Environmental and Technology Studies Concentration (ENTS)
Director: Professor Gary E. Wagenbach
Visiting Assistant Professor: Tsegaye Nega
Lecturer: Richard B. Strong
Committee Members: Philip Camill, III, Cameron Davidson, Jennifer Everett, Deborah Gross, Bereket Haileab, William E. Hollingworth, Mark T. Kanazawa, Julie A. Klassen, Kelly L. Kollman, Michael J. Kowalewski, Beverly Nagel, Mary E. Savina, Kimberly K. Smith
The Environmental and Technology Studies program grew out of the conviction that the College has a responsibility to prepare students to respond to the grave threats posed to natural ecosystems by patterns of human development. In the search for just and sustainable environmental solutions, ENTS brings faculty and students together from a broad range of academic departments and backgrounds to address scientific, economic, ethical, social, political, historical and aesthetic dimensions. This truly integrated, multidisciplinary commitment emphasizes not only critical thinking, but also hands-on laboratory and field research reaching across all divisions of the College. It values and facilitates opportunities for research projects, internships and other work experiences, and off-campus studies. The ENTS concentration is open to students in all majors. Concentrators are advised to contact the Educational Associate early in their academic career, and to work out their program in consultation with an ENTS faculty member.
Requirements for the Concentration:
1. One project-based introductory course:
ENTS 110 Introduction to Environmental and Technology Studies: Food and Agriculture
GEOL 120 Introduction to Environmental Geology
GEOL 190 Environmental and Science Policy
BIOL 190 Global Change Biology
2. Six courses in the following four categories, with at least one from each category:
Arts and Culture:
ARTS 113 Field Drawing
ENGL 234 Southern Literature
ENGL 236 American Nature Writing
ENGL 237 American Indian Literature
ENGL 330 Literature of the American West (not offered in 2005-2006)
GERM 100 Science, Authority and Conscience in German Literature
GERM 228 Romanticism: Nature and the Supernatural (not offered in 2005-2006)
GERM 232 The Forest in German Literature and Culture (not offered in 2005-2006)
HIST 195 American Environmental History (not offered in 2005-2006)
HIST 227 History of the American West (not offered in 2005-2006)
HIST 283 Farm and Forest: African Environmental History
HIST 305 Topics in American Environmental History (not offered in 2005-2006)
PHIL 234 Aesthetics
SOAN 234 Ecology, Economy, and Culture
SPAN 260 Topics in Hispanic Literature: Forces of Nature (not offered in 2005-2006)
Ethics and Values:
PHIL 232 Social and Political Philosophy: Justice and Politics
PHIL 242 Environmental Ethics
POSC 257 American Environmental Thought
RELG 228 Issues in Christian Ethics (not offered in 2005-2006)
RELG 239 Religion and American Landscape (not offered in 2005-2006)
RELG 243 Native American Religious Freedom
Science:
BIOL 112 Conservation
BIOL 160 Agroecology
BIOL 221/2 Ecosystem Ecology with Laboratory
BIOL 236 Plant Biology (not offered in 2005-2006)
BIOL 238/9 Entomology (not offered in 2005-2006)
BIOL 275 Science and Society
BIOL/GEOL 283 Biogeoscience Program in Australia: Coastal Studies in Biogeoscience
BIOL/GEOL 284 Biogeoscience Program in Australia: Natural and Anthropogenic Disturbances of Australian Coastal Environments
BIOL/GEOL 290 Biogeoscience Program in Australia: Directed Readings in Coastal Studies
BIOL 348/9 Paleoecology with Laboratory (not offered in 2005-2006)
BIOL 359/60 Plant Physiological Ecology with Laboratory (not offered in 2005-2006)
CHEM 128 Principles of Environmental Chemistry (not offered in 2005-2006)
CHEM 328/9 Environmental Analysis with Laboratory (not offered in 2005-2006)
ENTS 100 Geology and Human Health
GEOL 210 Geomorphology (not offered in 2005-2006)
GEOL 258 Geology of Soils
GEOL 340 Hydrology (not offered in 2005-2006)
GEOL 370 Geochemistry of Natural Waters (not offered in 2005-2006)
Society and Policy:
BIOL 258 Ecosystem Management (not offered in 2005-2006)
ECON 271 Economics of Natural Resources and the Environment (not offered in 2005-2006)
ECON 273 Water and Western Economic Development (not offered in 2005-2006)
ENTS 300 Practical Conservation
ENTS 320 Comparative Environment & Development Seminar
GEOL 190 Environmental and Science Policy
POSC 245 Comparative Environmental Politics and Policy (not offered in 2005-2006)
POSC 262 Environmental Policy and Politics (not offered in 2005-2006)
POSC 268 International Environmental Politics and Policy
POSC 363 Political Economy of International Water (not offered in 2005-2006)
SOAN 130 Population and Food in the Global System
SOAN 244 Biodiversity, Conservation, Culture and Development
SOAN 312 Actors and Issues in Contemporary Third World "Development" (not offered in 2005-2006)
a. Among the courses taken, at least one must be a lab course, lab courses include:
BIOL 221/2 Ecosystem Ecology
BIOL 348/9 Paleoecology
BIOL 359/60 Plant Physiological Ecology (not offered in 2005-2006)
CHEM 128 Principles of Environmental Chemistry (not offered in 2005-2006)
CHEM 328/9 Environmental Analysis (not offered in 2005-2006)
ENTS 100 Geology and Human Health
GEOL 120 Introduction to Environmental Geology
GEOL 210 Geomorphology (not offered in 2005-2006)
GEOL 258 Geology of Soils
GEOL 340 Hydrology (not offered in 2005-2006)
GEOL 370 Geochemistry of Natural Waters (not offered in 2005-2006)
b. Among the courses taken, at least one must primarily have an international perspective. These courses include:
ENTS 320 Comparative Environment & Development Seminar
GERM 100 Science, Authority and Conscience
GERM 228 Romanticism: Nature and the Supernatural (not offered in 2005-2006)
GERM 232 The Forest in German Literature and Culture (not offered in 2005-2006)
POSC 268 International Environmental Politics and Policy
SOAN 234 Ecology, Economy and Culture
SOAN 312 Actors and Issues in Contemporary Third World "Development" (not offered in 2005-2006)
c. No more than three 100-level courses will be counted towards the concentration.
3. ENTS 298 Junior Colloquium (3 credits)
4. ENTS 398 Senior Colloquium (1 credit)
5. ENTS 391 Senior Capstone Project
Environmental and Technology Studies Courses
ENTS 100. Science, Technology and Public Policy Science and technology have led to profound effects upon public life over the past century. This course will study the social and political impacts of scientific and technological developments on modern life. We will investigate particular cases drawn from across the sciences, such as genetics, energy production and consumption, nuclear weapons, and the information revolution. The relationship between government, the public, and the science/technology enterprise will be examined. What is, and what should be the role of the practitioners themselves? 6 cr., S/CR/NC, ND, Fall—J. Weisberg
ENTS 100. Geology and the Human Health The air, water, soil and land around us affect our health. In this course, we use a case study approach to analyze the geologic controls on these facets of the physical environment. For instance, we will examine lead contamination of soils, asbestos, drinking water quality and many other examples. We will use the tools of geographic information systems (GSIS) and risk analysis. Labs and field trips included. 6 cr., S/CR/NC, MS, Fall—M. Savina
ENTS 110. Introduction to Environmental and Technology Studies: Food and Agriculture
This course looks at the question of where our food originates, is produced, and is consumed. Local to global connections are discovered, issues identified, and both analyzed utilizing perspectives from social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities. The course will involve primarily classroom work, and possibly some field trips. Open only to first and second year students or by permission of the instructors. 6 credits cr., ND, Spring—T. Nega, G. Wagenbach
ENTS 228. Eco-House Design and Construction Exploration of a design for a small "foot print," energy efficient, cost effective, and aesthetically pleasing student housing. Course goal is to learn about good design and plan for construction. Classroom format will provide an opportunity for lectures, demonstrations, guest speakers, and student presentation. Practical work on initial phases of construction included. Lab required. ENTS 228 does count toward the total of six courses required to obtain an ENTS concentration. However, this class does not satisfy one of the four ENTS distribution categories that must be covered in pursuit of the required six-course total. 6 cr., ND, Spring—G. Wagenbach
ENTS 298. Junior Colloquium Did you know that coffee is the second most valuable consumer import into the United States (Guess which is number one)? Ponder that over your morning cup of coffee! But aside from its extreme usefulness in keeping you awake and alert during your 1a class, a variety of environmental, economic, and social issues surround the production, distribution and marketing of coffee. This class explores the many dimensions of coffee, including its role as the backbone of many developing economies, the environmental consequences of coffee production, and policy issues such as fair trade. Open to juniors and seniors, or with permission of instructor. 3 cr., S/CR/NC, ND, Fall,Winter—M. Kanazawa
ENTS 300. Practical Conservation This course will be based upon the instructor's real-world experience restoring prairie environments through the reintroduction of American bison to their original habitat near the Black Hills. Students will study the process of habitat recovery on one ranch and take part in the analysis and planning of the recovery in process on a second ranch. Relations and negotiations with local, tribal, and federal government agencies, other grazers in the area, and several non-governmental organizations will be included on the syllabus. Visitors from such organizations as the Forest Service and the Nature Conservancy will also be featured. 6 cr., ND, Not offered in 2005-2006.
ENTS 320. Comparative Environment & Development Seminar This seminar will review major works within the traditions of cultural and political ecology (e.g., agricultural modernization, environmental narratives, conservation, sustainable development) and explore nature-society dynamics across a range of geographical contexts. Towards the end of the course we will explore how one might begin to think in practical terms about facilitating development in marginal environments, i.e. areas of environmental fragility, aridity and resource constraint, areas of socio-economic poverty; regions of indigenous populatons; and local communities confronting rapid modernization. 6 cr., SS, Spring—Moseley
ENTS 391. Senior Capstone Project Execution of project described in a proposal prepared the prior fall term. Only approved projects will be supported. Projects will be presented in public. Prerequisite: Environmental and Technology Studies 398. 2 or 5 cr., S/CR/NC, ND, Winter,Spring—Staff
ENTS 398. Senior Colloquium Proposal preparation for independent or group research, education projects, internships, nature writing, or other culminating experiences for the Environmental and Technology Studies concentration. Project proposals will be evaluated by ENTS faculty. To proceed to the ENTS 391 execution step, a proposal must be approved. 1 cr., S/CR/NC, ND, Fall,Winter—Staff