Environmental health

Covers the origin and evolution of the Earth, its atmosphere, and oceans, from the perspective of biogeochemical cycles, energy use, and human impacts on the Earth system. Earth System Science 1 and 25 may not both be taken for credit.

Water and wastewater microbiology. Engineering principles, molecular aspects, and overview of microorganisms of importance to public health. Topics include aerobic and anaerobic wastewater treatment and disinfection of pathogens in water, wastewaters, and biosolids. Prerequisites: Chemistry 51A, CEE161, CEE162; or consent of instructor.

Microbes in the environment and their impact on human health and welfare. Emphasis on microbial abundance, community structure, and interactions. Microbiological application in solving environmental engineering problems. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

Theory and dynamics of physical and chemical separation processes in water and wastewater treatment. Topics include coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, gas transfer, membrane separations, and adsorption. Prerequisites: CEE161 and CEE162.

Analysis of natural biological processes in the aquatic environment. Design of biological treatment processes with emphasis on suspended growth systems. Aerobic and anaerobic treatment systems, biodegradation of contaminants in the environment. Construction and use of computer models for process design and operation. Prerequisites: CEE161 and CEE162.

Impact of the physical environment on individual and group behavior. Three basic concerns examined: (a) environmental determinants of behavior at the individual and interpersonal level; (b) social planning and urban design; and (c) methodological approaches to the study of environmental issues.

Introduction to geologic principles and applications to environmental problems. Topics include: tectonic processes, earth materials, soils, river processes, groundwater, the coastal environment, slope failures, seismic hazards, mineral resources, and land-use evaluation based on geologic conditions. Examples from case studies. Prerequisite: Social Ecology E8.

Special topics courses are offered from time to time. Course content varies with interest of the instructor. Prerequisites: Public Health 1 and in some cases, consent of the instructor.

Introduction to the basic science and state of predictability of various natural catastrophic events including hurricanes, tsunamis, and volcanoes, as well as possibly future climate catastrophes including severe droughts, abrupt climate change, thermohaline circulation collapse and sea level rise.