Peter Kelemen

I thought this class would be easier than it was. The 1600 version is a lot less work and graded by the TAs. This 4600 version (which I needed to take for my Earth Sci major) is graded fully by Prof Kelemen and includes a discussion section with a small group and prof (mine was 7:30-9pm on tues). The lecture slides are mostly graphs/images so if you miss class you'll be confused. He also does iClicker quizzes in class to make sure you are in class (which count for a grade). The content was pretty interesting and he tries to keep the information updated.

I'll say this straight out of the gate, if you are looking to take Earth Resources and Sustainable Development for an easy course to fulfill the Science Core requirement, I wouldn't recommend this class. The workload is moderate, if not a little a higher, compared to other courses. The grading distribution seems less than super generous but nothing too tough. However, I will say you probably won't learn too much useful information that isn't just readily accessible by a casual perusing of news. The motivation of the course is pretty good, a broad introduction to some of largest environmental-related questions facing the world. Execution leaves a bit to be desired. Lectures aren't great. Kelemen himself is pretty engaging and he has a bunch of interesting stories and anecdotes to share. However, flow of information and arrangement of key facts and figures is truly horrendous. Slides basically only have graphics on them without highlighting the most salient details. This makes reviewing this information nearly impossibly. I would say you can try to pay attention but honestly it's okay if you end up treating lecture like the NPR podcast you have playing in the background while you are doing work: entertaining but not very educational. Kelemen has a pretty good sense of humor so maybe that is your cup of tea. Interaction with the teaching staff is pretty limited. Discussion sectio…

This class was ridiculously easy. I haven't gotten my grade yet, but right before the final I was getting 101%, and I don't have a particular talent for earth science. Professor Kelemen curves very generously. I definitely got a good overview of earth science in the class. We didn't go too in-depth on any of the topics, but learned enough to understand the concepts. For some reason our class moved really slowly. We would review lectures two or three times before quizzes and I got pretty bored sometimes. If you like earth science, though (and really, who doesn't?!), this is a fun class that fulfills part of the CC science requirement. There is a lab section, but you can also just sign up for the lectures, which is what I did. Professor Kelemen is really nice. I never talked to him after class or during office hours, but he seemed very willing to help. He managed to be knowledgeable, yet not pompous like some professors. I would recommend this class.

Kelemen has a lot of expertise and experience in his field. This makes him an interesting lecturer, but he is a bit disorganized at times which can make it hard to study and stay engaged. If you are interested in the subject matter and disciplined enough to study the content, you'll be just fine!

Probably the easiest class you'll take at Columbia, and definitely the easiest you'll take as part of the Core. Prof. Kelemen is fun and the course is interesting. It's also probably the least effort class I've ever taken. Take this course -- you won't regret it.

Kelemen basically goes through a 100+ page powerpoint per lecture, and his lecturing style is pretty average nothing amazing. Mostly feels like you're watching the Discovery channel where you learned random pieces of information that you don't really need nor care about. Interesting class that allows you to pay attention only when you feel like it. Mandatory attendance but just bring your stuff to do during the class. One major downside is that people definitely chat and flirt during the lectures so avoid those areas and you'll be good

Highly Recommend!!!!Professor Kelemen is amazing and his lectures are really enjoyable. Even if you have no background in the field the information is really easy to understand.The in class quizzes are really helpful because they prepare you for the final and midterm. The in class quizzes mostly count for attendance so don't stress it. As long as you pay attention you don't really need to do much reading.

I did not like it. The room was too big.. the class was only at like half capacity, which is not the best sign. I did not learn much, most info came from Wikipedia/Our World in Data... I did not need a course to learn this. You do not have to pay attention in class. The answers are all available on previous presentations, and the professor encourages students to use them. It was truly the instruction of this course that made it not enjoyable. The instruction was so depersonalized. The natural resources part about mining and specific resources was quite interesting, but there was too much discussed too quickly, there was no main focus or application of the material. The first few weeks of this class were truly basic. If you are taking this to fulfil a Sustainable Development requirement, it may have less work than Climate/Life Systems, but it is truly unbearable on a academic level, not on a rigor level. Keleman is somewhat funny and somewhat kind. He does not really look at the students during class... often raised hands are missed. Lectures were rather clear but a lot of information at once. The iClicker quiz questions during class did not help me understand the main ideas of the course but rather fill me with anxiety to get to class on time, not go to the bathroom during class (which could be quite uncomfortable), and ensure I clicked the right answer. The requirements of th…

I took this class for the science requirement and highly recommend it if you're looking for the easiest way to get rid of the req. VERY low effort class, just have to go to class for the attendance policy but otherwise you don't have to pay attention at all. I hated going to class because it was boring and not very conducive. that being said, the material we had to learn for the tests was interesting and very informative so i don't regret taking it. i got an A+ in the class just by studying for the exams (which are easy because he gives you the questions in advance) and doing well on the paper (which is graded generously by the TAs).

Sometimes too heavy on rocks and minerals. However, course is interesting as it showcases current resources and how they are used. The Mean of the course will be B+ and exams are all multiple choice