Program Overview
The HTC program in the Geological Sciences offers high-achieving students curriculum focused on geology and its allied sciences. After courses in physical geology, historical geology, stratigraphy/sedimentology, geomorphology, igneous petrology, petrography, and structural geology, HTC students will take capstone courses in geodynamics, earth system science, and field camp in addition to chemistry, physics (or biology), and calculus requirements.
HTC students will also take writing courses to improve their scientific communication skills. The academic experience will culminate in a bachelor’s thesis research project to be presented at a geological meeting. Graduates of this program receive a Bachelor of Science degree from the Honors Tutorial College and are prepared for graduate study in any geologic discipline.
Tutorials
Students are required to participate in eight tutorials (one for each semester enrolled in the program). In the final year, the tutorials will be dedicated to thesis work. Honors Tutorial students must take a minimum of 15 hours a semester.
Honors Thesis
Research within the honors thesis research project will reflect the interests of the student and his/her thesis advisor. The thesis prospectus will be 10 pages long and must include an annotated bibliography with a minimum of 20 entries. It is expected that this research will be presented at a geology meeting venue as a poster or oral presentation. A high-quality publishable study with data collection is expected from an honors tutorial student.
Eligibility
Applicants are selected on the basis of superior academic ability and the potential for self-motivated undergraduate study and research.
Students wishing to transfer should contact the Director of Studies by the middle of fall semester of their freshman year regarding the procedure for application. The student must have taken coursework comparable to a freshman HTC student and have at least a 3.7 cumulative GPA.
Director of Studies
Dr. Keith Milam
Department of Earth and Environmental Geosciences
Ohio University
593-1106
milamk@ohio.edu
Recent News
Education
Ph.D., 2007, University of Tennessee
M.S., 2002, University of Tennessee
B.S., 1997, Western Kentucky University
Research Interests
Planetary Geology
- Geology of Mars
- Impact Cratering
- Remote Sensing
My research interests are widely varied in the field of planetary geology but commonly integrate aspects of mineralogy, petrology, remote sensing, and geomorphology. My research highlights my ability to both lead a research project and to participate as a contributing team member. My primary research involves tracking the evolution of the martian interior and modification of surface by use of thermal emissivity spectra and visible imagery. Additionally, I am very interested in impact cratering research, specifically, how central peaks (or uplifts) are formed during the impact cratering process.
Representative Publications
Milam, K. A., H. Y. McSween Jr., J. Moersch, and P. R. Christensen, 2010, Distribution and variation of plagioclase compositions on Mars, J. Geophys . Res., 115, E09004, doi:10.1029/2009JE003495.
Milam, K. A., Gabreski, C., Baranoski, M., Miller, D. W., 2010, Evidence of Maximum Age of the Serpent Mound Impact Event from Shatter Cones - Brief Note, The Ohio Journal of Science , 110, 3, 53-54.
Milam, K. A., Hester, A., Malinkski, P., 2010, An Anomalous Breccia Associated with the Serpent Mound Impact Crater, Southern Ohio, The Ohio Journal of Science , 110, 2, 18-30.
Rampey, M. L., K. A. Milam, H. Y. McSween Jr., J. E. Moersch, and P. R. Christensen, 2007, Identity and emplacement of domical structures in the western Arcadia Planitia, Mars, J. Geophys . Res., 112, E06011, doi:10.1029/2006JE002750.
Milam, K. A., H. Y. McSween Jr., and P. R. Christensen, 2007, Plagioclase compositions derived from thermal emission spectra of compositionally complex mixtures: Implications for Martian feldspar mineralogy, J. Geophys . Res., 112, E10005, doi:10.1029/2006JE002880.
McSween, H. Y., Jr., M. B. Wyatt, R. Gellert, J. F. Bell III, R. V. Morris, K. E. Herkenhoff, L. S. Crumpler, K. A. Milam, K. R. Stockstill, L. Tornabene, R. E. Arvidson, P. Bartlett, D. Blaney, N. A. Cabrol, P. R. Christensen, B. C. Clark, J. A. Crisp, D. J. Des Marais, T. Economou, J. D. Farmer, W. Farrand, A. Ghosh, M. Golombek, S. Gorevan, R. Greeley, V. E. Hamilton, J. R. Johnson, B. L. Joliff, G. Klingelhoefer, A. T. Knudson, S. McLennan, D. Ming, J. E. Moersch, R. Rieder, S. W. Ruff, C. Schroeder, P. A. de Souza, Jr., S. W. Squyres, H. Wänke, A. Wange, A. Yen, and J. Zipfel, 2006, Characterization and petrologic interpretation of olivine-rich basalts at Gusev Crater, Mars, J. Geophys . Res., 111, E02S10, doi:10.1029/2005JE002477.
Tornabene, L. L., J. E. Moersch, H. Y. McSween, Jr., J. L. Piatek, K. A. Milam, A. S. McEwen, and P. R. Christensen, 2006, Identification of large (2-10 km) rayed craters on Mars in THEMIS thermal infrared images: Implications for possible martian meteorite source regions, J. Geophys . Res., 111, E10006, doi:10.1029/2005JE002600.
McSween, H. Y., Jr., R. E. Arvidson, J. F. Bell III, D. Blaney, N. A. Cabrol, P. R. Christensen, B. C. Clark, J. A. Crisp, L. S. Crumpler, D. J. Des Marais, J. D. Farmer, R. Gellert, A. Ghosh, S. Gorevan, T. Graff, J. Grant, L. A. Haskin, K. E. Herkenhoff, J. R. Johnson, B. L. Jolliff, G. Klingelhoefer, A. T. Knudson, S. McLennan, K. A. Milam, J. E. Moersch, R. V. Morris, R. Rieder, S. W. Ruff, P. A. de Souza Jr., S. W. Squyres, H. Wänke, A. Wang, M. B. Wyatt, A. Yen, J. Zipfel, 2004, Basaltic Rocks Analyzed by the Spirit Rover in Gusev Crater, Science , 305, 842-845.
Milam, K. A., H.Y. McSween, Jr., V.E. Hamilton, J.E. Moersch, and P.R. Christensen, 2004, Accuracy of plagioclase compositions from laboratory and Mars spacecraft thermal emission spectra, JGR-Planets , 109, E04001, doi:10,1029/2003JE002097.
Milam, K. A., K.R. Stockstill, J.E. Moersch, H.Y. McSween, Jr., L.L. Tornabene, A. Ghosh, M.B. Wyatt, and P.R. Christensen, 2003, THEMIS characterization of the MER Gusev Crater Landing Site, JGR-Planets (MER Special Edition), 108, E12.