Environmental Studies

See also the Environmental Studies web site: http://college.uchicago.edu/Programs/CollegeEnvironmentalStudies/



Program Chairman: Theodore L. Steck, CLSC 721, 702-1329,

tlsteck@midway.uchicago.edu

Administrator: Lee Price, G-B 132, 702-7134,

lwp2@midway.uchicago.edu

College Adviser: Douglas Patton, HM 271, 702-3419, pat2@midway.uchicago.edu

Program of Study

College students are increasingly interested in the environment. They recognize that the impact of human activities on the natural world grows steadily more profound. They see the quality of life on earth under challenge. They draw implications for their personal and professional lives and for the well-being of humankind and the web of life on earth in the generations to follow. They seek educational opportunities to guide their citizenship, scholarship, and career development.

The primary concern of the program in environmental studies is with the manifold relationship between human activity and the natural world that sustains it. Understanding this vast topic calls for education in diverse disciplines. Thus, the program is inherently multidisciplinary; it aims to combine the mastery of specialized knowledge with the building of a broad base through which complex issues, now unfolding, can be approached. A seminar program is conducted to challenge students at all levels with the contemporary implications of their didactic courses and to provide a forum for the presentation of senior research papers. The environmental studies program is sponsored by the New Collegiate Division, a home for innovations in interdisciplinary undergraduate education.

Program Requirements

Candidates for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies ordinarily enter the program at the end of their second year. They pursue a plan of study tailored to their individual interests under the guidance and oversight of the program chairman and College adviser. Normally, students pursue depth in an area of biological, physical, or social science to develop recognized competence for graduate study or professional activity in a traditional discipline. This focus is balanced by their liberal environmental education. Following are suggestions of relevant courses that fulfill Common Core requirements, as well as courses appropriate for concentration programs emphasizing biological, physical, or social sciences.

A senior paper is required. Students may be nominated for graduation with honors on the basis of the excellence of their senior research papers if their grade point average is higher than 3.25.


Summary of Program

General Education. Common Core courses recommended to students interested in environmental studies include Chemistry 111A-112A-113A; a physical sciences sequence that includes Geophysical Sciences 134; and a broadly-based sequence in biology.

Concentration Program with Emphasis on Biological Sciences. Courses suggested to students who emphasize biological sciences include Biological Sciences 240, 250 or 251, and 255; Chemistry 217-218-219; and Physics 121-122-123 or 131-132-133.

Concentration Program with Emphasis on Physical Sciences. Courses suggested to students who emphasize physical sciences include Chemistry 220-221-222 and Chemistry 201-202 and/or 262-263-267; Geophysical Sciences 133; and Physics 121-122-123 or 131-132-133.

Concentration Program with Emphasis on Social Sciences. Courses suggested to students who emphasize social sciences include Biological Sciences 240, or 250, or 255; Environmental Studies 205, 218, 227, 228, 241, 255, and/or 257; and Public Policy Studies 221, 222, and/or 223.

Environmental Studies Seminar. Students and faculty associated with the concentration program meet regularly to present and discuss their work and ideas. Concentrators are required to participate in the seminar but without course credit.

Concentration 1 EnvStd 212

Requirements - EnvStd Seminar

1 Econ 198 or higher

1 Stat 200 or higher

2 additional social sciences courses of relevance

2 additional biological or physical sciences courses of relevance

3 additional courses in the area of emphasis

1 EnvStd 299 (senior paper)

11

Faculty

JONATHAN P. D. ABBATT, Assistant Professor, Department of the Geophysical Sciences

DAVID ARCHER, Assistant Professor, Department of the Geophysical Sciences

R. STEPHEN BERRY, James Franck Distinguished Service Professor, Department of Chemistry, Irving B. Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies, James Franck Institute, and the College

MICHAEL P. CONZEN, Professor, Committee on the Geographical Studies and the College; Chairman, Committee on the Geographical Studies

DON L. COURSEY, Professor, Irving B. Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies and the College; Dean, Irving B. Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies

JOHN E. FREDERICK, Professor, Department of the Geophysical Sciences and the College

ALAN L. KOLATA, Professor, Department of Anthropology and the College; Director, Latin American Studies Center

HOWARD MARGOLIS, Professor, Irving B. Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies and the College

MARVIN W. MIKESELL, Professor, Committee on the Geographical Studies and the College

RALPH W. NICHOLAS, William Rainey Harper Professor, Department of Anthropology and the College; President, International House

S. JAY OLSHANSKY, Research Associate (Assistant Professor), Department of Medicine

DAVID W. OXTOBY, Professor, Department of Chemistry, James Franck Institute, and the College; Director, James Franck Institute; Dean, Division of Physical Sciences

THEODORE L. STECK, Professor, Departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology, Committee on Cell Physiology, and the College; Chairman, Environmental Studies Program

MICHAEL STEIN, Professor, Department of Statistics and the College

GEORGE S. TOLLEY, Professor, Department of Economics

Courses

In the following course descriptions, L refers to courses with laboratory.

111-112-113. General Chemistry I, II, III (=Chem 111-112-113, EnvStd 111-112-113). PQ: Good performance on the mathematics and physical sciences placement tests. This course sequence fulfills the Common Core requirement in the physical sciences. A discussion of atomic and molecular theories, chemical periodicity, and types of chemical reaction is followed in the first quarter by the chemical importance of pressure and temperature, phase diagrams, and acid-base and heterogeneous equilibria. During the second quarter the principles of chemical thermodynamics are covered, with applications to chemical and biological systems and to phase equilibria and electrochemistry. In the third quarter, ideas of atomic structure and chemical bonding are studied, along with the special features of liquids and solids and the chemistry of the representative elements. Lab work includes some quantitative measurements, the properties of the important elements and their compounds, and experiments associated with the common ions and their separation and identification by semi-micro methods. We emphasize the role of chemical and physical processes in the environment, especially in water and in the atmosphere. P. Guyot-Sionnest, Autumn; J. Abbatt, Winter; R. Clayton, Spring. L: Staff; Autumn, Winter, Spring.

133. The Atmosphere (=EnvStd 133, GeoSci 133). PQ: Math 102, 106, or consent of instructor. This course provides an introduction to the physics, chemistry, and phenomenology of the earth's atmosphere with an emphasis on the role of the atmosphere as a component of the planet's life support system. Topics include (1) atmospheric composition, evolution, and structure, (2) solar and terrestrial radiation, (3) the role of water in atmospheric processes, (4) winds, the global circulation, and weather systems, and (5) atmospheric chemistry and pollution. We focus on the mechanisms by which human activity can influence the atmosphere and on interactions between atmosphere and biosphere. J. Frederick. Spring.

134. Global Warming: Understanding the Forecast (=EnvStd 134, GeoSci 134, PhySci 134). PQ: Math 102, 106, or consent of instructor; some knowledge of chemistry or physics helpful. This course presents the science behind the forecast of global warming to enable the student to evaluate the likelihood and potential severity of anthropogenic climate change in the coming centuries. It includes an overview of the physics of the greenhouse effect, including comparisons with Venus and Mars; an overview of the carbon cycle in its role as a global thermostat; predictions and reliability of climate model forecasts of the greenhouse world; and an examination of the records of recent and past climates, such as the glacial world and Eocene and Oligocene warm periods. D. Archer. Spring.

205. Introduction to Population (=EnvStd 205, Sociol 205/360). This course provides an introduction to the field of population studies. It provides a substantive overview of our knowledge of three fundamental population processes: fertility, mortality, and migration. We also cover marriage, cohabitation, marital disruption, aging, and AIDS. In each case we examine historical trends. We also discuss causes and consequences of recent trends in population growth and the current demographic situation in developing and developed countries. L. Waite. Winter.

212. Resolving the Environmental Crisis (=EnvStd 212, NCD 212). PQ: Third- or fourth-year standing or consent of the instructor. This lecture/discussion course analyzes the impact of human activity on the natural world that sustains it. Topics include human population dynamics; the role of economic and industrial activity in human welfare; our use of natural resources (for example, energy, soil, and water); biodiversity; prospects for sustainable development; and the role of cultural institutions and values in these matters. The format includes reading diverse sources and writing several short papers. T. Steck. Autumn.

213. Managing the Environment (=EnvStd 213, LL/Soc 213, NCD 213, PubPol 213). PQ: Econ 198 or higher. This course analyzes human interaction with and intervention into the environment. Topics include resource management, environmental and economic policy, environmental law, business initiatives, and global environmental legislation. Also assessed are major national legislation on Superfund, resource conservation and recovery, air quality, water quality, hazardous chemicals, and endangered species. D. Coursey. Spring.

218. Economics of Environmental Policy (=EnvStd 218, PubPol 218). PQ: Econ 198 or higher. This course combines three related themes in environmental economics: (1) Positive economics: What does economics tell us about the cause of environmental problems? How can economics help us analyze the impact of potential policy responses? (2) Normative economics: How should we choose between competing policies? When is government intervention justified? and (3) Political economy: Why do governmental policies often create more harm than good? How does interest-group politics influence the choice of regulatory strategies? The course develops basic economic tools with which to address these questions. It then applies these tools to a range of environmental issues. D. Marron. Spring.

220. The Anthropology of Development (=Anthro 220/355, EnvStd 220). This course applies anthropological understanding to development programs in "underdeveloped" societies through case studies of food production, nutrition, and health care practices. We pay special attention to the role and impact of indigenous and anthropological concepts in development projects. Topics include development within the world system, the role of national and international development agencies, the cultural construction of well-being and deprivation, the impact of world market mechanisms and consumerism on underdevelopment, local resistance and engagement in development, the politics of underdevelopment, and future development. A. Kolata, J. Fernandez, R. Fernandez. Spring.

227. International Relations and the Environment (=EnvStd 227, PubPol 227, PolSci 219). Global environmental issues in law and policy are investigated through the lens of the major schools of thought in international relations, as well as classic works in international environmental law and policy. International judicial decisions are used to analyze the negotiation of solutions to cross-cultural environmental dilemmas. Socioeconomic and legal controversies relevant to environmental topics and political issues are debated. M. Scully-Granzeier. Winter.

228. Environmental Politics (=EnvStd 228, PubPol 228, PolSci 285). This course considers environmental law and public policy in the United States. Topic include social, political, and economic issues pertaining to energy, pollution, toxic wastes, biodiversity, climate change, and ozone depletion. Major public controversies are analyzed in the context of values and public opinion, competing approaches to regulation, environmental racism and justice, grassroots environmental movements, environmental ethics, national security, and the goal of sustainability. M. Scully-Granzeier. Spring.

241. Environmental Ethics (=Div 341, EnvStd 241). This course is an introduction to the primary contending perspectives in the new and rapidly growing field of environmental ethics, and the cultural traditions that ground and support them. The overall aim is to help identify the variety of values and responsibilities to be discovered in our relationships to the natural world, and to help answer the question "Why?" when we make public and personal environmental decisions. J. R. Engel. Autumn.

243. Environmental Controversies (=EnvStd 243, PubPol 243/443). PQ: Fourth-year standing and consent of instructor. The focus of this course is on the stubborn conflicts of expert against lay intuition on many environmental matters. What makes these conflicts so common and so stubborn? What has changed when they fade from concern (when that happens)? Our main concern is with the politics and psychology of these controversies, but close attention is also paid to the technical underpinnings of these issues. Although expert/lay controversies are particularly apparent on environmental issues, parallel conflicts on intuition occur in other policy areas, such as medicine and crime, so, especially toward the end of the course, we look for applications of the ideas developed in class to these areas. H. Margolis. Spring.

250. Evolutionary Ecology (=BioSci 250, EnvStd 250). PQ: Common Core biology. This course fulfills the ecology, populations, and behavior requirement for the biological sciences concentration. This class is an evolutionary approach to the study of ecological interactions. Topics include plant-animal interactions, life history evolution, host-parasite and host-mutualist interactions, competition, and predation. Weekly labs stress experimental methods and exploration of current literature. Weekly discussion section required. M. Liebold. Autumn. L.

251. Ecological Applications to Conservation Biology (=BioSci 251, Ec-Ev 313, EnvStd 251). PQ: Common Core biology. This course fulfills the ecology, population, and behavior requirement for the biological sciences concentration. We focus on the contribution of ecological theory to understanding current issues in conservation biology. The course emphasizes quantitative methods and their use for applied problems in ecology, such as the design of natural reserves, the risk of extinction, the impact of harvesting, the dynamics of species invasions, and the role of species interactions. Course material is drawn mostly from the current primary literature. Two Saturday field trips and computer modeling labs are in addition to scheduled class time. J. Bergelson, C. Pfister. Autumn. L.

255. Biogeography (=BioSci 255, EnvStd 255, EvBiol 455, Geog 255/355). PQ: Common Core biology or consent of instructor. This course fulfills the ecology, population, and behavior requirement for the biological sciences concentration. This course examines factors governing the distribution and abundance of animals and plants. Topics include patterns and processes in historical biogeography, island biogeography, geographical ecology, areography, and conservation biology, such as the design and effectiveness of nature reserves. B. Patterson, L. Heaney. Winter.

257. American Culture and the Environment (=Eng 257, EnvStd 257). This course examines texts that illuminate the bearing of American history and culture on the growing impact of human activity on the natural world. Major themes include concepts of the relationship of humans to nature; science and the emergence of industrialism; values underlying colonialism and economic activity (capitalism and exploitation); and frontierism, individualism, and conservationism versus preservationism in the United States. Texts include The Mythic World of the Zuni, Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia, Martin's Sacred Revolt, Ulrich's A Midwife's Tale, Thoreau's Walden, Droeber's Ishi: A Tale of Two Worlds, Davis's Life in the Iron Mills, and Turner's The Significance of the Frontier in American History. L. Rigal. Winter.

261. Roots of the Modern American City (=EnvStd 261, Geog 261/361, Hist 269/369). This course traces the economic, social, and physical development of the city in North America from early industrialization to the present. Emphasis is on evolving urban systems and the changing spatial organization of people and land use. Illinois field trip required. M. Conzen. Autumn.

265. Environmental Economics (=Econ 265, EnvStd 265). PQ: Econ 201 or consent of instructor. This course applies price theory to the following environmental issues: externalities, distorted incentives, and the market's failure to yield optimal outcomes. Topics include taxes, subsidies, and quotas as solutions to these problems; welfare and efficiency implications; property rights and fisheries; exhaustible and renewable resources; evaluating environmental regulation; government as an autonomous maximizing agent; and divergence between social and governmental interests. Staff. Spring.

274. Introduction to Epidemiology (=BioSci 274, EnvStd 274, HlthSt 310). PQ: One course in statistics or consent of instructor. Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of disease in human populations. This course examines epidemiologic study designs and basic analytic methods. The course emphasizes how to determine whether an observed association between an exposure and a disease is valid and, if so, whether it is likely to be causal. Topics include the application of epidemiologic methods to studies of environmental exposures, and to studies that include the role of genetics in disease risk. D. Lauderdale, J. Bailar. Winter.

283. Nature in the Western Tradition. This course examines the ways in which modern Western thinkers have understood nature and evaluated the relationship between humanity and nature. Discussion and written work focuses on rigorous reading of texts by Francis Bacon, Rene Descartes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, J. W. von Goethe, Aldo Leopold, Lynn White, Hans Jonas, J. Baird Callicott, and Luc Ferry. The course addresses the following questions, among others: Does nature exist solely for human use? Or does nature exist for itself? If the latter, then what is the proper human use of nature? Can these conflicts be resolved? Do these texts help us arrive at answers to these questions or establish abetter understanding of the human relationship to the natural world? A. Cook. Spring.


298. Reading Course. PQ: Consent of faculty supervisor and program chairman. Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form. Must be taken for P/F grade. Staff. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

299. B.A. Paper Preparation. PQ: Open only to Environmental Studies concentrators with fourth-year standing. Consent of faculty supervisor and program chairman. Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form. Must be taken for P/F grade. This course is designed for fourth-year Environmental Studies students to be used for the preparation of the required senior paper. Staff. Autumn, Winter, Spring.