UCOR Section Descriptions

Course Description

Virtually any chemical, even water, can be considered a "poison" at the right dose. Correspondingly, mankind faces a significant challenge to understand toxicology and to take the necessary personal and governmental actions to ensure long term global survival. This course is focused on the global challenges created by poison exposure and is an exploration of the scientific principles and technical advances that are at the intersection of toxicology, medicine, environmental health, law, and ethics.

Course Description

This course will address the issue of global climate change. We will discuss the science behind how humans can affect the global climate--covering the major greenhouse gasses, how they impact the climate, and how the current and projected changes compare to previous climactic and atmospheric shifts. Students will dig into the science behind the "climate controversies," and explain the various lines of evidence for how we know the global shift is already underway.

Course Description

The production of energy that powers human society presents one of the most critical and complex challenges facing the world today. Increasing amounts of energy will be needed as the world's population grows and as the standard of living for billions of the world's poorest people improves. Meanwhile, many energy sources we rely on today are limited, and many cause environmental harm in the form of pollution, hazardous waste, and global warming. Students in this course learn skills to evaluate current and future energy sources based on their technological, economic, and environmental merits and limitations. They use tools and knowledge from physics as the primary, but not unique, mode of inquiry. They emerge as well-informed participants in the civic discussion about our local, national, and global energy future.

Course Description

This course explores the impact of human population growth on the quantity and quality of water resources. It includes the fundamental aspects of the hydrologic cycle, human water demand, and water conservation. Water pumping and storage systems are introduced. The course also examines the technologies used for drinking water and wastewater treatment with a particular focus on those appropriate for the developing world.

Course Description

Are we on a path to destruction of the planet or is the media reporting hyperbolic claims influenced by hidden agendas? This course will examine 'green' lifestyle choices from two perspectives: the more cerebral understanding facilitated by traditional classroom meetings to discuss the biology behind environmental sustainability and the more visceral understanding afforded by reaching out beyond the classroom to experience first-hand some of the sustainability issues that affect our day to day lives.

Course Description

This course will address the issue of global climate change. We will discuss the science behind how humans can affect the global climate--covering the major greenhouse gasses, how they impact the climate, and how the current and projected changes compare to previous climactic and atmospheric shifts. Students will dig into the science behind the "climate controversies," and explain the various lines of evidence for how we know the global shift is already underway.

Course Description

This course explores the impact of human population growth on the quantity and quality of water resources. It includes the fundamental aspects of the hydrologic cycle, human water demand, and water conservation. Water pumping and storage systems are introduced. The course also examines the technologies used for drinking water and wastewater treatment with a particular focus on those appropriate for the developing world.

Course Description

Are we on a path to destruction of the planet or is the media reporting hyperbolic claims influenced by hidden agendas? This course will examine 'green' lifestyle choices from two perspectives: the more cerebral understanding facilitated by traditional classroom meetings to discuss the biology behind environmental sustainability and the more visceral understanding afforded by reaching out beyond the classroom to experience first-hand some of the sustainability issues that affect our day to day lives.

Course Description

This course will address the issue of global climate change. We will discuss the science behind how humans can affect the global climate--covering the major greenhouse gasses, how they impact the climate, and how the current and projected changes compare to previous climactic and atmospheric shifts. Students will dig into the science behind the "climate controversies," and explain the various lines of evidence for how we know the global shift is already underway.

Course Description

The production of energy that powers human society presents one of the most critical and complex challenges facing the world today. Increasing amounts of energy will be needed as the world's population grows and as the standard of living for billions of the world's poorest people improves. Meanwhile, many energy sources we rely on today are limited, and many cause environmental harm in the form of pollution, hazardous waste, and global warming. Students in this course learn skills to evaluate current and future energy sources based on their technological, economic, and environmental merits and limitations. They use tools and knowledge from physics as the primary, but not unique, mode of inquiry. They emerge as well-informed participants in the civic discussion about our local, national, and global energy future.