Earth & Space Sciences

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale degree program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor. The course focuses on two main topics: summary of fundamentals (deformation, stress and strain, porosity and permeability, brittle and ductile regimes, kinematic and dynamic approach to deformation), and faults and fault-related structures (fault core vs. damage zone; permeability changes along and across fault zones; basic elements of discrete fracture modelling.)

This course provides an overview of the role deformation plays in both the genesis and spatial distribution of ore deposits. This is done by combining traditional class lectures and lab style exercises with seminar-style classes based on reading and student presentations and a few days directly at the outcrop. This combined approach allows students to develop theoretical and practical skills related to asking and assessing scientific questions as well as summarizing and presenting the results of scientific studies dealing with the role exerted by rock deformation and fluid/rock interaction in deformed contexts. The course reviews the concepts, theoretical knowledge and techniques of Structural Geology that are relevant to understanding ore genesis and exploration of ore deposits. It also provides hands-on field work to help strengthen the theoretical knowledge and provide the students with a solid understanding of the involved mechanisms and processes. Students thereby learn the simple principles of “Structural Control” and how to elaborate the best practices for structural data collection and analysis in mineral exploration and mining.

In Spring 2025, there is a 5-day field trip to the Island of Elba and southern Tuscany, which exposes students to outstanding examples of hydrothermal deposits. Fieldwork is used to unravel and constrain the genetic relationships between brittle deformation, fluid ingress, and flow and ore genesis. 

Through laboratory work, the course introduces students to the chemistry and physical properties of minerals; morphological elements of crystallography; the optical properties of minerals, introduced in conjunction with use of the petrographic microscope; the physical, chemical, and optical properties of the major rock-forming mineral groups; and the intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks and clastic and chemical sedimentary rocks.

This course covers the principles behind, and practical application of, data handling, visualization, and analysis in Earth Sciences. Statistical training includes understanding data types, data presentation and basic descriptive statistics, probability, hypothesis testing using parametric and non-parametric statistics, correlation and regression, and an introduction to numerical methods and modelling. 

This course provides students with a thorough understanding of the nature and origin of igneous and metamorphic rocks, from their formation and distribution to their geological expressions and associations with particular plate tectonic settings. The course also builds on fundamental concepts of geochemistry and mineralogy to explain phase behavior in high temperature systems using quantitative phase diagrams and approaches. Integral practical classes use both hand specimens and optical mineralogy to understand diagnostic textures - which are used to identify and classify igneous and metamorphic rocks. The course provides an introduction to modern research practice in the fields of igneous and metamorphic petrology.

This course involves student-led research and dissemination around contemporary environmental topics e.g. renewable energy, food security etc. Working in groups, students explore an issue or problem, undertake research on it, and communicate their work in a form accessible to non-academic audiences e.g. a policy note or a science communication piece. This helps students to develop key graduate attributes and consider their own employment prospects beyond the academy.

This course engages students in global scale geological and environmental processes and challenges from deep geological time, to the present, and into the future. This is achieved using a variety of spatial, numerical, geochemical, computational, and field data collection methods and analysis.

This course not only enables students to establish the basic concepts and knowledge of aerospace technology. In addition, it is more important to broaden students' horizons, expand their knowledge, cultivate their interest in aviation, study aviation, and devote themselves to the aviation industry, enable them to initially establish an awareness of aerospace engineering, stimulate their enthusiasm for learning subsequent professional courses and their thirst for knowledge about future technology, and cultivate a good atmosphere of courage to explore and innovate.

This course covers the physical, chemical, and biological processes that impact the oceans and atmosphere. As Earth’s fluid envelopes, the oceans and atmosphere share many dynamical similarities, as well as important differences. The course covers the geophysical fluid dynamics of the ocean and atmosphere, which influence the large-scale transport of heat and water/air masses, as well as small-scale features such as eddies and convection. Different modes of climate variability, such as the El Nino-Southern Oscillation are investigated. This course also covers key biogeochemical processes that impact on the chemistry of the ocean and atmosphere, including carbon and nutrient cycling, and air-sea gas exchange. The insights from the physical circulation of the ocean and atmosphere build on knowledge of biological and chemical processes and reactions to understand key concepts such as cloud formation and aerosols.

This course provides a fundamental framework for interpreting major petrological processes acting within the silicate portion of planet Earth. The course focuses on solid-state equilibria, liquid-solid phase equilibria, crystallography, and spatial associations. 

This course discusses the process, method, design, and selection of materials for various industries including the automotive, aeronautical, and aerospace industries. It also examines different materials and their applications including metallic foams, intermetallics, carbon-based materials, nanomaterials, and phase change materials. Pre-requisites: Materials Science and Engineering