This course will introduce 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, hyperperspectral, thermal, and other image analysis. Students will pursue an independent research project using remote sensing tools, and at the end of the semester should have a good understanding and the basic skills of remote sensing.

Introduction to the basic principles of the hydrologic cycle and water budgets, precipitation and infiltration, evaporation and transpiration, stream flow, hydrograph analysis (floods), subsurface and groundwater flow, well hydraulics, water quality, and frequency analysis.

Soil is considered the "skin of the Earth", with interfaces between the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. It is a mixture of minerals, organic matter, gases, liquids and a myriad of organisms that can support plant life. As such, soil is a natural body that exists as part of the environment. This course will examine the nature, properties, formation and environmental functions of soil.

Water, the “universal solvent”, is a miraculous substance that makes Earth unique
in the solar system and, possibly, the galaxy. This course will dive into the
wonderous physical and chemical properties of water from the micro (water
properties and composition) to macro (global water resources) scale and highlight
its role in sculpting almost every facet of Earth’s environment. Water will be
examined within a scientific framework, from wicked water problems to
wonderous water bodies to the paradox of an abundant yet incredibly precious
resource. We will study the vital role of water in life, its movement across around
our planet, its part in the growth (and downfall) of civilizations, and the ways in
which humans are having profound impacts on all aspects of the water cycle. We
will also look at how water interacts with other Earth systems, use topical case
studies to examine water issues in the Anthropocene and examine what lies in
store for water quality and availability in the twenty-first century during an era of
rapid environmental change. Assignments will include class presentations, an
opinion piece, and a review article for a leading journal. This course will include a
local field trip.

“Nature is perhaps the most complex word in the language,” says Raymond Williams in his influential book Keywords. This course explores the many meanings of “nature” as well as the assumptions, anxieties, and aspirations attached to such terms as “environment,” “ecology,” “conservation,” “resource,” “climate,” and “sustainability.” This is not a course in environmental literature per se, but rather an exploration of how language and literature engages with and shapes our relations to and our understandings of the natural world. We will consider both the ways literature--especially the poetry and fiction of the nineteenth century--contributes to present ecology-breaking worldviews, as well as how reading and writing differently is a necessary part of the struggle to refigure our relationship to the natural world.

Conservationists were long accused of ignoring the needs of human communities. often been thought of as protecting land from people. Now, the conservation movement is embracing a different viewprotecting land with and for people. As a result innovative programs have been developed that connect people to nature, thereby helping to facilitate land conservation. This interdisciplinary course will integrate concepts in scientific method, study design, ecology, and conservation with a focus on birds in order to foster an understanding of how research can inform management of wildlife populations and communities. Topics will include wildlife management, habitat restoration, geographical information systems (GIS), sustainable agriculture, integrated land-use management, and vegetation analysis. This course will also provide opportunities for field research and application of techniques learned in the classroom.

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

Environmental policy

This course will provide an overview of the cross-disciplinary fields of civil engineering, environmental sciences, urban hydrology, landscape architecture, green building, public outreach and politics. Students will be expected to conduct field investigations, review scientific data and create indicator reports, working with stakeholders and presenting the results at an annual symposium. There is no metaphor like water itself to describe the cumulative effects of our practices, with every upstream action having an impact downstream. In our urban environment, too often we find degraded streams filled with trash, silt, weeds and dilapidated structures. The water may look clean, but is it? We blame others, but the condition of the creeks is directly related to how we manage our water resources and our land. In cities, these resources are often our homes, our streets and our communities. This course will define the current issues of the urban ecosystem and how we move toward managing this system in a sustainable manner. We will gain an understanding of the dynamic, reciprocal relationship between practices in an watershed and its waterfront. Topics discussed include: drinking water quality and protection, green infrastructure, urban impacts of climate change, watershed monitoring, public education, creating strategies and more.

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.