Global Change Science:  Analytics with R

An exploration of techniques for using data to tackle global problems such as climate change, mass extinction, pandemics, and poverty. An in-depth introduction to the use of R, an intuitive computer language, will encourage students to develop fundamental skills in coding and explore its application in addressing global questions.

Biological Impacts of Global

​Climate Change​

This course focuses on the impacts of climate change on coastal and marine ecosystems; water resources and freshwater ecosystems; food and agriculture; forests, grasslands and deserts; biodiversity and protected areas; and population, health and human well-being.

Biodiversity Graduate Seminar

An exploration of key concepts currently under debate in the field of biodiversity through reading and discussion, as well as critical evaluation, of current scientific literature from top-tier publications.

Political Ecology

Political ecology is a category-defying approach to analyzing nature-society relations. It draws epistemological and methodological inspiration from fields such as ecology, postcolonial studies, soil science, hydrology, feminist geography, Marxist political economy, critical race theory, and development studies. This course aims to realize political ecology’s potential by exploring tools for both critically analyzing and productively engaging the most pressing challenges of our day.

Remote Sensing & GIS

An overview of remote sensing technologies - their applications and limitations for data collection - as well as an in-depth introduction to the ArcGIS program so that students are able to process raw data into professional and informational reports. 

Introduction to Grant Writing

An introduction to the mechanics of proposal writing as well as the political and social aspects of "grantsmanship". Focus is placed on developing skills in identifying sources of grant funding, doing useful research to support applications, and tailoring proposals to specific audience interests. 

Disturbance Ecology

A field-based course emphasizing observation and data collection with a focus on identifying and describing major types of ecological disturbances and examining their role in local community structure and function.