necessary accommodations and communicate your needs to the course instructors. If you are not registered with Accessibility but require accommodations, please be sure to register with Accessibility now so that the required accommodations can be put in place for the trip. This must be done before registering on ACORN.

 

the rock
the rock newfoundland