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Environmental Studies [clear]
| Title | Offering | Standing | Credits | Credits | When | F | W | S | Su | Description | Preparatory | Faculty | Days of Week | Multiple Standings | Start Quarters |
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Nancy Parkes and Hirsh Diamant
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 12 | 12 | Evening and Weekend | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | In this two-quarter, interdisciplinary program, we will cultivate a “Sense of Wonder” while building skills as writers, activists, artists, and interdisciplinary scholars. Our work will combine theory and practice as we delve into the rich areas of literature, cultural studies, writing, creative arts, contemplative practice, natural history, and environmental/outdoor education. We will explore how we develop roots to the natural world and explore themes related to natural history literature, the Pacific Northwest, and global multicultural traditions that have an intimate connection to place. At the core of our inquiry will be the questions: What enlivens Culture? What motivates change? Working from a rich, interdisciplinary perspective, we will study what it means to be rooted to place and how place connects us to a deep sense of purpose and meaning through word and image, language and tradition, stories and activism, and education and scholarship.Program expectations for education and scholarship: By the end of the two-quarter study, students will: | Nancy Parkes Hirsh Diamant | Mon Wed Sat | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | |||
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Paul McCreary, Pamela Duncan-Pierce, Linda Gaffney, Carl Waluconis, Frances Solomon, Suzanne Simons, Arlen Speights, Barbara Laners, Peter Bacho, Jose Gomez, Gilda Sheppard and Tyrus Smith
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day and Evening | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | This year’s program takes a holistic approach to systemic change at the community level. Students will explore the roles and responsibilities of citizens in a representative democracy. We will focus on individual- and community-building practices based on literacy in humanities, social sciences, mathematics, science, media and technology. A major emphasis of this program will be the examination of how citizens effectively advocate and engage in activism to address pressing social, legal, economic and ecological problems. Students will be expected to demonstrate understanding, action and leadership in their areas of interest.During fall quarter, students will study historical notions of leadership and strategies employed to achieve social change through activism and advocacy in institutional and non-institutional settings. Students will reflect on their personal experiences and the world around them in order to understand how they may apply the insights, knowledge and skills to promote civic engagement and foster change.Winter's work will be based upon the foundations built in fall quarter. Students will identify, develop and explore models of advocacy and activism that have led to systemic change. They will enhance their knowledge of contemporary social movements, political interest groups, and scientific and legal advocacy. Students will work actively toward the application of this knowledge by developing collaborative action research projects.In spring quarter, students will join theory with practice, utilizing a variety of expansive methods, from writing to media, in order to demonstrate and communicate their perceptions and findings to a wider audience. They will present their collaborative research projects to the public. The information presented will be directed toward benefiting individual and community capacity as well as communicating a wider understanding of their findings to enhance their own lives, the lives of those in their community and the world that we all share. | Paul McCreary Pamela Duncan-Pierce Linda Gaffney Carl Waluconis Frances Solomon Suzanne Simons Arlen Speights Barbara Laners Peter Bacho Jose Gomez Gilda Sheppard Tyrus Smith | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | |||
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Dylan Fischer, Abir Biswas, Lin Nelson, Erik Thuesen, Alison Styring and Gerardo Chin-Leo
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | V | V | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Environmental Studies. This independent learning opportunity is designed to allow advanced students to delve into real-world research with faculty who are currently engaged in specific projects. The program will help students develop vital skills in research design, data acquisition and interpretation, written and oral communication, collaboration and critical thinking skills—all of which are of particular value for students who are pursuing a graduate degree, as well as for graduates who are already in the job market. studies in nutrient and toxic trace metal cycles in terrestrial and coastal ecosystems. Potential projects could include studies of mineral weathering, wildfires and mercury cycling in ecosystems. Students could pursue these interests at the laboratory-scale or through field-scale biogeochemistry studies taking advantage of the Evergreen Ecological Observation Network (EEON), a long-term ecological study area. Students with backgrounds in a combination of geology, biology or chemistry could gain skills in soil, vegetation and water collection and learn methods of sample preparation and analysis for major and trace elements. studies marine phytoplankton and bacteria. His research interests include understanding the factors that control seasonal changes in the biomass and species composition of Puget Sound phytoplankton. In addition, he is investigating the role of marine bacteria in the geochemistry of estuaries and hypoxic fjords. studies plant ecology and physiology in the Intermountain West and southwest Washington. This work includes image analysis of tree roots, genes to ecosystems approaches, plant physiology, carbon balance, species interactions, community analysis and restoration ecology. He also manages the EEON project (academic.evergreen.edu/projects/EEON). See more about his lab's work at: academic.evergreen.edu/f/fischerd/E3.htm. studies and is involved with advocacy efforts on the linkages between environment, health, community and social justice. Students can become involved in researching environmental health in Northwest communities and Washington policy on phasing out persistent, bio-accumulative toxins. One major project students can work on is the impact of the Asarco smelter in Tacoma, examining public policy and regional health. studies birds. Current activity in her lab includes avian bioacoustics, natural history collections and bird research in the EEON. Bioacoustic research includes editing and identifying avian songs and calls from an extensive collection of sounds from Bornean rainforests. Work with the natural history collections includes bird specimen preparation and specimen-based research, including specimens from Evergreen's Natural History Collections and other collections in the region. Work with EEON includes observational and acoustic surveys of permanent ecological monitoring plots in The Evergreen State College campus forest. conducts research on the ecological physiology of marine animals. He and his students are currently investigating the physiological, behavioral and biochemical adaptations of gelatinous zooplankton to environmental stress and climate change. Other research is focused on the biodiversity of marine zooplankton. Students working in his lab typically have backgrounds in different aspects of marine science, ecology, physiology and biochemistry. Please go to the catalog view for specific information about each option. | botany, ecology, education, entomology, environmental studies, environmental health, geology, land use planning, marine science, urban agriculture, taxonomy and zoology. | Dylan Fischer Abir Biswas Lin Nelson Erik Thuesen Alison Styring Gerardo Chin-Leo | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | ||
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Abir Biswas
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | JR–SRJunior - Senior | V | V | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | Abir Biswas | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | ||||
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Alison Styring
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | JR–SRJunior - Senior | V | V | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | Alison Styring | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | ||||
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Dylan Fischer
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | JR–SRJunior - Senior | V | V | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | plant ecology and physiology, field ecology, restoration ecology | Dylan Fischer | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | |||
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Gerardo Chin-Leo
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | JR–SRJunior - Senior | V | V | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | Gerardo Chin-Leo | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | ||||
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Lin Nelson
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | JR–SRJunior - Senior | V | V | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | Lin Nelson | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | ||||
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Robert Smurr
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | Eco-tourism and adventure travel are frequently proclaimed to be two of the fastest growing sectors of the tourism industry, and both are promoted as more environmentally friendly options than traditional tourism models. Are they really? This program will examine the history, development, and business policies of the adventure travel and eco-tourism industries. Ever since the first adventure travel company emerged in 1969, opportunities for exploring distinct landscapes, species, and human cultures boomed worldwide. What, however, are some of the consequences related to this new type of tourism? Are these industries truly more interested in protecting the environment than they are making money? Why are adventure travelers actually more interested in experiencing traditional landscapes, cultures and beliefs than traditional tourists? Is one truly an eco-tourist if he flies in a airplane half way around the globe to view threatened birds?Physically demanding activities, such as trekking, rafting, and climbing – most often in foreign countries – all became hallmarks of this new type of tourism. In addition to learning the history, economic and cultural power of this "new" tourism, we will also examine specific business models in the program. As such, we will investigate clients, their desires, and how numerous companies strive to meet their demands. Several guest speakers with long histories in adventure travel and eco-tourism will give us added insight, as will numerous field trips. | Robert Smurr | Tue Tue Wed Fri Fri | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | ||||
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Rachel Hastings and Steven Scheuerell
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 12, 16 | 12 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | This is a yearlong interdisciplinary program that incorporates sociolinguistics, geography, history, cultural ecology, global change, biocultural diversity conservation, food systems and sustainable development studies to explore how societies evolve and survive in relation to their environment and a globalizing world. Our studies are based on the belief that many cultures have developed rich linguistic and ecological traditions that have provided the means for communication, food, clothing and shelter based on a sustainable relationship with the land. More recently, cultural and economic globalization are increasingly impacting local knowledge systems worldwide, in particular when measured by changes to language, land-use and food systems. These changes, together with such factors as increasing human population, environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity and climate change, compel us to explore the ways in which knowledge systems are preserved or lost. In particular, we recognize the urgent need to preserve cultural knowledge that allows a society to be rooted in place, recognize ecological limits and provide for its needs. The Andean region of South America is an ideal region to study these issues.The academic program consists of two phases. The first phase over fall quarter will focus on program themes using texts, lectures, workshops, film, writing and local field trips. Fall quarter the program will be offered for 12 credits to provide students with the option to separately register for an appropriate Spanish language course. Selection for the second phase over winter and spring quarters will be based upon criteria including successful completion of fall quarter work, demonstrated readiness for study abroad and Spanish language ability. In winter and spring, students will be full time in the program, which will be offered for 16 credits per quarter. Winter quarter will begin with 5 weeks of travel preparations and intensive study on Peru, followed by a 15-week study abroad experience in the Cusco region of the Peruvian Andes that incorporates intensive Spanish or Quechua language study, regional travel, seminars, urban and rural home stays and independent research or service learning with local organizations. At the end of the independent project period, we will reconvene for final student presentations and evaluation conferences in the Sacred Valley near Cusco.As the former Incan capital, and home to vibrant cultures and immense biodiversity, the Cusco region of Peru offers immersion in the study of biocultural diversity and how the preservation of linguistic diversity is related to the preservation of traditional ecological knowledge, biodiversity and local food systems. While in Peru, we will continue language and cultural studies while experiencing regional initiatives to preserve cultural landscapes and indigenous knowledge systems in the midst of development pressure. Given the region's rich history, knowledge systems, architecture, agriculture, weaving, ceramics and music, we will ask how is knowledge transferred across generations and between communities, and how can traditional knowledge be maximized in sustainable development projects? As we address these academic questions, our own experiences will also lead us on to consider on a more individual level how learning another language and traveling abroad can increase our understanding of culture and what it means to fit into place. | Rachel Hastings Steven Scheuerell | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | |||
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Rob Cole
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Program | FR–SOFreshmen - Sophomore | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | Sustainability - what does it mean? Sustainability for whom? Consumption, social stratification, increased indebtedness, and environmental destruction are existing hallmarks of ‘civilization.’ Many of our current cultural, social and economic systems are unsustainable. This program will explore different visions of sustainability that offer alternatives to the dominant industrial/corporate model. We will examine approaches taken by different groups of people, in differing circumstances, to forge a more just, equitable and sustainable future that doesn’t outstrip the regenerative capacity of our ecosystem.In particular, we will compare and contrast two major approaches to sustainability; that of The Natural Step, and that of ‘transition communities.’ We will explore how these visions address equity and justice in the face of climate change, social stratification and ecosystem degradation. We will examine metrics and indicators of sustainability, and various measures of the regenerative capacity of the planet. We will survey a wide array of actions individuals and groups can take to foster a future that is more sustainable and more equitable and just for both human and other species.Through workshops, readings, films, personal audits and seminar discussions, students will engage a variety of sustainability concepts and approaches. They will learn skills useful in assessing actions that foster sustainability, and they will explore the habits of mind so essential to taking action in the twenty-first century. | Rob Cole | Mon Tue Wed Fri | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO | Fall | ||||
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Alison Styring
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 14Winter | Birds are considered important indicators of habitat quality and are often the focus of conservation-oriented research, restoration, and monitoring. A variety of field and analytical methods commonly used in bird monitoring and avian research will be covered. Theory will be applied to practice in the field and lab where students will develop skills in fieldwork, data management, and statistical analysis. Students will demonstrate their learning through active participation in all class activities; a detailed field journal; in-class, take-home, and field assignments; and a final project. An understanding of avian natural history is important to any successful project, and students without a working knowledge of the common birds in the South Puget Sound region are expected to improve their identification skills to a level that will allow them to effectively contribute to class efforts both in the field and in class. | Alison Styring | Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | |||||
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Frederica Bowcutt
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | This two-quarter program allows students to learn introductory and advanced plant science material in an interdisciplinary format. The program is suitable for both advanced and first year students who are looking for an opportunity to expand their understanding of plants and challenge themselves. Students will learn about plant anatomy, morphology and systematics. Lectures based on textbook readings will be supplemented with laboratory work. The learning community will explore how present form and function informs us about the evolution of major groups of plants such as mosses, ferns, conifers and flowering plants. Students will get hands-on experience studying plants under microscopes and in the field. To support their work in the field and lab, students will learn how to maintain a detailed and illustrated nature journal. Instruction will be given in the history and practice of botanical illustration.A central focus of the program is people's relationships with plants for food, fiber, medicine and aesthetics. Economic botany will be studied through seminar texts, films, and lectures that examine agriculture, forestry, herbology and horticulture. Students will examine political economic factors that shape our relations with plants. Through economic and historical lenses, the learning community will inquire about why people have favored some plants and not others or radically changed their preferences, for example considering a former cash crop to be a weed. Readings will examine the significant roles botany has played in colonialism, imperialism and globalization. Students will also investigate the gender politics of botany. For example, botany was used to inculcate "appropriate" middle and upper class values among American women in the 19th century. Initiatives to foster more socially just and environmentally sustainable relations with plants will be investigated.In winter, students will write a major research paper on a plant of their choosing. Through a series of workshops, they will learn to search the scientific literature, manage bibliographic data and interpret and synthesize information, including primary sources. Through their research paper, students will synthesize scientific and cultural information about their plant. | Frederica Bowcutt | Mon Tue Wed Fri | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | |||
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Clyde Barlow
Signature Required:
Winter Spring
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Program | FR–SOFreshmen - Sophomore | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | This is a field and laboratory intensive program integrating chemistry and geology. The landscape and habitation of the Northwest are defined by major geologic events that have shaped and reshaped the landscape. Volcanoes, lava flows, ash flows, glaciers, floods, earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis and tectonic movements form some of these events. Major events such as glaciation may proceed slowly on a human time scale. Carbon dioxide dependent global warming may, in fact, be a cataclysm in progress. We will examine chemical effects of historic and current geologic processes. This program will study literature about specific events and travel to affected sites. The program will serve as an introduction to physical science with development of skills in chemistry and problem solving. A full year of general chemistry will be offered with a laboratory linked with geology themes. Communication skills will be developed by maintaining laboratory and field journals, writing technical reports, interviewing staff, faculty and administrators, web page development to present information, and oral presentations of laboratory results. Extended (4-5 day) and short (1 day) field trips in Washington and Oregon will be incorporated into the program each quarter.We will study a year of general chemistry with laboratory, differential and integral calculus, geology readings with field trips, interview practices, web-page development and management, technical writing and presentation. This program is intended to be an introduction to Evergreen and quantitative studies for students new to the college. Significant time will be spent meeting and interviewing staff and administrative personnel on campus to become familiar with the functioning and management of the college.Having a program with 12 students and one faculty member provides a unique opportunity to delve into a subject area with a small cadre of fellow students. Students are expected to enhance the learning of their peers. Work in the program will be team focused. Spring quarter will include a major student designed team research component based upon skills and background garnered from two quarters' academic work. | Clyde Barlow | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO | Fall | |||
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Lin Nelson
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | This program is an exploration of how to do Community-Based Research (CBR) and develop meaningful documentation in relation to community needs and challenges. Our focus will be on the social and environmental justice issues that are part of community life and that become the focus of the work of community-based organizations and social movements. A key feature of this two-quarter program will be grounded approaches with community groups. We’ll be working actively with Evergreen’s Center for Community-Based Learning and Action (CCBLA) to learn about the pressing needs in our region and to shape and sharpen our research skills and approaches. Some of the groups we will likely connect with include Parents Organized for Welfare and Economic Rights (POWER), People for Puget Sound (on environment and sustainability), Fertile Ground (community sustainability), Garden-Raised Bounty (community agriculture and food justice), Stonewall Youth (on the rights of youth and the LGBTQ community) and Teen Council of Planned Parenthood, among others.Central to our work, especially in winter quarter, will be an examination of the history, philosophy, debates and strategic modes of CBR—which is also called “participatory research,” “popular education” and “action research.” Readings and resources will draw from academics who work with communities in initiating or supporting research; at the same time, we’ll learn from community organizations about research they launch and how they work with faculty, staff and students in colleges and universities. CBR as a social movement in the U.S. and internationally will be the grounding for our efforts. Our reading will be drawn from the growing literature on CBR: key ideas and frameworks, cross-cultural and cross-national approaches, methods and skills, and vivid case material. We will sustain a persistent examination of ethics, community rights and co-learning and collaboration. Winter quarter will focus on exploring the literature and resources, learning with area organizations, posing and launching projects. Spring quarter will shift to more of a community base, with substantial fieldwork, community documentation and participation, project review and planning for future applications.Some important skills that will be developed include project design and development, interviewing and questionnaire design, researching public/government documents, participant-observation and creative approaches to documentation and presentation. We’ll be working to link our projects with compelling social, political and ecological issues and to place our work in regional to international contexts. There will be a strong focus on “give back” to the community and working with and contributing to the resource base of the CCBLA. Students will come away from the program with ideas, experiences and skills that should be helpful to them if they’re interested in future work in social justice, community organizing, environmental protection and environmental justice, public health, fieldwork, social analysis and documentation. | Lin Nelson | Tue Wed Thu | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | |||
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Dharshi Bopegedera and Abir Biswas
Signature Required:
Winter
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | This interdisciplinary, introductory-level program will explore topics in physical geology and general chemistry. It is designed for students with a desire to have a broader and deeper understanding of the Earth, the structure of matter that makes up the Earth, and their interconnectedness. The study of lab and field sciences through rigorous, quantitative, and interdisciplinary investigations will be emphasized throughout the program. We expect students to finish the program with a strong understanding of the scientific and mathematical concepts that help us investigate the world around us. In the fall quarter we will study fundamental concepts in Earth science such as geologic time, plate tectonics, and earth materials supported by explorations into the atomic structure and bonding. We will focus on skill building in the laboratory with the goal of doing meaningful field and lab work later in the year. Winter quarter will focus on Earth processes such as nutrient cycling and climate change supported by the study of stoichiometry, chemical equilibria, acid-base chemistry, and kinetics. Quantitative reasoning and statistical analysis of data will be emphasized throughout the program. Opportunities will be available for field work and to explore topics of interest through individual and group projects. | Dharshi Bopegedera Abir Biswas | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | ||||
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Martha Rosemeyer and Thomas Johnson
Signature Required:
Winter Spring
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | Spring emphasis: We will study agroecology, traditional agriculture and permaculture in a tropical context. Seminar will focus on international “sustainable development” and its contradictions, successes and challenges. As a final project, students will apply their knowledge of tropical crops and soils to create a farm plan in a geographic area of their choice. This would be excellent preparation for an internship abroad and/or Peace Corps. | Martha Rosemeyer Thomas Johnson | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | |||
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EJ Zita
Signature Required:
Spring
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | How is energy harvested and transformed, used or abused? This two-quarter study of energy in natural and human systems is a good fit for students interested in environmental science, physics and sustainability—both mathematical and applied. We start with skill building and background study and finish with major research projects related to energy, climate and sustainability.We will study issues of energy generation and use in society and in the natural world. One goal is for students to gain a deeper understanding of issues involved in achieving a sustainable energy society. A primary goal is to illustrate the power and beauty of physics and mathematics. We will explore topics such as climate change and global warming; energy science, technology and policy; farming and land use, environmental studies and sustainability.We will study alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal and biofuels, as well as conventional sources of energy such as hydro, nuclear, gas and coal. Fundamentals of energy generation will focus on the underlying physics. In seminar, we further explore social, political and/or economic aspects of energy production and use, such as environmental and food production concerns and policies, effects of the Sun on the Earth, energy needs of developing countries, etc. We will have a strong emphasis on sustainability studies. While calculus is a prerequisite, students who already know calculus may deepen their math skills by applying them to program material or research projects, in teamwork. Student research projects are a major part of this program. Students develop a research question that interests them, then design and carry out their research investigations in small teams. Research projects involve quantitative analysis as well as hands-on investigations. For example, research might include fieldwork, energy analysis of an existing system (natural or constructed) and/or design of a new small-scale energy system, possibly with community applications. Past projects have included solar systems, energy generation from waste products, water purification for boats or farm composters, efficiency improvements of campus buildings, analysis of wind and water systems and more. Student researchers from this program have often won grants from the college to work on practical campus projects. | EJ Zita | Tue Thu Fri | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | |||
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Stephen Beck and Karen Hogan
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 12 | 12 | Evening and Weekend | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | This program will investigate the relationship between philosophical ethics and evolutionary biology. We'll learn about evolutionary theory, including an overview of the historical development of evolutionary thought. We'll also learn about some main theories concerning ethical knowledge and the nature of ethics, and we'll study theories of normative ethics. We'll focus on evolution by natural selection and ask whether the imperative of evolutionary fitness, defined as individual reproductive success, is consistent with ethical behavior. A central question is whether our evolutionary history as social animals has given us an intrinsic sense of moral concern for others. We'll consider our ethical obligations to near and distant others, to family and to strangers, to other species, and to ecosystems and global ecology. In that context, we’ll develop an understanding of the ways in which ethics can be consistent with a naturalistic conception of the world and an understanding of the fundamental biological processes of life and of the evolution, diversity, and relationships among different forms of life on Earth. | Stephen Beck Karen Hogan | Tue Wed Sat | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | |||
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Dylan Fischer and Alison Styring
Signature Required:
Spring
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 14Spring | This program is designed to provide a premier hands-on experience on learning how to conduct field science in ecology at the advanced undergraduate level. We will focus on group and individual field research to address patterns in ecological composition, structure and function in natural environments. Students will participate in field trips to local and remote field sites and they will be expected to develop multiple independent and group research projects. A small group of 16 students will also participate in a 16-day boat trip through the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River where they will conduct individual and group research. Students will be selected for the Grand Canyon experience based on an application available in winter quarter.We will work as a community to develop and implement field projects based on: 1) workshops that will train students in rapid observation and field data collection; 2) participation in large multi-year studies based in Washington and more distant field sites; and 3) student originated short- and long-term studies. Students will focus on field sampling, natural history and library research to develop workable field data collection protocols. Students will implement observation- and hypothesis-driven field projects. We will then learn to analyze ecological data using laboratory and statistical analytical approaches. Students will demonstrate their research and analytical skills via writing and presentation of group and individual research projects. Student manuscripts will be "crystallized" through a series of intensive, multi-day paper-writing workshops. Students will also give public presentations of their research work.Specific topics of study will include community and ecosystem ecology, plant physiology, forest structure, ecological restoration, riparian ecology, fire disturbance effects, bird abundance and monitoring, insect-plant interactions, disturbance ecology and the broad fields of bio-complexity and ecological interactions. We will emphasize identification of original field research problems in diverse habitats, experimentation, data analysis, oral presentation of findings and writing in journal format. | Dylan Fischer Alison Styring | Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | |||||
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Gerardo Chin-Leo and EJ Zita
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | The Earth’s atmosphere and oceans are affected by human activities, by the Sun and by geologic activity. Over many millions of years, the Earth has experienced wide fluctuations in climate, from ice ages to very warm periods. Earth is currently experiencing an unusually rapid warming trend, due to anthropogenic (human-caused) changes in atmospheric composition. Historically, a major factor determining global climate has been the intensity of the Sun's energy reaching the Earth. However, climate changes cannot be explained by variations in solar radiation alone. This program will examine some of the major interactions between the Earth and Sun, atmosphere and oceans.Interactions between oceans and atmosphere affect the composition of both, and oceans impact global climate by redistributing the Sun's energy. Changes in ocean circulation help explain climatic changes over geologic time, and marine microorganisms play a major role in the cycling of gases that affect climate (e.g., CO2 and dimethylsulfide). What is the evidence for causes of contemporary global warming? What are expected consequences? What can be done? What about proposed schemes to engineer solutions to global warming, such as the sequestration of anthropogenic carbon into the deep sea? We will study diverse and interconnected physical, chemical, geological and biological processes. This requires a basic understanding of biology and chemistry as well as facility with algebra and ability to learn precalculus.Students will learn through lectures, workshops, laboratories and seminars, often using primary scientific literature. Students will do significant teamwork and may research questions that they are particularly interested in. We will have weekly online assignments, so students should be comfortable using computers and the Internet. | Gerardo Chin-Leo EJ Zita | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | |||||
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Robert Leverich, Robert Knapp and Anthony Tindill
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | In a world full of man-made stuff, what does it mean to be a maker of things? How does what you make, the materials you choose, and how you shape them define and speak for you, as an individual, and as part of a culture or community, or an environment? What’s been handed to you, and what will you hand on? This is a foundational program for those who are drawn to envisioning and making things, from art and craft to architecture and environments, and who are open to thinking about that work as both creative self-expression and responsive engagement with materials, environments, and communities. It’s a serious introduction to studio-centered creative work – each student will be part of a working studios to focus on individual and group 3D projects that address art, craft, and construction challenges at a variety of scales, with supporting work in drawing, design, and fabrication skills, materials science, environmental history and ideas, and sustainable practices. Collaboratively, we will engage this work as art, science, expression, and service, challenging such distinctions and looking for commonalities of approach and meaning. Book possibilities include Pallasmaa: Cooper: ; Berge, Steele: Rothenburg: Engaged students will leave this program with new drawing, design, and building skills, experience with design as a multidisciplinary approach to complex problems, deeper understanding of materials and their environmental and social impacts, and fuller awareness of how the arts and architecture can shape environments and communities in ways that are ethical, beautiful, and sustainable. This program is preparatory for that follows in Winter and Spring quarters. | Robert Leverich Robert Knapp Anthony Tindill | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | |||||
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Robert Leverich and Anthony Tindill
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | This program builds on ideas and skills introduced in in the Fall. It focuses on responsive and responsible use of materials at two different scales and in two different studios – Craft and Construction – with common activities for both. Students will choose one of the two studio options when registering for the program and will be expected to stay with that studio for both quarters in order to do focused work. The Craft Studio will explore definitions and questions of craft and sustainability through studio work in wood, metals, composites, and recycled materials – where much of the most creative work in craft is being done today. Projects will build on the basic design and construction skills introduced in the fall, to address functional and expressive challenges in the making of objects and furniture (furnishings?). The Craft Studio will emphasize full knowledge of materials, from structure and feel to sources and impacts, along with skillful use of tools and techniques – the knowledge and skill to discipline what we make and to conserve what we use. Possible key texts include Glen Adamson, and Stuart Walker, The Construction Studio will address materials in the context of sustainable building. From an architectural perspective, “green” design and construction is greatly about energy. Currently buildings account for 42% of the U.S.’s energy use, larger even than transportation and industrial uses. Effectively designing and constructing new buildings –or, sometimes even better, renovating and retrofitting existing buildings- can reduce that amount in the future despite the obvious fact that there will no doubt be more buildings. The Construction studio will focus on effective principles and strategies employed in sustainable design. Topics will include the impact of material choices (considering factors such as material origin, lifecycle costs, resource depletion and the use of recycled or reinvented materials), emerging technologies that enhance energy efficiency, design strategies that reduce the overall energy needs of a building, and current sustainable building movements that are impacting the industry. In-studio projects will ask student teams to design and build architectural projects that address various community needs. Other topics explored may include concepts of structural design, architectural history, design theory and service learning. Key texts will be Norbert Lechner, Andrea Oppenheimer Dean and Amory Lovins, Shared activities between studios will include lectures, workshops, and seminars that explore history and ideas common to both craft and construction and how both can be more ethical, beautiful, and sustainable. The program will culminate in a student-organized exhibition of best works at the end of Spring Quarter. Seriously engaged students will leave this program with a fuller understanding of materials and Sustainability, new technical and environmental awareness, well-made works in wood, metal and other materials, and the ability to present, speak for, and write effectively about their work. | visual arts, environmental design, architecture, art education, and sustainability studies. | Robert Leverich Anthony Tindill | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | |||
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Amy Cook and Ralph Murphy
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Program | FR–SOFreshmen - Sophomore | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | This program is designed to serve as a foundation for advanced programs in Environmental Studies. It will survey a range of disciplines and skills essential for environmental problem solving from both a scientific and social science perspective. Specifically, we will study ecological principles and methods, aquatic ecology, methods of analysis in environmental studies, the political and economic history of environmental policy making in the United States, micro-economics and political science. This information will be used to analyze current issues and topics in environmental studies.In fall quarter, we will study ecology with a focus on aquatic systems. We will examine the major physical and chemical characteristics of aquatic environments, the organisms that live in these environments and the factors controlling the species diversity, distribution and growth of aquatic and terrestrial organisms. These scientific issues will be grounded in the context of politics, economics and public policy. During fall quarter we will examine, from the founding era to the present, how the values of democracy and capitalism influence resource management, the scope and limitations of governmental policymaking, regulatory agencies and environmental law. Understanding the different levels (federal, state, local) of governmental responsibility for environmental protection will be explored in depth. Field trips and case studies will offer opportunities to see how science and policy interact in environmental issues. During fall quarter, we will develop an introduction to research design, quantitative reasoning and statistics.In winter, the focus will shift to a more global scale. We will examine in depth several major challenges for the early 21st century; forest and fish resources, global warming and marine pollution. These are three related topics that require an understanding of the science, politics and economics of each issue and how they interact with one another. Globalism, political and economic development and political unrest and uncertainty will be discussed within each topic as well as how these macro-level problems overlap one another. During winter quarter, micro-economics will be studied as a problem solving tool for environmental issues as well as an introduction to environmental economic analysis.The material will be presented through lectures, seminars, labs, field trips/field work and quantitative methods (statistics) and economics workshops. Labs and field trips will examine the organisms that live in aquatic systems, measure water quality and study local terrestrial habitats. Quantitative methods workshops will present the use of computers to organize and analyze data. Microeconomic principles and methods will provide the foundation for environmental economic analysis. | Amy Cook Ralph Murphy | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO | Fall | ||||
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Peter Impara
Signature Required:
Winter
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | How do we manage the habitat of mammals and birds, especially endangered species, in the Pacific Northwest? Mammals and birds are intelligent, complex animals that often have very specific habitat needs for successful living and reproduction. They interact in very elaborate ways with members of their species, other species, and with the landscape as a whole. A detailed understanding of habitat needs and how these habitats are distributed across the landscape is crucial to managing landscape to ensure future survival of particular species.This upper-division program will focus on examining and analyzing the habitat needs of specific species. Students will learn, develop and apply an intricate interdisciplinary suite of knowledge and techniques that include spatial analysis, ecological modeling, integration of scientific, legal and political information, and computer tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to develop habitat conservation plans for threatened and endangered species as listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.Students will learn about the natural history of specific mammals and birds of the Pacific Northwest and other regions. Habitat analysis will be conducted at the landscape scale, integrating the disciplines of landscape ecology with wildlife habitat analysis, wildlife biology, and habitat conservation planning. A final two-quarter project will be to develop and present a formal habitat conservation plan (HCP) for a threatened or endangered Pacific Northwest mammal or bird. Students will be required to understand and apply legal concepts associated with the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (as amended) as well as develop an understanding of stakeholders’ concerns and related issues surrounding resource users that may or may not come into conflict with the conservation of their selected species.Lectures will cover the areas of landscape ecology, wildlife habitat analysis, wildlife biology, evolution, and habitat conservation planning. Guest speakers will present recent case studies and approaches to conservation planning. Field trips to locations where wildlife management and conservation are occurring will expose students to methods of habitat assessment, conservation and restoration. | Peter Impara | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | ||||
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Gerardo Chin-Leo and Trisha Towanda
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | This program focuses on marine life, the sea as a habitat, relationships between the organisms and the physical/chemical properties of their environments, and their adaptations to those environments. Students will study marine organisms, elements of biological, chemical and physical oceanography, field sampling methods with associated statistics and laboratory techniques. Throughout the program, students will focus on the identification of marine organisms and aspects of the ecology of selected species. Physiological adaptations to diverse marine environments will be also be emphasized. We will study physical features of marine waters, nutrients, biological productivity and regional topics in marine science. Concepts will be applied via faculty-designed labs/fieldwork and student-designed research projects. Data analysis will be facilitated through the use of Excel spreadsheets and elementary statistics. Seminars will analyze appropriate primary literature on topics from lectures and research projects.The faculty will facilitate identification of student research projects, which may range from studies of trace metals in local organisms and sediments to ecological investigations of local estuarine animals. Students will design their research projects during winter quarter and write a research proposal that will undergo class-wide peer review. The research projects will then be carried out during spring quarter. The culmination of this research will take the form of written papers and oral presentations of the studen't work during the last week of spring quarter. | marine science, environmental science and other life sciences. | Gerardo Chin-Leo Trisha Towanda | Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | |||
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Erik Thuesen and Cheri Lucas-Jennings
Signature Required:
Spring
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Program | FR ONLYFreshmen Only | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | Water is essential to life, and the management and regulation of water and aquatic ecosystems will provide many of the subjects for our study in this full-year program. When combined with introductory policy components starting with the Pacific Northwest and looking globally, our studies of the biological, physical and chemical characteristics of oceans will provide the valuable knowledge necessary to make instrumental decisions about marine resources and habitats. It is essential to understand the interconnections between biology and ecology in order to make informed decisions about how environmental policy should proceed. This core program is designed to provide legal knowledge and scientific skills necessary to understand problems facing Earth’s ecosystems. Learning will take place through lectures, seminars, a workshop series and biology laboratory exercises. Work in the field and multi-day field trips in fall and winter are also planned to gain first-hand exposure to various marine environments.In the fall, we will cover standard topics of first year college biology, using marine organisms as our foci. The overall objective of this component is to gain basic familiarity with the biology and ecology of ocean life. Focal topics in the social sciences will include the use and abuse of decision-making authority. Particularly with respect to the Point-No Point Treaties and the Boldt Decisions, we will assess how science and culture interact to safeguard endangered biota. Can we reduce these to private entitlements or are policy impacts necessarily public? Fall quarter topics will be mostly gathered from local and regional issues.In the winter, we will further our studies of marine organisms and ecosystems examining marine biodiversity in various contexts. We will learn more about the bio-ecological and social dimensions of water quality. International markets for raw resources and international waters for anadromous fish make state commerce issues dependent on larger ecological components. Seminars and lectures in environmental policy will begin to explore such international issues. Workshops on research techniques during winter quarter will develop successful individual or group projects to be undertaken in the spring quarter.In spring, students will be required to undertake a community-based internship or carry out a research project related to ocean life. Internships might be with local or state government agencies or NGOs. Research projects should be interdisciplinary and include an out-reach component. This independent work will provide valuable hands-on experience to build practical knowledge and skills in environmental policy and science. | Erik Thuesen Cheri Lucas-Jennings | Freshmen FR | Fall | |||
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Abir Biswas, Michelle Aguilar-Wells and Jeff Antonelis-Lapp
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Program | FR–SOFreshmen - Sophomore | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | Through studies of Olympic National Park and the Salish Sea (formerly known as the Puget Sound) lowlands, this program will consider connections among natural places, their respective natural histories and their people. What forces have shaped the geology, natural history and culture of the Olympics and Salish Sea areas? What are the connections between a place and the species that follow?This program will investigate the role that geology plays in influencing biota and cultures that take up residence in these geographically close but ecologically and culturally distinct locations. This approach will allow us to consider questions including: What do we know about the natural and human history in these regions and how might this predict the future? What are the interrelationships of people, place, flora and fauna in these regions?In fall quarter, we will focus on place, studying parts of the region that are geographically close but ecologically distinct as we consider the long-term geologic processes that have shaped and continue to influence the area, as well as the region’s flora and fauna, with an emphasis on bird life. Students will keep detailed natural history journals and engage in a quarter-long writing project on geologic processes and/or a species of interest.During winter quarter, we will narrow our focus to recent millennia (centuries) to consider the people of the region and shorter-term geologic processes important on human time scales including soil formation, nutrient cycling, climate change and human impacts. Students will continue to develop skills as natural historians, learning to effectively communicate with and teach others as we examine environmental education as a way to build an understanding of the connections between a place, its natural history and its people.Spring quarter will be dedicated primarily to student-driven individual or small group 12-credit projects that build on program themes from previous quarters. For the remaining 4 credits of this full-time 16-credit program, class will meet one full day a week for seminar and workshops, engaging students in Coastal Salish art, the canoe culture and other features of western Washington indigenous cultures. Field trips during each quarter to Olympic National Park and locally around Salish Sea will provide multiple opportunities to consider differences in the geology and natural history of these areas.Field trips during each quarter to the Olympic Peninsula, Olympic National Park or locally around Salish Sea will provide multiple opportunities to consider differences in the geology, natural history and human cultures of these areas. | Abir Biswas Michelle Aguilar-Wells Jeff Antonelis-Lapp | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO | Fall | |||
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David Muehleisen and Paul Przybylowicz
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 14Spring | Do you want to produce food for yourself, your family and other families in your community? What does it take to grow food and feed yourself and others every day throughout the year? This three-quarter program (spring, summer and fall quarters) will explore the details of sustainable food production systems using three pillars of sustainability—economic, environmental and social justice—as our lens. While our primary focus will be on small-scale organic production, we will examine a variety of production systems. Our focus will be on the scientific knowledge, critical thinking and observation skills needed to grow food using ecologically informed methods, along with the management and business skills appropriate for small-scale production.We will be studying and working on the Evergreen Organic Farm through an entire growing season, seed propagation to harvest. The farm includes a small-scale direct market stand and CSA as well as a variety of other demonstration areas. All students will work on the farm every week to gain practical experiential learning. This program is rigorous both physically and academically and requires a willingness to work outside in adverse weather on a schedule determined by the needs of crops and animals raised on the farm.During spring quarter, we will focus on soil science, nutrient management, and crop botany. Additional topics will include introduction to animal husbandry, annual and perennial plant propagation, season extension, and the principles and practice of composting. In summer, the main topics will be disease and pest management, which includes entomology plant pathology, weed biology. In addition, water management, irrigation system design, maximizing market and value-added opportunities and regulatory issues will also be covered. Fall quarter's focus will be on production and business planning, crop physiology, storage techniques and cover crops.Additional topics covered throughout the program will include record keeping for organic production systems, alternative crop production systems, techniques for adding value to farm and garden products, hand tool use and maintenance, and farm equipment safety. We will also cover communication and conflict resolution skills needed to work effectively in small groups.Topics will be explored through on-farm workshops, seminar discussions, lectures and laboratory exercises, and field trips. Expect weekly reading and writing assignments, extensive collaborative group work, and a variety of hands-on projects. The final project in the fall will be a detailed farm and business plan which integrates all the topics covered in the program.Books that may be used in the program include by Theriault and Brisebois, by Huelsman, by Smit, 3 ed by Magdoff and van Es, , by Damerow, by Costenbader, by The Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture.If you are a student with a disability and would like to request accommodations, please contact the faculty or the office of Access Services (Library Bldg. Rm. 2153 Program Coordinator ), PH: 360.867.6348; TTY 360.867.6834; E-mail: prior to the start of the quarter. If you require accessible transportation for field trips, please contact the faculty well in advance of the field trip dates to allow time to arrange this.Students planning to take this program who are receiving financial aid should contact financial aid early in fall quarter 2013 to develop a financial aid plan that includes summer quarter 2014. | David Muehleisen Paul Przybylowicz | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | |||||
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Trevor Speller and Abir Biswas
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Program | FR–SOFreshmen - Sophomore | 16 | 16 | Day | S 14Spring | This program is dedicated to understanding the back and forth between the physical environment and the written word. How do texts shape what we are able to see in the physical environment? How does one's understanding of the physical environment shape ways of writing and understanding the world? How do we describe it? What do we read into it?In 1815, William Smith produced the first geological map of Great Britain. His investigations were a product of a new way of seeing his physical world. Rather than assuming the earth to be a stable object which remained unchanged since Noah’s flood, Smith drew on his observations, and began to see the earth as a dynamic physical entity. His discoveries came in a time when Enlightenment thinkers were questioning the order of the world, the role of religion and the value of science and industry. The modern science of geology can thus be said to have arisen from a new way of seeing: William Smith was able to read and write about the Earth not only through observations, but because of the set of cultural changes that changed his frame of mind. Importantly, Smith's observations came at a time when poets, novelists and political philosophers were beginning to actively investigate the influence of the natural world on humans and human behavior.We will consider the frames through which we read and write our physical world, through an introduction to foundational concepts in geology and literary study. We will consider how geologists investigate and describe the physical world, and examine concepts including geologic time, plate tectonics, earth materials and the evolution of life. We will consider how writers investigate and describe the natural world in the works of 18th- and 19th-century literature, as well as contemporary literature about the Pacific Northwest. We will read works of poetry, fiction, political philosophy and travel writing. Program texts may include works by John McPhee, Simon Winchester, William Wordsworth, Daniel Defoe and others.Students should expect to participate in lecture, lab and seminar, write critical papers and take examinations. There will also be field trips to locations of geological interest as well as cultural venues. | Trevor Speller Abir Biswas | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO | Spring | |||||
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Paula Schofield and Andrew Brabban
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Program | FR ONLYFreshmen Only | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | Are you curious about the world around you? Would you like to really understand "buzz terms" the media uses such as sustainability, green materials, climate change, the water crisis, the energy debate, genetic engineering, DNA fingerprinting and cloning? How can we believe what we are being told? What is the evidence? How is scientific data actually collected, and what analytical methods are being used? Are the correct conclusions being drawn? As responsible citizens we should know the answers to these questions.In this two-quarter program we will demystify the hype surrounding popular myths, critically examine the data, and use scientific reasoning and experimental design to come to our own conclusions. In fall, we will study "water" and "energy" as themes to examine our environment, considering local and global water issues. We will also examine current energy use and demand, critically assessing various sources of energy: fossil fuels, nuclear, hydropower, etc.We will begin the program on September 23 (Orientation Week), one week BEFORE the regularly scheduled fall quarter start, so that we are prepared for our field trip by beginning our study of energy, and establishing our learning community. The Eastern Washington field trip will be a unique opportunity for personalized tours of Hanford Reactor B (the world's first full-scale nuclear reactor which produced the plutonium for the "Fat Man" bomb dropped over Nagasaki in 1945), Grand Coulee Dam (the largest hydropower producer in the U.S.), and the Wild Horse Wind and Solar Energy facility (150 turbines across 10,000 acres serving more than 80,000 homes). On this trip, we will also learn key field science techniques: how to take measurements in the field, collect samples for laboratory analysis and precisely determine concentrations of nutrients and pollutants.In winter quarter, we will use "natural and synthetic materials" as a theme to study petrochemical plastics, biodegradable plastics and other sustainable materials, as well as key biological materials such as proteins and DNA. We will carefully examine the properties of these materials in the laboratory and study their role in the real world. "Forensics" will be our final theme, learning techniques such as DNA fingerprinting, blood spatter analysis, ballistics and other modern forensic procedures.In this field- and lab-based program, scientific analysis—rather than conjecture or gut-feeling—will be the foundation of our work. Other class activities will include small group problem-solving workshops, seminars, student researched presentations and lectures. | Paula Schofield Andrew Brabban | Freshmen FR | Fall | ||||
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EJ Zita
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Course | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 8 | 08 | Day | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | How is energy harvested and transformed, used or abused? What effects do human systems have on Earth’s climate? What are the consequences for human societies? What can we learn from the past? How can we live more sustainably?We will investigate questions such as these, as a learning community seeking deeper knowledge and wisdom together. One of our primary means of inquiry is seminar: small teams pre-seminar on weekly readings in advance, we all seminar together twice a week and we share essays and peer responses online. This seminar is shared with students in Energy Systems and Climate Change.Students will share questions and growing understanding about readings, and will discuss ideas and concern for the future. SciSem students will write 3-4 essays and many peer responses individually, and will post pre-seminar assignments with teams. Learning goals include deeper understanding of sustainability and climate change, science and scientific methods and improved skills in writing, teamwork and communication. Details will be available at http://192.211.16.13/z/zita/scisem.htm. | EJ Zita | Tue Thu | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | |||
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Peter Dorman
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | There are of poor people in the world today, and even more who have limited access to health care, education and political and cultural opportunities. The word commonly used to refer to the process of economic growth and the expansion of opportunity is development—but there is enormous disagreement over how this word should be understood or even whether it should be used at all. This program will examine development on multiple levels: historical, philosophical, political and economic. It will place the quest for development in the context of European colonial expansion, military conflict and the tension between competing cultural frameworks. In doing this, it will combine “outside” views of development, as seen by administrators and experts, with the “inside” views of people who are most directly affected by development and its absence. At the same time, there will be a strong push toward usable knowledge: learning the skills that are essential for people who work in the field of development and want to make a dent in this radically unequal world. Economics will be an important contributor to our knowledge base; the program will offer introductory-level micro- and macroeconomics, with examples drawn from the development experience. Just as important is statistics, since quantitative methods have become indispensable in development work. We will learn about survey methodology and techniques used to analyze data. Another basis for this program is the belief that economics, politics and lived experience are inseparable. Just as quantitative techniques are used to shed light on people’s experiences, their own voices are essential for making sense of the numbers and can sometimes overrule them altogether. We will read literature that expresses the perspective of writers from non-Western countries, view films and consider other forms of testimony. The goal is to see the world, as much as possible, through their eyes as well as ours.Spring quarter will be devoted primarily to research. It will begin with a short, intensive training in research methods, based on the strategy of deeply analyzing a few papers to see how their authors researched and wrote them. After this, depending on the skills and interests of students, an effort will be made to place them as assistants to professional researchers or, if they prefer, they can pursue their own projects. We will meet as a group periodically to discuss emerging trends in development research and practice, as well as to help each other cope with the difficulties in our own work. By the end of three quarters, students should be prepared for internships or further professional studies in this field. | Peter Dorman | Mon Mon Wed Thu Thu | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | ||
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Stephanie Kozick
Signature Required:
Winter Spring
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SOS | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | This Student-Originated Studies program is intended for upper-level students with a background in community-based learning, and who have made arrangements to carry out a yearlong focused project within an organized community center, workshop, agency, organization or school setting. Community projects are to be carried out through internships, mentoring situations or apprenticeships that support students’ interest in community development. This program also includes a required weekly program meeting on campus that will facilitate a shared, supportive learning experience and weekly progress journal writing. The program is connected to Evergreen's Center for Community-Based Learning and Action (CCBLA), which supports learning about, engaging with and contributing to community life in the region. As such, this program benefits by the rich resource library, staff, internship suggestions and workshops offered through the Center. Students in this program will further their understanding of the concept of “community” as they engage their internship, apprenticeship or mentoring situation. The program emphasizes an asset-based model of community understanding advanced by Kretzmann and McKnight (1993). A variety of short readings from that text will become part of the weekly campus meetings. The range of academic/community work suited to this program includes: working in an official capacity as an intern with defined duties at a community agency, organization or school; working with one or more community members (elders, mentors, artists, teachers, skilled laborers, community organizers) to learn about a special line of work or skills that enriches the community as a whole; or designing a community action plan or case study aimed at problem solving a particular community challenge or need. A combination of internship and academic credit will be awarded in this program. Students may arrange an internship up to 36 hours a week for a 12-credit internship per quarter. Four academic credits will be awarded each quarter for seminar attendance and weekly progress journal writing. Students may distribute their program credits to include less than 12 credits of internship when accompanying research, reading and writing credits associated with their community work are included. During the academic year, students are required to meet as a whole group in a weekly seminar on Wednesday mornings to share successes and challenges, discuss the larger context of their projects in terms of community asset building and well-being, and discuss occasional assigned short readings that illuminate the essence of community. Students will also organize small interest/support groups to discuss issues related to their specific projects and to collaborate on a presentation at the end of each quarter. Students will submit weekly written progress/reflection reports via forums established on the program Moodle site. Contact faculty member Stephanie Kozick if further information is needed. | Stephanie Kozick | Wed | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | ||
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Dylan Fischer and Paul Przybylowicz
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | The Pacific Northwest is home to temperate rainforests, among the most biologically complex ecosystems in the world. How did these forests develop? How do they function? How do human activities affect them? Is sustainable harvest a reality or an oxymoron? We will use a biogeochemical lens to examine these forests, their effects on us and our impacts on them. Topics covered will include forest ecology, ecosystem ecology, soils, mycology, biogeochemistry, sustainable forestry and forest conservation.In fall quarter, we will explore how forests “work” through studying forest ecosystem science that includes both global and regional perspectives, with a focus on carbon and nutrient cycling. We will also examine the tremendous fungal biodiversity found within temperate rainforests, particularly the local forests of the Pacific Northwest. We’ll cover methods in forest biogeochemical measurement, fungal biology, taxonomy and advanced forest ecology.Human impacts on temperate rainforests will be the focus of winter quarter. We’ll focus on sustainable forestry, both theory and practice, along with an examination of soils and the life within them, which will deepen our understanding of forest function and the short- and long-term impacts of various forestry practices. These topics will merge as we explore carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems, which is an emerging component of “sustainable” forestry. We will explore current and past controversies in forest ecology related to old-growth forests, spotted owls and other endangered species and biofuels.Our program time will consist of field work, laboratory work, lectures, workshops and weekly seminars. Expect to research topics in the primary scientific literature and to summarize and share your findings with the entire class. We’ll cover various sampling techniques that are used to measure nitrogen, water and carbon in forested ecosystems. There will be ample opportunities for independent directed work, both individually and in small groups.In addition to one-day trips regularly scheduled throughout both quarters, there will be a 4-day field trip each quarter. In the fall, we’ll spend four days doing field research in temperate rainforests. In the winter, we’ll tour through the Pacific Northwest and visit a variety of managed and unmanaged forests. Plan to spend a lot of time in the field (and remember that every field day generates 3-4 days of work once we return). Students who may need accommodations for field trips should contact the faculty as soon as possible. | Dylan Fischer Paul Przybylowicz | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | ||||
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Marja Eloheimo
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 12 | 12 | Weekend | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | Working as a multidisciplinary project team, this yearlong program has a mission. Students will engage in hands-on work to continue to transform the fledgling ethnobotanical garden at the Evergreen “House of Welcome” Longhouse by refining existing habitat areas and developing the sayuyay Sister Garden (a medicinal portion of the garden patterned after a project on the Skokomish Indian Reservation). Through this work, we will create a valuable educational resource and contribute to multiple communities including Evergreen, local K-12 schools, local First Nations, and a growing global collective of ethnobotanical gardens that promote environmental and cultural diversity and sustainability.During fall quarter, students will become acquainted with the garden and its plants, habitats, history, and existing interpretive materials. We will carry out fieldwork, develop plant identification skills, engage in seasonal garden care, review archival materials, and meet some of the people behind the garden's development. We will also refine specific garden and book designs and implementation plans. Students will have the opportunity to select specific projects for individual and group work.During winter quarter, we will focus on the garden's "story" through continued work on existing signage, a book draft, and/or other interpretive materials such as a web page. Students will work independently on skill development, research, and project planning or implementation in their selected areas of interest. Students will also be active during the winter transplant season and will prepare procurement and planting plans for the spring season.During spring quarter, we will plant and care for the garden and present our interpretive materials to the community, wrapping up all of the work we have begun.This program requires commitment to a meaningful real-world project and strongly encourages yearlong participation. It also cultivates community by nurturing each member's contributions and growth and acknowledges the broader contexts of sustainability and global transformation. | Marja Eloheimo | Sat Sun | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall |