Goram Ekstrom, professor of geology and geophysics (who, we should note, was rated one of the top ten hottest faculty members by the editors of Fifteen Minutes last year), is the course's instructor.

A soft-spoken man with a charming Scandanavian accent, Ekstrom delivers lectures that may be more conducive to meditation than note-taking, but the fascinating subject matter and approach should be enough to inspire.

Ekstrom organizes what has the potential to be confusing scientific information around the principles of hazard and risk, making the class relevant to everyday life.

"We face risks everyday and everywhere. Some we ignore and some we worry about," Ekstrom says. "I am fascinated by how we use science to analyze risks and it is used to make personal and societal decisions."

The class meets for an hour three times a week plus an hour and a half for weekly section. The bulk of your grade will be based on problem sets and the final.

If Ekstrom's similar departmental class, Earth and Planentary Science 6: "The Solid Earth" is any indication, the work will not be difficult.

Why does Ekstrom think students should spend their Mondays and Wednesdays with him?

"My course is focused on natural hazards and disasters and I think it could be interesting to anyone who wants to learn about the environment," he says.