IEPG 8512 Quantitative Methods for Environmental Science and Policy
Monterey Institute of International Studies

Fall 2012 Schedule

 

Note:  This lecture plan is subject to change. Students will be informed in advance of any changes in homework and reading assignments. 

COW = Harte, Spherical Cow 

EES = Masters, Environmental Engineering and Science

Toxics = Harte, Toxics A to Z

ES = Botkin, Environmental Science

AIC = Bishop, An Introduction to Chemistry

Readings in COW, EES, and Toxics are required.  Readings in ES and AIC are supplemental and optional.  Other readings may be assigned in class.

Homework for the previous week will be turned in at the beginning of each Tuesday class, beginning the Tuesday of the second week.

L

 

Date

Topic

Reading

1

Tu

28-Aug

Class organization and course objectives. Math review. Units and unit conversions.

AIC: Section 1.4, Section 1.5,
Chapter 8, and Appendices A & B

EES 1-4

2

Th

30-Aug

Math review, cont'd.  Techniques of estimation. 

COW: Preface, 3-4. 

3 Tu 4-Sep Math review, cont'd.
Review of chemistry.
AIC: Sections 2.1-2.3
4 Th 6-Sep Review of chemistry. AIC: Sections 2.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.5

COW: 5-9

5

Tu

11-Sep

Dimensions of the physical world. Structure of land, oceans, atmosphere, biosphere.

PS #1 due.

ES: 78-79, 493-495

AIC: Sections 9.2, 9.3, 13.1

6

Th

13-Sep

Dimensions of the physical world, cont'd.  Stocks and flows. The hydrologic cycle.

COW: 23-27

ES: 432-461.

EES: 175-178

AIC: 87-89

7

Tu

18-Sep

Energy and power. Thermodynamics.  Energy conversion processes.

EES: 21-33

ES: 345-356.

8

Th

20-Sep

Energy and power, cont'd.  The solar resource and its fate in the biosphere.

COW: 10

EES: 33-40

ES: 356-363

9

Tu

25-Sep

Human impacts on the biosphere: land, water, soils, ecosystems, and species.

PS #2 due. 

COW: 15-17

EES: 178-181

ES: 150-159

AIC: 331-346

10

Th

27-Sep

Human impacts on the biosphere, cont'd. Food production.

ES: 43-45; 55-74; 217-237.

11

Tu

2-Oct

Box models: mass balance, stocks, flows, residence times.

COW: 28-29

EES: 6-10, 87-93

ES: 51-52.

12

Th

4-Oct

Box models, cont'd. Useful equations in environmental science.  Population.  IPAT.

EES: 93-98; 102-120

ES: 75-89

13

Tu

9-Oct

Biogeochemisty. Nutrient cycles, geochemical and biological processes. 

PS #3 due. 

COW: 11-13

ES: 47-49. 

14

Th

11-Oct

The carbon cycle.  Stocks and flows of carbon in the biosphere.

COW: 28-29

ES: 90-93.

15

Tu

16-Oct

The nitrogen cycle.  Stocks and flows; human disruptions.

COW: 32-35; 45-49; 258-261. 

ES: 94-100

 

16

Th

18-Oct

Stratospheric ozone. Atmospheric chemistry.  CFCs.  Human impacts.

EES: 538-543; 574-587

ES: 570-587.

17

Tu

23-Oct

The Process of Chemical Reactions, Equilibrium, Strong and Weak Acids, and pH AIC: Chapter 16

18

Th

25-Oct

The Process of Chemical Reactions, Equilibrium, Strong and Weak Acids, and pH

AIC: Chapter 16

19

Tu

30-Oct

MID-TERM EXAM

 

20

Th

1-Nov

Acid deposition: sources, atmospheric pathways, patterns, and trends.

COW: 109-110; 120-127

EES: 226-229

ES: 529-536

21

Tu

6-Nov

Chemical equilibria; pH; carbonate chemistry; weathering; alkalinity.

COW: 95-99, 104-108. 

EES: 57-70

ES: 590-593

AIC: 610-640

22

Th

8-Nov

Radioactivity and ionizing radiation in the environment.
Radioactive decay.

Toxics: 141-143

EES: 76-79

ES: 407-421.

23

Tu

13-Nov

Health effects of ionizing radiation. Natural and anthropogenic sources.

PS #5 due

Outline of climate change presentations due

COW: 59-63

Toxics: 144-154

EES: 79-82

ES: 422-431.

24

Th

15-Nov

Nuclear power and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster

 
25 Tu 20-Nov Climate Change Presentations

EES: 438-451

ES: 493-506.

 

Th

22-Nov

Thanksgiving  

26

Tu

27-Nov

Climate Change Presentations

EES: 36-40; 512-519. COW: 69-72.

27

Th

29-Nov

Climate Change Presentations

COW: 89-94, 100-103; 172-186

 

EES: 519-536 , 545-568

ES: 506-520.

28

Tu

4-Dec

Toxic substances in the environment. Types, sources, pathways, forms of harm, toxicology.

PS #6 due. 

Toxics: 5-23 , 34-43, 103-120

EES: 70-76, 127-166, 370-399

ES: 291-306, 306-314, 523-569

 

29

Th

6-Dec

Air pollution and review for final exam  

30

Tu

11-Dec

FINAL EXAM

 


   

 

Send email to mbishop@miis.edu.