Environment & Sustainability

Gateway Courses:

• For all 200-level courses in Delta Challenges: Sustainability Essentials I
• For all 300-level courses in Delta Challenges: Sustainability Essentials II

100-level:

• Building with Nature

200-level:

• R3: Resources, Recovery, Remediation

300-level:

• Living with Water
• Food Policy

Course descriptions

100-level Building with Nature
Building with nature is an approach to (civil) engineering that makes use of natural processes and ecological solutions. The key principle is to work with nature, not against it. Examples include flood defences, sustainable port development, or land reclamation. The approach is gaining momentum since it offers cost-effective and environmentally promising alternatives to old-school technical constructions that may no longer be viable in the light of climate change and sea level rise.

In the course students will be provided with a brief historical overview of Building With Nature in the (distant and recent) past, learn the Building with Nature ecosystem-based design concept and its applications and be introduced to a range of case studies. The course will include a number of excursions and guest lectures.

Gateway Courses:

• For all 200-level courses in Ecology: Sustainability Essentials I
• For all 300-level courses in Ecology: Sustainability Essentials II

100-level:

• The Living Planet: An Introduction to Biodiversity
• From Origins to Diversity: The Science of Evolution
• Protecting Nature: The Science of Conservation Biology

200-level:

• Ecosystems Uncovered: How Nature Works

300-level:

• Marine Biology
• Sustainable Farming & Innovation

Course descriptions

100-level: Sustainability Essentials I
One possible definition of sustainability is “the ability to maintain or support a process continuously over time”. Sustainability covers environmental as well as societal and economic aspects – imagine a nested model with environment forming the outer circle, and society and  and economy as the subsequent sub-sets.

In the Environment and Sustainability cluster we focus on this outer circle and try to introduce real live connections by applying what we learn to our local environment, the Delta. Sustainability essentials is the 100 level gateway course to the cluster and as such will give you access to all 200 level courses. The course will use case studies of sustainable systems in our local delta to introduce the  mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and statistics essentials for understanding such systems.   This will ensure that you are properly equipped no matter which specific aspects you decide to pursue during your time at UCR.

It is also fitting for a subject as transdisciplinary as sustainability that it will be taught by all professors involved in teaching in the cluster. So you will also get a “taster” of the possible specializations.

100-level: The Living Planet: An Introduction to Biodiversity
The biosphere consists of millions of living species. In this course we will travel through the tree of life, starting with bacteria and single-celled eukaryotes such as reef-building dinoflagellates and disease-causing apicomplexans. Next, we will look at the multicellular groups : plants, seaweeds, fungi and animals. We will also investigate the relevance of biodiversity for human society in fields such as food and food security, economy, climate and health.

100-level: From Origins to Diversity: The Science of Evolution
Evolution is the unifying theory in biology. As such, an understanding of evolutionary biology is vital for understanding the natural world. In this course, we will discuss key concepts in evolution such as population genetics, variation and selection, speciation, macro-evolution and the origins of life. The importance of evolutionary concepts to all other fields of biology will be emphasized, as well as important implications of evolutionary processes in fields like human health and climate change.

300-level: Marine Biology
This course focuses on the ecological processes that take place in the seas and at the boundaries of sea and land, gives an overview of marine systems like estuaries, rocky shores and coral reefs, and assesses the impacts of human activities on these systems.
A substantial part of the course consists of guest lectures from marine scientists, lab visits, excursions, and some field work, indicated to provide the students with current and socially relevant examples of research that is taking place in this field. Finally, the students will demonstrate their mastering of the topic in an essay.

Gateway Courses:

• For all 200-level courses in Environmental Science: Sustainability Essentials I
• For all 300-level courses in Environmental Science: Sustainability Essentials II

100-level:

• Dynamic Earth
• Natural Hazards, Risks & Adaptations

200-level:

• Earth Observation
• Soils & Aquifers

300-level:

• Environmental Biogeochemistry
• Earth’s Water Dynamics

Course descriptions

100-level: Dynamic Earth
This course offers a broad overview of processes and phenomena of the Earth system. Among topics with which the students will become familiar are: crystallization, phase diagrams, mineral/rock properties and determination, structural geology, stratigraphy, sedimentation, sea-coast interaction, rivers and streams, rock formation, rock cycle, solar system evolution models, plate tectonics, seismic tomography, seismic hazard assessment, planetary science, mantle dynamics, core dynamo theory, earth magnetism, radio-dating. In the fall break a field study is carried out in the Belgium Ardennes.

200-level Soils & Aquifers
Soils and Aquifers both are critical resources due to climate change and population growth threats to food and water scarcity. Students explore soils and water bodies with field and laboratory measurements/analyses. Weeks 1-7 cover soil formation, properties and health, as well as potential strategies for remediation and prevention of soil deterioration and erosion.  Weeks 8-12 cover seismic and electromagnetic mapping of relevant physical properties of local fresh/salt-water aquifers to assess geothermal energy and coastal defense strategies as well as threats to freshwater supplies.

300-level: Environmental Biogeochemistry
This track-completing course complements Chemistry and Chemical Engineering tracks. It focusses on the biogeochemistry of natural waters (oceans, estuaries, freshwater bodies) and their interactions (adsorption, weathering, biomineralization) with rocks, soils, and minerals under near-surface conditions. Also on ore formation and processing, wastewater treatment technology and resource recovery. Advanced modeling tools are used, also in case study projects, such as olivine for CO2 capture, the green technology burden on resource budgets, and (anthropogenic) resource cycles.

Gateway Courses:

• For all 200-level courses in Sustainability: Sustainability Essentials I
• For all 300-level courses in Sustainability: Sustainability Essentials II

100-level:

• Climate Change
• Life Cycle Analysis & Circular Economy
• Calling Bullshit

200-level:

• Energy & Sustainability

300-level:

• Renewable System Design
• Spatial Planning

Course descriptions

100-level Climate Change
Climate change is the defining challenge of our time. It has large impacts on both the living and non-living Earth systems, as well as drives a number of profound societal transformations.
This course is divided in 3 parts. First, we will first focus on the drivers of anthropogenic climate change and its physical, chemical and ecological impacts. Topics discussed include (but are not limited to) the properties of greenhouse gases, sea level rise, ocean acidification, climate feedback loops and effects on various biome types.
Secondly, we will discuss impacts on various aspects of society. Topics discussed include (but are not limited to) food production, transportation, construction, health, and migration patterns. We will also look at the history of the climate change debate and identify strategies that have been deployed by interest groups to sow doubt and misinformation.
Lastly, we will look into solutions for both adaptation and mitigation, such as renewable energy systems, carbon dioxide storage and climate-adaptive spatial planning.
The course will include a number of guest lectures and excursions.
After taking the course, you will be able to explain the fundamentals of climate change science. You will also be able to navigate a vast flow of information on climate change, and identify main and reliable sources; you will have insight in main climate change issues and have an overview of the pathways to mitigation and adaptation.