Course Syllabus

E375 ~ Techniques in Environmental Science ~ Spring 2017

Instructor:  Sarah Powers                                                                                        Admin. Support: Devin New          

Office:  SPEA 371 B                                                                                                      Office:  SPEA 4^th floor

Office Hours:    Monday 1:30-3:00                                                                        

Email:  sarellis@indiana.edu                                                                                                                                         

Teaching Assistant: Katie Halpin, office hours will be listed in announcements on canvas.

Classroom Lecture: Wednesday 2:30-3:45 pm SPEA 275 Lab:  Friday 1:00-5:00 pm, TBA – check the schedule, SPEA 275 is the classroom, most labs will be at the IURTP 

Texts:  Ambrose, H.W., K.P. Ambrose, D.J. Elem, and K.L. Bright. 2007. A Handbook of Biological Investigation. 7^th Edition. Hunter Textbooks, Winston Salem, NC. ISBN 0-88725-331-8

Prerequisites:  E272 or H316

Equipment

Wear sturdy shoes; bring rain gear and other protective clothing for inclement weather when necessary.  Water, snacks, sunglasses, first aid supplies, binoculars, a magnifying lens, etc, may also be helpful.

Course Description

E375 is a course that exposes students to a variety of research topics and techniques used in the environmental sciences.  Students will gain knowledge AND skills applicable to professions in the environmental sciences by actively participating in research experiences and demonstrations, scientific report writing and discussions of current literature in environmental science journals.  Topics will include approaches to research design, hypothesis testing and data collection, analysis and interpretation.  Students will also participate in laboratory and field sessions that employ different equipment and methods to examine different aspects of the environment.

Course format

This course is organized into modules each focusing on a different set of techniques used to evaluate environmental systems.  Most units are two weeks long and consist of lecture, reading, and background information gathering as well as a series of labs to observe, learn, and utilize techniques used to study environmental science.  Each unit will have at a minimum one deliverable to be handed in for each unit.  The deliverables will be primarily in the form of scientific reports. Scientific writing is a technique/skill used in the sciences so we will treat it as such and build on this skill throughout the semester.