ENVS 3521 Climate Politics and Policy-Offered Summer A Term  

Associate Professor Max Boykoff 

Course Description: 

ENVS 4100-001 Special Topics in ENVS: Environments & Peoples: Environment & Human Migration-Offered in Maymester  

There is growing concern that in coming decades global migration patterns will be affected by land degradation, weather extremes, food insecurity, pollution, and climate change. As the impacts of global and local environmental change take hold, there is increasing need for researchers, policymakers, and the general public to understand better the complex relationship between environment and migration and the various shapes it may take. In this course, students will develop a basic understanding of the physical processes most often associated with environmental migration and learn the socio-economic, political, and demographic theories and concepts commonly used in the social sciences to explain migration behavior. Students will combine these two sets of knowledge and apply them using a socio-ecological systems approach to explore past and present cases of environment-related migration from the US and around the world (e.g. Dust Bowl, Hurricane Katrina, flood-related migration in Bangladesh and China, Hurricane Mitch/Honduras). A key feature of the course will be a mock UN negotiation, in which students will represent key countries and multilateral agencies in an attempt to draft an international agreement to respond to potential future population displacements from small island states as a result of climate change. Same as GEOG 4742-001.

ENVS 4800 Capstone: Culture, Media and Environmental Issues Offered Summer A Term 

In this course, we will critically analyze environmental issues find meaning in our daily lives by way of intertwined media representational practices and culture. By way of four main themes addressed in the sessions over the summer session:  

1. institutions, actors, (collective) psychology

2. mass media  

3. understanding and engagement in the public sphere

4. non-nation state actors - we will explore how more formal science and policy permeate the spaces of our 'everyday', in terms of attitudes, perspectives, intentions, behavioral change and resistances therein. In a discussion-based seminar format, we will attempt to understand the intricate dynamics between multilevel institutional architectures and the landscape of actors, primarily those outside national governments which are able to influence outcomes. In the course, we will aim to challenge our thinking about environmental issues, develop new frameworks for analyzing environmental challenges, and discuss practical and conceptual environmental actions in our individual and collective lives.

Fulfills the ENVS Capstone requirement   

CU-Boulder's undergraduate energy certificate program provides broad exposure to energy issues, with an emphasis on renewable and sustainable energy. Required coursework in energy science and technology, energy policy, and energy projects is coupled with electives on energy and environment, energy technologies, energy economics, and other areas to give students the skills and knowledge to tackle society's pressing energy problems. Successful completion of the certificate program is indicated on CU-Boulder official transcripts.

More Information 

EBIO 4460-001: Biological Data Management 

Instructor: Miranda Redmond

Understanding how to effectively manage large data sets is a critical skill set in nearly all scientific disciplines, including ecology, geography, and evolutionary biology. In this course students will gain valuable and marketable data management skill sets (a desired skill set for most entry and mid-level jobs). Students will learn how to download available ecological and climate datasets, load these data into a relational database (Microsoft Access and SQLite), create queries to summarize the data, and then visualize their results in R. While the principal focus of this course is data design, management, and visualization, students will also need to create testable scientific hypotheses, summarize their results, and discuss their findings in the context of recent scientific literature. As such, this course will be helpful for students working on honors thesis or independent projects. 

This 3-credit Maymester course will held M-F from 9-12 in HUMN 1B45. Contact Miranda Redmond for more information.  

More Information and Application   

21st Annual Front Range Student Ecology Symposium at Colorado State University

February 24-25, 2015

"From Mountains to Main Street"  

 Organized by students, for students, this event provides a supportive atmosphere for undergraduate and graduate students from the Front Range and all across Colorado who will be sharing posters and oral presentations about their ecological research. The symposium is modeled after a professional society meeting and will include ignite speakers, networking and socializing opportunities, a photo contest and a catered awards reception with prizes.  

Keynote speaker: Dr. Diane Pataki  

Visit the website or Facebook page for more details.

Do you ever wonder what is in your food? Do you buy organic food straight from the farm? Or do you simply not care?

Looking for Other Involvement Opportunities or Events? 

Check out the CU Environmental Center's Events Calendar and e-newsletter.