Holy Cross Mathematics and Computer Science
MONT 105N -- Analyzing Environmental Data
Note:
I will make every attempt to keep the information on this page current.
Any changes after the start of the semester will also be announced in class.
Syllabus and Schedule
-
Course syllabus (.pdf)
- Detailed course schedule, revised March 8
- Natural World Cluster Common Events:
- Joyce Contemplative Center, (one of) February 2,3,4 (which seminars go which day TBD)
- Las Cafeteras, March 24, 7:00pm, location TBA
Information and Announcements
- Class will move online starting Monday, March 23 due to COVID-19-related closure
of the residential campus.
- Link for online class meetings.
You'll get an invitation email from Google Calendar for this.
Also watch for more detailed email from me about how this will work.
- For the remainder of the semester, to make managing information simpler, I will be posting
all course materials and annoucements in Moodle. This page will probably not be updated
very often.
- Course schedule will be adjusted accordingly.
- Some data and information about the COVID-19
outbreak and the Holy Cross decision. No one is happy about this, of course. But I
for one am convinced that the college closures are absolutely necessary.
- Mathematical models of the COVID-19 outbreak, from NY Times, up to date as of
March 13. Please take a look!
- Information about the midterm exam (more detailed
information to follow) -- probable date, Friday March 27.
- Answers for the midterm review questions.
Examples, Class Notes, Etc.
- Why is it called the Montserrat program?
- The main mathematical textbook for the course:
- ``Modeling and Data Analysis: An Introduction with Environmental Applications''
is posted on the Moodle page for our course in .pdf format.
- Accounts of the human impact of the 12/19 and 1/20 Australian fires, for class on January 22
- Analysis of various attempts to show extent of the 12/19 and 1/20
Australian fires graphically, for class on January 22
- Planning questions for first project on the
audit data, class on January 31.
- The Monty Hall Problem, class on February 10.
- Normal pdfs, class on February 26.
Assignments
- As one of the continuing assignments for the class, you will maintain
a notebook or journal where you will record summaries and comments about news articles
you have read. These should connect in some way with the main themes of this course and
the Montserrat Natural World Cluster. I will be collecting these once or twice
during the semester and returning them with comments--first collection on Friday, February 28.
Some sources to consult for these:
- Environmental News Network (www.enn.com)
- National Geographic (www.nationalgeographic.com)
- BBC News (www.bbc.com/news/science_and_environment)
- Science (www.sciencemag.org) -- more technical, original research (access through HC library page)
- Nature (www.nature.com) -- more technical, original research (access through HC library page)
- New York Times (www.nytimes.com) -- requires a subscription (or search through HC library page)
- Wall Street Journal (www.wsj.com) -- requires a subscription (or search through HC library page) -- for a very conservative, pro-business slant on things
- Science Daily (www.sciencedaily.com/news/top/environment) -- but be aware that this site just republishes
press releases made by others; no independent content or editorial oversight.
- Problem Set 1 -- Chapter 9 Problems: 1, 5 (but using Google Sheets if you prefer; the data is on page 124;
you will probably want to draw the box plot in b by hand), 7, 10. due: Friday, January 31.
- Problem Set 2 -- Chapter 2 Problems: 11; Chapter 10 Problems: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. due:
Monday, February 17, no later than 5:00pm.
- Technical Report on the next calculations with
our carbon footprint data set. Please read this carefully and get started soon(!) due:
Friday, February 28, no later than 5:00pm. Note: This replaces the assignment
denoted ''Paper 1'' in the tentative course schedule.
- Problem Set 3 -- Chapter 10 Problems: 9, 11, 12, 13, 14. due: Friday, March 13.
- Sampling Project, in class on Monday, March 9
Final Projects
- Information and timeline for final projects will be posted here when determined.
Related Links
- Note: The Greek phrase appearing next to the heading of this page is one traditional rendering of
the reported inscription over the entrance to Plato's Academy in Athens
(founded about 387 BCE). It means (roughly) Let no one ignorant of geometry enter.
This is a reflection of the important role of geometry in Plato's ideas about knowledge and education.
Downloading Information
The links for assignments and other handouts shown above with the notation
(.pdf file) lead to documents in PDF format. To read and print these, you
will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader (or some equivalent document reader
software) installed on your computer.
Last modified: March 16, 2020