Património, Paleoambientes e Sustentabilidade

Objectives

The Heritage, Paleoenvironments and Sustainability course proposes to provide a solid knowledge about Materials of Cultural and Environmental Heritage and their Sustainability. We aim to provide fundamental principles on analytical methodologies applied to the evolution and chronological reconstruction of particular environments. By the end students should acquire competences to be able to: - establish the palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of contexts; - establish the regional background of environmental compartments and evaluate anthropogenic inputs; - evaluate environmental impacts of Human activities, particularly those occurring during the last centuries and their influence in the Cultural and Environmental Heritage Preservation.

Syllabus

Elements and Isotopes in the Environment. Methods for elemental, mineralogical and isotopic analysis and dating. Compositional analysis of environmental samples (soils, sediments, waters), including sampling and laboratory procedures. Methods of geochemical normalization. Groundwater systems as archives of paleoclimatic events. Application of radioisotopes in the study of sedimentary processes. Case studies.

Cross Competence Component

The curricular unit promotes several transversal skills, namely: 1 - Interpersonal skills (Written and Oral communication): e.g. the execution of the written report and corresponding oral presentation will promote the written and oral communication; 2 - Critical and innovative thinking (Problem solving strategies, Strategic thinking, Critical thinking and Creativity): e.g. the resolution of new problems through strategic and critical thinking and creativity will be encouraged by the interpretation of case studies; 3 - Intrapersonal skills (Productivity and Time management): e.g. the correct execution of the written report within the established deadline will promote the self-discipline and personal organization.

Programming And Computing Component

The use of computation tools will be promoted using software packages for data treatment and spreadsheets (e.g. EXCEL) and software dedicated to the writing (e.g. Word) and to the preparation of the oral presentation (e.g. PowerPoint).

Ethical Principles

All members of a group are responsible for the group's work. In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose and help received and sources used. In any oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.