This flood-prone stream on the north side of the campus has been an object of cultural and scientific inquiry for the past two centuries. Variously characterized as a prized natural resource, a natural hazard in need of engineering control, a treasured preserve of archaeology and natural beauty, a hideout for outlaws and the homeless, and a battlefield of constitutional rights, the creek remains at the close of the millenium a subject of contemplation and action by scientists, lawyers, engineers, and citizen groups. In this seminar we will undertake an interdisciplinary exploration of the creek, recording our findings for the permanent archiving after the manner of the early explorers of California.

Science, Technology, and Society 90Q
Richard Meehan

Richard L. Meehan has been an adjunct professor in Stanford's departments of Engineering and Earth Sciences since the early 1970's. He is the author of the The Atom and the Fault and other works on the natural history and hazards of California and frequently serves as an expert witness in legal issues having to do with floods, earthquakes, and toxic wastes. His previous Sophomore Seminar led to the establishment of Girls to the Fourth Power, a middle school algebra tutoring program for girls.