Evaluation of environmental contamination and liability is an important tool during acquisition of real estate property, and a standard work product in the environmental consulting field. This course will cover the purpose and history of the Superfund law, the various classifications of Superfund liable parties, and protections against Superfund liability, specifically with regard to bona fide prospective purchasers (BFPP). In the context of the BFPP liability defense the course will focus on the performance of "All Appropriate Inquiry" for the presence of environmental contamination (e.g. Phase I environmental site assessment). Our study of "All Appropriate Inquiry" will include evaluation of historical maps and other resources, aerial photography, chain-of-title documentation, and governmental database information pertaining to known contaminated sites in the area of select properties on or near campus. Site visits will be performed to gain experience and knowledge for the identification of recognized environmental conditions. Students will prepare environmental reports for select properties and will have an opportunity to hone technical writing skills.

An introduction to the theory, operation and application of modern analytical instrumentation used in geo- and environmental sciences. Primarily focused on laboratory instrumentation such as mass spectroscopy, elemental analyses and x-ray techniques. Some field instruments will be introduced as well. Students will be expected to develop projects utilizing the various instruments.

This course will cover various topics related to Air Quality. Initial lectures will cover the history of air pollution, discussions of the Clean Air Act and composition of the atmosphere. We will then progress to discussion of atmospheric pollutants and sources of those pollutants. Additional topics will include: fate of atmospheric pollutants (transport and dispersion mechanis will include: fate of atmospheric pollutants (transport and mechanisms), effects of air pollution (health and environmental effects), urban smog, acid rain, climate change, ozone depletion in the stratosphere, air quality criteria, and engineering controls.

Pattern on the Earth's surface arise due to the transport of sediment by water and wind, with energy that is supplied by climate and tectonic deformation of the solid Earth. This course presents a treatment of the processes of erosion and deposition that shape landscapes. Emphasis will be placed on using simple physical principles as a tool for (a) understanding landscape patterns including drainage networks, river channels and deltas, desert dunes, and submarine channels, (b) reconstructing past environmental conditions using the sedimentary record, and (c) the management of rivers and landscapes under present and future climate scenarios. The course will conclude with a critical assessment of landscape evolution on other planets, including Mars.

This course will introduce graduate students to the principles of remote sensing, characteristics of remote sensors, and remote sensing applications. Image acquisition, data collection in the electromagnetic spectrum, and data set manipulations for earth and environmental science applications will be emphasized. We will cover fundamental knowledge of the physics of remote sensing; aerial photographic techniques; multispectral, hyperspectral, thermal, and other image analysis. Students will pursue an independent research project using remote sensing tols, and at the end of the semester should have a good understanding and the basic skills of remote sensing. Expectations for the graduate student independent research projects will be at the graduate level and can relate to their capstone or Ph.D. thesis research topics.

The culmination of the Earth Science major. Students, while working with an advisor in their concentration, conduct research and write a thesis.

The culmination of the Earth Science major. Students, while working with an advisor in their concentration, conduct research and write a thesis.

The culmination of the Earth Science major. Students, while working with an advisor in their concentration, conduct research and write a thesis.

The culmination of the Earth Science major. Students, while working with an advisor in their concentration, conduct research and write a thesis.

Macroevolution, or evolution above the population level and on long timescales,as a field addresses fundamental questions about the origins of life, past and present.These include but are not limited to: How are highly dissimilar speciesrelated? Why are animals on distant continents so similar? How and when did major groups, like birds or mammals, originate? What drives evolutionary arms races? Why are there so many more species of beetle than crocodile? Why are there more species in the tropics than the arctic? Did dinosaursprevent the diversification of mammals? Why do some animals survive mass extinction? How can invasive species spread so rapidly? Students will learn importantconcepts underlying our understanding of modern biodiversity and the fossil record, as well as how to use different methods and lines of evidence, including evolutionary trees (phylogeny), fossil databases, past climate and global events,mathematical modeling, and even modern genomics, to answer fundamental questions about the evolution of life.