Christina Cianfrani

This course will use a natural science lens to explore sustainability with a specific focus on the food-water-energy nexus. We will use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as one framework of study covering the implementation of the goals on a global scale as well as efforts underway locally and regionally. Students in this class will read primary literature, complete case studies, work collaboratively and independently on sustainability projects and actively participate in small group and class discussions and activities. We will use elements of the Hampshire College campus living laboratory as points of discussion, taking fields trips when possible, including: the net zero energy/water living building, the solar array and the college farm center. Keywords:Sustainability, environmental science, systems thinking

Floods, droughts, hurricanes and other extreme weather events have been increasing in response to climate change. How will these and other climate change effects impact our access to freshwater? How will we adapt to these changing conditions? This class will cover a brief introduction to the science behind climate change prediction and modeling and look specifically at the impacts to the water cycle and water resources. Students will read and discuss scholarly literature, work in project teams to collect and interpret data and learn the skills scientists use to analyze climate and water-related issues. This course will use the Hampshire Campus as a living laboratory and may involve short field trips to sites on campus. This class is designed with a commitment to accessibility and to providing access to students of all backgrounds and abilities Keywords:Environmental science, climate change, systems thinking

Wetland ecosystems are biologically important habitats and provide many ecosystem services including flood control, water filtration, and groundwater recharge. Constructed wetlands use these principles to treat waste generated by humans (e.g. stormwater, greywater, wastewater). In this course we will study the design, hydrology, and nutrient and pollutant cycling of natural and constructed wetlands. Students will read scholarly literature, complete problem sets, and work collaboratively in the field and laboratory to sample and analyze soils, vegetation, and water from wetlands on the Hampshire College campus. During the second half of the semester, students will design and carry out their own research projects. This class is designed with a commitment to accessibility and to providing access to students of all backgrounds and abilities. Students that take Wetlands for Water Treatment must also enroll in Wetlands for Water Treatment LABORATORY (NS-233). Keywords:environmental science, hydrology, natural resources, ecology

In this course, students will have the opportunity to put into practice the skills and knowledge they gain from discussion and reading the scholarly literature about wetlands in NS232. We will use the Hampshire College campus as a living laboratory to explore both natural and constructed wetland ecosystems. We will sample soils, vegetation, and water and analyze and interpret our results. During the second half of the semester, students will design their own projects identifying a question of interest, selecting appropriate methods to explore their research question, carrying out their research and synthesizing and presenting their results (this course meets the Division II Supported Project requirement). This class is designed with a commitment to accessibility and to providing access to students of all backgrounds and abilities. Students that take Wetlands for Water Treatment LABORATORY must also enroll in Wetlands for Water Treatment (NS-232). Keywords:environmental science, hydrology, natural resources, ecology