UofC " This Is Now

The course provides a structured overview to the interactions of energy systems and the environment. The lectures are taught collaboratively by several EESS faculty. The course aims to foster a unified, scientific understanding of energy flows and transformations in industrial society and the natural world; a scientific overview of some of the most important links between energy and environmental systems; and an introduction to the business, legal and regulatory systems that shape the interactions between energy and environment.

The graduate research seminar fosters the development of presentation and communication skills as well as engagement in critical analysis and debate. Course time is primarily research presentations by faculty, research staff and students. All students must present their work.

This intensive block week course provides an introduction to analytical methods and software tools that are most frequently used for research in energy and environmental systems. Analytical methods include risk, uncertainty and decision analysis; an introduction to engineering economics; and an introduction to tools for environmental modeling. Software tools include Excel, and extensions such as Crystalball, general purpose systems such as Matlab and Mathematica; and GIS tools for non-specialists.

Students will be provided with the opportunity to focus on advanced studies in specialized topics pertaining to energy system engineering, law, public policy or economics, or a combination of these issues.