Fall 2024
ENV 210 offers an introduction to the scientific and technological dimensions of the nexus of global environmental problems: climate change, the carbon cycle, biodiversity loss, and the provision of food and water. The course will provide the scientific foundations to understand each of these complex environmental problems, first in isolation and then in its interaction with the others. Students will be able to understand major scientific reports on the interacting environmental challenges and assess their possible future trajectories, their potential solutions, and their implications for a growing human population on a finite planet.
ENV 210 offers an introduction to the scientific and technological dimensions of the nexus of global environmental problems: climate change, the carbon cycle, biodiversity loss, and the provision of food and water. The course will provide the scientific foundations to understand each of these complex environmental problems, first in isolation and then in its interaction with the others. Students will be able to understand major scientific reports on the interacting environmental challenges and assess their possible future trajectories, their potential solutions, and their implications for a growing human population on a finite planet.
A survey of fundamental papers in the Geosciences. Topics include present and future climate, biogeochemical processes in the ocean, geochemical cycles, orogenies, thermochronology, Earth structure and mechanics, and seismicity. This is the core geosciences graduate course.
Prior Semesters
Fall Courses
ENV 210A offers an introduction to the scientific and technological dimensions of the nexus of global environmental problems: climate change, the carbon cycle, biodiversity loss, and food and water for 9 billion people. The course will provide students the scientific foundations to understand each of these complex environmental problems, first in isolation and then in its interaction with the others. By the completion of the course, students will be able to understand major scientific reports on the interacting environmental challenges of the 21st century. All sections of ENV 210A will meet together for lecture and precept each week.
ENV 210B offers an introduction to the scientific and technological dimensions of the nexus of global environmental problems: climate change, the carbon cycle, biodiversity loss, and food and water for 9 billion people. The course will provide students the scientific foundations to understand each of these complex environmental problems, first in isolation and then in its interaction with the others. By the completion of the course, students will be able to understand major scientific reports on the interacting environmental challenges of the 21st century. All sections of ENV 210B will meet together for lecture and lab each week.
Spring Courses
Course educates Geosciences and AOS students in the responsible conduct of research using case studies appropriate to these disciplines. This discussion-based course focuses on issues related to the use of scientific data, publication practices and responsible authorship, peer review, research misconduct, conflicts of interest, the role of mentors & mentees, issues encountered in collaborative research and the role of scientists in society. Successful completion is based on attendance, reading, and active participation in class discussions. Course satisfies University requirement for RCR training.
Marine ecosystems are tightly controlled by ocean circulation and rapidly changing in response to climate change. This course discusses the processes that shape and structure ocean ecosystems, with a focus on ocean turbulence and fine-scale dynamics, and climate. The course balances overview lectures, discussion of the current and classic literature on the topic, and data analysis using observations and ocean/climate model outputs. Students participate in seminar type presentations and discussions, and work in group to present a final project based on observational data and/or ocean modeling.
This course examines the chemical composition of the oceans and the physical, chemical, and biological processes governing this composition in the past and present. Emphasis on the cycles of major elements including nutrients, carbon, and oxygen, involved in structuring marine ecosystems and regulating Earth's climate on time scales of years to millions of years. Processes and phenomena include oceanic chemical fluxes at the ocean-atmosphere and ocean-sediment interfaces, the interactions of ocean biogeochemical cycles with the physical climate system and biodiversity, and the ongoing anthropogenic perturbations.
The chemical composition of the oceans and the nature of the physical and chemical processes governing this composition in the past and present. The cycles of major and minor oceanic constituents, including interactions with the biosphere and at the ocean-atmosphere and ocean-sediment interfaces.