Course Syllabus

Instructor: Jackson Njau; jknjau@iu.edu

Class Meeting time: Friday, 10:25AM-12:55 PM

Location: Geological Sciences bldg.

Office Hours: Wednesday, 1:30P-3:00P or by appointment

You will participate in this course using this Canvas site. Click the Knowledge Base if you need help or learn how to use Canvas effectively.

Course Description:  This interdisciplinary course investigates the environmental drivers of human origins, with particular emphasis on the African Pleistocene ecosystems. Through an integration of geological, anthropological and biological frameworks, students will explore how dynamic Earth processes have influenced key milestones in early human history, a topic that has become a focal point of scientific inquiry over the past two decades. A central focus of the course is the African Great Rift System, a region critical to understanding major evolutionary events, including the emergence of bipedalism, brain expansion, technological innovation, social behavior, and migration.  Students will engage in seminar-style discussions and lectures designed to foster critical thinking around the environmental, climatic and cultural contexts of early hominins. The course emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on archaeological, paleontological, geological, geochemical, and taphonomic evidence and tools to test hypotheses about adaptive contexts of hominin transitions. Students will be encouraged to guide class discussions toward their own areas of scientific interest, fostering a collaborative and interdisciplinary engagement of current research at the forefront of paleoecology and paleoenvironments.

Learning Outcome:  By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  • Apply interdisciplinary scientific methods and analytical techniques (such as isotope geochemistry, biogeochemistry, taphonomy, archaeology, geometric morphometrics, photogrammetry, and machine learning) to evaluate paleoenvironmental datasets for interpretating paleoanthropological record.
  • Synthesize scientific evidence to assess the role of paleoclimate in shaping the biological and cultural evolution of early hominins.
  • Distinguish the influence of local, regional, and global scale processes on evolutionary change across time scales.
  • Conduct independent research, critically analyze primary scientific literature or original datasets, and produce an evidence-based project exploring a current issue or method relevant to paleoecology, paleoenvironments, or topics covered in this course.

Course Requirements:  The course combines lecture and seminar formats. Students are expected to complete weekly readings from current scientific literature and actively participate in discussions. Topics and readings will be assigned on a weekly basis.

Prerequisites:  There are no formal prerequisites, although an interest in paleoanthropology, Earth systems, geochemistry and interdisciplinary research is strongly encouraged.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE OF TOPICS  (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

Week

Date

Topic

1

Aug. 29

Introduction & Course Overview

2

Sep. 5

Fossil and hominin record &chronological framework

3

Sept. 12

Climatic and environmental drivers of hominin transitions:

- Savannah hypothesis

- Faunal turnover pulses hypothesis

4

Sept. 19

- Environmental variability selection hypothesis

5

Sept. 26

Work on term project

6

Oct. 3

 

Climatic and environmental drivers of hominin transitions:

- The concept of orbital forcing

- Mediterranean sapropel & marine core records

7

Oct. 10

Fall Break

8

Oct. 17

Tectonics & topographic relief influence on hominin adaptations

9

Oct. 24

 

- The role of African continental rift, e.g., Deep Lakes hypothesis

- The role of intensification of Walker circulation

10

Oct. 31

Taphonomic biases and the problem of equifinality in fossil record

11

Nov. 7

 

Pulsed Climate Variability, a unifying theory: Early human response to Earth’s processes

- Change in adaptive behavior

- Early stone technology and cultural development

- Morphological and dietary modification

- First migration and hominin dispersal

12

Nov. 14

Environmental proxies: methods for reconstructing the past consider:

-   - Isotopic geochemistry, organic geochemistry, mineralogical

-   - Paleobiological (ostracods, diatoms, phytoliths, pollen, charcoal etc)

13

Nov. 21

Recap discussion: Development of extensive grassland-savanna biomes in response to uplifts, changes in ocean circulation, megadroughts, natural barriers etc. How did these processes increase ecological pressures on early hominins?

14

Nov. 28

Thanksgiving Break

15

Dec. 5

Project presentations (group 1)

16

Dec. 12

Project presentations (group 2)

17

Dec 18

Project Report due

 

Term paper:  Term paper on a pre-approved topic. In general, it can be anything relevant to paleoenvironments or paleoecology. It can be some aspect or application of geological, geochemical, paleontological, paleobiological, archaeological or paleoanthropological methods to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental contexts in which early hominins lived. It can also be a summary of specific research you have conducted that is relevant to this course. Alternatively, students may choose to critique a recent scientific method or theory about this subject. The paper should be thoroughly researched summary of a current problem using primary scientific papers or your own data as sources.  

The project will be completed in three stages: 

  1. Submit topic for approval by or before Week 6. 
  2. Submit a one-two paragraph prospectus by Week 10 that defines your topic succinctly and outline of the paper, problem statement, and a list of key references. 
  3. Submit scholarly, well written double-spaced paper by 12/18/2025.

Presentation:  The final paper will be accompanied by a brief (~20 minute) presentation of your work. A summary of your findings should be presented in the form of a review paper given at a scientific meeting.    

Class participation:  Students are expected to participate in discussion of each topic. Depending on the topic, students will be assigned to lead discussion on a specific case study of his/ her choice. Discussant (in consultation with instructor) will select key articles of his/ her choice and will initiate discussion by introducing key points, data or figures.  

Readings:  This course will primarily use articles, book chapters, figures and other resources related to each topic and will be posted weekly. 

Course Grades: 

30%: Once during the semester, each student will be responsible for selecting a research article (chosen in consultation with the instructor) that relates either to the previous week's class discussion or to the broader course objectives. You will post the selected article to the course Canvas site and deliver a brief (~20-minute) presentation summarizing its key points. Your presentation should address the following: the main focus of the article, a concise overview of the research conducted, the authors' conclusions, and how the article aligns (or fails to align) with the stated goals of the research.

20%: Project presentation. The final paper will be accompanied by a brief (~20 minute) presentation. A summary of your findings should be presented in the form of a review paper given at a scientific meeting. Your presentation should include introduction, method, results, discussion, conclusion and broader implication of the project.

50%: Term paper on a pre-approved topic. In general, it can be a summary of specific research you have conducted or anything relevant to paleoecology, paleoenvironments, or related interdisciplinary themes covered in this course.

Attendance:  Attendance is mandatory in order to receive full credit. Remember your active participation in this class (aside from excused absences) makes up 30% of your grade. Furthermore, attendance is the best way to learn the material, and it provides opportunities to engage with your peers around topics covered in this class. Students who attend class regularly typically outperform those who do not attend. In addition, I value hearing everyone’s voice in our discussions. You are permitted 2 absences for any reason (these may be for conference travel, job interviews, medical, or family issues); these absences require no documentation. Any absences beyond 4 class sessions will result in a 10% reduction in your final course grade.

According to guidance from the Dean of Students, if you miss more than 20% of the semester (approximately 3 weeks) for medical or personal reasons, it may be best to consider withdrawing from all courses until you are able to return and focus on your academic goals. If you are experiencing challenges with attendance, contact the Student Care and Resource Center (Indiana Memorial Union, lobby level next to Biddle Hotel Lobby); which can provide attendance memos in the event of hospitalization, or the death of an immediate family member.  If you need accommodations due to temporary impairments, including, but not limited to, broken bones, sprains, concussions, and appendicitis,” contact Accessible

Educational Services

Civility:  I expect students to support one another in learning this material.

Grading Scale:

Grade

% Range

A+

97-100

A

94-96

A-

90-93

B+

87-89

B

84-86

B-

80-83

C+

77-79

C

74-76

C-

70-73

D+

67-69

D

64-66

D-

60-63

F

<60%

UNIVERSITY POLICIES

 Academic Integrity:  As a student at IU, you are expected to adhere to the standards and policies detailed in the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct. Any inappropriate behavior, disruptive conduct (e.g., engaging in hostile or disrespectful commentary or discussing irrelevant evidence) or non-compliance with faculty directions can result in a charge of Academic and/or Personal Misconduct, the consequence of which could be a variety of sanctions either from the instructor or the Dean of Students. All work should be your original product, unless explicitly noted otherwise. Any materials you reference or take from others should be properly cited. Cheating, plagiarism, or fabrication in any form will not be tolerated, regardless of any justification.  When you submit an assignment with your name on it in this course, you are signifying that the work contained therein is all yours, unless otherwise cited or referenced. Any ideas or materials taken from another source for either written or oral use must be fully acknowledged. If you are unsure about the expectations for completing an assignment or taking a test or exam, be sure to seek clarification beforehand. All suspected violations of the Code will be handled according to University policies.

Sanctions for academic misconduct may include a failing grade on the assignment, reduction of your final grade, a failing grade in the course, among other possibilities. If you are unsure about the expectations for completing an assignment or taking a test or exam, be sure to seek clarification from your instructor in advance.

If you are unable to attend class (for any personal or medical reason), please take the following steps.

  • Notify us in advance of the absence or inability to participate, if possible.
  • Participate in class activities online and submit assignments electronically, to the extent possible.
  • Reach out to us if illness will require late submission or other modifications to deadlines.
  • If remaining in a class and fulfilling the necessary requirements becomes impossible due to illness or COVID-related circumstances, contact us to discuss other options.

Academic misconduct will not be tolerated. Students should NOT present work from other courses in this class.

Late Withdrawals:  After the Automatic Withdrawal deadline passes, students must petition for a Late Withdrawal, which must be approved by the dean of the student’s unit. Late Withdrawals are only approved in cases of emergency and must meet specific criteria. A policy change related to Late Withdrawals, the Grades and Grading policy was also approved by the BFC in April 2025 (ACA-H 30, 7.c.). When students in the College submit Late Withdrawal requests, we will contact you (if you are the instructor of record) to ask whether you have information we should consider in reviewing the request. If the student’s circumstances align with campus and university policy and the Late Withdrawal request is approved by the College, the student will be assigned a grade of W for the enrollment.

Bias Incident Reporting:  Bias-based incident reports can be made by students, faculty, and staff. Any act of discrimination or harassment based on race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability can be reported through any of the options: 1) fill out an online report at https://reportincident.iu.edu/ ; 2) call the Dean of Students Office at (812) 855-8187. Reports can be made anonymously at https://reportincident.iu.edu. Please note that incidents involving faculty and staff should be reported to the Office of Civil Rights Compliance.

Course Accessibility:  Indiana University is dedicated to ensuring that students with disabilities (e.g., chronic health, neurodevelopmental, neurological, sensory, psychological, and emotional, including mental health, etc.) have the support services and reasonable accessibility measures (accommodations) needed to provide equal access to academic programs. You must establish your eligibility for support services through Accessible Educational Services (AES). Note that services are confidential, may take time to put into place, and are not retroactive; citations and alternate media for print materials may take three or more weeks to produce. Contact Accessible Educational Services as soon as possible to register for services. The office is located on the basement floor of Eigenmann Hall in Room 001 and is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Course Content and Intellectual Diversity:  This course integrate multiple scientific tools and hypotheses for reconstructing paleoenvironments is which Pleistocene hominins lived. Within that focus, I have selected class materials that present a variety of topics and arguments as observed from scientific datasets. It is possible that connections between our course and historical events outside the classroom will come up in lectures or discussions. The ability to draw and analyze connections among ideas and events is a core skill in a liberal arts education and will stand you in good stead in your life beyond IU.

FERPA:  The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of your education records. You may authorize a third party to access your education record by adding a release at https://ferpareleases.indiana.edu. Adding a release for a specific individual will generate a PIN that is sent to the student’s IU email and will direct the student to share the PIN with the authorized third party.

Generative AI:  According to the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct cheating is “using, providing, or attempting to use or provide unauthorized assistance, materials, information, or study aids in any form.” (Code, II: Responsibilities B,4,a). Cheating includes the use of artificial intelligence. You must not use generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Dall-E, Grammarly, QuillBot, and SpinBot for any work for this class without permission of the instructor. Unauthorized use of generative AI in this course will constitute academic misconduct; there will be an academic sanction, and the incident will be reported. The above policy applies only to this class. It is your responsibility to check with each of your other instructors if ever you are unsure about what constitutes academic honesty in their courses.

Note selling:  Various commercial services request that students upload course materials (e.g., instructor’s notes, study guides, assignment descriptions) for access. You are not permitted to sell the instructor’s materials or upload course materials to a third-party site – even after the course has ended. Violations of this policy will be reported to the Dean of Students (Office of Student Conduct) as academic misconduct; there will be an academic sanction, and the incident will be reported. Additionally, you should know that selling a faculty member’s course materials using IU email or other IU systems may also constitute a violation of IU information technology and IU intellectual property policies; additional consequences may result.

Online Course Materials:  The instructor teaching this course holds the exclusive right to distribute, modify, post, and reproduce course materials, including all written materials, study guides, lectures, assignments, and exams. Most of the course content are downloadable, but you should not distribute, post, or alter the instructor’s intellectual property. While you are permitted to take notes on the online materials and lectures posted for this course for your personal use, you are not permitted to re-post in another forum, distribute, or reproduce content from this course without the express written permission of the instructor.

Health and Wellbeing:  The Student Care and Resource Center supports students experiencing challenges that impact their ability to be safe, healthy, and successful. You can walk in, call, email, submit a Care Referral or make an appointment through the Student Appointment Scheduler to connect with the Care Team.

Student Care and Resource Center:

Indiana Memorial Union, L010

Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Phone: 812-856-CARE (2273) // Email: iucare@iu.edu 

  • Mental Health Support: If you or someone you know needs assistance, you are encouraged to contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at 812-855-5711 or by visiting their webpage. They will help you navigate any difficult circumstances you may be facing by connecting you with the appropriate resources or services.

Counseling and Psychological Services:

IU Student Health Center, Fourth Floor
Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Phone: 812-855-5711 (choose option 1 after-hours)

Timely Care:  Free 24/7 virtual mental health support is available to students who are enrolled in at least one course through the TimelyCARE platform or through your Canvas portal. You do not need insurance to access TimelyCare services.

Pregnancy:  IU is dedicated to supporting students who are pregnant or have experienced other conditions related to pregnancy (termination of pregnancy, miscarriage, lactation, or related medical conditions). To register for accommodations due to pregnancy or a related medical condition, please contact Accessible Educational Services.

Religious Observances:  Instructors must reasonably accommodate students who want to observe their religious holidays at times when academic requirements conflict with those observances. If you will miss class for a religious observance, you must fill out the Request for Accommodation for Religious Observances form at least two weeks before your anticipated absence.

Sexual Misconduct and Title IX:  IU policy prohibits sexual misconduct in any form, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, sexual exploitation, and dating and domestic violence. If you have experienced sexual misconduct, or know someone who has, the University can help. If you are seeking help and would like to speak to someone confidentially, you can make an appointment with the IU Sexual Assault Crisis Services at (812) 855-8900 or contact a Confidential Victim Advocate at (812) 856-2469 or cva@iu.edu.

It is also important that you know that University policy requires that I share certain information brought to my attention about potential sexual misconduct with the campus Deputy Sexual Misconduct & Title IX Coordinator or the University Sexual Misconduct & Title IX Coordinator. In that event, those individuals will work to ensure that appropriate measures are taken, and resources are made available. Protecting student privacy is of the utmost concern, and information will only be shared with those that need to know to ensure the University can respond and assist. I encourage you to visit the website below to learn more http://stopsexualviolence.iu.edu/index.html.                       

Student Resources: 

Library Research Assistance: IU Libraries offers one-on-one consultations with students who need assistance with library research.

Student Advocates: Retired IU faculty and staff members assist students with resolving academic, financial, and conduct-related issues.

Technology-related resources provided by the university include:

  • Free on-campus wireless internet (wifi) access through the “eduroam” network
  • Free software for download and for cloud-based use (access the Software Downloads app in IU)
  • Free 24/7 IU tech support (e.g., email, Canvas, wifi, printing, device setup, etc.)

Tutoring Resources: There are many free and paid tutoring resources on campus that are available to students.

Writing Tutorial Services: Offers free one-on-one writing help from a trained tutor.