University of Northern Iowa - Dr. Chad Heinzel
Natural Resources and Civilizations - UNIFI - Responsibility
Important handouts: 1. Syllabus , 2. PantherOvation, Ovation origin = a ceremony attending the entering of Rome by a general who had won a victory PantherOvation examples
Coursework
Week 1 - No class Monday Jan. 19 - MLK day. Founding Principles: Earth, Tragedy of the Commons, Wicked problems... Readings -1. The End of the Roman Empire - by James Fallows - The Atlantic, Oct. '19, 2. The Happiest Country in the World isn't What You Think, New York Times April 2025, by Byron Johnson et al., Videos to watch (below) J. Diamond - Collapse discussion and the Tragedy of Commons. Week 1 Sildes, Quiz 1 prep for Friday Jan 30 - Friday Jan. 23 - Lecture in place of meeting in person
Week 2 - Earth and Human systems- Slides for week 2
Week 3 - Egyptians to Romans Power, Longevity, Sustainability- A historical perspective Slides for week 3 Content - Collapse Handout, Modern day Naples paper read before Friday, Prep for Quiz 2 Friday
Week 4 - Icelandic to Native American environmental coexistence/reciprocity Listen to the Robin Wall Kimmerer Podcast -, Slides for week 4
Week 5 - Oceans, life and climate- Human Resiliency, Slides for week 5, On-being Kathrine Hayhoe - Our Future is Still in our Hands and 2. How Climate will Transform the USA- New York Times Sunday Read from ProPublica article , Handout Hadley Cell
Week 6 - Land: Minerals, rocks, gems and sediment, ‘If you cannot grow it then you must mine it’ Monday Slides, Reading/Listen - 1. New York Times article - 2017 Northern Minnesota, Two Economies Square Off: Mining vs Wilderness by Reid Forgrave AND 2. New York Times Daily Podcast, Sept. 16, 2022 - Promise and Peril at the Bottom of the Sea, 3. United States Geological Survey - Cellphone Handout, Slide deck for Week 6
Week 7 - Religion and Science – Linkages between the Earth and Humanity, Monday Slides , Listen by Wednesday Xavier Le Pichon
Week 8 - ‘Whiskey is for Drinking, Water is for Fighting’ – Mark Twain, in class documentary H2O the Molecule that Made Us Episode 2, Slides , In class and homework sheet
Week 9 - Soil, Plants and Relationships with Food: Hunting and Gathering to Agriculture - Reading - Soils and Civilizations page 49-73, Watch (see below), Week 9 (Due Friday Oct. 24) Assignment, Slides New York Times article "How America Got Hooked on Ultraprocessed Foods" - Oct. 2025 will need to make sure you are log into your UNI MyUNIverse account to access.
Week 10 - Energy - Source of all change, Slides, Listen to this before Friday - A Wind Farm in Coal Country, Quiz prep for Friday - No class Wednesday Oct. 29 - Work on your PatherO' project and prepare for the quiz on Friday.
Week 11 - Natural Hazards and life on Earth, Slides , Quiz Prep for Friday, Podcast for this week HERE.
Week 12 - Art, Education & Sport in Society, Slides, Quiz Prep for Friday, Podcast for this week HERE.
Week 13 - Technology's role in Natural Resource Conservation, Listen: Podcast 1 Tools and Weapons by Brad Smith and Podcast 2 ( to 1:02.45) Joe Rogan and Sebastain Junger , Slides , Technology in Iceland presetnation
Week 14 - Fall Break
Week 15- Natural resources role in social structures, economics and politics Slides also Listen - Market Place Report - Black Rock via Larry Fink, Article by Maya MacGuineas, 2020 Panther Ovations Due Friday Dec. 5
Week 16 - Leadership, communication and collaboraton, Elevator talks for Panther Ovations
Finals week Dec. 15-19 - The Panther Ovation is the Final, there will not be a final exam for this class during finals week.