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.

Sustainability presents both a challenge and an opportunity for society. Issues like climate change, pollution, resource depletion, and population imbalance are stressing the planet's capacity in ways that threaten our ability to sustain thriving and just societies. At the same time, these systemic problems are unfolding too slowly to prompt most of us to take serious and significant action, or to trigger meaningful responses from our political and business leaders. People equate sustainability with efficiency, waste minimization, and pollution prevention - all worthy goals - but at the current rate of consumption and growth these approaches alone will not create the future of abundance and equity that we desire. To quote author and MIT professor John Ehrenfeld, "Reducing unsustainability - although critical - will not create sustainability." What will it take to extricate us from the current predicament and forge a new path? In this class, we will examine underlying psychological and cultural barriers to sustainability and discuss strategies for surmounting them. Students will learn leadership competencies and practices to help them more effectively lead change efforts for sustainability. Readings and discussions will explore the application of positive psychology to leverage the human technologies of creativity and collaboration in the pursuit of a more balanced and sustainable relationship with others and our ecosystems, and to shift the sustainability dialogue from the current problem-oriented approach to a vision of human wellbeing and planetary flourishing.

This course is designed to prepare Master of Science in Applied Geosciences students to undertake their Project Design exercise. In this course, we discuss how to identify an appropriate research project, how to design a research plan, and how to prepare a detailed proposal. By the end of the course, each student is expected to have completed a Project Design proposal.