Environmental Chemistry

A working knowledge of most environmental issues facing us in the twenty-first century requires an understanding of some key geochemical principles. This course introduces chemistry concepts and skills as they arise in the context of current environmental issues, including chemical cycles in nature, air pollution, ozone depletion, global warming, acid rain, energy sources, water quality, and solid waste. Students will be asked to collect and interpret their own data, as well as to use simple models to explain environmental issues from a scientific perspective.?

Intro to Environmental Studies

The environment is not only a natural place filled with trees and pandas, but a matrix in which all human economies and societies are embedded. Solving current environmental problems often involves closing feedback loops between political, social, and economic processes and the ecosystems from which they draw, and which they, in turn impact. For this reason, the scholarly study of environmental issues is inherently interdisciplinary, requiring a sophisticated appreciation not only of science, but also of the humanities and social sciences. This course is an introduction to the multifaceted and interdisciplinary nature of environmental problems and their solutions in today's world. It emphasizes field trips and scientific content, particularly related to understanding biodiversity and ecosystems. It also offers perspectives on environmental issues from the humanities and/or social sciences. Specific topics and content may vary with the professor(s).

Introduction to Geology

This course will launch participants into the study of Earth's physical history, from the creation of our planet to ways in which geologic processes occur all around us today. Students will learn to identify many different types of rocks, minerals, and fossils, explain the workings of plate tectonics, interpret ancient climates and environments by identifying a single rock, and understand how geologic processes have shaped the face of today's Earth and the life on it. Students will better understand the most important environmental and economic issues facing the world today - the formation, distribution, extraction, and effects of fossil fuels - and gain insight into water movement, access, and pollution. Students will be expected to take a dynamic role in the teaching of materials through presentations and in-class activities. Field trips, including a possible weekend field trip, will be a required part of the class.