Ellin Beltz - Resume and Vita

College and University Courses Taught

Course number order

  • Biology CR BIOL #10, 3 hours, 15 students
    Introduction to biology survey class with lab.

  • Environmental Ethics CR ENVSC #12, 3 hours, 10 students
    Introduction to environmental ethics with reference to worldwide ethics traditions and practices.

  • Climate Change - CR ENVSC #12, 3 hours, 15 students
    Study of historic and current climate changes with emphasis on local conditions and effects.

  • Geology TCC #101, 3 hours, 50 students -- five courses
    This course is a survey of minerals, rocks, historical geology, landforms, weather patterns and climates, freshwater systems and oceanography, the solar system and galaxies. It consists of two hours lecture per week and equivalent laboratory time. Some laboratories will be full day field trips on Saturdays.

  • Human Ecology TCC #105, 3 hours, 50 students
    This course covers ecology principles related to population, ecosystems and biosphere levels of organization. It then applies these principles to understand environmental issues brought about by the 20th century exponential growth in human population and human resource consumption.

  • Introduction to Earth Science NEIU #121-02//10936, 3 hours, 25 students -- eight courses, including honors
    Basic concepts of geology, meteorology, oceanography, and the solar system. Discussion of topics of current interest in the earth sciences. Laboratory involves the study of minerals, rocks, maps, and weather instruments.

  • Geology Resources & Environment NEIU #123-01//12626, 3 hours, 25-150 students -- ten courses
    Earth, its structure, composition and resources. Mineral and energy resources, their formation and distribution, their supply and demand projections for the future. Water resources and water quality. Environmental impact of resources, nuclear and other waste disposal, geological aspects of earthquake and volcanic hazards.

  • World Geography TCC #201, 3 hours, 50 students -- two courses
    Topics covered in this course include maps, landforms, weather and climate, populations, natural resources, political systems, economic systems, cultural diversity and urbanization. The course emphasizes relationships between developing countries.

  • Physical Geology NEIU #211-01//10976, 3 hours, 25 students -- three courses
    Detailed study of the materials comprising the earth's crust and interior and the forces acting to change its surface; the origin of continents and ocean basins in light of recent geological research.

  • Historical Geology NEIU #212-31//13332, 4 hours, 25 students
    Evolution of the earth and its flora and fauna, paleoecology; principles of paleontological stratigraphy and techniques of relative and absolute age determination.

  • Geology of the National Parks NEIU #308-41//12631, 3 hours, 25 students
    Study of the geological processes producing and controlling the lands within the U.S. National Park System.

  • Glaciers and Quaternary Geology NEIU #315-01//13822, 3 hours, 25 students
    Investigations of the geologic processes that have been at work during the last two million years, including the stratigraphic and environmental aspects of glacial and recent sediments.

  • Principles of Sedimentation NEIU #317-01//10991, 4 hours, 25 students -- two courses
    The processes governing the formation, transportation and deposition of sediments, and the alterations that transform them into sedimentary rocks. The practical application of these techniques is developed in the laboratory.


Interdisciplinary Courses



  • Celestial Mechanics and the History of Science
    1998-2000 Joshua Tree, CA and 1997 Yosemite, CA.
    When and where does the moon rise in each phase? How do eclipses happen? What is an equinox? A solstice? Discover the "secrets of the ages," how ancient mariners knew how to sail vast distances over oceans and explorers could navigate unknown lands. Work problems with some of the earliest-known scientists: Imhotep, Stonehenge-builders, Pythagoras, Euclid, Eratosthenes, MesoAmerican astronomers and more.
  • Tectonic Biogeography
    September 1997: Bentron, Inc. Entry level to 300+ college level reading assignments. Text by instructor.
    Plant and animal distribution responds to formation of mountains, movements of plates, changing landforms and climates on Earth's shifting surface.
  • Geology of Morton Arboretum
    May 1997 Morton Arboretum. Maps and text by instructor.
    Walk the Arboretum grounds and travel back through time to witness the making of a landscape by glacial deposition and erosion as well as the works of man.
  • Illinois Geology: Glaciers and Tropical Seas
    April 13 - 24, 1997 Field Museum of Natural History; April 11 - 28, 1996 Morton Arboretum. Text by instructor.
    Investigate the rocks and sediments which underly - yet shape the landscape we see around us.
  • Rocks to Soils
    February 1997 Morton Arboretum. Texts by Iowa State Press with additional materials by instructor.
    Sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks, carried by the glaciers or scoured out in place, are a rich resource for soil formation in Illinois. In this class, examine the effects of weathering, organic matter, biotic interactions, climate, and hydrology on soil formation. Learn how soils have developed since the last glaciation, and how their properties influence the location of plants and animals.
  • Reading the Landscape of America
    October 8 - 29, 1995; October 6 - 27, 1996 Morton Arboretum. Maps and pamphlets from the Illinois Geological Survey and text by the instructor.
    Ancient oceans, glaciers, plants, and animals have had a lasting effect on the landscapes and ecosystems of northeastern Illinois. Develop skills to "read the landscape" by exploring Illinois geology, soils, climate, weather, and rocks. Two field trips: the outlet of glacial Lake Chicago in Palos Park and Glacial Park in McHenry County.
  • Writing the Landscape
    October 6 - 27, 1996 Morton Arboretum. Texts and readings of early Chicago travelers and residents, maps and additional text by instructor.
    Study maps from the 1700s to the present, emphasizing maps of the Chicago region written by travelers, missionaries, surveyors, and government mapmakers. You will examine aerial photos, satellite analyses, and geographic information systems. In the field, you will study the geometry of surveying and map making.

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September 1, 2004
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