| Students' research projects on Anthropology at The Art Institute of Salt Lake City, Utah, USA |
Anthropology Summer 2009. Research project. Submitted: 6-19-09.
The teacher's note: Phillip's opinions almost always differed from mine but in some cases during the class we reached common view and this was a huge success. Later
when we discussed in the Faculty the past classes, I pointed that one of the best satisfactions for me was when saw how the students gradually developed during the
class. From this perspective, Phillip was one who made me really glad teaching this semester not only because it was a pleasure to have discussed and argued with him,
but also he told us that he had graduated from high school without attending classes (it was boring for him), while at the Art Institute of Salt Lake the attendance is
mandatory and Phillip did not miss most of the classes. I still believe, that live classes are the best teaching-learning environment.
Phillip's research project on anthropological geology is fundamentally new. The idea about it came at the Museum of Natural History at the University of Utah in SalT Lake
City, which we visited with the Summer 2009 class. During the tour I witness a deep knowledge and interest of Phillip in geology. So, I asked him: Why don't you do
Geological anthropology research project? You will be innovator in our field. Well. In this introductory course the students do not have much time for research projects, but
what Phillip did is very promising and I am sure will expire many professional anthropologists including me to find time about this so interesting and obviously still virgin
field of research - geological anthropology.
It is my pleasure to publish the Phillip's project on Web.
Geological Anthropology: Toward A Theory
Through out history mankind and geology have been linked with each other, without much regard as to why. When really we should be looking at how the geology of the
earth effects our everyday lives. It is all around us. You can’t help but see it every time you walk out your door. It effects were we live, farm, and build our cities. Geology even
affects the weather in certain areas by the formation of the surrounding terrain (1).
Ancient people such as the Anasazi relied on the geology of the earth in a multitude of ways. They built their homes in the side of the cliffs for protection from the weather
and any adversaries that may happen by (2). It affected the way they hunted their game. In certain areas they even used volcanic rock as fertilizer (3). They used the flint and
hard stone found in the area to make tools for hunting and food processing (4).
Geology is very much part of the Hawaiian people’s lives. The Hawaiian Islands themselves are made up of a string of active, dormant, and extinct volcanoes (5). Even the
most famous of Hawaiian gods, Pele, is believed to live in a volcano (6). The local people have such a high admiration for the land that it is not only illegal, but taboo to take
any geological pieces from the islands.
In modern times geology has affected the way we live and travel. Without geology, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to locate some of the natural resources that fuel our
world today. Coal, oil, and natural gas will not form if the geological conditions are not right (7). Because of cities built in places were earthquakes are frequent, we have
modified the way we build our communities in those areas (8).
I have only given a few examples of how geology has been a part of human life. It has determined where we live, and how we react to the earth around us. We have used
geology as tool and guide. Now more than ever we should look at how geology affects our lives every day.
Online Reference Links
1. Effects of weather and terrain. http://emc.ornl.gov/EMCWeb/EMC/CSEPP_Slides/ChemAware_Slides/99_ChemAware_Chapter_05.ppt (power point presentation
courtesy Lockheed Martin)
2. The Anasazi Indians. http://www.evgschool.org/anasazi_indians.htm
3. Fertilizer and Crop Production. Soil Productivity. Visited 21st June, 2009. http://www.canyonsworldwide.com/fisher/fertilizerAndCropProduction.htm
4. Their tools. http://coe.ksu.edu/mesa/Tools.html
5. The Formation of the Hawaiian Islands. Visited 21st June, 2009. http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/HCV/haw_formation.html
6. Pele (deity). Visited 21st June, 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pele_(deity)
7. How Oil and Gas were Formed. Visited 21st June, 2009. http://www.cartage.org.
lb/en/themes/Sciences/EarthScience/Geology/OilandGas/FormationHydrocarbon/HowOilandGas/HowOilandGas.htm
8. How earthquake-proof buildings work, by Marshall Brain, October 29, 2008. Visited 21st June. http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/2008/10/29/how-earthquake-proof-
buildings-work/
The teacher's note: Phillip's opinions almost always differed from mine but in some cases during the class we reached common view and this was a huge success. Later
when we discussed in the Faculty the past classes, I pointed that one of the best satisfactions for me was when saw how the students gradually developed during the
class. From this perspective, Phillip was one who made me really glad teaching this semester not only because it was a pleasure to have discussed and argued with him,
but also he told us that he had graduated from high school without attending classes (it was boring for him), while at the Art Institute of Salt Lake the attendance is
mandatory and Phillip did not miss most of the classes. I still believe, that live classes are the best teaching-learning environment.
Phillip's research project on anthropological geology is fundamentally new. The idea about it came at the Museum of Natural History at the University of Utah in SalT Lake
City, which we visited with the Summer 2009 class. During the tour I witness a deep knowledge and interest of Phillip in geology. So, I asked him: Why don't you do
Geological anthropology research project? You will be innovator in our field. Well. In this introductory course the students do not have much time for research projects, but
what Phillip did is very promising and I am sure will expire many professional anthropologists including me to find time about this so interesting and obviously still virgin
field of research - geological anthropology.
It is my pleasure to publish the Phillip's project on Web.
Geological Anthropology: Toward A Theory
Through out history mankind and geology have been linked with each other, without much regard as to why. When really we should be looking at how the geology of the
earth effects our everyday lives. It is all around us. You can’t help but see it every time you walk out your door. It effects were we live, farm, and build our cities. Geology even
affects the weather in certain areas by the formation of the surrounding terrain (1).
Ancient people such as the Anasazi relied on the geology of the earth in a multitude of ways. They built their homes in the side of the cliffs for protection from the weather
and any adversaries that may happen by (2). It affected the way they hunted their game. In certain areas they even used volcanic rock as fertilizer (3). They used the flint and
hard stone found in the area to make tools for hunting and food processing (4).
Geology is very much part of the Hawaiian people’s lives. The Hawaiian Islands themselves are made up of a string of active, dormant, and extinct volcanoes (5). Even the
most famous of Hawaiian gods, Pele, is believed to live in a volcano (6). The local people have such a high admiration for the land that it is not only illegal, but taboo to take
any geological pieces from the islands.
In modern times geology has affected the way we live and travel. Without geology, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to locate some of the natural resources that fuel our
world today. Coal, oil, and natural gas will not form if the geological conditions are not right (7). Because of cities built in places were earthquakes are frequent, we have
modified the way we build our communities in those areas (8).
I have only given a few examples of how geology has been a part of human life. It has determined where we live, and how we react to the earth around us. We have used
geology as tool and guide. Now more than ever we should look at how geology affects our lives every day.
Online Reference Links
1. Effects of weather and terrain. http://emc.ornl.gov/EMCWeb/EMC/CSEPP_Slides/ChemAware_Slides/99_ChemAware_Chapter_05.ppt (power point presentation
courtesy Lockheed Martin)
2. The Anasazi Indians. http://www.evgschool.org/anasazi_indians.htm
3. Fertilizer and Crop Production. Soil Productivity. Visited 21st June, 2009. http://www.canyonsworldwide.com/fisher/fertilizerAndCropProduction.htm
4. Their tools. http://coe.ksu.edu/mesa/Tools.html
5. The Formation of the Hawaiian Islands. Visited 21st June, 2009. http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/HCV/haw_formation.html
6. Pele (deity). Visited 21st June, 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pele_(deity)
7. How Oil and Gas were Formed. Visited 21st June, 2009. http://www.cartage.org.
lb/en/themes/Sciences/EarthScience/Geology/OilandGas/FormationHydrocarbon/HowOilandGas/HowOilandGas.htm
8. How earthquake-proof buildings work, by Marshall Brain, October 29, 2008. Visited 21st June. http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/2008/10/29/how-earthquake-proof-
buildings-work/
Cultural anthropology.
The Art Institute of Salt Lake City,
Utah. Instructor: Lolita Nikolova, PhD
The Art Institute of Salt Lake City,
Utah. Instructor: Lolita Nikolova, PhD
© 2009 International Institute of Anthropology
© 2009 Lolita Nikolova, PhD
Created: 6-19-09.
© 2009 Lolita Nikolova, PhD
Created: 6-19-09.
| Phillip Woosley and his geological anthropology |
 | |  | |  |
Pele (Wikipedia)
