Instructors:
David T. Allen, Chemical Engineering
Jay L. Banner, Geological Sciences

Teaching Assistants:
Brian Cowan, Geology
Lindsay Olinde, Geology
Virginia Smith, Geology
Jeff Paine, Engineering

Class meeting:
MWF, 11-12, in room Geo 2.324.

Discussion Section:
Weekly 1.5 hour Discussion Section - click here for class room numbers and meeting times.

Course Description:
Achieving a sustainable planet is perhaps our most significant societal challenge. This course will 1) provide an overview of the three main pillars of sustainability: economy, social equity, and environment, and 2) examine the environmental pillar in detail. We will examine how the Earth and its environment work, environmental change on local and global scales due to natural and man-made causes, and how science, technology, economics, the media, and social policy are interrelated and affect individuals, communities, nations. The human dimensions of issues such as rapid climate change, water resources, food, energy, waste and biodiversity will be examined from multiple perspectives. The goal of this course is for students to better understand how the natural world works, how natural systems interact with and are modified by engineered systems and the built environment, how their lives fit into these systems. Three one hour lectures and one 90 minute discussion section per week, plus occasional field trips. This is a new interdisciplinary-taught university signature course. The course satisfies science requirements.