Submitted by Caterina Rost on February 22, 2016 - 11:47am
There are some stellar Environmental Studies courses being offered this Spring. Flyers and details available here. Please share with students in your program!
ENVIR 100: Introduction to Environmental Studies
5 credits – Dr. Kristi Straus and Dr. Yen-Chu Weng – Counts for I&S/NW and Env. Studies Core – Open to all majors. Great intro for Freshmen and Sophomores who are exploring environmental majors.
- Learn about contemporary environmental challenges and responses, including topics on climate change, biodiversity conservation, sustainability, and natural resource management.
- Recognize the complexity in environmental issues and our connections to these issues at multiple scales, from local to global. Participate in a dynamic and unique learning experience with an interdisciplinary teaching team.
- Practice environmental communication and critical thinking skills through peer engagement, iterative writing assignments, a team project, and a public poster presentation.
ENVIR 240: The Urban Farm
5 credits – Dr. Elizabeth Wheat – Counts for I&S/NW and Env. Studies Perspectives & Experiences – Open to all majors. Freshmen and Sophomores encouraged!
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Terrific hands-on course in urban farming. Develop your understanding of urban and peri-urban farming practices and learn more about the UW Farm and food production techniques in urban settings.
- Gain a working knowledge of plants and soil growing techniques. Learn what soils are best suited for garden plants, get your hands dirty, learn about plant diseases and ecological approaches to pest control.
ENVIR 280: Natural History of the Puget Sound
5 credits – Tim Billo – Counts for I&S/NW and Env. Studies Perspectives & Experiences – Open to all majors.
- Explore and understand the landscape of Western Washington and the species that inhabit it. Take an integrated look at climate, geomorphology and vegetation through a natural and social science lens.
- Connect to nature and gain valuable hands-on field experience. Students will go on field trips to the Olympic Peninsula, Whidbey Island and the east slopes of the Cascades and identify indicator species for different habitats.
- Hone observation skills with weekly journaling and study of Washington habitats and species.
ENVIR 300: Analysis of Environmental Cases
3 credits – Dr. Elizabeth Wheat – Counts for I&S/NW – Pre-reqs: ENVIR 100, ENVIR 200, ENVIR 250.
- Use natural and social sciences to address environmental issues. Learn to use data to inform how environmental decisions are made.
- Review environmental cases. Dive deep into the sociocultural, socioeconomic and ecological contexts of environmental decisions and understand how and why facts can be critical in addressing environmental problems.
ENVIR 480: Sustainability Studio
5 credits – Ashley Blazina – Open to all majors – no pre-reqs.
- Understand what it takes to green the healthcare industry. The healthcare industry contributes to a large environmental footprint regarding its facilities and operations. What are the cost constraints and how can we move the dial on reducing the footprint of hospitals and healthcare facilities?
- How can UW Health become more environmentally conscious? In winter quarter, students will work on projects with different members of the UW Health Sciences to assess current green practices and identify areas for improvement, to include medical waste streams, tech and healthcare, environmental health.
ENVIR 495 A: Crimes Against Nature
3 credits – Todd Wildermuth – Open to juniors, seniors and grad students in all majors.
- Why are some human activities that harm nature considered criminal acts, while others are not? In this seminar, students will consider various forms of environmental crimes, from toxic waste disposal to destruction of public natural resources to poaching, and explore how cases are pursued.
- Do people behave differently in the face of criminal penalties? Learn the basics of the U.S. criminal law system and determine whether justice is served by the current system.
ENVIR 495 C: Socio-Environmental Data Analysis Workshop
3 credits – Yen-Chu Weng – Counts for Q/SR. Open to juniors, seniors and grad students in all majors.
- Do you want to tell a convincing story with your data? Are you interested in exploring methods for data interpretation and visualization? This course will teach students to explore methods for analyzing quantitative and qualitative data on environmental topics.
- Analyze socio-environmental data in this practical application workshop course. Students will gain hands-on experience through working on their own research data and practicing data visualization and presentation.
ENVIR 502: Business Strategy and the Natural Environment
5 credits – Kevin Laverty – Open to juniors, seniors and grad students in all majors.
- How can a business be financially successful while lessening its impact on the environment and society? Learn the essential functions for a business to achieve sustainability and analyze different challenges start-up firms and established companies have in seeking to reduce their footprint.
- Get a primer on how businesses can achieve sustainability. Understand how companies establish a brand image, engage their employees and measure the impact of their operations.