Spring 2010

Professor Jennifer Mapes

Office: KAP 450C
Office Hours: MW 10 am – 11 am,
or by appointment
Phone: 213-790-0743
Email: jmapes@usc.edu

GEOG 260Lg: Natural Hazards

Most environments contain risk; many contain multiple hazards of both natural and
technological origin. When conditions are right (or wrong) a disaster may occur. When events
go really wrong, a catastrophe may ensue. The 2004 tsunami in southeast Asia, and
Hurricane Katrina are recent examples of natural disasters that received global attention.
Locally, Southern California is often under threat of earthquakes, wildfire, and debris flows.
This course will consider both hazards and disasters from multiple angles; why they exist, what
may trigger them, how to mitigate, respond and recover from them.

Natural hazards do not affect all equally. Some places or groups are more at risk than others.
This course is particularly interested in issues of social vulnerability and environmental justice;
we will investigate how socio-economic status affects residents' ability to prepare for and react
to a natural disaster. Finally, as this course is in geography, the spatial aspect of how disasters
work will be emphasized, both in class discussions and the geospatially-based laboratory
exercises.

Course objectives
 Understand the complexity of how a disaster can occur, and the implications in terms
of mitigation, response and recovery.
 Identify current emergency management techniques, including how an Emergency
Operations Center (EOC) works.
 Recognize that lessons learned from one disaster type can be applied to another.
 Learn geospatial techniques, including exercises using a geographic information
system (GIS).
 Provide enough background information, and skills, to be a good resource for any
local area emergency management office.

Required texts

MCPHEE. CONTROL OF NATURE. (Required) ISBN: 9780374522599

KELLER. NATURAL HAZARDS (Highly recommended) ISBN: 9780536509925

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Course schedule
Dates Lecture Lab

Introduction
Jan. 12/14 What is geography? What are hazards? No lab meetings
Refer: Keller, Ch. 1

Jan. 19/21 Mapping disasters Lab techniques

Jan. 26/28 Historic disasters & vulnerability Lab 1: Katrina Recovery I

Hurricane Katrina
Feb. 2/4 Geography of Katrina Lab 1: Katrina Recovery I
Refer Keller, Ch. 9

Feb. 9/11 Mitigation Lab 2: Google Earth

Read: McPhee, Atchafalaya

Feb. 16/18 Response & recovery Lab 2: Google Earth

Feb. 22/25 Review/Mid-term Lab 3: USC

Hazards in L.A.
Mar. 2/4 Wildfires Lab 3: USC
Refer: Keller, Ch. 12

Mar. 9/11 Debris flows

Read: McPhee, LA vs. the mountains Lab 4: GIS
Refer: Keller, Ch. 6

Mar. 16/18 Spring Recess: no class No lab meetings

Mar. 23/25 Earthquakes Lab 4: GIS

Refer: Keller, Ch. 2

Hazards beyond L.A.

Mar. 30/1 Tsunamis Lab 5: Katrina Recovery II
Refer: Keller/Ch. 3

Apr. 6/8 Flooding Lab 5: Katrina Recovery II

Refer: Keller/Ch. 5

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Dates Lecture Lab

Apr. 13 Volcanoes Poster research

Refer: Keller/ Ch. 4 (no lab meetings)
Read: McPhee, Cooling the lava

Apr. 15 No class (AAG conference)

Apr. 20/22 Severe weather Poster research

Refer: Keller/Ch. 8

Apr 27/29 Conclusion/Review Poster presentations

May 12 Final exam: 2- 4 pm: SAL 101

Assessment
Lecture
Midterm Exam:20%
Final Exam: 20%
The exams will be multiple choice, non-comprehensive, and scantrons will be provided. A
keyword list and in-class review session will be provided prior to the exam, but you must come
prepared to provide questions and answers. Questions will be primarily from lecture, however,
most lectures will rely heavily on the required readings. The exams will not ask obscure
questions about the texts, but if you read about something AND hear it mentioned in
class...assume it is important.

Pop quizzes: 5% total

These quizzes are primarily to check to see that you're in class (and are paying attention).They
will be easy! You'll be given 7 quizzes, your top 5 will count toward this grade.

Lab
Five labs: 8% each (40% total)
Each lab in this class will take two weeks to complete. You should be able to complete the
laboratory exercises in the time provided (2 hours +2 hours= 4 hours). The computer lab is
only available during this time. You MUST attend lab in order to submit your lab to be graded.
Exceptions will only be granted for documented medical reasons. H1N1 absences must be
documented as any medical excuse for missing lab.

Final poster/presentation: 15%

For your final project, you will conduct original research on a natural hazard, focusing on
vulnerability, mitigation, response, or recovery, and present a poster to the class on the topic.
You will need to work both in and outside of the classroom on this. To illustrate the data you

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gather, you will use the geospatial skills you learned in this class to create a map that will be
shown on the poster. Additional information on this project will be provided by your teaching
assistants.

Grading expectations
Your teaching assistants, Jenny Novak and Su Jin Lee, will post your grades within two weeks
of receiving your assignments. They will assist you in lab, and hold office hours that you can
visit if you need extra help or test-taking advice. In exchange, your responsibility is to turn in
your assignment on time. Late assignments or missed labs will not be accepted without a
documented medical excuse. Even with a documented excuse, it is your responsibility to catch
up as soon as possible. You must schedule a meeting with your TA within one week of your
return to classes to discuss what material and assignments you have missed. It is also your
responsibility to keep an eye on your grades, and if necessary, ask for help if you're
struggling.

Statement for Students with Disabilities

Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to
register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for
approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to
me as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open 8:30 a.m.–
5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740-0776.

Statement on Academic Integrity

USC seeks to maintain an optimal learning environment. General principles of academic
honesty include the concept of respect for the intellectual property of others, the expectation
that individual work will be submitted unless otherwise allowed by an instructor, and the
obligations both to protect one’s own academic work from misuse by others as well as to
avoid using another’s work as one’s own. All students are expected to understand and abide
by these principles. The student guidebook contains the Student Conduct Code in Section
11.00, while the recommended sanctions are located in Appendix A:
http://www.usc.edu/dept/publications/SCAMPUS/gov/. Students will be referred to the Office
of Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards for further review, should there be any
suspicion of academic dishonesty. The review process can be found at:
http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/SJACS/.

If you are unsure how to cite the work of others to avoid accusations of plagiarism, visit this
website: http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/student-conduct/ug_plag.htm and/or the student
writing center. Ignorance of the rules governing original work and citation guidelines is not an
acceptable excuse for plagiarism.