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Environmental Studies [clear]

Title	Offering	Standing	Credits	Credits	When	F	W	S	Description	Preparatory	Faculty	Days	Multiple Standings	Start Quarters	Open Quarters
Advanced Research in Environmental Studies Dylan Fischer, Carri LeRoy, Abir Biswas, Erik Thuesen and Alison Styring agriculture botany community studies ecology environmental studies geography geology health hydrology law and government policy marine science zoology Signature Required: Fall Winter Spring	Program	JR–SRJunior–Senior	V	V	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring	Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Environmental Studies. This independent learning opportunity is designed to allow advanced students to delve into real-world research with faculty who are currently engaged in specific projects. The program will help students develop vital skills in research design, data acquisition and interpretation, written and oral communication, collaboration and critical thinking skills—all of which are of particular value for students who are pursuing a graduate degree, as well as for graduates who are already in the job market. studies in nutrient and toxic trace metal cycles in terrestrial and coastal ecosystems. Potential projects could include studies of mineral weathering, wildfires and mercury cycling in ecosystems. Students could pursue these interests at the laboratory-scale or through field-scale biogeochemistry studies taking advantage of the Evergreen Ecological Observation Network (EEON), a long-term ecological study area. Students with backgrounds in a combination of geology, biology or chemistry could gain skills in soil, vegetation and water collection and learn methods of sample preparation and analysis for major and trace elements. studies plant ecosystem ecology, carbon dynamics and nutrient cycling in forests of the Southwest and western Washington. This work includes image analysis of tree roots, molecular genetics, plant physiology, carbon balance, nitrogen cycling, species interactions, community analysis and restoration ecology. He also manages the EEON project (blogs.evergreen.edu/eeon/). See more about his lab's work at: blogs.evergreen.edu/ecology. Students participating in this program work closely with ongoing research in the lab, participate in weekly lab meetings and develop their own research projects. conducts research on linkages between terrestrial and aquatic environments. She is trained as a freshwater ecologist and primarily studies in-stream ecosystem processes and aquatic communities. She and her students study leaf litter decomposition in streams as a major input of organic material to aquatic systems. In addition, she conducts research on aquatic macroinvertebrate community structure, aquatic fungal biomass and standard water quality and hydrology measurements in stream and river environments. studies birds. Current activity in her lab includes avian bioacoustics and avian monitoring and research in Evergreen’s campus forest and other nearby locations. Bioacoustic research includes field monitoring of local birds using bioacoustics methods and editing and identifying avian songs and calls from an extensive collection of sounds from the campus forest as well as tropical forest sites in Borneo. Local research projects in the campus forest and nearby locations include mapping and monitoring snags (standing dead trees) for wildlife use and monitoring bird populations and communities using a variety of standard approaches. conducts research on the ecological physiology of marine animals. He and his students are currently investigating the physiological, behavioral and biochemical adaptations of gelatinous zooplankton to environmental stress and climate change. Other research is focused on the biodiversity of marine zooplankton. Students working in his lab typically have backgrounds in different aspects of marine science, ecology, physiology and biochemistry.		Dylan Fischer Carri LeRoy Abir Biswas Erik Thuesen Alison Styring		Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Advanced Research in Environmental Studies with A. Biswas Abir Biswas ecology environmental studies field studies Signature Required: Fall Winter Spring	Research	JR–SRJunior–Senior	V	V	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring			Abir Biswas		Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Advanced Research in Environmental Studies with A. Styring Alison Styring ecology environmental studies field studies Signature Required: Fall Winter Spring	Research	JR–SRJunior–Senior	V	V	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring			Alison Styring		Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Advanced Research in Environmental Studies with C. LeRoy new Carri LeRoy ecology environmental studies field studies Signature Required: Fall Winter Spring	Research	JR–SRJunior–Senior	V	V	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring			Carri LeRoy		Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Advanced Research in Environmental Studies with D. Fischer Dylan Fischer ecology environmental studies field studies Signature Required: Fall Winter Spring	Research	JR–SRJunior–Senior	V	V	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring		plant ecology and physiology, field ecology, restoration ecology	Dylan Fischer		Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Alternate Route Jennifer Gerend and Matthew Smith community studies environmental studies geography government history political science sustainability studies	Program	JR–SRJunior–Senior	16	16	Day		W 15Winter		Far more than simply a means of getting somewhere, our roads, trails and paths have significance beyond their everyday utility. From historic trading linkages to the design patterns of a city’s master plan, some routes achieve a permanence we appreciate today while others are eliminated or redirected altogether. We will consider historic and contemporary roads and trails in the U.S. and abroad, from ancient pilgrimage routes in Europe to scenic byways in the U.S. - or today’s planning goals to create “complete streets” (bicycles, cars and pedestrians). How do these routes affect us as human beings, and how do they shape cities and other landscapes?A wide variety of material will address larger theoretical concepts about the role of the street in urban, suburban and rural contexts as well as how roads, paths, and trails are planned and paid for in practice today. Moreover, we will explore formal and less formal arrangements of connecting places (e.g., neighborhood paths, rails-to-trails, and easements). This program theme will be approached from the disciplines of urban planning, political science, and history through readings, lectures, workshops and field trips. Student learning will be achieved through the close examination of texts, papers, explorations in the field, and group work.		Jennifer Gerend Matthew Smith		Junior JR Senior SR	Winter	Winter
Avian Monitoring and Research Methods Alison Styring biology ecology environmental studies field studies natural history zoology	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day		W 15Winter		Birds are important indicators of habitat quality and are often the focus of conservation-oriented research, restoration, and monitoring. We will cover a variety of field and analytical methods commonly used in bird monitoring and avian research. Students will link theory to practice in the field and lab where they will develop skills in fieldwork, data management, and statistical analysis. Students will demonstrate their learning through active participation in all class activities; a detailed field journal; in-class, take-home, and field assignments; and a final project.An understanding of avian natural history is important to any successful project, and students without a working knowledge of the common birds in the South Puget Sound region are expected to improve their identification skills to a level that will allow them to effectively contribute to class efforts both in the field and in class.		Alison Styring		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Winter	Winter
Botany: Plants and People Frederica Bowcutt and Lalita Calabria botany cultural studies environmental studies field studies history natural history writing Signature Required: Winter	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	8, 16	08 16	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter		The fall portion of this program serves both full-time and half-time students who are looking for an opportunity to expand their understanding of plants and challenge themselves. Students will learn about plant anatomy, morphology and systematics. Lectures based on textbook readings supplement the laboratory work. The learning community will explore how present form and function informs us about the evolution of major groups of plants such as mosses, ferns, conifers and flowering plants. Students will get hands-on experience studying plants under microscopes and in the field. Students will also learn how to maintain a detailed and illustrated nature journal to develop basic identification skills of common species of plants. Field observational data sharing will occur through online citizen science venues. Quizzes, exams, and weekly assignments will help students and faculty assess learning. In fall there is no upper-division science credit. The part-time option only exists in fall.FULL-TIME ONLY: For students enrolled full-time in the program, this is a two-quarter program, which allows students to learn introductory and advanced botanical material in an interdisciplinary format. In winter, full-time students will study algae, seaweed herbarium specimen preparation, twig identification, and help build a database of phenological information on a variety of local natural events including bud burst. During both fall and winter, they will also focus on people's relationships with plants for food, fiber, medicine and aesthetics. Students will study economic botany through seminar texts, films and lectures that examine agriculture, basketmaking, forestry, herbology and horticulture. They will examine political economic factors that shape our relations with plants. Through economic and historical lenses, the learning community will inquire about why people have favored some plants and not others or radically changed their preferences, such as considering a former cash crop to be a weed. In our readings, we will examine the significant roles botany has played in colonialism, imperialism and globalization. Students will also investigate the gender politics of botany. For example, botany was used to inculcate "appropriate" middle- and upper-class values among American and European women in the 18th and 19th century. Initiatives to foster more socially just and environmentally sustainable relations with plants will be investigated. In fall, weekly workshops will help the full-time students improve their ability to write thesis-driven essays defended with evidence from the assigned texts in cultural studies. In winter, full-time students will write a major research paper on a plant of their choosing applying what they've learned about plant biology and economic botany to their own case study. Through a series of workshops, they will learn to search the scientific literature, manage bibliographic data and interpret and synthesize information, including primary sources. Through their research paper, students will synthesize scientific and cultural information about their plant. : The part-time option is fall only. Students electing to register for this option are encouraged to also register for Field Mycology (8-cr), also fall only.		Frederica Bowcutt Lalita Calabria	Mon Tue Wed Fri	Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter
Branching Out: An Ethnobotanical Garden in Community Marja Eloheimo Native American studies botany community studies consciousness studies environmental studies health natural history sustainability studies writing	Program	FR–SRFreshmen–Senior	12	12	Weekend	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring	Working as a project team, this program has a mission. Students will continue to tend and refine habitat and theme areas in the Longhouse Ethnobotanical Garden, including the Sister Garden (patterned after a medicinal garden we created on the Skokomish Indian Reservation) as well as create valuable educational resources that contribute to the Evergreen community, local K-12 schools, local First Nations, and a growing global collective of ethnobotanical gardens that promote environmental and cultural diversity and sustainability. During , we will become acquainted with the garden and its plants, habitats, history, and existing educational materials. We will begin to engage in seasonal garden care and development, learning concepts and skills related to botany, ecology, Indigenous studies, and sustainable medicine. We will also establish goals related to further developing educational materials and activities, including a Web presence. Students will have the opportunity to select and begin specific independent and group projects that include learning knowledge and skills pertinent to their completion. During , we will focus on the garden's "story" through continued project work at a more independent level. Students will work intensively on skill development, research, and project planning and implementation. We will also be active during the winter transplant season and will prepare procurement and planting plans for the spring season. During , we will add plants to and care for the garden, wrapping up all of the work we have begun. We will establish opportunities to share the garden and our newly created educational materials, effectively enabling the garden to "branch out." This program requires commitment to a meaningful real-world project and strongly encourages yearlong participation. It also cultivates community within the program by nurturing each member's contributions and growth, and acknowledges the broader contexts of sustainability and global transformation.		Marja Eloheimo	Sat Sun	Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Climate Solutions Rob Cole environmental studies law and public policy sustainability studies	Program	JR–SRJunior–Senior	16	16	Day		W 15Winter		We will explore the causes of global climate change and study the many actions and social behaviors that we can take to minimize human contributions to it. We will examine the scientific evidence for global warming and the efforts to discredit that evidence. We will study the role of multinational corporations in global climate change and how they influence governmental policies and public opinion. We will focus on how to respond to global warming in a fashion that works toward sustainability and equity in the ecosystems that support life on the planet. We will pay particular attention to issues of justice between humans and how humans interact with other species.In order to understand actions we can take, this program will explore sustainable lifestyle strategies as well as how to resist corporate influence on consumer consumption. We will study the approaches of biomimicry, sustainable architecture, equitable distribution of food and shelter, minimal-impact industrial processes, local food production, less toxic methods of producing and a variety of low-impact lifestyles. We will examine the methods advocated by visionary groups like Second Nature, Climate Solutions and Cradle-to-Cradle. We will study current federal energy policy and its connection to climate change, as well as the more proactive policies adopted by hundreds of cities. Students will complete a series of audits of their personal consumption and carbon-generation patterns. We will study methods of computing carbon dioxide budgets including carbon sequestration methods, the intricacies of carbon capping and offsetting strategies and opportunities to reduce net carbon dioxide production. Students can expect to do research on emerging technologies and strategies that move us to carbon neutrality while fostering sustainability and justice.In addition to exploring how we can all lessen our impact on global climate change and move toward equity, students can expect to sharpen their critical reasoning, writing and speaking skills, as well as their ability to work with quantitative methods and to interpret quantitative data from a variety of sources.Students will be expected to make at least two small-group presentations on a climate solution of their own choosing and complete a term research paper on a topic of their choice.		Rob Cole	Mon Wed Thu	Junior JR Senior SR	Winter	Winter
Cultural Landscapes: Sustainable Communities, Environmental Justice and the Media Therese Saliba, Anne Fischel and Ted Whitesell community studies cultural studies environmental studies media studies sustainability studies Signature Required: Winter Spring	Program	FR–SOFreshmen–Sophomore	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring	How do different cultures, communities, classes, genders and other groups experience and utilize landscapes differently? How do peoples’ stories or histories converge or conflict in relationship to any given place? What are communities doing to build a more just and sustainable future? How do we read power relations in the landscape?Studying “cultural landscapes” means looking at how the land bears the imprint of generations of human cultures. We will learn to read landscapes as primary sources of information about culture, community identity and the relationship between humans and their environment.This program will focus on how the transformations of landscapes are linked to struggles for sustainability and justice. In the exploration of these questions, we will study the foundations of cultural, environmental, media and sustainability studies. Selected topics in sustainability studies will be introduced, including the study of complex systems, climate change, human population, environmental justice, energy and species extinction. We will look at the role of photography and film in shaping our understanding of people, places and resources. We will also learn how people in diverse political, economic and social situations are working to create just and sustainable communities, as we observe, analyze and engage with communities involved in these efforts.We will examine the histories of expansion, colonization, globalization and migration in the Middle East, the American West and the U.S./Mexico border region during fall quarter. In winter, we will examine specific contested landscapes through international case studies of Iraq, Israel/Palestine, Egypt Venezuela and Brazil. The centerpiece of spring quarter will be learning about landscapes of sustainability and justice through active engagement with the communities here in South Puget Sound.Each quarter, students will get hands-on field experience in the landscapes and cultures of the Pacific Northwest, through multiple field trips lasting between one and three days. We’ll focus on the importance of regional river systems like the Columbia, Elwha and Duwamish Rivers and we’ll examine the controversies and struggles that different communities and cultures have engaged in regarding their use. We may also visit Mount Rainier, Whidbey Island and the cities of Seattle, Centralia, Shelton and Olympia. Students will learn skills in field observation through the use of field journals, descriptive writing and photography. Students will have the option to develop a practice of photography that reflects on what they have learned to see in the landscape and makes visible some of the contested histories and cultures of the places we are coming to know. Finally, students will gain skills in expository writing and analysis of cultural texts, including literature and films that explore the relationships of communities to their environments and how their identity is influenced by their sense of place.		Therese Saliba Anne Fischel Ted Whitesell		Freshmen FR Sophomore SO	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Earth Dynamics: Climate, People and History EJ Zita, Bret Weinstein and Nancy Koppelman American studies agriculture biology ecology economics environmental studies history physics sustainability studies Signature Required: Winter	Program	FR–SOFreshmen–Sophomore	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter		Earth’s environment has been shaped by human activity for hundreds of thousands of years, since early humans discovered fire. More recently, since Earth warmed out of the last ice age, humans developed agriculture and stable societies enabled the rapid development and self-transformation of cultures. Agricultural activities began to emit greenhouse gases and to change Earth’s air, water and land. People changed as well and began to document their activities, ideas and reflections. Millennia later, modern human societies use fossil fuels and modify landscapes with such intensity that Earth is unlikely to experience another ice age. Both contemporary industrial and ancient subsistence practices are part of the same long story of how human beings have used and shaped the environment and, through it, ourselves.This program will examine how changes in the Earth system facilitated or necessitated human adaptations or evolutions. To Western eyes, until perhaps 150 years ago, the Earth’s resources seemed virtually inexhaustible. Organized human thought and activity unleashed unprecedented powers which reshaped the Earth. Life expectancy increased; arts flourished. The ideas of Enlightenment thinkers and the energies they harnessed seemed to promise unlimited progress. Yet some wondered if progress might have a dark side. They developed critiques of the practices changing how people produced food and materials, traveled and warmed their homes. What can we learn from their voices in the historical record, given what we now know about global warming and other anthropogenic impacts on Earth systems?We’ll ask how human practices changed not only local environments but large-scale global processes. We’ll note patterns of interaction between people and Earth over time. We'll study natural as well as human drivers of climate change, including Sun-Earth interactions, volcanoes and greenhouse gases. We’ll consider the changing role of science in providing the understanding required for people and planet to thrive together. We’ll examine whether/how modern consumer societies are uniquely positioned to hasten and/or slow the dangerous direction in which modern resource use is driving our planet’s ecosystem. Is global warming a disaster, an opportunity or both? How do we adapt now, in the face of the most dramatic change to the Earth system in human history?Our work will include lectures, discussions, workshops, labs, quantitative homework, expository essays, responses to peers’ essays, teamwork and field trips.		EJ Zita Bret Weinstein Nancy Koppelman		Freshmen FR Sophomore SO	Fall	Fall Winter
Environmental Analysis Abir Biswas, Carri LeRoy and Clyde Barlow biology chemistry ecology environmental studies field studies geology writing Signature Required: Winter Spring	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring	Well-designed and accurate chemical, ecological and geological measurements are key to assessing the biogeochemistry of natural ecosystems. This is a field- and laboratory-intensive science program designed for students with solid preparations in general chemistry, biology, geology and precalculus math who want to pursue more advanced investigations of bio-geo-chemical systems. Students will study statistics, geochemistry, analytical chemistry, freshwater ecology and GIS programming. Instrumental techniques of chemical analysis will be developed in an advanced laboratory. Program work will emphasize quantitative analysis, quality control procedures, research design and technical writing.During fall and winter quarters, we will address topics in carbon and nutrient cycling in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, in addition to analytical chemistry, GIS, statistics and instrumental methods of chemical analysis. Students will participate in group projects studying water quality, trophic structure, organic matter and nutrient cycling processes of local watersheds. Analytical procedures based on EPA, USGS and other guidelines will be utilized to measure major and trace anion and cation concentrations and weathering rates in natural systems, and to measure analytes and phytochemicals critical to quantification of leaf-litter decay processes and marine-derived inputs to ecosystem function in freshwater systems. Computers and statistical methods will be used extensively for data analysis and simulation, as well as for work with GIS.In the fall, there will be a week-long field trip to collect natural waters from diverse sites in Eastern Washington. These samples will form the basis for testing and evaluating chemical analysis methods and for developing a quantitative assessment of the geochemistry of the waters. In the winter, students will collect and analyze samples from a suite of ecosystem compartments (e.g., soil horizons, leaves, woody debris, streams, biota) to quantify nutrient storage and cycling on the landscape.Spring quarter will be devoted to extensive project work building on skills developed in the fall and winter. Students will conduct hypothesis-driven experimental design, sample collection, analysis, and statistical interpretations prior to presenting their results in both oral and written form to conclude the year.		Abir Biswas Carri LeRoy Clyde Barlow		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Field Mycology: Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest Noelle Machnicki botany environmental studies field studies natural history	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	8	08	Day	F 14 Fall			This 8-credit, fall quarter program is intended for both beginning and advanced students who are interested in exploring biology, basic ecology, and natural history though the lens of fungi.Students will participate in active lectures and discussions of reading material to learn about the fundamentals of fungal biology, ecology, and explore connections between fungi, humans, and the environment. Weekly labs and field work will provide students with hands-on workshops on the morphology, identification, and systematics of mushroom-forming fungi in the Pacific Northwest. Students will learn to formally describe and identify fungi using morphological and microscopic techniques and learn to use a variety of taxonomic resources, including keys and computer programs. At the end of the quarter, students will be able to identify many local mushrooms on sight, including edible, medicinal, and poisonous species. Several day trips will provide students with an opportunity for collecting specimens in varied habitats and to learn about the natural history of western Washington.		Noelle Machnicki	Wed Wed Thu Thu	Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall
Geopolitics, Energy, Economics and Stewardship of the Pacific Northwest Ralph Murphy and Zoe Van Schyndel business and management economics environmental studies political economy political science sustainability studies	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day			S 15Spring	This program examines the political, ecological and energy-related foundations of the Pacific Northwest’s culture and economy. The unique mix of energy, natural resources, agriculture, manufacturing, military, high technology and finance have created a diverse cultural and economic base. The regional economy, led by manufacturing, agriculture, forest products and finance, served the region well during most of the 20th century, creating a variety of sources of employment and opportunities for families to achieve a high quality of life.Changes in the late 20th and early 21st century present new challenges. As we explore these changes, our goals are to define a concrete vision of a sustainable economy in the Pacific Northwest that will account for employment, prosperity and preservation and restoration of the environment, as well as to examine the roles public policy and entrepreneurship can play to ensure it is achievable, and to understand why it is important to transition to a sustainable future. We believe innovation, creativity and stewardship will help achieve the goals of this program to positively benefit the region.Three overarching topics will be explored in depth. Pacific Northwest energy regimes—including natural gas, hydroelectric sources and emerging technologies of tidal, geothermal and wind—will be examined. Energy is vital to the Pacific Northwest because of the comparative advantages on price the region has long enjoyed. We will examine the composition of, and changes in, the regional economy, including how to understand key economic relationships, how technology and other emerging sectors impact education, demographics, employment, wage structures and demands for infrastructure and tax base. To fully understand energy and the regional economy, we will integrate considerations of how economics, governance and ecology are now at critical turning points.This program is organized around class work that includes lectures, workshops, book seminars and field trips. Assignments will include seminar papers, field trip reports, briefing papers, individual and team research and a final project and presentation.		Ralph Murphy Zoe Van Schyndel	Tue Tue Wed Thu Fri Fri	Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Spring	Spring
Green Nature, Human Nature Emily Lardner and Karen Hogan botany ecology environmental studies sustainability studies writing	Program	FR–SRFreshmen–Senior	8, 12	08 12	Evening and Weekend			S 15Spring	Plants keep the Earth and all of us alive. In , we will explore connections and intersections between "green nature"—the beautiful and fascinating realm of plant biology—and human nature. Students will develop a solid foundation in green nature—plant biology—and learn to do qualitative research as they explore how people think and feel about plants. These two questions will guide our work: Whether you’ve been a plant lover all your life or are just starting to notice the green nature around you, this program will introduce you to key concepts in plant biology and ecology and help you develop your skills of observation. We will approach the study of plants through biology and ecology with a mixture of readings, lectures, field observations and laboratory work. We will explore how people think and feel about plants—favorite house plants, flower and vegetable gardens, tree-lined streets, wild forests—by designing and conducting qualitative research studies tied to program readings. Students will engage in a range of learning activities, including frequent short writing exercises designed to increase your understanding of critical biological concepts and your ability to communicate them to non-scientists. Students will also be guided through the process of doing a qualitative research study, exploring current issues in plant-people relationships, conducting interviews and interpreting transcripts, and presenting their results in a formal research paper. Students will also keep field journals, and participate together in at least one community-based plant-related project (such as Native Plant Salvage or Kiwanis Food Bank Garden. The twelve-credit version of the program will overlap with the eight-credit version, and will feature an additional evening of class for hands-on work to develop more depth and detail in the scientific study of plants.		Emily Lardner Karen Hogan	Mon Wed Sat	Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Spring	Spring
Individual Study: Water Law, Cultural Studies and the Arts Cheri Lucas-Jennings American studies aesthetics agriculture community studies cultural studies ecology environmental studies field studies gender and women's studies government health hydrology international studies law and public policy media arts political economy political science sustainability studies visual arts writing Signature Required: Fall	Contract	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day and Evening	F 14 Fall			Individual studies offers important opportunities for advanced students to create their own course of study and research. Prior to the beginning of the quarter, interested individuals or small groups of students must consult with the faculty sponsor to develop an outline of proposed projects to be described in an Individual Learning Contract. If students wish to gain internship experience they must secure the agreement and signature of a field supervisor prior to the initiation of the internship contract.This faculty welcomes internships and contracts in the areas of the arts (including acrylic and oil painting, sculpture, or textiles); water policy and hydrolic systems; environmental health; health policy; public law; cultural studies; ethnic studies; permaculture, economics of agriculture; toxins and brownfields; community planning, intranational relations.This opportunity is open to those who wish to continue with applied projects that seek to create social change in our community; artists engaged in creative projects and those beginning internship work at the State capitol who seek to expand their experience to public agencies and non-profit institutions; and to those interested in the study of low income populations and legal aid.		Cheri Lucas-Jennings		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall
Introduction to Environmental Studies Gerardo Chin-Leo, Dharshi Bopegedera and Ralph Murphy chemistry ecology economics environmental studies political science Signature Required: Winter	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter		This two-quarter program is designed to serve as a foundation for advanced programs in environmental studies. As such, it will survey a range of disciplines and skills essential for environmental problem solving from both a scientific and social science perspective. Specifically, we will study ecology, chemistry, American political and economic history, political science, environmental policy-making and micro/environmental economics. In addition, we will develop field, lab, quantitative reasoning and statistics skills with the goal of understanding current issues on a wide range of topics in environmental studies.In fall quarter, we will examine local environmental issues such as degradation of aquatic systems, introduced exotic species, harmful algal blooms, salmon fisheries and local consequences of global climate change. Science lectures will develop the principles and skills relevant to understanding environmental phenomena and processes; the ecology lectures and fieldwork will examine the factors controlling the species diversity, distribution and productivity of organisms; and the chemistry lectures and labs will present atomic structure, the applications of the periodic table, nature of the chemical bond and stoichiometric calculations while developing students’ quantitative reasoning skills. Social science lectures will examine how the values of democracy and capitalism from the founding era to the present influence resource management, the scope and limitations of governmental policymaking, regulatory agencies and environmental law. Understanding the different levels (federal, state, local) of governmental responsibility for environmental protection will be explored in-depth. Finally, there will be an introduction to research design and statistics.In winter quarter, we will continue the presentation of principles in ecology, chemistry and social science relevant to environmental studies and continue to develop quantitative approaches to data analysis. The thematic focus will shift to a more global scale and we will examine in depth three major challenges for the early 21th century: natural resources, global warming and energy. These related topics require an understanding of the science, politics and economics of each issue and how they interact. In addition to studying the science and policy underlying these issues, we will explore how economic analysis can be used as a problem-solving tool for environmental issues.The material will be presented through lectures, workshops, seminars, labs, field trips/fieldwork and quantitative methods. Field trips, seminar and case studies will offer opportunities to see how science and policy interact in environmental issues.		Gerardo Chin-Leo Dharshi Bopegedera Ralph Murphy		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter
Marine Biodiversity Erik Thuesen and Pauline Yu environmental studies field studies marine science zoology	Program	JR–SRJunior–Senior	16	16	Day			S 15Spring	This program focuses on learning the identity and evolutionary relationships of marine multicellular organisms. Oceans support an extremely diverse group of autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms, which together comprise an important fraction of Earth’s biodiversity. The proximity of Evergreen's campus to various marine habitats provides excellent opportunities to study many diverse groups of organisms. Emphasis will be placed on learning the regional marine flora and fauna. Students will learn fundamental laboratory and field techniques and will be required to complete a research project utilizing the available microscopy facilities (light and scanning electron microscopes). Workshops on the statistical analysis of biodiversity will provide a quantitative aspect to our work. This program will include extensive work in both the lab and field.		Erik Thuesen Pauline Yu		Junior JR Senior SR	Spring	Spring
Ornithology Alison Styring biology ecology environmental studies field studies natural history zoology	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall			Birds are among the most diverse vertebrates found on the earth. We will explore the causes of this incredible diversity through a well-rounded investigation of general bird biology, the evolution of flight (and its implications) and the complex ecological interactions of birds with their environments. This program has considerable field and lab components and students will be expected to develop strong bird identification skills, including Latin names, and extensive knowledge of avian anatomy and physiology. We will learn a variety of field and analytical techniques currently used in bird monitoring and research. We will take several day trips to field sites in the Puget Sound region throughout the quarter to hone our bird-watching skills and practice field-monitoring techniques. Students will keep field journals documenting their skill development in species identification and proficiency in a variety of field methodologies. Learning will also be assessed through exams, quizzes, field assignments, group work and participation.		Alison Styring		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall
The Power in Our Hands: Pathways to Social Change revised Tyrus Smith, Peter Boome, TBD, Suzanne Simons, Frances Solomon, Barbara Laners, Peter Bacho, Anthony Zaragoza, Paul McCreary, Gilda Sheppard and Mingxia Li biology community studies cultural studies environmental studies government history law and public policy literature mathematics political economy sociology	Program	JR–SRJunior–Senior	16	16	Day and Evening	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring	This year’s program is designed to help students explore the history of how working hands have built the material world around us and shaped the environment, which in turn has molded our own consciousness. Realizing the capacity of working hands and the possible dual relationship between our hands with our mind is the critical first step toward empowerment of the working majority and potential social transformation.Arguably, all human expressions of intelligence both in art/craft and the written/spoken word are rooted in the hands. We will examine the theories and practices in humanities, social sciences, mathematics, natural sciences, media and technology that simultaneously represent and influence works by the hands of individuals, groups and organizations to change our society and environment locally, nationally and globally throughout the ages. For example, hands of different genders, races and social affiliations, hands that cradle, cook, weed, maneuver, calculate, experiment, film, draw, write and type will all be possible study subjects. Metaphors originated from hands, such as feel one’s way, to grasp the meaning, the right touch vs. heavy-handed, to be in touch vs. out of touch, and handling it right vs. wrong, as well as in one’s hand vs. out of one’s hand just begin to inform us how important our hands are in our consciousness. Hand gestures that solidify social bonding, express trust and admiration, and symbolize social contract are the beginning toward building social capital and cohesive communities. Our coordinated studies program consists of two major components: 1) whole campus yearlong lyceum/seminar where faculty and students will study the program theme from a broad multi-disciplined perspective, and 2) quarter long courses with a more focused approach. These courses will cover topical areas such as sociology, government, politics, education, math, law, public health, life science, media art, youth study, environment, community development, women's empowerment and political economy. The two components are linked through the program theme. In both components, we will pay particular attention to the “hands-on” style of learning through critical reflection and creative practices. Besides lyceum/seminar, a student will select two additional courses each quarter depending on career interest. The majority of the classes in the program are team-taught.Fall quarter will lay the foundation for the rest of the year, both substantively and in terms of the tools necessary for students to operate effectively in the learning community.During winter quarter, students will collaborate to investigate the characteristics and motivations of social entrepreneurs and develop action plans to promote social change.In spring quarter, we will bridge the gap between theory (mind) and practice (hand) by carrying out an action plan developed during winter quarter.		Tyrus Smith Peter Boome TBD Suzanne Simons Frances Solomon Barbara Laners Peter Bacho Anthony Zaragoza Paul McCreary Gilda Sheppard Mingxia Li		Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Practice of Organic Agriculture: Spring, Summer David Muehleisen and Paul Przybylowicz agriculture botany business and management ecology environmental studies Signature Required: Spring	Program	FR–SRFreshmen–Senior	16	16	Day			S 15Spring	This three-quarter program (spring, summer and fall quarters) will explore the details of organic farming and food production systems using the underlying sciences as a framework. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of agriculture, the various topical threads (botany, soils, horticulture, business etc.) will be presented throughout all three quarters, and while our primary focus will be on small-scale organic production, we will examine a variety of production systems. Our emphasis will be on the scientific underpinning and practical applications critical for growing food using ecologically informed methods, along with the management and business skills appropriate for small-scale production.We will be studying and working on the Evergreen Organic Farm through an entire growing season, from starting seed to the sale of farm products. The farm includes an on-campus market stand and CSA as well as a variety of other demonstration areas. All students will work on the farm every week to gain practical experiential learning. This program is rigorous both physically and academically and requires a willingness to work outside in adverse weather on a schedule determined by the needs of crops and animals raised on the farm.During spring quarter, we will focus on soil science, nutrient management, and crop botany. Additional topics may include introduction to animal husbandry, annual and perennial plant propagation, season extension, and the principles and practice of composting. In summer, the main topics will be disease and pest management, which include entomology, plant pathology and weed biology. Water management, irrigation system design, maximizing market and value-added opportunities and regulatory issues will also be covered. Fall quarter's focus will be on farm and business planning, crop physiology, storage techniques and cover crops.If you are a student with a disability and would like to request accommodations, please contact the faculty or the office of Access Services (Library Bldg. Rm. 2153, PH: 360.867.6348; TTY 360.867.6834) prior to the start of the quarter. If you require accessible transportation for field trips, please contact the faculty well in advance of the field trip dates to allow time to arrange this.Students planning to take this program who are receiving financial aid should contact financial aid early in fall quarter 2014 to develop a financial aid plan that includes summer quarter 2015.		David Muehleisen Paul Przybylowicz		Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Spring	Spring
River Resources Kenneth Tabbutt and Tom Womeldorff economics environmental studies geology hydrology political economy	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day		W 15Winter	S 15Spring	River systems carry more than water. Rivers transfer energy, sediment and dissolved materials; modify the landscape; provide water and nutrients to ecosystems and agriculture. They are corridors for the migration of fish, facilitate commerce, and attract recreation and development.Because of the wide range of demands placed on rivers, laws and policies have been developed to limit and allocate how these resources can be used. Effective management of river resources is inherently interdisciplinary, requiring the application of knowledge in both environmental sciences and management. We will examine geology, hydrology, fluvial geomorphology and aqueous chemistry, environmental economics and benefit-cost analysis with an emphasis on how society has impacted some of the natural river processes. Our modes of learning will include seminars, lectures, problem-solving workshops, science and GIS labs, project work and field studies.In winter, we will focus on natural resource economics, physical geology and surface water hydrology. Quantitative problem solving will be emphasized. In addition, students will be introduced to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and develop skills in analyzing and displaying spatial data associated with river systems and drainage basins. There will be several daylong field trips to study local river systems in Western Washington.In spring quarter, we will turn our attention to fluvial geomorphology, aqueous chemistry and benefit-cost analysis. Students will participate in project work and there will be an extended field trip to the Columbia River Basin in Eastern Washington.		Kenneth Tabbutt Tom Womeldorff		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Winter	Winter Spring
Technical Writing in the 21st Century Erik Thuesen environmental studies marine science writing zoology	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter		Each student will choose a specific topic and read 10 documents related to the topic. Based on these readings and other sources, each student will write a corresponding review paper, an online technical digest and a proposal for future work in the specific area. Students will receive critique from peers and the faculty member. Students will be responsible for editing and critiquing a specific number of papers written by other students in the program. A final collaboratively written assignment will also be undertaken. Clear deadlines for reading and writing assignments will be established for all students at the start of the program to make it easier to stay on track. This program will make it possible for students to further develop written work from research projects carried out in previous studies if they so desire. Credit is expected to be awarded in the specific area of research, technical writing and technical editing. Students wishing to enroll in this program for winter quarter only will be welcomed on a space available basis.		Erik Thuesen		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter
Trees Dylan Fischer biology botany environmental studies field studies natural history writing	Program	FR ONLYFreshmen Only	16	16	Day			S 15Spring	How do trees, and forest communities, function? What makes them tick? What determines the tallest trees in the world? What makes trees some of the oldest organisms on earth? These and many other questions about trees have captivated humans since the dawn of time. In this program we will closely examine trees in their variety of form and function. We will use our studies to learn how understanding of tree form and function integrates study of botany, mathematics, physics, chemistry, geography and ecology.Our studies will be divided between those that focus on individual trees, forests and whole forests. We will also read classic and recent texts about human interactions with trees and how our relationships to trees still help shape our collective identities and cultures. Students will learn how to read and interpret recent scientific studies from peer-reviewed journals and be challenged to reconcile popular belief about the roles of trees with scientific observations. Day trips, workshops, labs and a multiple-day field trip will allow us to observe some of the largest trees on the West Coast and observe and measure trees in extreme environments. Communication skills will be emphasized, particularly reading scientific articles and writing for scientific audiences. We will also practice skills for communicating to a broader public using nonfiction and technical writing.		Dylan Fischer		Freshmen FR	Spring	Spring
Visualizing Permaculture Lucia Harrison and Steven Scheuerell aesthetics agriculture botany ecology environmental studies natural history sustainability studies visual arts	Program	FR–SRFreshmen–Senior	16	16	Day			S 15Spring	Permaculture is a global movement that works to design sustainable human habitation systems embedded in local cultures and ecosystems. The permaculture design process is highly collaborative and relies on visual communication to share ideas on paper, create maps, and finalize design plans. In studying this design process students will learn observation skills, ecological principles including disturbance, competition, succession , polycultures, and an introduction to soils, plants, microclimates, hydrology, earthworks, ecobuilding, and energy and water storage systems. Students in this program will also study the philosophy of permaculture and visit local places for site evaluation and design inspiration. Students will learn basic drawing techniques to record observations of the physical, biological and social features of a space as well as imagine and communicate alternative visions. They will keep design journals to record ideas and build drawing skills. Students will collaborate in small groups to create and present a design project that encompasses the iterative client-based permaculture design process taught in class.		Lucia Harrison Steven Scheuerell	Tue Wed Thu Fri	Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Spring	Spring
Wildlife Biology: Birds and Fishes Alison Styring and Amy Cook biology ecology environmental studies field studies natural history zoology	Program	JR–SRJunior–Senior	16	16	Day			S 15Spring	One of the key elements in conservation biology is the study of organisms in the wild, often called wildlife biology. Originally a field that focused on the management of game animals, this discipline has developed into something much broader, playing a key role in the conservation of a wide variety of types of animals and habitats. Modern wildlife biology pulls from a variety of fields including genetics, taxonomy, animal behavior and ecology.In this program we will focus on two groups of animals: birds and fishes. We will learn the taxonomy, behavior and ecology of these animals in the context of labs, fieldwork and lecture. Building on this background information, students will look at several key issues in the conservation of birds and fishes. These include conservation efforts around native fishes of the arid West, river restoration and salmonids, and management and conservation of aquatic and terrestrial bird species.What is the experience of the urban salmon or the urban crow? How do people respond as deer, coyotes and bears make greater and greater use of their neighborhoods? Wildlife biology is not just about animals; humans also come into the equation. As urban and suburban areas expand, modern wildlife biology increasingly deals with fragmentation of habitat and the interaction between humans and animals. We will examine these interactions as well as more traditional human-wildlife interactions in the form of hunting and fishing.Program activities will include lectures, labs and workshops focused on the biology of birds and fishes and their conservation and management. Seminar will include papers in the primary literature and books and other readings on select topics in wildlife biology. Students are expected to develop their skills in critical thinking, collaborative work and college writing.		Alison Styring Amy Cook		Junior JR Senior SR	Spring	Spring
Wildlife: Conservation and Writing Peter Impara and Anne de Marcken (Forbes) ecology environmental studies field studies geography natural history writing	Program	JR–SRJunior–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall			What does it take to prevent the extinction of a species? Scientific skills, ecological knowledge, a thorough understanding of governmental process, you have to make people care. This interdisciplinary program will provide students with the tools to develop recovery and conservation plans for endangered species of the Pacific Northwest, and to use writing to communicate the importance of conservation to both scientific and lay audiences. Students will apply a rigorous approach to collecting and analyzing biological, ecological, and habitat data. Using tools such as GIS to develop habitat suitability and cost surface maps, students will learn the importance of developing spatial analyses that communicate ecological information for decision making and planning. They will integrate information into species recovery plans, learning to effectively communicate goals, objectives, actions and options while following federal guidelines.Students will advance their understanding of writing fundamentals while cultivating the ability to shape compelling narratives that engage the imagination. Students will study a variety of science and nature writing for examples of how form and content work together to tell a story. Writing exercises and assignments will help students develop skill with syntax, basic grammar, clarity and form in order to meaningfully contextualize ecological and scientific information.Students will work in research groups to develop their recovery plans, and will work both collaboratively and independently on writing assignments. Lecture topics will include island biogeography and meta-population theory, landscape-scale conservation and ecosystem management approaches, the history and implications of the endangered species act and legal and political issues surrounding species conservation. Writing workshops and assignments, peer and faculty critique, and seminar will be ongoing throughout the program. A 10-day field trip to Yellowstone National Park will allow students to query wildlife managers and conservationists and to experience firsthand one of the most wildlife-intensive areas of North America.		Peter Impara Anne de Marcken (Forbes)		Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall
Worlds of Waste: Urbanization, Sanitation, and Design Eric Stein and Jennifer Gerend anthropology cultural studies environmental studies health history law and public policy	Program	FR–SRFreshmen–Senior	16	16	Day			S 15Spring	In this one quarter program, we will explore the connections between human waste, urbanization, disease, and cultural order. Looking both globally and in the U.S., with an emphasis on the Puget Sound Region, we will consider wastewater planning efforts both past and present. From global philanthropic efforts to address sanitary living conditions to new innovations in household bathroom infrastructure, our examination will address both system-wide plans as well as detailed design issues of individual units. Students will learn about urban wastewater infrastructure, technical innovations in green building solutions, such as grey water systems, and developments in low-income settings globally. We will also explore the cultural dimensions of purity and waste, looking at potty humor, the gendering of bathroom spaces, pollution, and social class. Students should be prepared to confront and question their own "yuck" thresholds as we peek into sewers, observe wastewater treatment, and inhale the waft of waste.Students will be engaged in group projects and presentations, writing based on readings of texts, fieldtrips to waste management sites, speakers, and documentaries. This program will uniquely prepare students planning to pursue careers or graduate work in public infrastructure, urban planning, global health, international development and philanthropy, or engineering.		Eric Stein Jennifer Gerend		Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Spring	Spring