Sustainability Focused

An introduction to the physical environment, biological systems, and human-environment interactions. Explores physical principles such as fluid transport and reaction rates using environmental examples as well as principles of populations, ecosystems, carrying capacity, and sustainable use of resources.

Addresses ways in which humans are altering the global environment, with consequences for the ecology of animals, plants, and microbes. Discussion on how these biologically oriented questions relate to human society, politics, and the economy. Same as Biological Sciences 9K.

Between 25-49% of the course content (e.g., readings, papers, tests, discussion or other assignments) focuses on at least one of the 13 sustainability criteria listed in the UCI sustainability curriculum definition.

Introduction of scientific, technological, environmental, economic, and social aspects underlying the threat and understanding of global climate change. Human and natural drivers of climate. Impacts of climate on natural, managed, and human systems, including their vulnerability and ability to adapt.

Explores past, present, and projected changes in Earth’s climate. Topics include paleoclimate records and mechanisms of natural climate variability at a range of timescales (orbital to seasonal); General Circulation Models; and IPCC observations and projections of future climate change.

Seminar and lecture, three hours. Explores basic topics in ecology and evolutionary biology and applications to agriculture, conservation, environmental issues, and public health. Format involves discussion of scientific journal articles and other readings, with focus on learning to evaluate scientific evidence. Prerequisite or corequisite: Biological Sciences E106.

Surveys economic aspects of natural resources, pollution, population, and the environment. Examines the causes of pollution, e.g., air, water, noise, toxic waste, and nonoptimal utilization of certain resources, e.g., fisheries; analysis of public polices regarding these problems. Emphasis on micro-economic aspects of environmental problems. Prerequisites: Economics 15A-B and 122A or equivalent; Economics 100A-B or 105A.

Applications of the tools covered in Economics 145E to such topics as global warming, destruction of the ozone layer, and emissions trading. Emphasis on independent research papers. Syllabus and classes include writing technique. Prerequisites: Economics 15A-B, 145E, and satisfactory completion of the lower-division writing requirement.

Topics include conservation of fluid mass, storage properties of porous media, matrix compressibility, boundary conditions, flow nets, well hydraulics, groundwater chemistry, and solute transport. Design projects and computer applications included. Prerequisites: CEE20; CEE170 or MAE130A; or consent of instructor. Concurrent with CEE 272. (Design units: 2)

Basic principles of hydrologic modeling are practiced in detail. Concepts of watershed, floodplains delineation, hydrologic impact, design studies, and GIS tools are discussed. Focus on the USACE (HEC) software tools (HEC-HMS, and HECRAS) along with their associated GIS interfaces. Prerequisites: CEE176 and CEE170. Concurrent with CEE273