FUNDAMENTALS OF SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE

FUND OF SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE

This course provides an introduction to the major themes of sustainability science with a focus on the application of science to the practice of sustainability.  Basic research, especially in the environmental and social sciences, explores the Earth as a system of systems, wherein the physical, chemical and biological systems interact with each other as well as human systems to affect our future.  The results of this research are often difficult to apply in practice unless the research in translated into actionable advice for individuals, governments and private enterprise.  Even so, the actual or perceived complexities of interactions between human and “natural” systems are often seen by decision makers as barriers to long-term planning, an essential element of pursuing sustainability.  A simple definition of sustainability is based on intergenerational equity.  Thus, the relationships between the here-and-now and possible global futures need to be understood.  Students enrolled in this course will discuss: Definitions of sustainability, including environmental, cultural and socio-economic components; Technologies for observing natural systems and their impacts on human systems; Summaries of scientific understanding of global-scale climate dynamics, natural hazards, biodiversity, environmental stressors and anthropogenic inputs to coupled human-natural systems; An overview of the strengths and weaknesses of science-based prediction; An introduction to geoengineering; Developing the evidence base for sustainability decisions; An introduction to risk assessment, perception and management; Decision making under uncertainty; General principles of sustainability management. An undergraduate background in any field of science or engineering and mathematics through statistical and time-series analysis is required.  An interest in coupled natural-human systems is desirable.

• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Robert Newton
  h-index: 9 Info
• 3 points

OBSERVING AND UNDERSTANDING SEA LEVEL CH

OBS & UNDRSTNG SEA LEVEL CHNG

This course provides an overview of the science related to observing and understanding sea-level rise, which has a profound impact on the sustainability of coastal cities and ecosystems. In modern research, sea-level rise is viewed as a complex response of the Earth “system of systems” to climate change. Measuring ongoing sea-level change is challenging due to the great natural variability of sea level on short time scales caused by tides, weather, and ocean currents.  Interpreting measurements so that one can assess (and mitigate against) potential economic and societal impacts of sea-level rise is crucial but can be complicated, since so many Earth-system processes play a role. Some of these processes are related and others are unrelated to climate change; some of the latter are natural and others are of anthropogenic origin. Students enrolled in this course will through lectures and class discussions address topics related to the underlying observational basis for sea-level rise. Given the complexity of sea level rise, it is important for those in technical positions to understand the systems level interactions that not only lead to rising waters but also the consequences that these changes inflict on other parts of our environment. What we hear most commonly is that sea level rise will affect hundreds of millions of people living in coastal areas and make those populations susceptible to flooding. But in addition to this community effect, sea level rise also have dramatic effects on coastal habitats, leading to issue such as erosion, soil contamination, and wetland flooding, just to name a few. This course will introduce and prepare students to develop a more comprehensive and holistic approach to sea level rise. By training students to observe, measure, interpret, and begin to predict how sea level rise affects populations and communities differently, students will be in strong positions to address, mitigate, and adapt to the challenges more effectively using evidence-based approaches.

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: James L Davis
  h-index: 57 Info
• 3 points

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE FACE OF NATURAL DI

SUST IN THE FACE OF NAT DISTRS

Natural hazards, naturally occurring phenomena, which can lead to great damage and loss of life, pose a great challenge for the sustainability of communities around the world. This course aims to prepare students to tackle specific hazards relevant to their life and work by providing them the scientific background and knowledge of the environmental factors that combine to produce natural disasters. The course will also train students about the methods used to study certain aspects of natural hazards and strategies for assessing risk and preparing communities and businesses for natural disasters. The course will cover a range of natural hazards, including geological, hydro-meteorological, and biological. The course will emphasize the driving physical, chemical and biological processes controlling the various hazards, and the observation and modeling methods used by scientists to assess and monitor events. Many case examples, including hurricanes, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that occurred in the last five years, will be given and analyzed for the characteristics of the event, the preparation, and the response.

By providing students with a solid understanding of past natural disasters, the course prepares them to think more critically about creating more resilient communities, which can resist catastrophic events. Students will be studying the underpinning scientific principles of natural disasters but will also learn specific strategies for planning, mitigation, and response. During the course, students will master cutting-edge tools and technologies that will prepare them to work in the complex and demanding field of disaster management. After completing the course, students will be able to understand past events, communicate risk, and make critical decision related to disaster and preparedness. In increasingly unpredictable times, there is a need for more resilient and connected communities, and this particular course will train students in both the knowledge and skills needed to lead and strengthen those communities and resilience efforts at scale.

Advising Note:
Students are expected to have taken college-level Calculus, Physics, and Introductory Statistics. Students are expected to have experience with computer based data analysis (Excel, R, Matlab or Python).

• W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Einat Lev
  h-index: 16 Info
• 3 points

Scientific Programming for Sustainabilit

Students in the Master of Science in Sustainability Science program will encounter a range of scientific problems throughout their Science-specific courses that require a strong working knowledge of computer programming.  This course provides an introduction to scientific programming using Python. Computer coding skills gained in the course will prepare students for coursework in the Master of Science in Sustainability Science program as well as to succeed in a career having a programming component.  Students enrolled in this course will learn through lectures, class discussion, and hands-on exercises that address the following topics:


Basics of computer programming, including precision of variables, arrays and data structures, input/output, control flow, and subroutines.

Applying Python to read common scientific data formats, including NetCDF for gridded climate and other environmental data.

Applying Python for data analysis, with a focus on popular machine learning methods including linear regression, decision trees, neural networks, principal component analysis, and clustering.

Applying Python to visualize scientific data through basic X-Y plots as well as images of data fields on a global map.


This course will train students to analyze and model scientific data using Python in order to better understand current and future environments and their interactions with human systems.  By learning analysis and modeling with Python, students will be better able to inform sustainability policy, management, and decision-making.

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Michael Previdi
  Info
• 3 points

THE TECHNOLOGY OF RENEWABLE ENERGY

Students are expected to have completed a year of high school physics and chemistry.  It would be best to have also taken college level physics and chemistry.

Renewable energy is generated from natural processes that are continuously replenished.  Aside from geothermal and tidal power, solar radiation is the ultimate source of renewable energy.  In order to have a sustainable environment and economy, CO2 emissions must be reduced (and eventually stopped).  This requires that the fossil fuel based technologies underlying our present electricity generation and transportation systems be replaced by renewable energy.  In addition, the transition to renewable technologies will move nations closer to energy independence and thereby reduce geopolitical tensions associated with energy trading. This course begins with a review of the basics of electricity generation and the heat engines that are the foundation of our current energy systems.  This course will emphasize the inherent inefficiency associated with the conversion of thermal energy to electrical and mechanical energy. The course then covers the most important technologies employed to generate renewable energy.  These are hydroelectric, wind, solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, geothermal, biomass/biofuel, tidal and wave power. The course ends with a description of energy storage technologies, energy markets and possible pathways to a renewable energy future.

• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Jonathan Hollander
  Info
• 3 points

Water and Soil Monitoring to Protect Pub

THRU ENV MEAS H20 SOIL & AIR

The course will provide students with the methods and tools to understand, monitor, and analyze current environmental health threats in water and soil, and explore strategies for solving these complex challenges. Students will leave the course with a stronger sense of the power, and limitations, of environmental data and will be better equipped to evaluate and communicate the effectiveness of environmentally responsible policies. After completing the course, students will be able to apply basic scientific principles to evaluate and address public health challenges posed by water and soil pollution.

• M 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Lex Van Geen
  Info
• 3 points

ENV SUST INDICATORS: CONSTRUCTION & USE

CONSTRUCTION AND USE

This course will present students with the architecture, data, methods, and use cases of environmental indicators, from national-level indices to spatial indices. The course will draw on the instructor’s experience in developing environmental sustainability, vulnerability and risk indicators for the Yale/Columbia EPI as well as for a diverse range of clients including the Global Environmental Facility, UN Environment, and the US Agency for International Development. Guest lecturers will provide exposure to Lamont experience in monitoring the ecological and health impacts of environmental pollution and the use of environmental indicators in New York City government. Beyond lecture and discussion, classroom activities will include learning games, role play and case study methods.

 

The course will explore alternative framings of sustainability, vulnerability and performance, as well as design approaches and aggregation techniques for creating composite indicators (e.g., hierarchical approaches vs. data reduction methods such as principal components analysis). The course will examine data sources from both in-situ monitoring and satellite remote sensing, and issues with their evaluation and appropriateness for use cases and end users. In lab sessions, the students will use pre-packaged data and basic statistical packages to understand the factors that influence index and ranking results, and will construct their own simple comparative index for a thematic area and region or country of their choice. They will learn to critically assess existing indicators and indices, and to construct their own. In addition, students will assess the impacts of environmental performance in several developing and developed countries using available data (e.g., pollutant levels in soils and air in Beijing and NYC), and project future changes based on the trends they see in their assessments. The course will also examine theories that describe the role of scientific information in decision-making processes, and factors that influence the uptake of information in those processes. The course will present best practices for designing effective indicators that can drive policy decisions.

Advising Note:
Students are required to have had prior coursework in descriptive and inferential statistics.

• TR 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Alexander M Desherbinin
  Info
• 3 points

Navigating conflict: Diverging stakehold

This course will explore ways in which the shifting relationship between the human economy and our physical environment drive divergent, often conflicting, responses from different segments of society, including distinct economic classes, communities, nations, industries, etc. For the sustainability professional, such conflicts are important in the development of equitable solutions. They are also critical pragmatic issues in implementation of any new policies. The relative strength of different stakeholders, and the tactics they deploy to pursue their goals can determine what actually happens “on the ground”. We will take a case study approach, looking at how specific socio-economic impacts of environmental change generate calls for social change, shift alignments, deepen stakeholder entrenchment, and influence sustainability policy. Our cases include impacts of global warming, land-use changes, and expanded material throughputs as a result of growing demand in agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining and manufacturing.

• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Robert Newton
  h-index: 9 Info
• 3 points

CARBON CAPTURE UTILIZATION AND STORAGE

CARBON CAPTURE UTIL & STO

This course covers the technical and non-technical aspects of Carbon Utilization and Storage (CCUS), one of our most important and achievable tools to mitigate climate change. The course begins by presenting our global energy needs and the environmental motivation for CCUS and its natural analogues. Students will review the basic concepts and methods involved in CO2 capture, trapping, and monitoring, as well as established methods for modeling the fate of CO2in the subsurface. Students will then consider the needs and implications of CO2 capture from industrial sources (power plants) and directly from ambient air and examine current examples from around the world. This course will go on to discuss integrating CCUS with renewable energy sources (negative emission) and ocean storage options. Students will think through the challenges associated with CCUS, including the transportation of CO2to storage locations, regulations and incentives, and the public view and acceptance of this technology. The course will end with a discussion of where to go from here to find pathways to a carbon neutral future. At the conclusion of this course, each student will have gained a practical understanding of the potential for CCUS solutions to mitigate climate change and gain experience in presenting related technical and non-technical information to their peers. This will critically inform decision making and hone communication skills for future careers in fossil and renewable energy generation, power distribution, manufacturing, environmental policy, and scientific outreach.

• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: David S Goldberg
  Info
• 3 points

Internship in SUSC

This asynchronous, 1.5-credit elective combines a supervised professional internship with guided analysis of workplace culture, ethics, and feedback practices. Students evaluate organizational values, inclusivity, and ethical decision-making while developing the skills needed to navigate professional environments and identify the workplace cultures in which they will thrive.

• 1.5 points

Internship In SUSC

This asynchronous, 3-credit elective provides an immersive, supervised professional internship experience paired with structured reflection and applied academic work. Students integrate theory with practice while assessing organizational culture, ethical decision-making, feedback practices, and professional competencies. Through guided analysis and reflective assignments, students deepen self-awareness, strengthen career readiness, and clarify how their internship experience shapes future professional goals.

• 3 points

INDEPENDENT STUDY

• Instructor: Maria L Gray
  Info
• 3 points

CAPSTONE WORKSHOP IN SUSTAINABLE SCIENCE

Students study the sustainability science behind a particular sustainability problem, collect and analyze data using scientific tools, and make recommendations for solving the problem. The capstone course is a client-based workshop that will integrate each element of the curriculum into an applied project, giving students hands-on experience.

• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• 3 points