Fall 2024
NRES 208 – Climate Literacy in Natural Resources
3 credit hours
When: Fall 2024 | MWF 9:00 - 9:50 pm
Where: 163 North Hardin Hall
Course Description
For students who want to learn about climate and its impacts on our natural resources. You will develop an understanding of the climate system and the interactions with the environment. It is a required class for the Environmental Science major and the Applied Climate Science minor.
- Outcome one: knowledge regarding the climate system and the issues of climate variability and change.
- Outcome two: knowledge of the six different spheres of the climate system: atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, and anthroposphere.
- Outcome three: understanding of the key linkages between climate and natural resources.
Prerequisites
None
Instructor
NRES 255 – Soil Health and Environment
3 credit hours
When: Fall 2024 | Monday 2:00 – 5:00 pm
Where: 024 South Hardin Hall
Cross Listing: SOIL 255
Hybrid Class: online classes, lab and field activities, tech visits
Course Description
This class aims to motivate students to develop a life-long interest in observing and studying soil health and ecosystems while equip them with the academic skill set to apply soil health principles to plant growth, natural resource management, building practices, and environmental sustainability.
- Understand soil health is the soil’s capacity to function as a vital, living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans.
- Be able to assess the soil health status from different ecosystems (cropland, rangeland, forest, urban area, polluted areas, etc.).
Prerequisites
SOIL 153
Instructor
PLAS 291 – Special Topics - Land Degradation and Restoration
3 credit hour
When: Fall 2024
Time: Tuesday and Thursday 11:00 am - 12:15 pm
Where: 228 South Hardin Hall
Course Description
- Intended for sophomores and juniors (200/300 level) across UNL and the NU System
- Explore severely degraded lands through an interactive lens of local and international case studies
- Offers a comprehensive understanding of severely degraded lands and how a diverse array of working professionals actively approach restoring ecosystem function
- Gain insights into the strategies and planning employed by professionals to successfully restore degraded lands
- Become equipped with a broad working knowledge and context of these severe, intimidating and seemingly insurmountable situations so to have essential context and goals for when you apply higher-level technical skills in your subsequent course work
Prerequisites: One of the following, or by instructor permission: NRES 115; PLAS 131; PLAS 153; BSEN 225; PLAS 240; PLAS 245; or WATS 281
Instructor
- Aaron Lee M. Daigh, adaigh2@unl.edu
NRES 898-003 - Science Communication, Ethics, and Philosophy
An introduction to key areas necessary for success in a scientific career
3 credit hours
When: Fall 2024 | Tuesday/Thursday 12:00 - 1:15 pm
Where: 209 South Hardin Hall
Course Description
Graduate students in natural sciences are expected to be able to communicate to professional and lay audiences. A significant feature of this communication is that the data, analysis, summary and the communication itself all reflect high ethical standards and avoid even minor missteps. Additionally, in forming cogent scientific arguments sciences should draw on the philosphic basis for science.
Course Objectives
- Indentify potential and actual ethical missteps associated with science and scientific careers, and articulate ethical principles for resoloveing question of right and wrong science.
- Act as a professional guardian of the scientific literature
- Be able to articulate and demonstrate a personal understandingof how science operates