300

ENV 300 Techniques in Environmental Research

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.
3

Prerequisites

Instructor permission

ENV 325 Metrics for Sustainability

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.
3

Prerequisites

ECN 120 or ECN 121

Cross Listed Courses

ECN 325

ENV 348 Geopolitics of Energy and the Environment

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?
3

Cross Listed Courses

POL 348

ENV 349 Environmental Policy

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.

3

ENV 361 Meteorology

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.
3

ENV 365 Climatology

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.
3

ENV 373 Constructing & Flying RC Aircraft

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
1

ENV 382 Air Pollution

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.
3

Prerequisites

CHM 207, CHM 277

ENV 383 Environmental Geoscience

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.)

3

ENV 384 Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems

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.

3

Cross Listed Courses

BIO 384, CE 458

ENV 385 Environmental Microbiology

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.

3

Prerequisites

CHM 207, CHM 208

Cross Listed Courses

BIO 385

ENV 386 Environmental Chemistry

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.

3

Prerequisites

CHM 208

Cross Listed Courses

CHM 386

ENV 387 Environmental Laboratory

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.
1

Prerequisites

ENV 361 or ENV 365