An introduction to processes and forces that form the surface and the interior of the Earth. Topics include, changes in climate, the history of life, as well as earth resources and their uses.

Processes of soil development in a variety of temperate environments. Effects of lithology and climate on soil properties.

During six Saturday field trips, students will study field methods for the collection of geologic data. Use of the Brunton compass for basic surveying and collection of rock strata orientation will be stressed. Students will have an opportunity for field study of rocks and minerals, geomorphology, and geologic structures. This course is intended for MSAG students who do not have a degree in geology or need a field methods course for PG licensure.

The devastating impacts of climate change such as water scarcity, floods, migration, and sea level rise, are not gender neutral. Men and women, boys and girls are affected differently by these crises even though they live in the same household. Women and girls are more likely to face Inequality in access to education and jobs, health, and safety with the current approaches to combating climate change. Climate action therefore must be investigated from a gender lens. Long-standing social norms around women providing food and water for their families have increasingly put them at risk of poor physical and mental health, sexual abuse, and lack of formal education. Further, the abuse of younger boys in water-scarce areas often goes undiscussed because of the cultural restrictions and taboos around homosexuality.
In recent years, a small number of extraordinary women have emerged as global leaders in tackling the climate crisis. However, generally, women and the LGBTQIA+ community are greatly under-represented in high-level climate negotiations; tend to be disproportionately vulnerable to climate impacts, and climate solutions tend to ignore gender-specific issues perpetuating in a general bias of infrastructure and services not being gender-inclusive. This course will discuss such gender impacts of climate change, gender inclusion in climate-related workplaces, examples of gender empowerment, and ways by which gender-inclusive climate action can be designed.

From Rachel Carlson to Greta Thunberg – and whether via public blockades or behind-the-scenes boardroom votes – activism has been a driving force of change on environmental issues. This course will offer an overview of environmental activism, including players, strategies and tactics, and impacts. Students will explore various types of activists (e.g., grassroots, NGO, employee, investor) and the relationships between activism aimed at businesses vs. governments. The course will help students understand the historical roots of environmental activism, and what influence current demographics, public opinion, and technology have had, including on recent climate activism. Through case studies, news stories, academic readings, and class discussion, students will learn the various roles activists play, how activism impacts business practices and laws, and many of the ways companies relate to activists. Quizzes, case analyses, and other methods will be used to demonstrate mastery of the material.

While working with an advisor students conduct research and write a thesis.

Over the course of six Sunday field trips, we will travel from the barrier islands along the Atlantic Ocean in southern New Jersey to the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania, visiting representative sites of the diverse landscapes in the region along the way. At each site we will study and consider interactions between geology, topography, hydrology, soils, vegetation, wildlife, and disturbance. Students will summarize field trip data in a weekly site report. Evening class meetings will provide the opportunity to review field trips and reports and preview upcoming trips. Six all-day Sunday field trips are required.

This course will provide an understanding of the Earth's climate system and how and why this has changed through time. The emphasis will be placed on spatial and temporal scales in the modern system while exploring the evidence for past change, possible mechanisms to explain these changes and the implications of these changes to past, present and future global climate. Students will learn to reconstruct the history and scales of climate change through the use of proxies; understand the mechanisms that act to drive climate change; show and understanding of the long-term natural climate variability on a global and regional scale; understand the importance of natural environmental change, against which to assess human impacts, recent climate change and issues of future environmental change.

Course for PhD students dissertation credit.

Sustainability (i.e. the long term viability of humans in harmony with the environment) has been identified as a critical issue for society and industry. The question is what actions individual companies can take to promote sustainability. This course will focus on the approach to both managing and communicating the corporate sustainability function. The opportunity that exists is to demonstrate that sustainability can reduce costs and enhance the corporations reputation. A sustainable approach looks to change core business activities that consume resources and generate waste (now to be seen as by-products) so that the new business model will not only have a beneficial impact on the environment but also generate better products, reduce costs and improve trust between society and the company. The implementation of sustainability management systems, which assists in aligning business operations with sustainable principles, has the potential for significant benefit for industry as well as for the long term viability of the human population and the natural ecosystem. The key will be to communicate the approach and the benefit so that investors, employees and the public understand what is at stake.