This seminar focuses on understanding the intertwined nature of people and environments, with an emphasis on the Gulf Coast. Weekly readings, discussions, and guest speakers will focus on emerging socio-environmental issues facing Alabama and the broader Gulf Coast. Specific topics will include biodiversity conservation, air and water quality, equity and environmental justice, climate change, environmental literacy, market-based strategies, and co-management of ecosystems.

This course focuses on understanding the intertwined nature of people and environments. After building a foundation in the fundamentals of coupled socioenvironmental systems, students will learn to see and describe the social, economic, and biophysical dimensions of environmental problems and solutions. Specific topics will include biodiversity conservation, air and water quality, equity and environmental justice, climate change, environmental literacy, market-based strategies, collective action, and co-management of ecosystems. The course will include a variety of activities, panels, and guest speakers to connect core concepts with current and emerging socio-environmental issues facing Alabama, the Gulf Coast, and beyond.

This course presents the theory and application of environmental sampling and data analysis in support of regulatory standards and criteria for surface water, groundwater, soils, coastal habitats, and air.

Lab component for Environmental Monitoring & Assessment course. Must be taken with lecture.

This course builds on sustainability principles to explore the natural and social environments of different regions. Through reviewing and analyzing case studies and real-world examples of businesses, governments, and communities, this course critically dissects some of the toughest questions and challenges of sustainability while allowing students to develop practical, career-ready sustainability skills. Class, lab, and field activities also help students build connections and see sustainability in practice throughout our local communities and economy.

Lab component for Sustainability in Practice course. Must be taken with lecture.

This course provides basic scientific knowledge and understanding of how our world works from an environmental perspective.

Lab component for ENV 337. Must be taken with lecture.

This course will introduce biogeophysicochemical processes operating in the environment. Methods for quantifying chemical parameters together with data quality control practices will be covered.

Lab component for ENV 338. Must be taken with Lecture.

This course will introduce climate science and explore issues associated with modem climate change.

Students will be provided with a foundational knowledge of Environmental Chemistry and Environmental Toxicology. Students will be introduced to the impacts and influence of chemicals upon ecological systems. Students will examine the chemistry, fate and effects of environmental contaminants in various hierarchies of biological organization in order to carry out assessments of ecological risk.

This class is designed to acquaint undergraduate students concerned with management of natural resources; development of legislation, evolution of policy, legal processes, impacts on human resources. The emphases will be placed on living resources.

This class will challenge students to consider and evaluate current environmental problems while developing tools for working in the policy world. Students will explore approaches from both environmental economics and policy, including regulatory, market- based, and voluntary tools. Students will apply their knowledge of cost-benefit analysis to controversial issues and discover and debate key challenges. The current issues will draw students to consider issues of governance, such as the reach of executive authority and the relationship between federal and state government. In exploring these matters of policy design and environmental management, the course will analyze issues in climate change, air quality, water policy, energy supply, and resource management.

Relationships between microorganisms and their biotic and abiotic environments. Role of microorganisms in biogeochemical cycling. Methodology in microbial ecology. Biotechnological aspects.

Taken in conjunction with Environmental Microbiology lecture. Relationships between microorganisms and their biotic and abiotic environments. Role of microorganisms in biogeochemical cycling. Methodology in microbial ecology. Biotechnological aspects.

An in-depth tutorial exposure to specific areas in the environmental and sustainability sciences. Credit and title will be arranged to examine the subject matter in the area of current interest to one group of students. Specialized topics not currently listed in catalog course offerings.

Directed Studies in Environmental and Sustainability Sciences provides students the opportunity to explore authentic research in marine sciences by carrying out an individual research project under the supervision and guidance of a SSoMES faculty member. Requires securing a SSoMES faculty mentor, completed Directed Studies Application (see last page), and permission of the Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences (SSoMES) Program Manager prior to registering for the course (e.g. at least a month prior to registration opening).

Honors Research hours in Environmental Sciences provides students the opportunity to gain experience in planning, conducting and reporting on a comprehensive research project under direction of a faculty mentor. ENV 499 projects may be done in the lab, the field, or be computational-based, with clear research question(s), objectives and/or hypothesis-driven. Students that choose to enroll in ENV 499 would do so to obtain scholarly honors recognition after the completion of an honors research project within SSoMES. The nature and scope of the project are to be negotiated between the student and the prospective research mentor. Admission to this class requires approval from SSoMES Assistant Director or Director.