This class will provide an overview of water topics and issues and is intended to provide geologists and environmental scientists with a working understanding of current water resource issues and challenges ranging from stormwater and flooding to stream restoration, water re-use and ecological restoration. Starting with an understanding of hydrology, streams, and related ecosystems, the class will look at the various ways we use and depend on water, the ways in which water resources are degraded, and practices to restore and protect the resource. Topics to be covered include green infrastructure, water and wastewater sources and water reuse, stream health, stream channel restoration, riparian buffers, floodplains, best practices, and the concept of “one water”. We will also cover current regulations, changing water policies, sustainability, and the implications of climate change

Processes of soil development in a variety of temperate environments. Effects of lithology and climate on soil properties. This is a field course with 5 required field days.

This course covers basic groundwater flow and solute transport modeling in one-,two- and three-dimensions. After first reviewing the principles of modeling, the student will gain hands-on experience by conducting simulations on the computer. The modeling programs used in the course are MODFLOW (USGS), MT3D, and the US Army Corps of Engineers GMS (Groundwater Modeling System).
Students enrolled in this course will be required to review pertinent groundwater hydrogeology material and perform associated assignments prior to the start of the course. This material comprises Parts 1 and 2 of the course and will be posted to a pre-course Module on the course Canvas website. The pre-course materials will open to students two weeks prior to the start of class.

The oceans cover over 2/3 of the Earth's surface. This course introduces basic oceanographic concepts such as plate tectonics, marine sediments, physical and chemical properties of seawater, ocean circulation, air-sea interactions, waves, tides, nutrient cycles in the ocean, biology of the oceans, and environmental issues related to the marine environment.

An introduction to Earth as a complex system through examination of its atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere, the interactions among these spheres, and of the human impacts on the planet and its responses.

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, with an emphasis on business targets, impacts and responses. Reviewing a range of players, strategies and tactics, students will explore different 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 evolution of environmental activism, and what influence current demographics, public opinion, and technology have had, including on climate activism and business practices in recent years. Through case studies, news stories, academic readings, and class discussion, students will learn the various roles activists play, how activism impacts public policy and corporate practices, and different ways companies relate to activists. Quizzes, case analyses, and other methods will be used to demonstrate mastery of the material.

The growing field of climate technology requires a multifaceted skill set and a sound understanding of the raw materials value chains that enable modern, low-carbon technologies. This course is designed for students interested in the climate economy seeking to gain functional proficiency in the environmental commodities value chains, the economics associated with production, processing, and refining, and the geopolitical landscape concerning these commodities. This course will cover the basics of commodity supply/demand, the basics of project finance/project development, and all major minerals and materials in the climate economy, including but not limited to lithium, cobalt, rare earths, copper, nickel, chemicals, oil, gas, coal, hydrogen, and carbon markets and pricing. Throughout the course, students will build a short-form commodity price opinion pitch and a long-form commodity price pitch and present their deliverable at the end of the course.

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.

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