Graduate and Undergraduate classes taught by CSRC faculty are in partnership with the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space (EOS), the Dept. of Earth Sciences (ESCI) and the Dept. of Natural Resources and the Environment (NRE).
NRE 405
Global Environmental Change
Instructor: Cameron Wake
Human activity rivals nature as an agent of change in the global environment. Explores evidence of environmental degradation in Earth's crust, hydrosphere, and atmosphere; considers prospects for future sustainable human health, diversity, and economic development. Problem solving through critical analysis of environmental variables. Special fee. Lab.
NRE 415/415H
Global Biological Change
Instructor: George Hurtt
Biological changes have been occurring on Earth for at least the last 3.5 billion years. During this time, it is estimated that 98% of the species that ever existed have gone extinct. Today, approximately 1.7 million species are known to exist. From biodiversity loss to genetic engineering, we are in a period of particularly rapid change. This course provides an exciting introduction to the science of global biological change focusing on contemporary phenomena. In part I, scientific background on the physical and biological history of the planet is provided for perspective. In part II, contemporary global biological changes are addressed including: land cover changes, marine ecosystem changes, freshwater ecosystem changes, biodiversity loss, introduced species, artificial selection, genetic engineering, and human population growth. Part III places these issues in the context of past global biological changes, describes some of the potential causes and consequences of these changes, and provides an outlook to the future. The ways in which technology has affected the environment and how it is used for understanding these changes are central concepts. Emphasis is placed on the scientific basis for these issues including, what is known, how and how well different phenomena are understood, and what scientific questions remain.
NRE 426
Wood Science Technology
Instructor: Barry Rock
Wood microstructure and identification: physical, chemical, and mechanical properties; characteristics of wood including those produced by growth and form (i.e., knots, cross-grain) and those produced by degradation (i.e., stain, decay); log and lumber processing and quality evaluation; preparation of wood for use, including drying, gluing, and protection against degradation.
NRE 502
Forest Ecosystems and Environmental Change
Instructor: Scott Ollinger
Introductory course in forest ecosystem ecology. Students learn about forest ecosystems around the world, how they function and how they are changing. The course is broadly divided into two principal themes; (1) ecological and ecosystem processes, including succession, element cycling and forest-atmosphere interactions, and (2) effects of human activities including air pollution, climate change and deforestation.
NRE 744/844; EOS 844
Biogeochemistry (Formerly EOS 813; Biogeochemical Dynamics)
Instructors: Steve Frolking and Scott Ollinger (offered every other year)
Examines the influence of biological and physical processes on elemental cycling and geochemical transformations from the molecular to the global scale, involving microorganisms, higher plants and animals and whole ecosystems; factors that regulate element cycles including soils, climate, disturbance and human activities; interactions among the biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere; transformations of C, N, S, and trace elements. Prereq: one semester each biology and chemistry.
ESCI 764/864; EOS 864
Data Analysis for Earth System Science
Instructors: Richard Lammers, Mary Martin, and Cameron Wake
Analytical and numerical methods used to understand geospatial and time series data sets encountered in Earth system science research. Students develop skills in data analysis, primarily through writing and modifying their own computer programs, focused on particular aspects of real data sets. Understanding various data types, formats, and projections, and how to handle them, are also covered. Prereq: one year calculus, one year chemistry, basic statistics, or permission.
ESCI 795/895; NRE 795/895; EOS 895
Earth System Science
Instructors: George Hurtt and Cameron Wake
This course provides an introduction to the study of Earth as an integrated system. We will introduce the major components, interactions, and concepts for characterizing the contemporary Earth System (e.g. spheres, cycles, energy balance, equilibrium, feedbacks, linear and non-linear dynamics). Each lecture will build on background information to address advanced themes from recent scientific literature (e.g. multiple dynamic interactions, the 'Butterfly Effect', thresholds in metastable systems), and will include opportunities for class participation through group problem solving exercises and discussions. Research scientists from NASA who work in the field of Earth System Science will present guest lectures. Labs will focus on building computer models of key Earth System interactions discussed in the lectures. During the second part of the course, students will develop their own computer models to explore a specific question in Earth System Science.
NRE 797/897
Monitoring Forest Health
Instructor: Barry Rock
This course is designed to provide the field and remote sensing tools and experience needed by students to assess forest conditions at the individual tree and stand levels, as well as to conduct independent research projects on specific topics of interest. Such topics may include assessing change-over-time, landscape-level impacts of urban development, severe weather events, and other natural and anthropogenic perturbations affecting the health of forests. Forest damage due to insects, air pollution (primarily ground-level ozone), drought, the 1998 ice storm and others will be investigated.
EOS/ESCI 817
Macro-scale Hydrology I
Instructors: Wil Wollheim and Richard Lammers
The objective of this course is to introduce students to the study and application of hydrology at regional to global scales, and how it supports the management of sustainable water resources in a changing global environment. Key topics include elements of the global water cycle, representation of hydrological processes at coarse scales, examples of macro-scale hydrology models and analysis, hydrologic coupling with biogeochemical cycles, and assessment of human impacts. Applications that stress water resource sustainability at regional to global scales will be emphasized.
EOS/ESCI 818
Macro-scale Hydrology II
Instructors: Wil Wollheim and Richard Lammers
Students and instructors jointly select a research topic in macro-scale hydrology to be analyzed in depth during the course of the semester. A primary goal is the preparation of a manuscript for publication in a refereed scientific journal. Extensive library research, reading of recent and relevant scientific literature, technical analysis, writing. Course designed to be taken two consecutive semesters (fall and spring). Prereq: Macro-scale hydrology I.
EOS 895/ESCI 895
Advanced Remote Sensing Methods for Earth System Research
Instructors: Mark Fahnestock, Mary Martin, Michael Palace and Jingfeng Xiao (offered every other year)
This course focuses on learning analytical methods for using regional-to-global scale remote sensing data to study the Earth System. The tools and techniques of remote sensing will be discussed with the aim of developing the skills required for future research on a variety of topics - such as the structure and function of the terrestrial biosphere, the cryosphere, and aquatic systems. Emphasis will be on developing a physically based understanding of global remote sensing data (e.g. from NASA's Earth Observing Systems, ESA platforms, aircraft platforms if appropriate), and on gaining experience using these data together with models and other observations to form and test hypotheses about Earth system processes. To be offered every other year.
EOS/ESCI 896
Advanced Remote Sensing II
Instructors:Mark Fahnestock, Mary Martin, Michael Palace and Jingfeng Xiao
This is 1-semester group project course will focus on doing original research. The class participants will work together as a team, with the instructors, to design and carry out a remote sensing related project. The ultimate objective will be to write a manuscript for submission to a peer- reviewed journal. The class format will be weekly group discussions with meeting times to be determined by the participants. Prerequisites: EOS/ESCI 895, or permission of instructors.
NRE 903
Approach to Research
Instructor: Barry Rock
Approach to Research focuses on the scientific process, hypothesis formulation, methods development and proposal writing. The meaning of science and the application of logic in the scientific method is explored, as well as the principles and techniques of scientific research. Survey of experimental design procedures. Organization of investigative work, problem analyses, working plans, and scientific writing. Prereq: permission.
EOS 995
Environmental Modeling
Instructors: George Hurtt and Steve Frolking
Course focuses on techniques for ecosystem, biogeochemical and hydrological modeling. Readings from the current literature; review of existing models and of methods of model evaluation. Course goals including understanding key principles, types, and techniques of environmental modeling; improving quantitative skills and their application to scientific issues; building simple models, and apply these models to address environmental questions; critical analysis of environmental models (analysis); reading, discussing, and evaluating the use and results of models in scientific applications. Survey of some basic quantitative techniques used in analysis and modeling of biogeochemical cycles--e.g., basic differential equations, stock and flow systems, chemical rate equations, and energy balances. Modeling exercises in laboratory sessions. Major term project in which students each develop their own model, related to a topic of their interest.