This course explores the physical, ecological, technological, political, economic, and cultural implications of big plans and mega-urban landscapes in a global context. It uses local and international case studies to understand the process of making major changes to urban landscape and city fabric, and to regional landscape systems. It includes lectures by leading practitioners. The assignments consider planning and design strategies across multiple scales and time frames.

This set of interactive data visualizations show the weather and climate events that have had the greatest economic impact on the US from 1980 to 2016.

Have you ever asked what “biobased” means or wondered about the key aspects in developing and commercializing biobased products? This course will answer those questions and more; highlighting the opportunities, hurdles, and driving forces of the bioeconomy.

Today’s industries face enormous global challenges when it comes to the fossil-based economy. Fossil resources are no longer a desirable feedstock for many products and governments’ climate goals put various limitations to its usage. Moreover, consumer perception has become an increasingly important factor. With biobased products as an alternative to the fossil-based economy, the bioeconomy can provide viable solutions to these challenges.

The course describes the different types of biomass, the methods of refinery and typical conversion technologies used for biobased products. You’ll also engage in a study of the practical and real-life examples emerging in the market: biopolymers, bioenergy, bioflavours, and biosurfactants.

The course has been developed by a team of experts from seven different institutions and universities in three different countries, all sharing their personal perspectives on the opportunities and challenges faced by the biobased industry. The three top-ranked institutions Delft University of Technology, RWTH Aachen University, and Wageningen University & Research offer additional, more advanced courses to continue your learning journey:

Industrial Biotechnology: a more advanced course that digs deeper into engineering aspects of bio-based products.
MicroMasters Chemistry and Technology for Sustainability: Help drive the transition from fossil sources to renewable energy ones and engineer a biobased future.
Sustainable Development: The Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Introduction to sustainable development and its relation to the Water-Energy-Food Nexus.

Biochemical Oxygen Demand" is an essential educational resource tailored for environmental science and engineering students, aiming to deepen their understanding of water quality assessment and pollution control. This unit comprises a series of engaging lessons, each meticulously designed to explore the dynamics of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and its implications for aquatic ecosystems.Beginning with foundational concepts of dissolved oxygen and BOD, learners progress to advanced topics such as the Dissolved Oxygen Model and SAG (Submerged Aquatic Growth) curve analysis. Through interactive discussions and problem-solving exercises, students develop proficiency in calculating key parameters related to water quality, including DO concentrations and BOD levels.

This assignment is written as a final project for students in a biology class to create a video answering a question using scientific literature. It is scaffolded over the semester, with a brainstorming assignment, a submission of reference list, and the final video. 

Biology for Non-Majors II introduces students to the basics of the scientific process and covers some of biology’s most compelling topics surrounding the history and diversity of life, including discussion on the different kingdoms of life, with focus on plants and animals, as well as an introduction to ecology. Designed for non-life science majors, this course is the first in a two-part series that completes a survey of biological principles.

La Biotecnología Ambiental emplea el uso de organismos para la prevención, monitoreo y remediación de los ecosistemas, al mismo tiempo permite la generación de bioproductos y energía limpia. El libro consistió en tres capítulos, en el primero se establece los fundamentos de la Biotecnología Ambiental y sus aplicaciones en entornos terrestre, acuático y aéreo; además, se presentan herramientas aplicadas como los biosensores en el monitoreo ambiental, la fitorremediación en varios contextos de América Latina y el fortalecimiento de la agricultura sustentable. En el segundo capítulo se describe la importancia de un estudio bibliométrico y el enfoque para las diversas investigaciones, se detalla un manual de uso, que permite su replicabilidad en otros contextos. Además de presentar un caso de estudio aplicado al tema central de este libro, que sistematiza los temas más estudiados, las tendencias, revistas y países con mayores contribuciones. En el tercer capítulo se presentan varias prácticas de laboratorio y una sección de preguntas, que pueden ser empleadas en otras instituciones educativas o de manera autónoma. En conclusión, los capítulos son complementarios entre sí, facilitando la comprensión e interés del lector. El área de mayor relevancia corresponde a la biorremediación en suelos contaminados por hidrocarburos y metales pesados, los grupos más frecuentes en la revisión fueron hongos, cianobacterias y organismos genéticamente modificados. Finalmente, existe una oportunidad del uso y la potencial combinación de las técnicas basadas en metagenómica, ADN ambiental, inteligencia artificial para el desarrollo de las nuevas tendencias de la Biotecnología Ambiental

The trifecta of globalization, urbanization and digitization have created new opportunities and challenges across our nation, cities, boroughs and urban centers. Cities are in a unique position at the center of commerce and technology becoming hubs for innovation and practical application of emerging technology. In this rapidly changing 24/7 digitized world, city governments worldwide are leveraging innovation and technology to become more effective, efficient, transparent and to be able to better plan for and anticipate the needs of its citizens, businesses and community organizations. This class will provide the framework for how cities and communities can become smarter and more accessible with technology and more connected.

Design and construction of breakwaters and closure dams in estuaries and rivers. Functional requirements, determination of boundary conditions, spatial and constructional design and construction aspects of breakwaters and dams consisting of rock, sand and caissons.

A knowledge of broadleaf plant parts will help the student identify plants at various stages of life.  The weed ID resource books often use technical terms to describe how the plant parts look.  It is important the student understands the technical terms in order to properly identify weed species.  Students will also practice using common weed id apps

Build Your Own Earth is a freely available web site to explore the factors that affect Earth's climate. Climate model simulations reveal the annual distributions of 50 different quantities. An accompanying homework for undergraduates is included that could be adapted for other students.

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In this class, concepts of building technology and experimental methods are studied, in class and in lab assignments. Projects vary yearly and have included design and testing of strategies for daylighting, passive heating and cooling, and improved indoor air quality via natural ventilation. Experimental methods focus on measurement and analysis of thermally driven and wind-driven airflows, lighting intensity and glare, and heat flow and thermal storage. Experiments are conducted at model and full scale and are often motivated by ongoing field work in developing countries.

This book is based upon the edX MOOCs Engineering: Building with Nature and Beyond Engineering: Building with Nature. The Engineering: Building with Nature MOOC, explores the use of natural materials and ecological processes in achieving effective and sustainable hydraulic infrastructure designs, distilling Engineering and Ecological Design Principles. In the Beyond Engineering: Building with Nature course, the missing element of Social Design Principles is developed and taught.

Join us in exploring the interface between hydraulic engineering, nature and society!

This resource is a publishing of 64 drawn illustrations. The images were initially created for an art installation by Kellie Bornhoft (kelliebornhoft.com). The artist wishes to share the images under CC BY-NC 4.0 for educational and non-commercial use. The intention is to bring awareness to these endangered species. 

There is growing body of evidence to support that students who directly experience authentic scientific research are more likely to continue onto advanced degrees and careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). In an effort to introduce more students to the benefits of scientific research we have drawn on an ongoing research project aimed at understanding how Corals Respond to the Environment (CRE) to develop an interdisciplinary laboratory course based on Authentic Research Experiences (ARE). A small cohort of undergraduate students enrolled in a semester-long course, entitled CREARE, perform biochemical experiments in the laboratory, analyze environmental data by R statistical software and prepared a report modeled after a research manuscript to present their work. The impact of CREARE on student learning gains and attitudes towards science is being measured, as is the impact of CREARE on participants' career choices and retention in STEM. This multidisciplinary research program addresses the impact of climate change on the health of a critically endangered coral species, ultimately leading to a better stewardship of this invaluable resource. Furthermore, CREARE offers a unique experience for students, one that may serve as a model for the development of more research-based courses, leading to improved retention in our STEM departments.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

C-ROADS is a simplified version of a climate simulator. Its primary purpose is to help users understand the long-term climate effects (CO2 concentrations, global temperature, sea level rise) of various customized actions to reduce fossil fuel CO2 emissions, reduce deforestation, and grow more trees. Students can ask multiple, customized what-if questions and understand why the system reacts as it does.

Produto Técnico do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Rede Nacional para o Ensino das Ciências Ambientais - Pólo Universidade Federal de Sergipe.

O curso de Agentes Mirins Disseminadores da Cidadania Ambiental é um instrumento para o ensino das ciências ambientais, que versa o envolvimento dos participantes na construção coletiva do processo de ensino-aprendizagem, unindo a teoria-prática acerca dos conhecimentos apreendidos que são pautados nas questões ambientais. O seu desígnio principal é fomentar a sensibilização dos sujeitos para a participação no contexto da sociedade, questionando atitudes, valores, além de propor novas práticas acerca da problemática ambiental.
Trata-se de instrumento educacional para o estimulo a reflexão crítica, bem como, fomentar nos sujeitos a atuação participante e protagonista das problemáticas que englobem ilimitadas realidades. Assim sendo, o público alvo abarca os estudantes e os membros da comunidade ribeirinha, compreendendo que os conteúdos trabalhados podem ser adaptados e desenvolvidos dentro de infinitas realidades de interesse local e global.
Nesse sentido, vislumbramos que os sujeitos ao participarem da construção do vídeo documentário e assistirem ao seu produto final – o vídeo documentário, cuja dedicação em pensar e articular cada etapa, fomente reflexões acerca do que foi trabalhado durante todo processo de construção, sendo assim, capazes de disseminar de forma potente a mensagem de sensibilização das problemáticas socioambientais que precisão ser sanadas no lugar onde vivem. Versará também, provocar impacto visual e emocional nos participantes, pois, na atualidade é comum, os meios de comunicação e as escolas na divulgação e nas análises dos problemas tragam diversas realidades em escalas distantes das vivenciadas no espaço social dos sujeitos, porém assistir a sua realidade fará com que os envolvidos se sintam parte do problema, e posteriormente partir em busca por soluções para sanar as problemáticas encontradas, aproximando aquele que fala daquele que assiste.

Vídeo Documentário construído durante o curso de Agentes Mirins Disseminadores da Cidadania Ambiental por alunos e alunas da Escola Municipal Barquinho Amarelo, localizada no povoado São Braz, Nossa Senhora do Socorro, Sergipe.

Duração: 08min30seg
Roteiro e Filmagem: Alunos e Alunas do 5º ano do ensino fundamental, 2017
Edição e Narração: Laysa da Hora Santos
Apoio Técnico: Thais Moura dos Santos e Jacqueline Bispo Santana
Ilustrações: Emanuella Santos de Carvalho

This in class activity allows students to calculate rates of change from graphs of glacial-interglacial temperatures and CO2 and modern temperatures and CO2.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Students conduct a greenhouse gas emission inventory for their college or university as a required part of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment.

The case study involves the B.C. groundfish trawl fishery, which came under attack from ENGOs in the mid-2000s for destruction of the aquatic habitat. Specifically, the ENGOs were concerned with he destruction of numerous coral and sponge species. The ENGOs were able to give their complaints economic teeth by threatening the industry’s access to major markets. The resource manager, the federal government, was unable to address the problem effectively at the time. The initiative to deal with the problem was taken by the industry, leading to industry –ENGO negotiations. This would never have been possible, if the industry had been unable to act as a cohesive whole. How this intra-industry cooperation was achieved is not yet fully clear. Be that as it may, the negotiations were successful and led to the world’s first habitat bycatch limitation agreement, which came into place in 2012. The case study examines the negotiations and the degree of success of the agreement. It raises the question of the applicability of the B.C. experience to other fisheries in Canada and the rest of the world.