Looking to take a class on sustainability, climate change, and help the Cornell campus? These living laboratory courses offered Spring 2021 are both 1 credit classes that can help you explore current issues.
EAS4940 Section 201: Seminar on Geoengineering the Climate, Spring 2021
Professors Natalie Mahowald/Doug MacMartin, Th 11:15-12:05
Location: Snee TBA
1 credit.
Limit: 30 students
Reaching low climate targets is becoming more and more unlikely without the use of negative
emissions of carbon, or carbon dioxide removal technologies, or alternatively solar radiation
management. This seminar considers the possibility of using carbon dioxide removal
technologies across the spectrum including reforestation, soil sequestration, enhanced
weathering, carbon capture, utilization and sequestration. In addition, some propose solar
radiation modification as a tool for remediating climate. This cross-disciplinary course will
discuss the state of the technologies, the barriers to development and deployment, the positive
and negative potential impacts. The course will include several elements, a) speakers from
across Cornell will discuss current Cornell research in this important topic, b) reading recent
assessments of the technologies, and c) reading recent primary literature. The course should be
accessible to students across colleges and disciplines at Cornell and will focus on the big picture
questions. The seminar is directed at upper level undergrads (juniors or seniors) and graduate
students, but postdocs or faculty are welcome. Grading will be based on participation in in-class
discussions and a group project and presentation.
EAS4940: Section 203: Cornell’s Carbon Budget, Spring 2021
Professor Natalie Mahowald, T 11:15-12:05
Location: Snee 2154
1 credit.
Limit: 30 students
Reaching low climate targets will require humans to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050,
including not just our locally generated emissions, but also including the carbon our purchases
indirectly cause. Understanding what it will take for Cornell to be carbon neutral requires us to
take an inventory of what our current carbon emissions are as an institution. In this course, we
will work with the Campus Sustainability Office to estimate the full carbon budget of our energy,
transportation, equipment purchases, new and existing buildings, and food causes. The course
should be accessible to students across colleges and disciplines at Cornell. The seminar is
directed at upper level undergrads (juniors or seniors) and graduate students, but postdocs or
faculty are welcome. Grading will be based on participation in in-class discussions and a group
project and presentation.