EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (AS) {EESC}
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (ENVS)-----Note: Listings for GEOL follow ENVS 999
SM 098. The Next Millenium: Would Technology Help Us Resolve the Environmental
Dilemma?. (C)Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Bokreta / Santiago-Aviles.
Over the last century we have witnessed the dominance
of man over nature. Technology, our understanding
of our environment and our consumption habits have
been the principal weapons used in this conquest.
Now, at the beginning of a new millenium, questions
and concerns about our actions and perceptions are
being raised. Can today's technology and new knowledge
about our environment and human nature assure our
survival? How can we use the next hundred years to
reconstruct and restore our future? These are the
fundamental questions that the class will investigate.This
course will rely on evidence,the use of hypotheses,
theories, and logic as well as students' scientific
inquiry and creativity. We will discuss systems,
models, simulations, constancy, patterns of change,
evolution, and scale.
L/R 200. Introduction to Environmental Analysis. (C) Physical World Sector. All classes. Plante. Introduction to Environmental Analysis
will expose students to the principles that underlie
our understanding of how the Earth works. The goal
of Earth Systems Science is to obtain a scientific
understanding of the entire Earth system by describing
its component parts (lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere,
biosphere) and their interactions, and describe how
they have evolved, how they function, and how they
may be expected to respond to human activity. The
challenge to Earth Systems Science is to develop
the capability to predict those changes that will
occur in the next decade to century, both naturally
and in response to human activity. Energy, both natural
and human-generated, will be used as a unifying principle.
Knowledge gained through this course will help students
make informed decisions in all spheres of human activity:
science, policy, economics, etc.
295. Maritime Science and Technology: Woods Hole Sea Semester. (C) Dmochowski. Prerequisite(s): Laboratory course in physical or biological science
or its equivalent; college algebra or its equivalent.
This set of courses requires special application
procedures. Contact Dr. Giegengack for information
and an application.
A rigorous semester-length academic and practical experience leading to an understanding
of the oceans. The Sea Semester is composed of two
intensive six-week components taken off-campus. The
Shore Component is six weeks at Woods Hole, Massachusetts,
with formal study in: Oceanography, Maritime Studies,
and Nautical Science. This is followed by six weeks
aboard a sailing research vessel, during which students
conduct oceanographic research projects as part of
the courses, Practical Oceanography I and II.
Maritime Studies. A multidisciplinary study of the history, literature, and
art of our maritime heritage, and the political and
economic problems of contemporary maritime affairs.
Nautical Science. The technologies of operation at sea. Concepts of navigation,
naval architecture, ship construction, marine engineering
systems, and ship management are taught from their
bases in physics, mathematics, and astronomy.
Practical Oceanography I. Taken aboard SSV Westward or SSV Corwith Cramer. Theories
and problems raised in the shore component are tested
in the practice of oceanography at sea. Students
are introduced to the tools and techniques of the
practicing oceanographer. During two lectures daily
and while standing watch, students learn the operation
of basic oceanographic equipment, the methodologies
involved in the collection, reduction, and analysis
of oceanographic data, and the attendant operations
of a sailing oceanographic research vessel. Practical
Oceanography
II. Taken aboard SSV Westward or SSV Corwith Cramer. Students assume increasing
responsibility for conducting oceanographic research and the attendant operations of the vessel. The individual
student is responsible directly to the chief scientist and the master of the vessel for the safe and orderly conduct
of research activities and related operation of the vessel. Each student completes an individual oceanographic research project
designed during the shore component.
299. Independent Study. (C) Staff. Prerequisite(s): Permission of department. May be repeated for credit. Directed study for individuals or small groups under supervision of a faculty
member.
301. Environmental Case Studies. (C) Doheny. Prerequisite(s): ENVS 200. A detailed, comprehensive investigation of selected environmental problems.
Guest speakers from the government and industry will give their acccounts of various environmental cases. Students
will then present information on a case study of their choosing.
SM 399. (GEOL399) Environmental Studies Research Seminar for Juniors. (B) Dmochowski. Prerequisite(s): ENVS200. This seminar is designed to help Juniors prepare for the Senior Thesis research.
Topic selection, advisor identification, funding options, and basic research methods will be discussed.
SM 400. Environmental Studies Seminar. (C) Scatena. May be repeated for credit. Application of student and faculty expertise to a specific environmental problem,
chosen expressly for the seminar.
SM 404. (HSOC404) Urban Environments: Speaking About Lead in West Philadelphia.
(B) Pepino. ABCS Course. Requires community service in addition to class time. Lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, impaired hearing, behavioral
problems, and at very high levels, seizures, coma and even death. Children up to the age of six are especially at risk because
of their developing systems; they often ingest lead chips and dust while playing in their home and yards.
In ENVS 404, Penn undergraduates learn about the epidemiology of lead poisoning,
the pathways of exposure, and methods for community
outreach and education. Penn students collaborate
with middle school and high school teachers in West
Philadelphia to engage middle school children in
exercises that apply environmental research relating
to lead poisoning to their homes and neighborhoods.
SM 405. (HSOC405) Urban Environment II. (A) Pepino. Prerequisite(s): ENVS 404 or permission of instructor. requires community service. An independent study where Penn undergraduates can
explore the health, environmental, and natural resource
issues of Philadelphia,with a focus on the specific
needs of West Philadelphia. Current public health
concerns impacting vulnerable populations such as
children, especially lead poisoning and asthma, are
potential topics. Environmental issues such as water
supply, air quality, radon, brownfields, and sprawl
would also be good areas of study. Community service
can be a component of the study. Permission from
the instructor is required.
SM 406. (HSOC406) Community Based Environmental Health. (A) Pepino. ABCS Course. Requires community service in addition to class time. From the fall of the Roman Empire
to Love Canal to the epidemics of asthma, childhood
obesity and lead poisoning in West Philadelphia,
the impact of the environment on health has been
a continuous challenge to society. The environment
can affect people's health more strongly than biological
factors, medical care and lifestyle. The water we
drink, the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the
neighborhood we live in are all components of the
environment that impact our health. Some estimates,
based on morbidity and mortality statistics, indicate
that the impact of the environment on health is as
high as 80%. These impacts are particularly significant
in urban areas like West Philadelphia. Over the last
20 years, the field of environmental health has matured
and expanded to become one of the most comprehensive
and humanly relevant disciplines in science.
This course will examine not only the toxicity of physical agents, but also
the effects on human health of lifestyle, social
and economic factors, and the built environment.
Topics include cancer clusters, water borne diseases,
radon and lung cancer, lead poisoning, environmental
tobacco smoke, respiratory diseases and obesity.
Students will research the health impacts of classic
industrial pollution case studies in the US. Class
discussions will also include risk communication,
community outreach and education, access to health
care and impact on vulnerable populations. Each student
will have the opportunity to focus on Public Health,
Environmental Protection, Public Policy, and Environmental
Education issues as they discuss approaches to mitigating
environmental health risks.
This honors seminar will consist of lectures, guest speakers, readings, student
presentations, discussions, research, and community
service. The students will have two small research
assignments including an Environmental and Health
Policy Analysis and an Industrial Pollution Case
Study Analysis. Both assignments will include class
presentations. The major research assignment for
the course will be a problem-oriented research paper
and presentation on a topic related to community-based
environmental health selected by the student. In
this paper, the student must also devise practical
recommendations for the problem based on their research.
SM 407. (HSOC407) Urban Environments: Prevention of Tobacco Smoking in Adolescents.
(B) Pepino. ABCS Course. Requires community service in addition to class time. Cigarette
smoking is a major public health problem. The Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention Control reports
that more than 80% of current adult tobacco users
started smoking before age 18. The National Youth
Tobacco Survey indicated that 12.8% of middle school
students and 34.8% of high school students in their
study used some form of tobacco products.
In ENVS 407, Penn undergraduates learn about the short and long term physiological
consequences of smoking, social influences and peer
norms regarding tobacco use, the effectiveness of
cessation programs, tobacco advocacy and the impact
of the tobacco settlement. Penn students will collaborate
with teachers in West Philadelphia to prepare and
deliver lessons to middle school students. The undergraduates
will survey and evaluate middle school and Penn student
smoking. One of the course goals is to raise awareness
of the middle school children to prevent addiction
to tobacco smoke during adolescence. Collaboration with the middle schools gives Penn students
the opportunity to apply their study of the prevention
of tobacco smoking to real world situations.
SM 408. (HSOC408) Urban Environments: The Urban Asthma Epedemic. (B) Pepino. ABCS Course. Requires community service in addition to class time. Asthma as a pediatric
chronic disease is undergoing a dramatic and unexplained
increase. It has become the number one cause of public
school absenteeism and now accounts for a significant
number of childhood deaths each year in the USA.The
Surgeon General of the United States has characterized
childhood asthma as an epidemic. In ENVS 408, Penn
undergraduates learn about the epidemiology of urban
asthma, the debate about the probable causes of the
current asthma crisis, and the nature and distribution
of environmental factors that modern medicine describes
as potential triggers of asthma episodes.
Penn students will collaborate with the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
on a clinical research study entitled the Community
Asthma Prevention Program. The Penn undergraduates
will co-teach with CHOP parent educators asthma classes
offered at community centers in Southwest, West,
and North Philadelphia. The CHOP study gives the
Penn students the opportunity to apply their study
of the urban asthma epidemic to real world situations.
450. Techniques in environmental accounting and system analysis. (C) Scatena. Prerequisite(s): One year of introductory calculus and statistics, working knowledge of spreadsheet software.
This course covers the development and analysis of
environmental budgets and input-output models that
are commonly used in earth and environmental science.
The first part of the semester will concentrate on
the physical laws, systems principles, and analytical
tools used in developing and evaluating input-output
models and environmental budgets. In the remainder
of the semester, we will develop and analyze hydrologic,
energy and nutrient budgets for a variety of systems.
452. Disturbances and Disasters. (A) Scatena. This course covers the earth and environmental science of natural
disturbances and disasters. Floods, tsunamis, snow
and ice storms, hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, droughts,
and meteor impacts will be discussed and covered
with case studies and readings. The distribution and frequency, geologic and ecosystem
level impacts, and risk management of each disturbance
will be discussed.
SM 463. (ENVS643, URBS463, URBS663) Brownfield Remediation. (M) Keene. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. This course gives an overview of the genesis of the so-called "Brownfield" problem
and of the various efforts that our society is taking
to try to solve, or at least ameliorate it. The course
will place the "Brownfield" problem in
the broader context of the growth and decline of
industrial base cities like Philadelphia. Students
will study the general constitutional and statutory
framework within which we approach the problems of
orphan, polluted sites and the disposal of contemporary
solid wastes. They will also analyze the principal
actions that have been taken by federal and state
governments to address remediation and redevelopment
of abandoned industrial sites. In addition, the course
will explore environmental equity issues.
499. Senior Thesis. (F) Giegengack. Prerequisite(s): ENVS 400-level course (may be taken concurrently).
The Environmental Studies major requires 2 semesters of ENVS 499. The culmination of the Environmental Studies Major. Students write a thesis
on a topic which combines their concentration with Environmental Studies. Students work with an advisor in their
discipline.
501. (MUSA501) GIS, ArcGIS & NeoGeography. (L) This distance learning course introduces students to the fundamental techniques
for using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to
analyze neighborhood markets. GIS is a computer-based
data processing tool used to manage, visualize and
analyze spatial information. Using Arc GIS 9.2, this
course provides a hands-on experience to create maps,
integrate demographic and economic data to conduct
analysis within students' field of interest, including
geography, history, archaeology, engineering, real
estate, sociology, architecture, and political science/
policy studies. Students will also be introduced
to advanced geospatial analysis tools and intergrated
online mapping environments using NeoGeography. The
class will enable students to learn how to address
research questions and problems specific to their
fields through GIS; the focus throughout will be
on professional and resarch applications of this
technology. Students will have virtual lectures and
GIS lab support throughout online meetings at least
two times per week. One-on-One and small group work
sessions will be scheduled as needed. Prior experience
with GIS is not required. This is a PC-based progam,
only.
SM 502. Environmental Chemistry. (M) Doheny and Andrews. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. The chemistry
of water, air, and soil will be studied from an environmental
perspective. The nature, composition, structure,
and properties of pollutants, their means of detection
and methods of purification and remediation will
also be studied.
504. Biogeochemical Cycles. (L) Gill. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. The presence of life on Earth has had a profound effect on the chemistry of
the planet. This course examines the major elemental cycles of the globe, studying how these cycles link the atmosphere,
oceans, and land. We will analyze how life influences these cycles, particularly how human activity affects them.
We will study nutrient cycles in soil, wetlands, lakes, rivers, estuaries, the sea and the atmosphere, integrating
these interactions to global-scale processes. One semester of chemistry recommended as background.
507. Wetlands. (M) Willig. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. The course focuses on the natural history of different wetland types including
climate, geology, and,hydrology factors that influence wetland development Associated soil, vegetation, and wildlife
characteristics and key ecological processes will be covered as well. Lectures will be supplemented with weekend
wetland types, ranging from tidal salt marshes to non-tidal marshes, swamps, and glacial bogs in order to provide field
experience in wetland identification, characterization, and functional assessment. Outside speakers will discuss issues
in wetland seed bank ecology, federal regulation, and mitigation. Students will present a short paper on the ecology
of a wetland animal and a longer term paper on a selected wetland topic. Readings from the text, assorted journal
papers, government technical documents, and book excerpts will provide a broad overview of the multifaceted field of
wetland study.
530. Rocky Mountain Field Geology and Ecology. (L) Giegengack/Bordeaux. Field work is done in and around Red Lodge, Montana. An additional fee for Room and Board applies. Permission
of the Instructor is required for non- MES students. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. Designed for the MES program (open to non-MES students by permission of the
instructor). This is a two-week intensive field course in the geology, natural history, and ecology of the Greater
Yellowstone Ecosystem, which comprises a range of environments from the mile-high semi-deserts of intermontane
basins to the alpine tundra of the Beartooth Plateau above 12,000 feet. The program is based at the Yellowstone-Bighorn
Research Association (YBRA) field station on the northeast flank of the Beartooth Mountains near Red Lodge,
Montana. The course includes day trips from the field station as well as overnight visits to sites within Yellowstone
National Park. Pre-trip classes will be held online before the trip to ensure that all students are adequately familiar
with basic principles of field-based natural science.
SM 533. Research Methods in Environmental Studies. (M) Bordeaux. This course is designed to prepare Master of Environmental Studies
students to undertake their Capstone exercises. 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. Each student
should enter the course with a preliminary research
plan and should have identified an advisor. By the
end of the course, each student is expected to have
a completed Capstone proposal that has been reviewed
and approved by his/her advisor.
541. Modeling Geographical Objects. (M) Tomlin. This course offers a broad and practical introduction to the acquisition,
storage, retrieval, maintenance, use, and presentation
of digital cartographic data with both image and
drawing based geographic information systems (GIS)
for a variety of environmental science, planning,
and management applications. Its major objectives
are to provide the training necessary to make productive use of at least two well known software
packages, and to establish the conceptual foundation
on which to build further skills and knowledge in
late practice.
SM 575. (ENGL584, FOLK575, HSSC575) Environmental Imaginaries. (M) Hufford. Behind struggles over resource use and patterns of development are
collective fictions that relate people to their material
surroundings. "Environmental imaginaries" refers
to the contending discourses that arrange society
around processes of development and change. What
are the Cartesian fictions that enable the chronic
separation of culture from environment? How are these
fictions produced, enacted, and materialized in such
diverse sites as Appalachian strip mines, Sea World,
nature talks, and permit hearings? How might alternative
ways of knowing and being be conjured through naming
practices, narratives, and other speech genres, as
well as yardscapes, protest rallies and other forms
of public display? Drawing on theories of worldmaking
and ethnographic works on culture and environment,
this seminar examines the production of Cartesian-based
environmental imaginaries and their alternatives
across a range of such genres and practices.
580. Ecology of Health. (A) Sheehan. Movements of people and populations in various historic periods have
led to the introduction of diseases new to a population.
The colonial period, for example, witnessed the introduction
of smallpox to the Americas by European colonizers,
resulting in the decimation of indigenous populations.
Accompanying changes in agricultural practices, ecological
destruction, and changes introduced by war, development,
and trade often led to altered habitat, diet, and
disease patterns that threatened both colonizers
and the colonized. Today, rapid and easy movement
of individuals and goods around the globe, as well
as new technologies, continued status inequality
between rich and poor nations, and sociopolitical
conflicts, have created a condition of new, emergent,
and reemerging diseases. In addition, the ability
of microbes to alter in response to changed environments
make identification and control of disease-causing
agents a challenge to medical science. This course
will focus on the social, political, and economic
sources and ramifications of world-wide disease patterns.
Infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue fever,
tuberculosis, and AIDS will be examined. Ecological
changes and new technologies, often alter food resources,
productive activities, and the environment resulting
in new disease patterns; one example is arsenic poisoning
in Bangladesh brought about by deeply bored wells.
The The activities of national and international
organizations to cope with disease outbreaks, to
formulate strategies for disease surveillance and
notification, and to create solutions are important
to understanding the state of global health. Selected case studies will be used, placing them within a framework of sociological analysis
of health and disease, medical research, poverty
and disease, as well as national and international
organizational and policy responses.
SM 601. Proseminar: Contemporary Issues in Environmental Studies. (M) Pfefferkorn & Gill. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. A detailed, comprehensive investigation of selected environmental problems.
This is the first course taken by students entering the Master of Environmental Studies Program.
604. (ENVS414) Conservation and Land Management. (M) Harper. Some Saturday field trips will be required. Using protected lands in
the Delaware Valley, this field-based course will
explore various strategies for open-space conservation
and protection. In addition, students will be introduced
to land management techniques used on such sites
to restore or preserve land trust proerties in accordace
with goals set for their use or protection.Sustainable
land uses such as community supported agriculture,
ecovillages, and permaculture design will be covered.
Emphasis will be placed on developing skills in "Reading the Landscape" to determine
conservation and restoration priorities. Students
will produce a site assessment report on sites that
they visit.
608. Geology & Ecology of the Isle of Arran, Scotland. (L) Giegengack and Bordeaux. Prerequisite(s): An introductory Geology or Ecology course would be helpful. MES Summer Course.
The Isle of Arran, off the west coast of Scotland,
might very well be called the birthplace of modern
Geology. James Hutton, Scottish Physician and gentleman
farmer, conceived of the concept of Uniformitarianism,
while wandering about the Isle of Arran. Hutton's
Theory of the Earth laid down this concept, which
later became one of the foundation principles of
modern geology and earned him the appellation "Father
of Modern Geology". The island offers a wide
variety of rock types and geological events that
has drawn geologists and students from around the
globe to this tiny island.
The position of the Isle of Arran off the west coast of Scotland, places it
close to the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, allowing
for a much milder and wetter climate than might be
expected from the island's latitude. The distribution
and types of plants and animals found on the island
are a direct consequence of this milder and wetter
climate. The proximity to ocean waters also gives
the class a chance to examine near shore marine environments.
ENVS 688 is a two-week intensive field course in the geology, natural history,
ecology, and culture of the Isle of Arran, Scotland.
Pre-trip classes will be held online before the trip
to ensure that all students are adequately familiar
with basic principles of field-based natural science.
Students will then meet in Glasgow and travel together
to the Isle of Arran where they will be based for
the duration of the two weeks. Students will participate
in a number of field exercises that include: mapping
of dikes, examination of raised beaches (causes and
consequences), cave formation, and modern landscape
formation based on underlying geology. The types
of plants and animals found on the island will be
examined in light of their position on the island
and the underlying geology. Students will map floral
distributions as part of a multi-day exercise, examine
the red deer population and the effects of interbreeding
with an introduced Japanese Sika deer, and the possible
consequences of reintroducing the wolf. Students
will also examine ancient standing stones, stone
circles, runrig agricultural practice's effects on
modern landscapes, and tour Brodick Castle as part
of the cultural aspect of the course. Guest lectures
from local historians are also planned.
610. Regional Field Ecology. (L) Willig. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. Some Saturday field trips required. Over the course of six Saturday 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 Saturday field trips are required.
SM 611. Environmental Law. (B) LeGros. This course will provide an introduction to environmental law and the
legal process by which environmental laws are implemented
and enforced. The course will examine the common
law roots of environmental regulation in tort principles
such as nuisance, negligence and trespass. We will
examine important Constitutional principles in substantive
and procedural law as well as significant environmental
laws and approaches. Finally, we will examine emerging
theories of citizen's rights and the government's
role in environmental law and regulation. Students
will learn how to read and analyze course decisions
and apply some of the elements of legal thinking
to actual cases and current problems.
612. (ENVS412) Economics and the Environment. (M) Handy. This course provides a comprehensive introduction to basic economic tools and
methods, as they are applied to environmental issues -- including pollution control, resource depletion, the
global commons, intergenerational equity, and policy decision-making. The course is designed for those with little or
no prior economics background; disciplined sceptics are welcome.
SM 613. (ENVS413) Business and the Natural Environment. (B) Heller. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. This course explores dramatic changes taking place at the interface of business,
society, and the natural environment. Previously, business and environmental interests were believed to be adversarial.
Now, some contemporary thinkers are suggesting that environmental capabilities can be a source of competitive
advantage for corporations. A recent Harvard Business Review article refers to the sum of these changes as "The
Next Industrial Revolution." In this course we will study examples on the cutting edge of these developments. We will look
at corporations that are creating a "double bottom line" by strategizing about the ecological impact of
their decisions, as well as the economic impact. We will learn about industrial designers who are rethinking everything from
tennis shoes to corporate headquarters' buildings with the environment in mind. We will consider new alliances among
business, environmental activists and government regulators -- all stakeholders in a sustainable society.
615. Professional Case Studies in Environmental Analysis and Management. (M) Laskowski. This course is designed for students nearing the end of their MES
program. It will provide students with hands-on experience
working with local environmental professionals on
projects in the Delaware Valley region. Each student
will select a project made available by a local public
or private agency. Among the tasks that students
will perform are data collection and analysis, project
planning, and documentation. Each student will prepare
a detailed report under the direction of the agency
representative that can be the basis for a Capstone
project. Those interested in continuing on to the Capstone phase will use the report as the basis for a publishable document
to be prepared in conjunction with the participating
agency.
SM 617. Innovative Environmental Management Strategies. (M) Laskowski. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. This course will evaluate innovative environmental management
strategies used by corporations, governments, the
public, and NGOs including approaches such as the
concept of pollution prevention, environmental management
systems, green buildings, green product design, product
labeling, environmental education, the power of information,
market-based techniques, and industrial ecology.
Some professionals believe that these innovative
approaches have the potential to result in more environmental
improvement than will be realized by additional regulatory
requirements. This course will address which approaches
work best and identify critical elements needed to
ensure the best approaches to specific problems.
Students will be exposed to real-life situations
through expert guest lecturers, case studies, and "hands
on" projects.
SM 620. (AFST620) Topics on African Environmental Issues. (B) Fonjweng. Africa is a land of great contrasts and possesses a rich mix of scenic
beauty, impressive biodiversity, cultures, economies
and history. Almost completely encircled by water
and home to a network of some of the world's largest
and longest rivers, Africa is also home to two vast
and expanding hot deserts. While Africa contains
enormous amounts of mineral wealth, it also has fifteen
of the world's least developed countries. Its climate
ranges from the harsh extremes in hot deserts to
the Arctic Current dominated temperate climate of
the southern tip of Africa and the pleasant Mediterranean
climate of North Africa.
Africa's remarkable ecological diversity is unique and is an expression of the
varied climates in the continent, with camels in
Egypt, Goliath frogs (the largest frogs in the world)
in Cameroon and the African penguins in Namibia and
South Africa. Africa has extensive fertile grasslands
and lush equatorial forests, yet many of its people
suffer from hunger and starvation. Despite possessing some of the most scenic and pristine
landscapes in the world, poor resource management
has resulted in serious environmental problems in
various parts of Africa, including air and water
pollution, deforestation, loss of soil & soil
fertility and a dramatic decline in biodiversity
through out the continent.
This course aims to explore Africa's natural environment and the impact of human
activities on it. Each semester the course will offer
an overview of Africa's environment as it relates
to one of the following two topics 1) Water issues;
2)Environmental impact of development projects, natural
resource extraction and consumption. Each semester,
in addition to analyzing one of the above topics,
we will pick a couple of case studies from within
the US that can be used to show parallels between
some of the issues discussed in the African case
studies. The students will be asked to conduct research
on a relevant topic in any region in Africa for a
paper due at the end of the semester.
621. Public Voices, Private Rights: Perspectives on American Environmentalism. (A) Minott. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. This course will address various aspects
of American environmentalism. We will look at structural
issues such as the foundations of environmental protection
in common law, the constitutional limits on environmental
protection, and the creation of bureaucratic environmental
policy making. We will also look at philosophical
issues such as American Conservationism and Preservationism,
the anti-environmental backlash, and environmental
justice. Finally, we will discuss scientific and
legal issues such as the economics of risk, the question
of who can speak for Nature, and voluntary actions/command
and control.
SM 623. Crossing Borders: Policy, Regulatory and Management Issues in Transboundary
Environmental Protection. (B) Feldman. Offered through CGS - See Current Timetable. Transboundary issues
arise at the local, regional, supra-national, and
global levels. Pollution does not respect political
boundaries; habitats are defined by ecosystems, not
by regulation. This course will introduce the difficulties
posed by cross-border issues and, using case studies,
explore a range of policy, regulatory and management
mechanisms employed to address these challenges.
Among the topics to be covered include: interstate
compacts (e.g. Chesapeake Bay), NAFTA Commission
on Environmental Cooperation (e.g. biodiversity in
North America), Regional Cooperation (e.g. Baltic Sea, international watercourses), European Union regulation (e.g. Hazardous
Waste directives and the Basel Convention), and international
conventions (e.g. The Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse
gas emissions).
625. Overview of Environmental Justice: Issues, Actions and Visions for the Future.
(B) Harris and Thompson. Offered through CGS-See current Timetable. Many people refer to the
Environmental Justice Movement as the most significant
social rights movement to occur in this country since
the Civil Rights Movement.Communities around the
United States have expressed concerns related to
the siting, permitting and clean up of hazardous
waste sites in minority and low-income areas. Beginning
with the protests in Warren County, North Carolina,
Environmental Justice has become a most critical
and controversial issue in this country. This course
will provide an overview of the history, guiding
principles, and issues of concern regarding Environmental
Justice and will examine the approaches taken by
communities, EPA, state and local government over
the years to address these concerns. Students will
be expected to evaluate and assess the various issues
and case studies presented to them in a critical
fashion, discuss these case studies, and make recommendations
for appropriate action.
SM 627. The Delaware River: An Environmental Case Study. (B) Laskowski and Collier. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. The Delaware River and Estuary offer an opportunity
to examine efforts to protect the environment in
a multi-state, economically and ecologically complex
area. This case studey will review environmental
protection efforts in and around the River, the stressors
on the environment, and attempts to balance environmental
protection with economic, employment, and other needs.
Itwill address scientific issues, relationships between
air and water quality transportation and sprawl issues,
the balancing of water quality and water quantity.
Students will learn about the institutions responsible
for managing this complex system, and what goals
and indicators of progress are used by these organizations.
Students will be asked to research, in detail, one
or more aspects of the environmental management systems.
They will identify the key drivers in determining
environmental quality, recommend inprovements to
the system, and propose a vision for the future.
629. Global Environmental Politics. (A) Hunold. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. Nation-states and multinational
corporations are the most powerful actors in the
global political economy. What does this mean for
efforts to protect the global environment? Do environmental
activists stand a chance? Drawing on insights from
green political theory, international relations,
and political economy, the field of global environmental
politics may have the answer. Following a survey
of relevant state and non-state actors in global
environmental politics, and a review of major international
environmental agreements, we will examine diverse
theories of global environmental politics. Regime theory, global governance, green critiques of
globalization, green theories of state sovereignty,
and social movement theory offer competing accounts
of the role of state, society, and economy in creating and managing global environmental change. Our goal will be to assess
these competing explanations and strategies for promoting
global ecological sustainability.
SM 631. (ENVS431) Current EPA Regulatory Practices and Future Directions. (A) Laskowski. The regulatory approach continues to be the foundation of environmental
protection in the US. This course provides an overview
of key environmental laws and regulations, and the
processes used to write permits, conduct inspections
and take enforcement actions. It is taught mainly
from the perspective of the federal government and
will also include perspectives from the states, NGOs,
and the regulated community. Techniques used to set
priorities, ensure fairness, and encourage compliance
are included. Current issues in major regulatory
programs will be reviewed and future directions will
be discussed.
632. Energy and the Environment in the U.S. (M) Huemmler. This is a survey course that will examine the current U.S. energy
industry, from production to consumption, and its
impacts on local, regional, and the global environment.
The course will seek to provide a fuller understanding
of existing energy systems, ranging from technical
overviews of each, to an exploration of the well-established
policy framework each operates within. Near-term
demands upon each energy supply system will be discussed,
with particular focus on environmental constraints.
Policy options facing each energy industry will be
reviewed. By semester's end, successful students will have developed an intellectual framework to understand
the challenges facing the U.S. energy system.
SM 633. Community Involvement in Environmental Analysis and Management. (A) Pomponio and Esher. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. This course will investigate the
various community involvement and communication tools,
venues, and practices used during the analysis and
management of decisions affecting the environment.
Students will be exposed to real-life situations
through expert guest lecturers, case studies, and
hands on projects. The course will investigate communication
practices for project specific issues relative to
the National Environmental Policy Act ( NEPA), Superfund,
and other local, state, and federal vehicles. Students
can expect to learn, experience, and apply communication
tools to ongoing proposals for major highway, impoundment,
and other infrastructure proposals as well as for
environmental clean up initiatives launched under
various authorities. Students will also examine and
contribute to citizen advisory and stakeholder forums
for major watershed and estuary programs. Specific
communication challenges to achieve environmental
justice and the conveyance of technical information
will be explored.
SM 635. Major Global Environmental Problems of Today and how we must deal with
them tomorrow.
(B) Laskowski. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. Global environmental
problems of today are some of the greatest challenges
of the new millennium. Almost everyone is in some
way part of the problem and increasingly will be
asked to be a part of the solution. The problems
that we face today often differ from those of the
past because it is sometimes difficult for the international
community to agree on the extent, causes, and impacts
of the problem and how to allocate responsibility
for the resolution of the problem. Governments, businesses
and NGOs around the world have recognized the need
to take the initiative and address these issues through
regulation, voluntary approaches, and cooperation
on an international level. How best to manage these
problems is the constant challenge. This course will
provide an overview of several of the major global
environmental problems facing the world today, and
how they are connected by common causes, underlying
themes and concepts critical to the understanding
and management of these issues. It will examine the
over-arching concepts of sustainability and globalization
as well as frameworks for assessing and managing
the issues. The course will also consider the role
of the major players/stakeholders in the situation,
including governments, non-government organizations,
and private sector individuals/participants, and
where appropriate, touch on such issues as intergenerational
aspects and the potential long-term irreversibility.
With the assistance of regional and national experts,
we will address specific problems, such as: human
populations and their environmental impact; issues
surrounding resources such as food, water, habitats,
and energy; global climate change; the ozone layer;
and problems of international/environmental terrorism, catastrophes, and disease. Each student
will prepare a report and presentation on some aspect
of a topic discussed during the term.
637. (ENVS437) Global Water Issues. (A) Laskowski. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. Water- related illnesses
are estimated by some to kill up to 5000 people per
day worldwide and many of these casualties are children.
This course will explore the causes of this global
crisis and what is being done to address the issue.
It will provide an overview of international agreements,
wastewater and water supply issues, technological
advances, political/financial/cultural and other
barriers to success, and what students can do to
become involved in resolving the issues. Guest lecturers
and case studies will provide insights to problems
in problem areas around the world. Students will be asked to evaluate specific problems and suggest improved
approaches to improving access to clean water.
SM 638. Topics in Global Water Management Governance and Finance. (A) Laskowski. This course will focus on the governance and finance issues surrounding
the efforts to meet the UN Millennium Goal [MDG]
for water supply and sanitation. Every twenty seconds
someone in the world, usually a child, dies from
a water-related problem. The MDG aims to halve the
percentage of the world's population without access
to safe drinking water and basic sanitation".
Inadequate organization, corruption, poor educational
systems are some of the critical barriers relating
to good governance. Finding sufficient funding, promoting
public-private partnerships, and establishing needed
legal/financial systems are some of the financial
challenges. Using case studies, guest speakers, and
the latest information available this course will
provide insights to students on how to address these
issues.
641. Water in Environmental Planning. (M) Curley. This course will present a combination of technical and non-technical material.
Its purpose is to introduce the people who are not engineers or scientists to the practices that engineers and scientists
use to study water and watersheds. It will present the following concepts: Hydrology, Water Treatment, and Waste Water.
SM 643. (ENVS463, URBS463, URBS663) Brownfield Remediation. (M) Keene. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. This course is intended to give students an overview of the
genesis of the so-called "Brownfield" problem
and of the various efforts our society is taking
to solve or, at least, ameliorate it. The course
will place the "Brownfield" problem in
the broader context of the growth and decline of
the industrial base of cities like Philadelphia.
Students will study the general constitutional and
statutory framework within which we approach the
problems of orphan, polluted sites and the disposal
of contemporary solid wastes. They will also analyze
the principal actions that have been taken by Federal
and state government to address remediation and redevelopment
of abandoned industrial sites. The course will also
explore environmental equity issues.
The students will collaborate with high school students at the West Philadelphia
High School to identify sites in their neighborhoods
and to learn how to determine the sites ownership
and land use history. The students will study ways
of determining environmental risk and the various
options that are available for remediation in light
of community ideas about re-use. Students will be
expected to participate actively in the seminar and
the sessions with high school students. Students
in the course are required to prepare and present
a term paper on a topic in the general area of "Brownfield" analysis
and remediation.
645. (CPLN764) Planning for Land Preservation. (B) Daniels. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. An introduction to the
tools and methods for preserving private lands by government
agencies and private non-profit organizations. Topics
include purchase and donation of development rights
(also known as conservation easements), land acquisition, limited development, land swaps, and the preservation of urban
greenways, trails, and parks. Preservation examples
include: open space and scenic areas, farmland, forestland,
battlefields, and natural areas.
646. A Primer on Stream and River Ecology. (M) Blain. This class explores streams and rivers from the perspectives of both
the natural and social sciences. Students will get
a solid grounding in the hydrology, geology, physics,
chemistry, and biology of streams and rivers, and
they will learn how all these fit together in a watersheds
ecosystem. They will also examine the impacts that
human development has had on such ecosystems over
time -- how rivers have become polluted, what mechanisms
they have to fight pollution, and what we need to
do to protect, maintain and restore them now and
in the future. In addition to considering such questions
within a theoretical framework, the class will look
at issues in the real world. Students will set up
an actual monitoring system, in which they will process
samples taken from above and below a sewage treatment
plant in a local stream, and then analyze and interpret
the sample data. They will also learn about ongoing
research projects in the watersheds that supply New
York City its drinking water and in the streams and rivers of developing nations. In both cases, they will not only study the science
but also the politics of streams, rivers, and the water that
they convey.
652. God, Gold & Green: Themes and Classics in American Environmental Thought.
(C) Blaine. Offered through CGS - See current Timetable. Through an exploration of enduring themes
and classics, this course traces environmental thought in America
from the first European settlements to the present. We begin
by considering the preconceptions that Europeans brought to
the New World and the realities they found when they arrived.
We look at the issues raised by the unprecedented industrial
and urban expansion of the 19th century and the accompanying
westward migration that filled the continent. We examine how
the conflict between economic growth and environmental limits
created competing models of prosperity, equality and justice.
And finally, we look at ways to transcend those divides and
build a sustainable and equitable future. The primary vehicles
for understanding the evolution of environmental thinking across
several centuries are some of the classic texts of environmental
thought - from The Book of Genesis to Henry Thoreau's Walden
to Rachel Carson's Silent Spring to Al Gore's An Inconvenient
Truth. The course seeks to provide a theoretical and historical
framework that will help students understand current issues
and address real problems.
SM 656. Environmental Sociology. (B) Sheehan. The context in which debates take place and decisions and laws about
the environment are made, leads to a focus on the community,
defined here as workers and residents. Members of urban and
rural communities, situated near polluting factories, hazardous
sites or landfills, are affected by these contaminants. Using
a sociological framework, this course will study the community
and its relationship to environmental issues. Community members
often first identify local hazards; they form organizations,
map polluted sites, and enumerate residents with diseases that
may originate from contaminanants. Sociologists identify these
grassroots initiatives as community epidemiology. Social justice
concepts highlight the intersection of race, poverty, and environmental
hazards. Major social institutions corporations, government
agencies, health care providers have played a role in covering
over occupational and environmental hazards. Worker and community
action has forced these institutions to take a role in identification
and remediation of hazardous sites, and of continuous monitoring
of neighborhoods and residents. In terms of health effects,
among citizens, experts, and major institutions, and debates
about both the local and global consequences of environmental
hazards, will be among the topics covered.
The emergence of institutional structures at the local, state, national, and
international levels, to deal with environmental protection,
identification and testing of hazards, and establishing limits
for exposure, will be examined. The course will include readings
on significant contemporary and historical occupational and
environmental events in the United States. In addition, selected,
international case studies of occupational and environmental
issues will be undertaken.
SM 658. Violence and the Environment. (B) Minott. Offered through CGS -See Current Timetable. Governments, corporations,
environmental organizations, anti-environmental organizations,
and individuals have resorted to violence as a means to achieving
an environmental end. Although some defend such violence as
the only way to achieve specific goals, do the ends ever really
justify the means? Does violence have a place in the environmental
movement? How should environmentalists respond to pro- or anti-environmental
violence? This course will study instances of such violence,and
explore why violence has been seen as an acceptable or sometimes
the only way to achieve a desirable end.
662. Green Design and the City. (B) Berman. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. Can our cities become
examples of sustainable design? Does inner city revitalization
tie into sustainability? Are there successful examples to learn
from? This seminar will focus on how existing cities attempt
to integrate green design principles within them. It will look
at case studies, both in the US and abroad. Urban design and
transportation will be examined within this context, including
how to create pedestrian friendly spaces. Infill construction
and the adaptive use of existing buildings will be discussed,
as well as the reuse of brownfield sites. We will also look
at what types of construction actually constitute green buildings.
We will take advantage of our local resources within Philadelphia,
and include visits to nearby sites, along with talks by local
experts. There will be a series of short projects given throughout
the term. They will usually include both a written component and a presentation to the class. The energetic execution
of these projects, their presentations and the subsequent discussions,
will be a key part of this seminar.
SM 664. Sustainable Design. (C) Berman. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. This seminar will focus
on how physical design can improve sustainability. It will
be broken down into 3 parts: Green Buildings, Green Urbanism,
and Smart Growth Planning. Starting small, we will begin by
looking at which types of construction actually constitute
Green Buildings and which of these are the most effective.
Our look at Green Urbanism will focus on existing cities and
towns. They will be examined in terms of how urban design and
transportation can promote sustainability. Finally, Smart Growth
planning concepts for new developments will be discussed. This
will include a survey of New Urbanism. Both these closely allied
approaches are recent attempts to guide new growth in a more
sensitive manner. We will also take advantage of local resources
within our region, and include visits to nearby sites, along
with talks by local experts.
668. Selected Topics in Environmental Health. (C) Pepino. From the fall of the Roman Empire to Love Canal to today's epidemics
of asthma and childhood obesity, the impact of the environment
on health has been a continuous challenge to society. This
course will examine how environmental factors have contributed
to chronic disorders and diseases. Selected topics will include
cancer clusters, COPD, radon and lung cancer, lead poisoning,
environmental tobacco smoke and the aforementioned obesity
and asthma,epidemics.students will be contrasting priority
environmental health issues internationally with those in their
local communities. Class discussions will also focus on risk
communication, community outreach and education, access to health care and vulnerable populations. Students will be asked to
research one environmental health topic in detail, to present
their findings to the class, and to propose recommendations
for future action.
674. Assessment and Remediation of the Environment Using Biological Organisms. (M) Vann. This course is an introduction to current and emerging techniques for
analyzing environmental contamination and remediation of damaged
environments. Knowledge of these options will be important
for both students interested in policy/law options, as well
as providing a starting point for those pursuing a more science-oriented
understanding of environmental issues. The first portion of
the course will address bioindicators--the use of living systems
to assess environmental contamination. Many new methods of
rapidly-analyzing environmental samples are becoming available.
These include systems ranging from biochemical assays to monitoring
of whole orgainsms or ecosystems, as well as techniques ranging
from laboratory to field and satellite surveys. The course
will survey these approaches to familiarize the student with
this rapidly developing field. The second portion of the course
will introduce techniques for bioremediation--the use of living
organisms to restore contaminated environments. Several case
studies will be provided (perhaps with external speakers). Students will be expected to prepare
a final paper examining a particular technique in detail.
678. Advanced Biogeochemistry. (B) Vann. A soils course would be helpful, but not required. The course will cover
nature of the field of biogeo chemistry and its application.
Topics include, elemental cycling at various scales,from global
to watershed level,the interaction between geology and biology
in controlling how these relationships have changed over the
Earth's history and man's influence on these cycles. The course
will include an examination of the CENTURY computer model,
a popular model for examining nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Students will submit a term paper
on a related subject, such as comparing the functioning of
two watersheds or summarizing current understanding of a particular
cycle, etc.
680. Advanced Environmental Chemistry. (M) Nemeroff. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. This course will examine
the environmental contamination of water, air, and soil. Students
will continue the evaluation of composition, structure and properties
of pollutants, their means of detection and methods of purification
and remediation. Successful completion of Envs 502 or a thorough knowledge of general
and organic chemistry is recommended.
681. Modeling Geographical Space. (M) Tomlin. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. This course explores the
nature and use of digital geographic information systems (GIS)
for the analysis and synthesis of spatial patterns and processes
through 'cartographic modeling'. Cartographic modeling is a general
but well defined methodology that can be used to address a wide
variety of analytical mapping applications in a clear and consistentmanner. It does so by decomposing both data and data-processing tasks into elemental
components that can then be recomposed with relative ease and
with great flexibility.
SM 699. (GEOL699) Masters of Environmental Studies Capstone Seminar. (C) Riebling. Permission of instructor required. Offered through CGS - See current
timetable.
999. Independent Study. (C) Staff. Permission of instructor required. Directed study for individuals or small groups under supervision of a faculty
member.
GEOLOGY (GEOL)
L/R 003. (PHYS003) Evolution of the Physical World. (A) Physical World Sector. All classes. Pfefferkorn/Segre. The big bang, origin of elements, stars, Earth, continents and mountains.
SM 096. Field Approaches to Understanding the Earth & Environmental Science.
(A) Scatena. Corequisite(s): GEOL 100 or GEOL 109 highly recommended. This is a field based
course. Weekend fieldtrips are required.
Understanding landscapes and the relationships between the natural world and
society is fundamental to the natural sciences, architecture, medicine and public health, real estate and finance,
urban studies and a range of other disciplines. The primary goal of this course is to expose students to the science
of reading landscapes and disciplines that are founded in observation and hypothesis testing in the field. In addition,
the course will orient incoming students to the physical environment in which they will be living while they are at Penn.
The course will be centered around lectures and discussions that are based on
ten or more field trips that will take place on weekends and
afternoons throughout the semester. The trips will be led by
faculty members and will cover topics of plate tectonics, bedrock
and surficial geology, geomorphology, hydrology, environmental
geology, pollution and field ecology.
L/R 100. Introduction to Geology. (A) Physical World Sector. All classes. Omar. Field trips required. 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.
103. Natural Disturbances and Human Disasters. (B) Natural Science & Mathematics Sector. Class of 2010 and beyond. Scatena. Also fulfills General Requirement in Physical World for
Class of 2009 and prior. Natural disturbances play a fundamental
role in sculpturing landscapes and structuring natural and
human-based ecosystems. This course explores the natural and
social science of disturbances by analyzing their geologic
causes, their ecological and social consequences, and the role
of human behavior in disaster reduction and mitigation. Volcanoes,
earthquakes, floods, droughts, fires, and extraterrestrial
impacts are analyzed and compared.
L/L 109. Introduction to Geotechnical Science. (A) Physical World Sector. All classes. Omar. Open to architectural and engineering majors as well as Ben Franklin Scholars.
Field trips. Relations of rocks, rock structures, soils, ground water, and geologic agents to architectural, engineering,
and land-use problems.
111. Geology Laboratory. (C) Omar. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 001 or 100, preferably taken concurrently. Field
trips required. Hands-on study of earth materials and processes. Identification and interpretation
of rocks, minerals and fossils. Topographic and geologic maps. Evolution of landscapes. Field trips lead to
a synthesis of the geologic history of southeastern Pennsylvania.
L/R 125. Earth and Life Through Time. (C) Physical World Sector. All classes. Pfefferkorn. Origin of Earth, continents,
and life. Continental movements, changing climates, and evolving
life.
L/R 130. Oceanography. (B) Natural Science & Mathematics Sector. Class of 2010 and beyond. Horton.
Also fulfills General Requirement in Physical World for Class of 2009 and prior. 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.
L/L 201. (GEOL521, GEOL531) Mineralogy. (A) Omar. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 100 and CHEM 001 or 101. Crystallography, representative minerals, their chemical and physical properties.
Use of petrographic microscope in identifying common rock-forming minerals in thin section.
L/L 205. (GEOL406) Paleontology. (B) Living World Sector. All classes. Bordeaux. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 100 or permission of instructor. Two field trips required. Geologic history of invertebrates and their inferred life habits, paleoecology,
and evolution. Introduction to paleobotany and vertebrate paleontology.
L/L 206. (GEOL506) Stratigraphy. (A) Horton. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 100 or permission of instructor. Two field trips, field project. Introductory sedimentary concepts, stratigraphic principles, depositional environments,
and interpretation of the rock record in a paleoecological setting.
L/L 208. (GEOL630) Structural Geology. (B) Phipps. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 100 and 111; PHYS 150 strongly recommended. Three field trips required. Introduction to deformation as a fundamental geologic process. Stress and strain;
rock mechanics. Definition, measurement, geometrical and statistical analysis, and interpretation of structural
features. Structural problems in the field. Maps, cross-sections, and three-dimensional visualization; regional structural
geology.
299. Independent Study. (C) Staff. Prerequisite(s): Permission of department. May be repeated for credit.
Directed study for individuals or small groups under close
supervision of a faculty member.
305. (GEOL545) Earth Surface Processes. (B) Physical World Sector. All classes. Jerolmack. Prerequisite(s): ENVS 200, GEOL
100, or permission of the instructor. This course includes
two required weekend field trips, and a hands-on laboratory. Patterns 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.
L/L 317. Petrology and Petrography. (B) Omar. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 201. Two field trips. Occurrences and origins of igneous and metamorphic rocks; phase equilibria in
heterogeneous systems. Laboratory study of rocks and thin sections as a tool in interpretation of petrogenesis.
SM 390. Geology Field Work. (C) Giegengack. 4-8 weeks, usually during the summer.
401. Environmental Geology. (M) Willig. The purpose of this course is to better understand the interactions
of humans and the environment through an examination of geologic
processes and features as they influence, and are influenced,
by human activities. the ultimate goal of such study is to
make better land use decisions. Following a review of some
basic geologic concepts, we will study hazardous geologic processes
including; volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, river floding,
coastal flooding and erosion, landslides, and subsidence. Next,
we will discuss environmental impacts associated with the use
of fossil fuels, water, and soils. The course will conclude with student presentations
of selected topics in environmental geology.
SM 405. Paleoecology. (M) Bordeaux. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 205 or permission of instructor. Relationship of fossil assemblages to life assemblages; structure of ancient
communities, and interaction of organisms with each other and with the physical environment; evolution of communities.
L/L 415. Paleobotany. (M) Pfefferkorn. Prerequisite(s): Basic course in Geology or Biology or permission
of instructor. Two field trips. Fossil record and evolution of plants. Methods and application of paleobotanical
research.
L/L 417. Advanced Petrology. (A) Omar. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 317. Chemistry, physics, phase equilibria, microscope study in igneous and metamorphic
petrology.
418. Geochemistry. (M) Omar. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 201. May be taken concurrently. This course provides
a comprehensive introduction to theory and applications of
chemistry in the earth and environmental sciences. Theory covered
will include nucleosynthesis, atomic structure, acid-base equilibrium,
thermodynamics, oxidation-reduction reactions. Applications
will emphasize oceanography, atmospheric sciences and environmental
chemistry, as well as other topics depending on the interests
of the class. Although we will review the basics, this course
is intended to supplement, rather than to replace, courses
offered in the department of Chemistry. It is appropriate for advanced undergraduate as well as graduate students in Geology,
Environmental Science, Chemistry and other sciences, who wish
to have a better understanding of these important chemical
processes
420. Introduction to Geophysics. (M) Doheny. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 100 or 109, two semesters Math and Physics, and/or instructor's permission. This course will cover the application
of geophysical investigation techniques to problems of the
earth's plantary structure, local subsurface structure and
mineral prospecting. The topics will include principles of
geophysical measurements and interpretation with emphasis on
gravity measurement, isostasy, geomagnitism, sesmic refraction
and reflection,electrical prospecting, electromagnetics and
groung radar.
L/L 421. Elemental Cycling in Global Systems. (B) Plante. Prerequisite(s): ENVS 200, GEOL 100, or permission of the instructor. Humans have an enormous impact on the global movement of chemical materials.
Biogeochemistry has grown to be the principal scientific discipline to examine the flow of elements through
the global earth systems and to examine human impacts on the global environment. This course will introduce and investigate
processes and factor controlling the biogeochemical cycles of elements with and between the hydrosphere, lithosphere,
atmosphere and biosphere. Students will apply principles learned in lectures by building simple computer-based
biogeochemical models.
428. Introduction to Isotope Geochemistry. (A) Omar. This course is for advanced undergraduate students interested in learning about
or pursuing applications of isotope geochemistry, with an emphasis on biological and climatic processes (e.g. plant
physiology, soils, nutrient cycling, and atmospheric chemistry).
477. Introduction to Vertebrate Paleontology. (M) Dodson. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 100 and 205 or by permission of Instructor.
SM 480. Senior Seminar. (M) Giegengack. Discussion of major current issues in geology.
499. Senior Thesis. (F) Giegengack. Students write a thesis on a geologic topic. Students work with an advisor in
their discipline.
501. Pleistocene Geology. (M) Giegengack. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 100 or equivalent. Origin, extent in space and time, and effect on geologic processes of Late Cenozoic
climatic change; Pleistocene stratigraphy in different parts of the world.
L/L 502. Data Analysis and Computer Modeling in Geology. (M) Phipps. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 100 or 109 and the instructor's permission. Data analysis from simple parametric statistics to multivariate statistics,
including cluster and factor analysis. Additional topics include: Bootstrapping, Markov chains, runs tests, spectral
analysis, and other general techniques to analyze data sequences and time-series. Map studies include: analysis of distributions
of points and lines, directional data, spherical distributions, shape and trends surfaces.
503. Earth Systems and Earth Hazards. (B) Phipps. Prerequisite(s): Geology 100 (introductory physical geology,) or permission
of the instructor. The course is intended for Masters' students
in Environmental Studies and Applied Geology, as well as upperclass
geology majors.
This course will examine the hazards that arise from living on an active planet
from a large-scale systems standpoint. We will briefly survey
the Earth's major systems, emphasizing energy generation, storage,
and flow within the Earth, and then proceed to an examination
of the hazards that result. This will include earthquakes and
tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, river and coastal flooding, and
hurricanes, tornadoes, and other major storms. We will touch
briefly on global warming and other current topics.
511. Geology of Soils. (A) Johnson. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 100 or equivalent. Field trips. Nature, properties,
genesis, and classification of soils; soils of the United States.
515. Evolution/Revolution of Land Ecosystems. (M) Dimichele/Wing. Permission of instructor needed. Origin and diversification
of land ecosystems. Interaction between plants and animals.
Effects of past climatic change and other external factors. The importance of past changes in land ecosystems
to our understanding of current global change.
517. Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology. (M) Omar.
L/L 521. (GEOL201, GEOL531) Mineralogy of Rock Preservation. (A) Omar. Graduate School of Fine Arts students only. Advanced crystallography, representative minerals, their chemical and physical
properties, with emphasis on building stone preservation. Use of petrographic microscope in identifying common rock-forming
minerals in thin section.
525. Plant Paleoecology. (M) Pfefferkorn. Deciphering the ecology of fossil plants, ecosystems, and landscapes through
quantitative and qualitative methods.
528. Aqueous Geochemistry. (M) Johnson. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 100 and 511 and permission of instructor. Chemical composition and interactions of soils and soil water with applications
to current problems.
530. Hydrogeology. (B) Mastropaolo. Flow of water (and associated contaminants) in natural porous media.
L/L 531. (GEOL201, GEOL521) Advanced Mineralogy. (A) Omar. Advanced crystallography, representative minerals, their chemical and physical
properties. Use of petrographic microscope in identifying common rock-forming minerals in thin section.
540. Geotectonics. (M) Phipps. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 205, 206, 208, 317 and 420, or permission of
instructor. Field trip. Bulk structure of the Earth. Plate tectonics and plate boundaries. Plumes, rifting,
and intraplate tectonics. Geotectonics and seismicity.
SM 546. Basin Analysis. (M) Phipps/Scatena. Undergrads need permission of instructor. An in-depth study of selected depositional basins using petrologic, stratigraphic,
sedimentologic, and seismic techniques. Aspects of the depositional processes and basin architecture will
be considered in light of the tectonic regime associated with basin formation.
SM 555. Problems in the Early Evolution of Vertebrates. (M) Staff. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 100, GEOL 205. Short paper based on fossil vertebrate materials. An analysis of key problems
in the paleontology and evolutionary biology of early vertebrates,
including: origins of chordates, origins of bone and other
hard tissues, organization of the vertebrate head, origins
of the major vertebrate classes, environmental contexts of
key vertebrate transitions, diversifications of Paleozoic fishes,
origin and diversifications of tetrapods, extinctions.
599. Independent Study. (C) Staff. Directed study for individuals or small groups under supervision of a faculty
member.
602. Geotechnics: Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering. (B) Doheny. Prerequisite(s): Permission of Instructor. The course begins with a study of the Earth's composition, the formation
of soil materials by the weathering process (Physical and Chemical),
and a discussion of soil mineralogy, with particular emphasis
on the clay minerals. Following this introduction, soil classification
systems and physical properties of soils will be presented,
as well as the State of Stress in a Soil Mass together with
Seepage Theory and Groundwater Flow. The technical portion
of the course will conclude with the development of Consolidation
Theory and Analyses, Shear Strength Theory, Lateral Earth Pressure
Theory and Application, and Slope Stability Analysis.
The course will conclude with the presentation of two Case History Sessions,
presenting applications of Geotechnical Engineereing Practice
and the influence of the Geologic setting.
604. Geostatistical Analysis. (A) Vann. Prerequisite(s): Bio 446 or equivalent statistics course; Bio 556 suggested or other Inferential Statistics courses, covering uni- and multi-variate techniques. Univariate and multivariate approaches to the analysis of spatial correlation
and variability. Many disciplines, including geology, ecology and the environmental sciences regularly need to
analyze and make predictions from data that is spatially autocorrelated. Mine reserve estimation, pollutant dispersal
and the use of randomization tests in ecology are examples of where spatial statistics may be applied.
SM 606. Topics in Sedimentary Petrology and Stratigraphy. (M) Pfefferkorn. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 205, 206, 706 or permission of instructor.
Analysis of selected paleoenvironmental, stratigraphic, and
sedimentological problems in the field and laboratory. ADVANCED
STRATIGRAPHY: In-depth study of sedimentology, stratigraphic
principles, and paleoecological interpretation based on the
rock record.
SEDIMENTARY PETROLOGY: Interpretation of rocks using microscopic techniques.
Students will make thin-sections of various sedimentary rock
types collected from regional depositional basins (Geol 706).
Diagenetic, synand post-depositional processes will be investigated.
SM 611. Field Study of Soils. (B) Johnson. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 511 or permission of instructor. All day field trips. Processes of soil development in a variety of temperate environments. Effects
of lithology and climate on soil properties.
613. (LARP513) Hydrology. (M) Johnson. Emphasis on basic concepts and principles of hydrology. Framework will be the
concept of the continuous natural movement of water in the
hydrological cycle.
SM 615. Advanced Vertebrate Paleontology Seminar. (C) Dodson. May be repeated for credit. Topics in vertebrate paleontology and paleoecology.
616. Geology of the Carboniferous Period. (M) Pfefferkorn. Paleogeography, biogeography, stratigraphy, paleoclimatology, flora, and fauna
of the Carboniferous Period.
SM 617. Topics in Sedimentology. (M) Prerequisite(s): GEOL 206 or permission of instructor. CLIMATE CHANGES THRU TIME: Issues of anthropologenically-induced climate changes
are hotly debated. However, it is not possible to make meaningful predictions of future climates
without understanding the forces that have controlled past climates. This course will review the geologic evidence
for past climate changes and discuss processes that affect global climate changes. It will involve analysis and modeling
of various sedimentary environments, systems, and processes.
ANCIENT TERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENTS: Multi-disciplinary approaches and techniques
that enable the extraction of comprehensive information (weathering,
deposition, diagenisis, tectonics) from ancient continental
deposits. The goal is the reconstruction of integrated environmental,
geographic, and climatic conditions for selected time slices.
SM 618. Geochemistry Seminar. (C) Staff. Topics in geochemistry.
SM 620. Geophysics Seminar. (M) Staff. Topics in solid Earth geophysics.
SM 625. Advanced Paleobotany Seminar. (M) Pfefferkorn. May be repeated for credit. Topics in paleobotany, paleoecology and evolution.
SM 628. Seminar in Isotope Geochemistry. (M) Staff. Prerequisite(s): Intermediate background in chemistry, physics, biology, or geology. This course is for advanced undergraduates and graduate students interested
in learning about or pursuing applications of isotope geochemistry, with an emphasis on biological and climatic processes
(e.g. plant physiology, soils, nutrient cycling, and atmospheric chemistry).We will meet to discuss readings both from
the literature and textbook chapters where necessary for backround. Grading will be on the basis of class participation
and short weekly writing assignments. The latter will be completed prior to the class by both students
and professor to ensure thorough discussion of each topic.
SM 630. (GEOL208) Advanced Structural Geology Seminar. (M) Phipps. May be repeated for credit. Four- day field trip. Topics in tectonophysics and/or regional structural geology.
636. Quantitative Paleoclimatology. (M) Staff. This course provides a comprehensive, rigorous survey of our knowledge
of the Earth's climate system from ancient to modern.Topics
to be covered will include geological evidence for past climate
changes, with an emphasis on quantitative methods using geochemistry and geophysics; the basis of earth system
modeling; statistical climatology; climate change detection;
time-series analysis in climatology.
SM 637. Recent Climate Change. (A) Staff. Increases in "greenhouse gases" produced through human activity appear
to be affecting the Earth's climate. This course will examine climate change over the last 500 years. We will examine
the available instrumental records over this time period as well as proxy climate records such as ice core, tree ring,
sediment cores, coral cores and others. Students will research individual topics and present them regularly, review
published articles, and attend some seminars.
SM 639. Isotopes in Paleoclimatology. (A) Staff . Isotope records in tree rings, ice cores, corals, and sediments can be used
to reconstruct past climate variables such as temperature, salinity, atmospheric CO2, El Nino events, cloud cover and precipitation.
This course focuses on isotope techniques and applications in paleoclimatology. Special emphasis will be placed
on stable carbon, stable oxygen and radiocarbon. This course is suitable for upper level undergraduates and graduate
students.
SM 640. Digital Mapping. (M) Scatena.
Global positioning systems (GPS) and geographic information systems (GIS) have
greatly changed the way cartographic data is collected and
analyzed. This course will discuss design strategies for mapping
projects involving GPS, differential GPS, and GIS, and provide
a hands-on introduction to the use of these technologies. The
principal emphasis of the course will be on learning to choose
appropriate and efficient data acquisition techniques and to develop data collection protocols suited to the aims of any given project. Though
the mechanics of importing digital data into GIS will be discussed,
and the analytical capabilities of GIS will be an important
factor in project design, actual data analysis through GIS
will not be taught.
SM 646. First Billion Years: The Early History of Earth and Life. (A) Phipps. The course will cover the origin of the Earth. Topics will range constituent
atoms to planetesimals; the formation of the Earth including
its accretion and differentiation; the early bombardment history
of the earth and the formation of the Moon; the cooling of
the Earth and the origins of continents and oceans. additionally
variour theries for origin of life will be covered including
the Archean world, tectonics, the evolution of the atmosphere
and oceans, and early life.
651. (GEOL451) Geocomputations I. (M) Mastropaola. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. Review and applications of selected methods from differential equations, advanced
engineering mathematics and geostatistics to problems encountered
in geology, engineering geology, geophysics and hydrology.
652. Physical Geology for Environmental Professionals. (A) Doheny. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. Study of the genesis and properties of earth materials (minerals,rocks,soil,
water); consideration of volcanic,erosional, glacial, and earthquake processes along with the characterization of the earth's
deep interior crustal and near-surface structure.Classroom study of minerals, crystals, fossils, and rocks as time
permits.
653. (GEOL453) Introduction to Hydrology. (A) Conaboy. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. Introcudction 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.
SM 654. Geomechanics. (A) Duda. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. Mechanical properties of solid and fluid earth materials, stress and strain,
earth pressures in soil and rock, tunnels, piles, and piers; flow through gates, wiers, spillways and culverts, hydraulics,
seepage and Darcy's law as applied to the hydrologic sciences.
655. Engineering Geology I. (B) Calabria. Offered through CGS - See current timetable. Engineering properties of earth materials; engineering testing, classification
and use of earth materials; geologic and geophysical investigations and monitoring; geologic hazards; planning and use
of the geologic environment.
656. Fate and Transport of Pollutants. (A) Ruga. 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).
657. Field Geophysics. (B) Doheny. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 420: Introduction to Geophysics. Use of geophysics field equipment (gravity, magnetic, seismic, electrical,electromagnetic,
and radar) to collect geologicsite investigation data. Theoretical analysis of collected geophysical and geological
data to interpret subsurface conditions.
SM 658. (GEOL458) Geostatistics. (C) Mastropaolo. Statistical analysis of data from geological, geotechnical, and geohydrologic
sources.
659. Surface Water Hydrology. (B) Conaboy. This course will focus on various aspects of surface water hydrology. Topics
covered include: study of all aspects of precipitation and runoff; study of the natural occurrences of floods and droughts;
the establishment of design floods; methods of preventing or alleviating damages due to floods; water losses through
evaporation, transpiration, and infiltration; storm water management; and hydrologic considerations in environmental
issues.
661. Environmental Groundwater Hydrology. (B) Mastropaola. This course is designed to introduce the major definitions and concepts regarding
groundwater flow and contaminant transport. The theory underlying concepts, including mathematical derivations
of governing equations used to model groundwater flow and contaminant transport, will be discussed and applications
to environmental problems addressed.
663. Groundwater Modeling. (B) Doheny / Freed. Offered through CGS - See current timetable.
665. Engineering Geology & Geotechnics. (A) Hunt. Engineering Geology I is NOT a prerequiste for this course. Based on numerous case histories, the theme of this course is characterization
of the geologic environment for engineering and environmental investigations.
Covered are the various exploration tools and methods, including
interpretation of remotely sensed imagery; field and laboratory
measurments of material properties; and instrumentation monitoring.
Rock masses and the significance of discontinuities are discussed
as are soil formations in terms of occurrence and mode of deposition,
and their typical physical properties. The latter half of the
course is dedicated to the geologic hazards; i.e. ground subsidence
and collapse, landslides and earthquakes, with emphasis on prediction,
prevention and damage control.
666. Geology Field Work. (C) Giegengack. 4-8 weeks during the summer.
SM 677. Seminar in Environmental Geology. (M) Giegengack.
706. Topics in Regional Geology. (M) Phipps. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 208 &/or 206, preferably both; GEOL 390. Field Trips required. Topics in sedimentology, stratigraphy, petrology, and/or structural geology
of selected regions. Regional geologic synthesis and tectonics.
FORELAND BASINS: Structure, sedimentology, and biology/paleobiology of forelandbasins,
based on the study of modern and ancient examples. These will
include the modern Persian Gulf region, and the ancient Carboniferous
Appalachian basin. There will be at least one field trip.
DEPOSITIONAL BASINS: Investigation and interpretation of a number of different
tectonically-controlled basins throughout the region. Field
work essential. All-day and weekend field trips required. Students
will integrate stratigraphic, sedimentological, structural,
and tectonic principles within various basinal settings.
SM 715. Paleobiology Seminar. (M) Staff.
SM 777. Seminar in Quaternary Environments. (M) Giegengack. Interdisciplinary approach to selected environmental problems of
the Pleistocene.
999. Independent Study and Research. (C) Staff. Prerequisite(s): Permission of departmental committee. Hours and credits to be arranged. Directed study for individuals or small groups under supervision of a faculty
member.
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