Our objective is to foster a deeper respect for the complexity of the environment and the ways in which scientists define and study environmental problems. Central to this objective is an emphasis on linking ideas discussed in lecture with weekly laboratory projects that involve the collection and analysis of data from a variety of environmental settings. Hypotheses that are developed in class discussion can be tested and modified based on information collected during the labs. In all, ENST 200 will inform and engage student in the modern concepts, problems, and techniques of environmental science. The course begins with a review of geologic processes and the ways in which they influence global, regional, and local scale environments.
Emphasis then shifts to the atmosphere, with special focus on the climate system.
During this portion of the course, we will consider the causes of climate variability and the techniques by which it is studied. The remainder of the course will focus on ecological processes.