New! Spring 2008 EPS Courses

EPS 1165 SP. Topics: Comparative Real World Conservation (policy/science)
Faculty: Casey Gustowarow
Interested in saving species? This course will examine conservation projects on two sides of the globe; coastal conservation projects in the Philippines and those in the Chesapeake Bay area. These two regions will be used as examples (plus others) to compare and contrast conservation work in the first world and the developing world. Topics include eco-tourism, traditional knowledge, community-based conservation measures and species versus ecosystem-based protection.
(Casey Gustowarow, a Peace Corp member in the Philippines, worked with the community to conserve mangrove and coral reefs)

EPS 2265-01 Special Topics: Landscape Development: from the highest mountains to the deep sea vents             
Faculty: Hali Kilbourne
Land forming processes shape the environment we live in, determining the physical conditions that plants and animals (including humans) must adapt to.  This course explores the dynamic events shaping our landscapes. The Appalachians were once as tall as the Himalayas, the highest mountains on earth, but why are the Appalachians so much smaller now? How did glaciers carve out Yosemite Valley, forming the beautiful scenery we preserve in a National Park? Why did Colorado River cut through the Grand Canyon while the Mississippi River merely meanders its way to the sea?  By the end of this course, you will be able to tell your friends the answers to all of these questions and more. Pre-req EPS or EnvGeo or permission of the instructor

EPS 2265-02 Environmental Regulations:  If we could write them all again
Faculty: Chris Gunther
Since the formation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, at least 30 regulations have been written, ranging from the elimination of acid rain to the preservation of wetlands.  Unfortunately, the EPA is slow to amend their regulations for a variety of reasons. This course will cover the most common way that regulations are created on the Federal level, and present some of the unintended consequences.  Students will be then asked to write alternative regulations and discuss how their regulatory revisions would be more beneficial to the environment.
(Chris has extensive experience with regulations and is president of Environmental Compliance Training & Consulting)

EPS 3110 – 01 Climatology Faculty:
Faculty Hali Kilbourne
Will future climate changes advance gradually, or abruptly and catastrophically, as they have in the past? Understanding processes that have affected climate in the past will help us predict future global warming. This course explores the mechanisms and indicators of global change, and treats topics such as the “snowball earth,” ocean fertilization, oceanic methane release and the ocean conveyor belt.
No pre-req  (Hali has spent the last two years as a post-doc at NOAA researching the science of climatology)_________________________________________________________________________

New! Fall 2008 Offerings

EPS 2265 Natural Resource Management
In the United States, approaches to natural resource management have undergone substantial shifts over time. The extractive, “frontier” approach of the 19th century gave way to the Progressive Era of the early 20th century, which emphasized professional, scientific management of resources to maximize certain commodity outputs. Over the past couple of decades, a new approach has been increasingly advocated, one based on ecological integrity and stakeholder collaboration. This approach, variously called “ecosystem management,” “watershed planning,” and “integrated resource planning” among other terms, emphasizes sustainable ecological and social communities, achieved through integration of natural and social sciences in a collaborative decision-making context. The evolution of management institutions and strategies that define these approaches will be the focus of this course.
This course is a core policy selection for EPS majors, and is also open to all Political Science, Science and other majors. (Dr. Scott Hardy)
EPS 1265

Ecosystem Protection and Restoration: plants
Plants through photosynthesis not only support food webs but also provide essential ecological services including carbon sequestration, nutrient absorption, soil stabilization along with provision for the aesthetic through nutritional desires of humans. In this course we will consider the fundamental processes that makes plants essential in ecosystem function drawing extensively on examples from the Chesapeake Bay and its greater watershed. The roles of selected plants from seaweeds through marsh plants and poison ivy will be highlighted. Participants completing this course will understand that plants are a key element in supporting the Bay’s recovery.
This course is a core science selection for EPS majors and is open to all students interested in plants, marine biology or the Chesapeake Bay. (Dr.Dan Terlizzi)

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Regularly Scheduled EPS Courses

1116 Energy and the Environment: Consumption of energy resources maintains and advances civilizations. Working from basic physical concepts and models of depletion and growth, we’ll learn how the human race exploits available renewable and non-renewable resources. We will also compare the relative advantages and disadvantages of various means of energy extraction, generation, and distribution associated with such energy sources as fossil fuels, solar, biomass, and nuclear. Finally, understanding energy also means considering environmental impacts. To this end, we’ll explore how energy extraction and consumption impact our Earth’s biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.

1117 Environmental Geology: The Earth is an exciting and dynamic planet, the only one our species will call home for a long time to come. Much has been learned about the Earth’s complex interrelated systems but more still needs to be understood. We will explore the Earth and its systems to make you more aware of your environment, its origin, its history and its complexities. Along the way we will try to show you how to be a better observer of the Earth so you can enjoy unraveling some its mysteries on your own. All students are welcome to take this course. The only prerequisite for this course is an interest in the Earth and its environment.

1131 Environmental Problem Solving: An introductory and interdisciplinary study of environmental problems that considers world populations, energy, air and water pollution, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity and environmental health. Class discussion will center on solutions including technical and human behavioral modifications that can lead to the sustainable use of our environment.

2203 Environmental Chemistry: This course will focus on chemical cycles in the Earth’s natural environment. Topics introduced will include aqueous environmental chemistry, including water pollution and treatment, and atmospheric environmental chemistry, including air pollution, smog, and greenhouse gases, Additional topics covered will be soil chemistry, energy sources, and hazardous wastes. Laboratory exercises will address current environmental questions and students will learn specific instrumental and laboratory techniques in the chemical analysis of natural materials including rocks, soil, and water.

2204 History of the Environmental Movement: An exploration of the origins, evolution and nature of the American environmental movement. Topics will include the major events, philosophies, and leaders that marked and continue to drive various competing attitudes towards the environment and public health. The course should be interesting to any student wanting to learn more about the influence of social movements on public policies, societal values, and personal life-style choices.

2205 Environmental Economics: The study of efficient use of natural resources and protection of the environment both in the short term and the long run. Basic economic principles are developed and applied to global topics such as biodiversity, global warming, ozone depletion, and sustainable development and to more local and regional ones having to do with pollution of air and water.

2206 Sustainabiliy: This course will introduce students to the implications of and approaches to sustainability: meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Through discussion, lecture, readings, and field trips, students will address the questions of what resources need to be shared, ethics and methods of equitable distribution, and the scientific and social accounting of those resources. Students will also explore emerging fields of endeavor that tend toward sustainability, including permaculture, bioregionalism, environmental and natural building, ecological engineering, green business, and international agreements.

2215 Environmental Policy: An investigation of the history, institutions, and decision-making processes that shape environmental policy in the United States. The course will emphasize the roles of and relationship between local, state, and federal governments as well as industry, science, and public opinion in environmental management and protection.

3102 Risk and Environmental Decisions: An investigation of the influence of risk in environmental decision-making and regulations. The course will examine how society determines which risks are acceptable and which are not and how these conceptions of risk are integrated into a wide range of federal environmental regulations including air and water pollution, worker safety, and pesticide regulations. Specific topics will include the tools of risk assessment, risk-benefit analysis, and the role and methods of our governmental institutions in addressing the risks faced by society. General lessons can be drawn to all areas of public policy.

3104 Environmental Systems Analysis: GIS: Systems modeling and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) are two critical quantitative analytical techniques used by environmental scientists, policy makers and economists in decision-making. Dynamic systems’ modeling allows investigators to analyze complex systems and predict behaviors. GIS technology investigates common database operations such as query and statistical analysis with the unique visualization and geographic analysis benefits offered by maps.

3106 Conservation Biology: The current widespread loss of species, genetic variability, and even entire biological communities has caused serious concern within the scientific community. The goal of conservation biology is to stem this loss through the development of strategies for preserving and restoring populations, species, biological communities, and entire ecosystems. Lab period included.

Biogeochemistry of the Habitable Planet: This upper-level course treats the biogeochemistry involved in global change, one of the fastest growing fields in geological science. Topics include the missing carbon dioxide sink, planet formation, abiological and biological geochemical cycles, weathering, ozone states and other processes modified by interactions between the terrestrial, oceanic, and atmospheric cycles.

Climatology: Will future climate changes advance gradually, or abruptly and catastrophically, as they have in the past? Understanding processes that have affected climate in the past will help us predict future global warming. This course explores the mechanisms and indicators of global change, and treats topics such as the “snowball earth,” ocean fertilization, oceanic methane release and the ocean conveyor belt.

3323: Environmental Philosophy: This course offers a critical introduction into issues and debates in environmental cultural studies, environmental ethics and environmental political philosophy. The fact of a global ecological crisis, e.g. overpopulation, destruction and transformation of ecosystems, bioaccumulation of toxins, climate changes, etc. are intertwined with cultural and religious values systems as well as political trends and agendas. In this course we will study a) a selective genealogy of the perception of environment in various cultural traditions b) philosophical concepts which analyze and interpret global ecological shifts and crisis and c) cultural concepts of future environments.

4494 EPS Senior Seminar: Students will formally present a report from an internship program or independent research project that is focused on a specific environmental problem. This course is the capstone experience in EPS and is required of all EPS majors.

1165, 2265, 3365, 4465 Special Topics in Environmental Policy and Science: The study of a selected topic in the discipline. Recent selections include Chesapeake Bay Blues and Field Guide to Maryland

In addition:

Selections from Biology may include: Ecology, Marine Biology, Environmental Health, Vertebrate Diversity, Invertebrates, Microbiology, Botany, Parasitology, Epidemology, Anatomy, Evolution and many others. See listing under Biology.

Selections from Chemistry, Political Science, Philosophy and Economics may be viewed under the listing for the respective departments.