Environmental and Technology Studies Concentration (ENTS)
Coordinators: Professor Dale Jamieson, fall and spring, Professor Norman Vig, winter
Professors: Norman Vig, Caryl Edward Buchwald, Mary Savina, Gary E. Wagenbach
An interdisciplinary concentration open to students in all majors. Concentrators must take the introductory course (ENTS 110) in their first or second year and are advised to work out their program in consultation with one of the coordinators before the end of their sophomore year. Students select one of three tracks within the concentration — Environmental Sciences, Natural History, or Science, Values and Policy — depending on their particular interests and background. All concentrators must register for the one-credit Ethics and Values Colloquium for three terms, preferably in the junior year, and must complete a senior colloquium project.
Requirements for the Concentration:
ENTS 110; 36 credits arranged with one of the track coordinators (see below); 3 credits of junior colloquium; minimum of three credits of senior colloquium.
Tracks (students select one:)
Environmental Sciences
Coordinators: Mary Savina, Gary E. Wagenbach
This track is designed for science majors and other students with strong backgrounds in science and mathematics. In addition to exploring the links among science, policy, and human experience, the Environmental Sciences track emphasizes how ideas and methods from more than one science interact and, indeed, are required to understand and resolve most environmental problems. Consequently, faculty have committed themselves to exploring these cross-disciplinary connections in their intermediate and advanced science courses that concern the environment. Besides advanced proficiency in one or more relevant scientific disciplines, a concentrator achieves a detailed understanding of how the sciences intersect to analyze and mitigate environmental problems. Students need to consult with the track coordinator about their proposed program when they declare the concentration. Requirements: ENTS 110, three intermediate or higher-level science courses concerned with the environment; three ENTS cross-listed courses outside the natural sciences, including one from Arts and Literature or Humanities and one from the Social Sciences; junior colloquium (3 credits); senior colloquium project (3-6 credits).
Natural History
Coordinators: Caryl Ed Buchwald, Mary Savina
The Natural History track is designed primarily for science and humanities majors. It draws on the examples set by classic naturalists like Charles Darwin, John Muir, Aldo Leopold, and Rachel Carson and such living naturalists as Barry Lopez and Ann Zwinger — all of whom are liberally educated in natural science, philosophy, and literature; pursue knowledge as much in the field as in the library; maintain an integrative, synoptic style of thought; and seek to communicate their ideas and discoveries to the widest possible audience. Skilled in observation and analysis, they are nevertheless concerned with all aspects of humanity's role on earth. Students in this track will be encouraged to develop similar breadth through a program that integrates knowledge, experience, and writing skills around some facet of nature or natural development. Students must get approval of their program from the track coordinator. Requirements: ENTS 110; a total of three courses in geology and biology with a field-oriented component; one course dealing significantly with evolution; one approved course in history, literature or humanities (note: for biology and geology majors, a total of three approved courses in history, literature, or humanities is required); one course in science, values and policy; junior colloquium (3 credits); senior colloquium (3 credits).
Society, Values and Policy
Coordinator: Norman Vig
This track is for students in any major, including those in the natural sciences (non-science majors may fulfill their science requirement through this track). Its purpose is to acquaint students with the scientific, technological, and humanistic bases of public policy and to develop analytical skills for addressing complex technical and social questions. While several of the courses focus on environmental issues, others involve more sociological and anthropological analysis of human development. Students in this track will be encouraged to put their skills to work in an internship or other practical experience. Students should consult with the track coordinator about their proposed program. Requirements: ENTS 110; three approved courses in society, values and policy; two natural science courses, including at least one dealing substantially with the environment; one approved course in Arts and Literature or Humanities; junior colloquium (3 credits); senior colloquium (3 credits).
Environmental and Technology Studies Courses
ENTS 110. Introduction to Environmental and Technology Studies: Envisioning Landscapes An introductory course on the topic of landscape that will provide an opportunity to think in an interdisciplinary way. In what ways do we interact with real and imagined landscapes? In what ways are our interactions defined by our perceptions and experience? We will explore the ecological, geological, social, and esthetic dimensions of a variety of landscapes. Perspectives from science, the humanities, and public policy will be utilized in a search for understanding. The course will involve classroom, laboratory, and field study. Open only to first and second year students or by permission of the instructors. 6 credits cr., ND, Fall—J. Klassen, G. Wagenbach
ENTS 112. Biology of Conservation Cross-listed with BIOL 112. The current global rate of extinction of species is probably the highest it has been since the end of the Cretaceous Period ("Age of Dinosaurs") 65 million years ago, and the rate will increase dramatically in the coming decades. This course will explore the biological principles that are important in the attempts to conserve species. Topics will include global patterns of species diversity, causes of rarity, genetic structure of populations, minimum population size, effects of inbreeding, long-term viability of zoo populations, and the design of nature reserves. No prerequisites; this is a non-majors course which does not count toward the Biology major. 6 credits cr., MS, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 113. Field Drawing Cross-listed with ARTS 113. A beginning drawing course for science students and others who are interested in developing their skills in drawing from nature. Most of the classwork will be done outdoors and deal directly with drawing from plant forms, geological sources, and the landscape as subjects. Emphasis will be placed on the development of the technical skills needed for visual note-taking and development of journals. Problems will deal with the analysis of space and objects through line, shape, volume, and tone. No prerequisites. 6 credits cr., AL, Spring—T. Lloyd
ENTS 120. Introduction to Environmental Geology Cross-listed with GEOL 120. An introduction to the basic principles needed to understand humankind's use and abuse of soil, water, fuels, and other resources. Field trips and laboratories included. Not open to students who have taken Geology 110. 6 credits cr., MS, Spring—M. Savina
ENTS 128. Principles of Environmental Chemistry Cross-listed with CHEM 128. Cross-listed with ENTS 128. This course covers many of the same topics of Chemistry 123, but with an environmental emphasis. The core topics of introductory chemistry (i.e. thermodynamics, kinetics, and bonding theories) are central to understanding environmental phenomena. These topics will be introduced in the way they relate to current concerns such as greenhouse warming, ozone depletion, acid-rain deposition, and general chemical contamination in air, water, and soil. Interdisciplinary aspects of these issues will also be addressed. One four-hour laboratory per week. Students cannot receive credit for both Chemistry 123 and 128. Prerequisite: Adequate secondary school preparation as indicated by the self-administered Chemistry Placement Exam (Chemistry Home Page) or Chemistry 122. 6 credits cr., MS, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 130. Population and Food in the Global System Cross-listed with SOAN 130,LTAM 130. This course focuses on issues of population growth, hunger, and world food supply. Topics to be considered include: dynamics of population growth and demographic change; food production systems and sustainable development in the Third World; socio-political and ecological causes of famine; and patterns of world food distribution. Special attention will be given to policies aimed at controlling population and increasing food production, and why they succeed or fail. No prerequisites. 6 credits cr., SS, Spring—B. Nagel
ENTS 189. Global Change Biology Cross-listed with BIOL 190. A broad survey of human impacts on the biosphere and climate, including policy development to mitigate such change. Human-caused global changes are examined within the context of natural changes throughout Earth history. Topics include the problem of human population growth, climate change and global warming, vegetation responses to changing climate, effects of rising CO2 on ecosystems, pollution effects on the atmosphere and ecosystems, extinction and the loss of biodiversity, invasive species, creating parks and preserves, and ecosystem valuation and global environmental treaties. Does not count toward the Biology major. 6 credits cr., MS, Winter—P. Camill
ENTS 190. Technology in American History Cross-listed with AMST 190,HIST 190. What is technology? Why study its history? Is technology fundamentally different in modern times than it was in earlier periods of human history? How does technological change occur? Is technology out of control or is it subject to human shaping and direction? This course will investigate such questions using examples from throughout human history and from several different civilizations. 6 credits cr., HU, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 210. Geomorphology Cross-listed with GEOL 210. Study of the geological processes and factors which influence the origin and development of the surficial features of the earth. Laboratories and field trips included. Prerequisite: One introductory geology course (110 or 120), or consent of the instructor. 6 credits cr., MS, Fall—M. Savina
ENTS 220. Wilderness in America Wilderness in America is both a state of nature and a state of mind; in this class we will explore both. Students will select designated wilderness areas in the contiguous United States and learn about the geology and biology of the areas with the goal of discovering what makes the areas valuable to us. Then we will try to understand the political and cultural issues affecting their protection and management. Finally, we will share our knowledge by poster and oral reports. Open to Environmental and Technology Studies concentrators or by permission of instructor. 6 credits cr., ND, Winter—C. E. Buchwald
ENTS 225. American Environmental Thought Cross-listed with AMST 226,POSC 257. The development of American thinking about nature and humanity's relationship to it covering from the nineteenth century to the present. Representative figures include Henry David Thoreau, John Muir, Aldo Leopold, Rachel Carson, and Barry Commoner. 6 credits cr., SS, Spring—K. Smith
ENTS 227. History of the American West Cross-listed with AMST 227,HIST 227. This course treats the history of a distinctive region, the arid section of the United States between the 100th Meridian and the Sierra Nevada, during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. We will study cultural interactions among the indigenous populations and the Euro-American immigrants, the development in the area of institutions and economic systems characteristic of European civilization, and the political and environmental consequences of those developments. 6 credits cr., HU, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 230. Human Evolution and Prehistory Cross-listed with SOAN 230. A survey of the course of human evolution from Australopithecenes to the Upper Paleolithic. Areas of discussion include genetics, primate ethology, the role of archaeology in providing evidence for human evolution and culture, and the importance of environment and technology in the evolution of culture. No prerequisite. 6 credits cr., SS, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 234. Ecology, Economy, and Culture Cross-listed with SOAN 234,LTAM 234. This course examines the ways in which economic goods are embedded in social relations. When does a thing become a commodity? What relationships exist between culture and ecology? Formulating an anthropological perspective for the interpretation of "economic facts," we will examine simularities and differences among hunter-gatherers, horticulturalists, and peasants. We will also discuss the interpretation of traders in the brokering of culture, asymmetrical articulation of local and transnational economies, gender bias in classical exchange theory, Mauss on gift-giving and Marx on "commodity fetishism." Theoretical material will be illustrated with ethnographic examples from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. 6 credits cr., SS, Spring—J. Levi
ENTS 235. Philosophy of the Arts Cross-listed with PHIL 234. Various issues in aesthetics: the definition of art, the nature of the aesthetic, the description, interpretation, and evaluation of aesthetic objects. A special topic of concern for this year will be the aesthetics of nature. Readings will be drawn primarily from the works of philosophers and from case materials. 6 credits cr., HU, Fall—D. Jamieson
ENTS 236. American Nature Writing Cross-listed with AMST 237,ENGL 236. A study of the environmental imagination in American literature. We will explore the relationship between literature and the natural sciences and examine questions of style, narrative, and representation in the light of larger social, ethical, and political concerns about the environment. Authors read will include Emerson, Thoreau, Muir, Mary Austin, Jeffers, Abbey, Merwin, Silko, Snyder, and Terry Tempest Williams. Students will write a creative Natural History essay as part of the course requirements. 6 credits cr., AL, Fall—M. Kowalewski
ENTS 237. American Indian Literature Cross-listed with AMST 238,ENGL 237. We will begin by examining what one critic has called the Image and Anti-Image of Indians in American literature. Then, by studying both ancient oral traditions, nineteenth-century oratory, early autobiographies, and more recent Indian fiction and poetry, we will seek to understand the complexities of Indian tribal identity and ecological perception, intercultural communication, and the bicultural inheritance modern Native American writers bring to their work. Group IV. 6 credits cr., AL,RAD, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 238. Marine Biology Program: Physical and Cultural Environment of New Zealand and Australia The geologic and natural history of the landscape will be explored by examining how New Zealand and Australia were settled by early and later settlers. Study will focus on how the physical landscape has changed through agriculture and the importation of non-native species, as well as the unique social and political climates of two countries which share a history of colonization. The course will use readings, writing, meetings with visiting lecturers, and visits to cultural centers. 2 credits cr., S/CR/NC, MS, Winter—G. Wagenbach
ENTS 240. Energy and the Environment Cross-listed with POSC 240. A study of the basic laws of thermodynamics; the development of energy resources; state and federal energy policies; energy efficiency and conservation; and sustainable energy options for the future. Outside experts will participate extensively in the class. Students will carry out projects evaluating alternative energy policies. 6 credits cr., SS, Spring—B. Casper, N. Vig
ENTS 242. Environmental Ethics Cross-listed with PHIL 242. What is our proper moral stance toward the natural environment? Toward individual non-human animals in that environment? Toward other species of living beings? Toward the biotic community as a whole? The class will aim not so much at definite solutions to particular environmental problems as at an increased philosophical sophistication in framing and supporting answers to these and related questions about our environment and our place in it. 6 credits cr., HU, Fall—D. Jamieson
ENTS 243. Animals: Mind, Morals, and Nature Cross-listed with PHIL 243. Human identity is in part constituted in opposition to the idea of the animal. In this class we will discuss how views about the relationships of humans to animals have played out in philosophy of mind, ethics, and environmental policy. Among the questions we will explore are the following: Do animals have minds? How seriously should we take the interests of individual animals in our decision-making? How should the interests of animals be weighed against various environmental goods such as the conservation of rare plants? 6 credits cr., HU, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 252. Aquatic Biology Cross-listed with BIOL 252. A detailed investigation of aquatic organisms, both plant and animal, in relation to their physical, chemical and biological environment. Lake, river and marsh will be studied as independent and interdependent systems, with the effects on man's use and manipulation investigated where appropriate. The latter part of the course will deal with analysis and evaluation of current hypotheses on population growth, fluctuation and distribution based on field data collected in the laboratory. Prerequisites: Biology 123 and 124. 6 credits cr., MS, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 253. Aquatic Biology Laboratory Cross-listed with BIOL 253. An investigation of a local aquatic system and marsh community. Sampling techniques and data analysis are the main focus of the laboratory. Concurrent registration in Biology 252 required. 2 credits cr., ND, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 258. Geology of Soils Cross-listed with GEOL 258. The study of soil formation, physical and chemical properties of soils especially as related to geomorphology and land use. Laboratories and field trips will emphasize how to describe and interpret soils. Prerequisite: One introductory geology course (110, or 120). 6 credits cr., MS, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 262. Environmental Policy and Politics Cross-listed with POSC 262. Study of U.S. federal environmental and natural resource policies since the 1960s with particular emphasis on the regulation of air and water pollution, hazardous and toxic wastes, and public land management. Focus on how the various institutions of American government deal with environmental issues, the role of environmental and other interest groups, and proposals for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of regulatory policies. 6 credits cr., SS, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 265. Environmental Justice from North Carolina to India From North Carolina to India concerns about environmental justice have been raised in recent years. In this seminar we will analyze these concerns, and try to develop a conceptual framework that can be applied to local, national, and international issues. We will draw on a wide variety of sources that concern the nature of justice and the characters of environmental benefits and harms, as well as those that directly address movements for environmental justice. Students will be expected to develop and analyze a case study. 6 credits cr., ND, Spring—D. Jamieson
ENTS 268. International Environmental Law and Politics Cross-listed with POSC 268. . An introduction to the efforts of the international community to develop laws, agreements, and institutions to protect regional and global environments. Topics include theories of international cooperation and regime formation; the nature of international law and treaties; negotiation processes; emerging principles of environmental law; international organizations such as the United Nations Environmental Programme and the role of nongovernmental organizations. Issues to be studied include global climate change, ozone protection, biodiversity, and sustainable development. 6 credits cr., SS, Winter—N. Vig
ENTS 270. Remote Sensing and GIS Cross-listed with GEOL 270. This course will cover the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (especially visible, infrared and radar wavelengths) to sense features of the earth and planets. We will survey available image types and learn to process and interpret remotely-sensed images. We will also learn theory and practice of geographic information systems. Laboratories included. Prerequisite: Geology 110 or 120; junior or senior standing in science major or permission of instructor. 6 credits cr., MS, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 271. Economics of Natural Resources and the Environment Cross-listed with ECON 271. This course focuses on environmental economics, energy economics, and on the relationship between them. Economic incentives for pollution abatement, the industrial organization of energy production, optimal depletion rates of energy sources, and the environmental and economic consequences of alternate energy sources will be analyzed. Prerequisite: Economics 111. 6 credits cr., SS, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 273. Water and Western Economic Development Cross-listed with ECON 273. This course will examine a number of important aspects of water as a legal/political/economic factor in the development of the western United States. The topics will include western water law, the evolution of water supply institutions, state and local water planning, the role of the federal government, and a number of current water problems, including surface and groundwater pollution, impediments to market transfers of water, and state/regional/international conflicts over water. Prerequisite: Economics 111. 6 credits cr., SS, Spring—M. Kanazawa
ENTS 282. The Forest In German Literature, Culture, and Environmental Politics Cross-listed with GERM 282. A study of the forest as an important natural and symbolic phenomenon for understanding the relationship of humans to nature in German-speaking societies. The examination of various literary texts and documents will treat such issues as the cognitive, ethical, and aesthetic dimensions of experiencing nature, alienation through technology, and responses to environmental threats 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 287. California Program: California Art and Architecture Cross-listed with AMST 287. An in-depth study of how California painting, photography, and architecture embody the state's evolving social, cultural and environmental concerns. The course will include discussions with California artists and art historians, and visits to museums and galleries. Art and artists studied will include native rock art; paintings by Bierstadt, Nahl, the California Impressionists, the Society of Six, Diebenkorn and urban spray-can muralists; photography by Adams, Weston, Lange, and Misrach; the imagery of commercial culture (lithographs, advertisements, and orange crate labels); and architecture by Maybeck, Morgan, and the Greene Brothers. 6 credits cr., ND, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 289. Global Climate Change This interdisciplinary course will look at the science, impacts, and policy dimensions of global climate change in the context of the recent international meeting held at Kyoto, Japan. The discussion of the science aspects of climate change will focus on the climate system, observed climate variability and change, climate models, and the detection of climate change and attribution of causes. The discussion of the possible impacts of climate change will focus on such sectors as agriculture, water resources, human health, and land use. The discussion of the policy aspects will analyze economic, political, and ethical considerations. Prerequisites: Chemistry at the level of 123 or 128 or consent of the instructors. 6 credits cr., ND, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 290. Australia and New Zealand Program: Directed Reading Participants are asked to read selected works chosen to provide background on natural and cultural history of New Zealand and Australia. Understanding of readings will be evaluated through discussion and written work. 2 credits cr., ND, Winter—G. Wagenbach
ENTS 295. Sustainable Agriculture Cross-listed with BIOL 295. The major theme of this course will be developing a working definition of 'sustainability' in agricultural systems. This definition will be formulated in a way that addresses one of the main problems in agriculture today: how can food be produced perpetually in the future without degrading the soil or polluting the environment? Issues addressed could include animal versus food production, herbicide and pesticide use, energy use, biotechnology, conservation of genetic diversity, maintenance of soil fertility, 'organic' farming, and sustenance of rural communities. This course will not count toward the major in Biology. 6 credits cr., ND, Offered in alternate years. Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 298. Ethics and Values Colloquium This class explores the ethical and value dimensions of problems relating to environmental or technological change, through discussion of a common reading. The class meets several times during the term for discussion, and each student is required to attend several other relevant events on campus or in the community. A short, integrative essay will be required at the end of the term. Open only to juniors and seniors. 1 credit cr., S/CR/NC, ND, Fall,Winter,Spring—Staff
ENTS 312. Actors and Issues in Contemporary Third World "Development" Cross-listed with SOAN 312,LTAM 312. This course focuses on the processes known as "development," the roles of various social actors in these processes, and the social, environmental, and human rights implications of these processes. We discuss the concept of development, the construction of an ideology of development, and the various theoretical perspectives on development within the fields of sociology and anthropology. Specific issues that we examine include: the political economy of agrarian change; gender issues in development; international development actors and institutions, and their roles in shaping the social and environmental impacts of development; the role of social movements and grassroots organizations in contesting development activities and in shaping new models and meanings of development; and strategies for sustainable, democratic development locally, nationally, and internationally. 6 credits cr., SS, Winter—B. Nagel
ENTS 318. The American Farm* Cross-listed with AMST 318,POSC 318. A study of the American agrarian tradition from the founding to the present, examining the historical, economic, ecological and political context in which ideas about farming and farm life have evolved. We will explore the historical relationship between agrarianism and related and opposing ideologies, such as Populism, liberalism, environmentalism and feminism, and consider its contemporary relevance and vitality. 6 credits cr., SS, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 328. Environmental Analysis Cross-listed with CHEM 328. Humans have had a dramatic impact on the chemistry of the earth's environment. In this course, we will study the chemistry of molecules in the air, water, and soil. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the chemistry in the natural (unpolluted) environment, and the changes which occur due to human activity and pollution. In addition, we will explore the methods which are used to measure pollutants in the environment and their applicability, as well as regulatory issues of relevance to the topics studies. Prerequisites: Chemistry 230 or 233 or consent of the instructor. 6 credits cr., MS, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 329. Environmental Analysis Laboratory Cross-listed with CHEM 329. Credit for the laboratory portion of Chemistry 328. 2 credits cr., ND, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 330. Literature of the American West Cross-listed with AMST 330,ENGL 330. Wallace Stegner once described the West as "the geography of hope" in the American imagination. Despite various dystopian urban pressures, the region still conjures up images of wide vistas and sunburned optimism. We will explore this paradox by examining both popular mythic conceptions of the West (primarily in film) and more searching literary treatments of the same area. We will explore how writers such as Twain, Cather, Stegner, Castillo, and Cormac McCarthy have dealt with the geographical diversity and multiethnic history of the West. Films will include The Searchers, The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez, Unforgiven, and Lone Star. Group IV. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 340. Hydrology Cross-listed with GEOL 340. A seminar on major principles of ground and surface water hydrology and their application to contemporary hydrologic problems. The course will draw considerably on student-directed investigation of critical areas of study in hydrology. Prerequisites: Geology 210 or junior/senior standing in one of the physical sciences. 6 credits cr., ND, Winter—M. Savina
ENTS 356. Ecosystem Ecology Cross-listed with BIOL 356. An analysis of the structure and function of ecosystems. This course focuses on methods and questions that scientists use to examine ecosystems at local and landscape scales with perspectives at the global level. Topics include energy flow, succession and ecosystem development, soil development primary production and decomposition, microbial ecology and nutrient transformations, element cycles, the water cycle, wetlands/rivers/lakes, global change and the effects on ecosystems and element cycles, and using modeling to synthesize and predict ecosystem dynamics. Prerequisites: Biology 123 and 124; and general chemistry. Recommended courses: Mathematics 111 or equivalent exposure to calculus. Concurrent registration in Biology 357 is required. 6 credits cr., MS, Fall—P. Camill
ENTS 357. Ecosystem Ecology Laboratory Cross-listed with BIOL 357. 2 credits cr., ND, Fall—P. Camill
ENTS 359. Plant Physiological Ecology Cross-listed with BIOL 359. This course examines plant physiological mechanisms to explain ecological patterns. Topics include physiological tolerances and species distributions, nutrient uptake and allocation, water and nutrient use efficiency, photosynthesis, carbon allocation, acclimation, responses to light, UV, and CO2, plant competition, scaling, and adaptations in North American plant communities. Emphasis is placed on testing hypotheses and investigative field studies. Prerequisites: Biology 123 and 124. Recommended courses: Biology 352, Mathematics 215, Psychology 124 or equivalent exposure to statistical analysis. Concurrent registration in Biology 360 is required. 6 credits cr., MS, Offered in alternate years. Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 365. Global Biogeochemistry Cross-listed with CHEM 365. An Earth-system approach using the different perspectives of the chemical, physical, biological and earth sciences is used to study the interactions, transformations, and movement of specific chemical forms on a global scale. In studying the cycling of matter and energy between the land, oceans, and atmosphere, important global environmental issues may be more fully understood. Prerequisites: Chemistry 123 or 128 and one or more of the following: Chemistry 343, Biology 356, Geology 210 or 220, or consent of the instructor. 6 credits cr., MS, Winter—W. Hollingsworth
ENTS 369. Solar Energy Conversion and Solid State Devices Cross-listed with CHEM 370. This course combines concepts from solid-state physics, electrochemistry, and inorganic chemistry in elucidating the science of semiconductor-based solar energy conversion devices and other solid-state devices. A general understanding of chemistry and electromagnetic phenomena will be assumed, but an introduction to solid state physics from a chemistry viewpoint and an introduction to electrochemistry from a physics viewpoint will be provided. Practical economic and engineering issues will be considered throughout the course. Prerequisites: Chemistry 122, 123, or 128; Physics 115; Mathematics 121; if missing any of these, consent of the instructor. 6 credits cr., MS, Winter—R. Rossi
ENTS 371. Geochemistry of Natural Waters Cross-listed with GEOL 370. The main goal of this course is to introduce and tie together the several diverse disciplines that must be brought to bear on hydrogeochemical problems today. This course will explore: principles of geochemistry, applications of chemical thermodynamics to geologic problems, minerals solubility's, stability diagrams, chemical aspects of sedimentary rocks, geochemical tracers, radiogenic isotopes and principles of stable isotope fractionation. Laboratories included. Prerequisite: Chemistry 120 and 121 or 123, or instructor's consent. 6 credits cr., ND, Spring—B. Haileab
ENTS 374. Seminar: Selected Topics in Paleoecology Cross-listed with BIOL 374. In this seminar, students examine current primary literature in paleoclimatology and paleoecology to learn how a long temporal perspective aids in the study of ecology. Topics include glacial cycles, ocean circulation, vegetation migration, dendroecology, paleoclimatic proxies, and the methodology of conducting paleoecological studies. In-class research includes coring a lake and analyzing fossil pollen and charcoal, reconstructing aridity and precipitation using tree rings, and using international pollen databases. Prerequisites: Biology 123 and 124 or Geology 110. Recommended courses: exposure to some community and ecosystem ecology. 6 credits cr., MS, Offered in alternate years. Winter—P. Camill
ENTS 376. Paleoecology Laboratory Cross-listed with BIOL 375. ND, Winter and in alternate years — 2 credits cr., Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 386. California Program: The Literature of California Cross-listed with AMST 386,ENGL 386. An intensive study of writing and film that explores California both as a place (or rather, a mosaic of places) and as a continuing metaphor-whether of promise or disintegration-for the rest of the country. Authors read will include Jack London, John Muir, Raymond Chandler, Nathanael West, Robinson Jeffers, John Steinbeck, Jack Kerouac, Joan Didion, Gary Snyder, and Maxine Hong Kingston. Films will include Sunset Boulevard, Chinatown, The Grapes of Wrath, Zoot Suit, L.A. Confidential, and Blade Runner. Group IV. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 396. Technology Policy Project In the 1980's debates over nuclear weapons policies, we became the nation's leading source of educational slide presentations; the Carleton computer model of AIDS in MN informed policy discussions; our sustainable energy project resulted in the Governor's Community Energy Program and a program to protect low-income MN families from wintertime utility shutoffs; our Air Toxics Study Group was prominent in seeking a response to the revelation that a Northfield plant was emitting airborne carcinogens; our Fair Credit Plan became the focus of a successful national farmers' campaign. 6 credits cr., ND, Not offered in 2001-2002.
ENTS 398. Senior Colloquium Independent or group research, education projects, internships, nature writing, or other culminating experiences for the Environmental and Technology Studies concentration. Each Environmental and Technology Studies concentrator will register for at least three credits of Environmental and Technology Studies 398 during the junior or senior year. Projects must be approved by the Senior Colloquium coordinator. Projects will be presented in public. 3 or 6 credits cr., S/CR/NC, ND, Fall,Winter,Spring—Staff