ENV - Environmental Studies

This course develops a holistic view of planet Earth by considering global interactions between atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and geosphere. A regional perspective is developed by examining how plate tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanoes have shaped the active continental margin in the Pacific Northwest. Fee: $30

Geological catastrophes (e.g. earthquakes, meteorite impacts, and flooding) are important processes in shaping the Earth. This course will acquaint students with the scientific principles governing these catastrophes. Fee: $30

This course explores foods, including the science behind the ways we grow, process, distribute, and cook them. We consider the impacts food choices have on our environment and health. We ask what dietary choices are the most sustainable and how to make informed decisions about buying food. Finally, we discuss the aesthetic and cultural attributes of really delicious food.

Survey of the world's oceans in terms of chemical, physical, and geological principles, and examples of marine habitats. Fee: $30

Survey of the scientific issues involved in the problems of maintenance of environmental quality and preservation of our ecosystem. The search for a sustainable society will be discussed.

This entry course surveys the different specialties that make up the field of environmental science, including environmental biology, atmospheric science and climatology, geomorphology, geology, GIS & remote sensing, conservation biology, water quality regulation, the relationship between science environmental ethics, and/or other current topics". Students will be presented with a broad introduction to all of these disciplines.

For special lower-division laboratory projects. Content and credit to be arranged. Fee: $60 per credit hour.

This course will provide a field and/or laboratory experience that gives students an introduction to techniques used in environmental research.  In different sections research approaches used in atmospheric science, climatology, geomorphology, geology, coastal ecology, conservation biology, or other areas of active research in the environmental studies department will be focused on. May be repeated for up to 6 credits.

This course is designed to provide an understanding of the basics of the environmental regulations and how local, state and the federal governments responding to regulatory issues through innovation and performance-based approaches. Performance based approaches include, among others: accurate measures, best management practices; purchasing and certification and implementing environmental management systems and programs.

Covers current analytical frameworks and tools that leading-edge organizations are using to benchmark and improve environmental, social and financial performance. Includes environmental and social valuation techniques, life cycle analysis, and carbon footprinting.

This course explores the physical and biological controls on sediment transport and the shape of the Earth’s landforms on human to geologic timescales. Topics include: rivers, glaciers, hillslopes, soils, landslides, coastal processes, and Aeolian processes.  Will also consider applications to land management and river restoration.

Field and laboratory investigation of geomorphology. Three hours of laboratory per week. Fee: $60

This course addresses questions such as:  What is the relationship between the biophysical environment and international security?  Does competition over resources cause conflict? Does environmental scarcity cause conflict? How will global warming affect relations among great powers the political stability of the developing world?

This course will consider how environmental problems arise, looking at how a progression of natural and human circumstances becomes an "environmental problem." It will survey the law, politics, and institutions that manage pollution. The course will also look closely at a handful of environmental policy issues, particularly in the Columbia River, and the interplay of science, risk, and uncertainty.

This course examines data from modern buoy networks, sonar, satellites, and computational models to explore seawater chemistry, seafloor and coastal geology, currents, waves, tides and more; especially focusing on maritime transportation, ocean acidification, pollution, overfishing, tsunamis, beach erosion, storm surge, sea-level rise, rogue waves, rip currents, sustainable coastal development, surfing and swell forecasting.

This course focuses on physical processes controlling day-to-day weather, along with the current tools and techniques that professional meteorologists use to monitor, model, and forecast the weather. Course goals include helping students to make better weather-related planning decisions, and reducing vulnerability to hazardous weather phenomena such as blizzards, lightning, large hail, downbursts, tornadoes, damaging straight-line winds, and other extremes.

This course explores the physical, chemical, and biological phenomena that affect and are affected by Earth's climate system and climate changes. The course also includes applications of climate science to energy-efficient architecture, water management, ecology, forestry, precision agriculture, solar power, wind power, analysis of paleoclimates, and modeling of future climate change, along with anthropogenic climate-change impacts and mitigation strategies.

This course focuses on students learning how to fly various types of fixed-wing and rotary-wing remotely controlled aircraft. They will construct and test types of new low-cost remotely controlled aircraft. Students will also learn to acquire low-altitude imagery of field sites using these aircraft. Aerial imagery is rapidly becoming a critical part of the scientific toolkit in the sciences. Fee: $60

The course investigates the sources, distribution and impacts of atmospheric pollutants. Specifically, the role of air pollution in climate change, human health, and environmental impacts will be covered in detail. The course will also discuss the natural background chemistry of the atmosphere, photochemistry, and urban air pollution.

This course investigates the interrelationships between the inanimate Earth and life forms, with special emphasis on environmental interactions between the Earth and humans. Topics include the environmental significance of natural resources (including energy, minerals, soil, and water), natural hazards (including earthquakes, mass wasting, subsidence, and volcanoes), ocean processes (including basins and coastlines), and waste management (including burial, movement, remediation). Fee: $30

This course investigates environmental applications of multispectral remote sensing (RS) and geographic information systems (GIS). RS topics include sensor systems, digital image processing, and automated information extraction. GIS topics include spatial database management systems, data analysis, and environmental modeling. Emphasis is placed on biological applications including vegetation mapping, habitat identification and field data mapping.

Morphology, physiology, and ecology of microorganisms, emphasizing their role in environmental processes such as nutrient cycling, bioremediation, waste treatment, and food production. Three hours of lecture per week.

This course takes the perspective of environmental chemistry to address topics including: energy forms, the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the biosphere, transport of materials, chemical transformations, and modeling.

This lab involves outdoor measurements of environmental variables around campus using professional-grade equipment, plus indoor analysis of the data that students collect. Fee: $60.

A project-oriented seminar in which student teams with varying backgrounds in environmental studies develop action plans to deal with regional environmental issues.

Leaders in sustainability must be able to understand rapid changes in environmental and social conditions, innovate to adapt to those changes, collaborate to envision transitions to sustainable futures, and engage with others to realize those visions. To build these capacities, this course develops systems thinking skills using readings and case studies drawn from environmental, social, and business contexts.

This course investigates the relationship between theology and science, the science of ecology and the related field of environmental science, the major aspects of our current environmental crisis, underlying historical and social reasons for this crisis, and current attempts to reformulate Christian theology from the perspective of ecology. The course also explores possible solutions for a sustainable future.

Faculty-directed student research. Before enrolling, a student must consult with an environmental studies faculty member to define the project.

Practical field experience working with governmental agencies, corporations, or environmental organizations. Students will be required to do appropriate readings and an appropriate report. Students may receive an IP (In Progress) grade until the completion of their internship.

Ecosystems, communities and enterprises are examples of complex systems. Sustainability, as it applies to each of these examples requires a systems thinking approach for its implementation and management. This course develops systems thinking perspectives and skills through a series of case studies drawn from environmental, social, and business contexts, using a participatory approach.