Student Resources
The University of Minnesota offers world-class environmental programs across campuses and disciplines. Current or prospective students can use this section to find undergraduate and graduate opportunities, as well as individual courses, career tools and student-run organizations.
For information on the wide range of interdisciplinary activities at the University, visit: Interdisciplinary Research & Education
Fall 2008 Undergraduate Course Highlights
Renewable Energy and the Environment (BBE 2201)
Description: This course is intended to provide an overview of society’s diverse choice of renewable energy technologies. An interdisciplinary observation of their potentials, challenges and opportunities will result. Understanding the environmental, technical, and economic implications of each of the renewable energy opportunities will provide the student the ability to make informed personal, career, and public decisions for today’s global world.
Instructor: Richard Huelskamp
Meets: Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:14pm-5:30pm; Room 302 Kaufert
Fall 2008 Graduate Course Highlights
Restoration Ecology (HORT 5071)
Description: Each ecosystem restoration is the product of a myriad of decisions made in response to existing site conditions (biotic and abiotic), anticipated effects from the surrounding landscape, predictions about future events, logistical realities, and, of course, desired conditions. Rather than following sets of prescriptions, each site needs to be evaluated so we intervene in a way that can catalyze ecosystem recovery. During this course, you will learn about the factors that affect ecosystem recovery and how people intervene to reverse ecosystem degradation. You will learn about some of the successes and failures of attempts at restoration in the US and around the world. The course includes two Saturday field trips.
Instructor: Sue Galatowitsch, Ph.D.
Meets: Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30-9:20am and Fridays from 8:30-10:25am
Introduction to Renewable Technologies (CHE 5551)
Description: An elective course for upper division undergraduates and graduate students in the Institute of Technology, College of Biological Science, College of Food Agriculture and Nutrition, and Humphrey Institute. Some lectures will be given from experts outside of the University. Those not taking the course for credit are welcome to attend lectures.
Topics include: energy sources and uses; biomass; chemical processing; biological processing; wind energy; energy storage and sequestration; efficiency; renewable chemicals; engines and combustion; photovoltaics; fuel cells; economics; environment.
Instructor: Lanny Schmidt, Ph.D.
Meets: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:35-5:00pm in B75 Amundson Hall.
Nantechnology & Society (PA 8790)
Description: This course will take an interdisciplinary approach to examining the interactions of nanotechnology with society and will expose students to scientific, legal, policy, and ethical issues. It will draw upon a diverse set of guest speakers and readings to illustrate legal, public policy, social, economic, and ethical issues surrounding nanotechnology. Ethicists, policy analysts, political scientists, social scientists, economists, and lawyers approach research on the societal implications of emerging technologies in different ways, yet the conglomerate of their work is what is ultimately important for society. Grades will be based on a final paper and class participation, with the length of the paper tailored to meet graduation requirements in the relevant graduate college.
Instructor: Prof. Jennifer Kuzma and Jordan Paradise, JD
Meets: Fridays from 10:10am-12:05pm in HHH Room 20
