Environmental ScienceFaculty List
Human activity is a major cause of environmental change. Study of the dynamics of both natural and anthropogenic changes requires knowledge spanning many scientific disciplines. Recent environmental degradation such as surface and subsurface water pollution, air and soil pollution, climate change, depletion of resources, extinction of species and problems of waste disposal are all a result of the lack of understanding of environmental systems and processes. Environmental degradation has an impact not only on human beings but on all species and most natural systems, so that its understanding requires approaches and skills from many disciplines such as biology, chemistry, geology, geography, mathematics, physics, and ecology.
All Environmental Science Specialist programs (Environmental Biology, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Geoscience, Environmental Physics, and Environmental Science), in addition to the Specialist (Joint) program in Environmental Science and Technology, and the Major program in Environmental Science have earned official accreditation from Environmental Careers Organization (ECO) Canada and the Canadian Environmental Accreditation Commission (CEAC). These UTSC programs have met the national standard required to earn accredited status, which connects industry and academics in the environmental sector. Graduates of these programs are eligible to receive their Environmental Professional in Training (EPt) designation, which is a developmental certification for emerging environmental professionals. To learn more about the EPt program see: http://www.eco.ca/accreditation. The overall purpose of the various programs in Environmental Science is to provide education and training which will produce highly qualified scientists with excellent field and laboratory experience, with a view to future employment in consulting, government, non-governmental organizations and research and teaching. Co-operative Offerings Eligible Programs of Study
The Co-op Programs in Environmental Science allow students to combine their chosen academic program with an integrated and complementary work experience. Students are required to complete the program requirements of any one of the above listed non-Co-op Specialist Programs, or non-Co-op Major Program within their 20-credit degree program. They will also complete three work terms of four months each, as well as a specially designed series of enhancement seminars. The overall purpose of these Co-op Programs is to provide students with an educational milieu that will allow them to develop as highly qualified scientists, and with excellent experience in both the academic and workplace environments. Students who are admitted to Co-op Sciences from secondary school with an interest in studying Environmental Science will choose their specific Co-op offering toward the end of their first year of study. For information on fees, work terms, and studying in the program, please see the Co-operative Programs section of this Calendar. Prospective Applicants: For direct admission from secondary school or for students who wish to transfer to U of T Scarborough from another U of T faculty or from another post-secondary institution, see the Co-operative Programs section in this Calendar. Current U of T Scarborough students: Application procedures can be found at the Registrar's Office website at: www.utsc.utoronto.ca/subjectpost. The minimum qualifications for entry are a cumulative GPA of at least 2.50 and the completion of all course prerequisites as noted in the Program Admission section below. Program Admission
Work Terms Combined Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science)/Master of Engineering The Combined Program in Environmental Science (BSc) and Master of Engineering (MEng) allows well-qualified students an Environmental Science Specialist program to apply during their third year, and be considered for admission into, the MEng program in Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry or Civil Engineering during their third year. Students in the combined program will complete it in less time than is normally the case for an MEng that follows upon a bachelor’s degree. Minimum Admission Requirements:
Program Requirements:
The path to completion is:
Normal Program Length: 5 years full-time Environmental Science ProgramsSPECIALIST PROGRAM IN ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY (SCIENCE) Supervisor of Studies: M. Isaac (416-287-7276) Email: marney.issac@utoronto.ca Supervisor of Studies: Myrna Simpson (416) 287-7234 Email: myrna.simpson@utoronto.ca Supervisor of Studies: M. Dittrich (416-208-2786) Email: mdittrich@utsc.utoronto.ca See the Physics and Astrophysics section of this Calendar for program requirements. SPECIALIST(JOINT) PROGRAM IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (SCIENCE)See the Environmental Science and Technology section of this Calendar for program requirements. MAJOR PROGRAM IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (SCIENCE)Supervisor of Studies: C. Mitchell (416-208-2744) Email: carl.mitchell@utoronto.ca Supervisor of Studies/Advisor: G. Arhonditsis (416-208-4858) Email: georgea@utsc.utoronto.ca Environmental Science CoursesEESA01H3 Introduction to Environmental Science The scientific method and its application to natural systems. The physical and biological processes which drive ecosystem functions. Anthropogenic changes in ecosystem functions at local and global scales. Emphasis on the degradation of the atmosphere, soil, water and biological resources caused by human activity. Renewable and non-renewable resource sustainability. This course is an investigation of the geological background and possible solutions to major hazards in the environment. This course explores the composition, structure and origin of the Earth and the physical and biological processes that operate in and on it; the history of the Earth as revealed in the rock record. The flows of energy and mass through natural systems, and the impact of human activity on system processes, with particular reference to land use change, soil degradation and atmospheric pollution. This course consists of a survey of the planet's water resources and the major issues facing the use of water. Topics include: Earth, the watery planet; water, the last great resource; Canada's waters; Ontario's waters; water and man; water contamination; and protecting our waters. Case studies such as the Walkerton tragedy will be studied. No prior knowledge of environmental science is required. A survey of the science, history and applications of wind. Topics include storms including hurricanes, tornadoes and mid-latitude cyclones, global circulation, local circulations, measurement of winds, impact of winds on land surfaces, wind power, winds and pollution, historical and literary winds, and contemporary wind research. No prior knowledge of environmental science is required. Because of pollution, our surroundings are becoming increasingly hazardous to our health. The past century has seen intense industrialization characterized by the widespread production and use of chemicals and the intentional and unintentional disposal of a wide range of waste materials. This course explores the relationship between the incidence of disease in human populations and the environmental pollution. Emphasis will be placed on understanding where and what pollutants are produced, how they are taken up by humans and their long term effects on health; the role of naturally-occurring carcinogens will also be examined. The course will include a view of risk assessment and toxicology using case studies. No prior knowledge of environmental or medical science is required. This course illustrates the environmental effects of urban expansion, changing methods of agriculture, industrialization, recreation, resource extraction, energy needs and the devastation of war. Drawing on information from a wide spectrum of topics - such as waste disposal, tourism, the arctic, tropical forests and fisheries - it demonstrates what we know about how pollutants are produced, the pathways they take through the global environment and how we can measure them. The course will conclude with an examination of the state of health of Canada's environments highlighting areas where environmental contamination is the subject of public discussion and concern. No prior knowledge of environmental science is required. The physical and chemical processes responsible for the development of regolith at the surface of the earth and the mechanics of entrainment, transport and deposition of mass by rivers, wind, glaciers, water waves, gravitational stresses, etc., which control the evolution of surface morphology. This is an overview of the physical and dynamic nature of meteorology, climatology and related aspects of oceanography. Major topics include: atmospheric composition, nature of atmospheric radiation, atmospheric moisture and cloud development, atmospheric motion including air masses, front formation and upper air circulation, weather forecasting, ocean circulation, climate classification, climate change theory and global warming. The water and energy balances; fluxes through natural systems. Process at the drainage basin scale: precipitation, evaporation, evapotranspiration and streamflow generation. The measurement of water fluxes, forecasting of rainfall and streamflow events. Human activity and change in hydrologic processes. A study of the processes of pedogenesis and the development of diverse soil profiles, their field relationships and their response to changing environmental conditions. Planet Earth is at least 4,400 million years old and a geological record exists for at least the last 3,900 million years in the form of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. The changing dynamics of convection deep within the Earth's mantle and associated super-continent assembly and breakup along with meteorite impacts, are now recognized as the major controls on development of the planet's atmosphere, oceans, biology, climate and geo-chemical cycles. This course reviews this long history and the methods and techniques used by geologists to identify ancient environments. Examines the origins and systems of production of the major plants and animals on which we depend for food. Interactions between those species and systems and the local ecology will be examined, looking at issues of over harvesting, genetic erosion, soil erosion, pesticide use, and impacts of genetically modified strains. Competition for water resources between countries is common; population and economic growth are exacerbating this. The socio-political, environmental and economic aspects of transboundary water transfers are explored; the success of relevant international treaties and conventions, and the potential for integrated management of transboundary waters are assessed. Examples from Asia, Africa and the Middle East are presented. This course focuses on the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) for solving a range of scientific problems in the environmental sciences and describing their relationship with - and applicability to - other fields of study (e.g. geography, computer science, engineering, geology, ecology and biology). Topics include (but are not limited to): spatial data types, formats and organization; geo-referencing and coordinate systems; remotely sensed image manipulation and analysis; map production. Theoretical and practical aspect of the evolution of organismal diversity in a functional context; examination of species distributions and how these are organized for scientific study. Emphasis will be on the highly diverse invertebrate animals. Topics include biomes, dispersal, adaptation, speciation, extinction and the influence of climate history and humans. Groundwater represents the world's largest and most important fresh water resource. This basic course in hydrogeology introduces the principles of groundwater flow and aquifer storage and shows how a knowledge of these fundamental tools is essential for effective groundwater resource management and protection. Special emphasis is placed on the practical methods of resource exploration and assessment; examples of the approach are given for aquifers under environmental stress in southern Ontario, the US and Africa. To familiarize students with the relevant legislation, qualitative and quantitative approaches and applications for environmental impact assessments and environmental auditing. The focus will be on the assessment of impacts to the natural environment, however, socio-economic impacts will also be discussed. Environmental auditing and environmental certification systems will be discussed in detail. Examples and case studies from forestry, wildlife biology and land use will be used to illustrate the principles and techniques presented in the course. Students will acquire "hands-on" experience in impact assessment and environmental auditing through case studies. Many environmental problems can only be assessed by collecting geological and other environmental data in the field. This course will provide students with the necessary skills for fieldwork investigations in a range of environments. The camp is held annually either in May or late August. Locations for the camp include Costa Rica, Rockies, Arizona, and Appalachians. North America is endowed with eight of the twelve largest lakes in the world. The origin and geological history, cycles of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, and structures of ecosystems of the North American Great Lakes will be used as examples of large lacustrine systems. Fundamental concepts of limnology will be related to features found in the Great Lakes. Topics include: lake origins, lake classification, lake temperature structure and heat budgets, seasonal water circulations, productivity, plankton ecology, food-web dynamics, exotic species invasions, eutrophication-related phenomena and water quality/fisheries management. Specific anthropogenic influences will be illustrated using case studies from the local environment, and students will be allowed to pursue their own interests through a series of short seminars. The world's oceans constitute more than 70% of the earth's surface environments. This course will introduce students to the dynamics of ocean environments, ranging from the deep ocean basins to marginal seas to the coastal ocean. The large-scale water circulation is examined from an observationally based water mass analysis and from a theoretical hydro-dynamical framework. The circulation of marginal seas, the role of tides, waves and other currents are studied in terms of their effects upon the coastal boundary. The course will cover fundamental aspects of chemical processes occuring at the Earth's surface. Terrestrial and aquatic geochemical processes such as: mineral formation and dissolution, redox, aqueous-solid phase interactions, stable isotopes, and organic geochemistry in the environment will be covered. Urban areas such as the GTA are the focus of many acute environmental problems such as the disposal of solid and liquid wastes, and the contamination of soil, air and water by industrial activity. Specific cases of such problems drawn from the GTA will be reviewed, with reference to field investigations, environmental audits, due diligence and liability, and remedial solutions. Students will carry out their own field investigations and will report on specific issues, paying particular regard to government legislation and guidelines issued by regulatory agencies. This course is essential to students in the Environmental Science Program, but is also directly relevant to business and management students. An advanced supervised readings course that can be taken in any session. Students will follow structured independent readings in any area of Environmental Science. A description of the objectives and scope of the individual offering must be approved by the Supervisor of Studies. Two papers are required in the course; the supervisor and one other faculty member will grade them. The course may not be used as a substitute for EES Program requirements. This course examines the diversity of microorganisms, their adaptations to special habitats, and their role in the ecosystem and geochemical cycling. Other topics include microbial phylogeny, physiological diversity, species interactions and state of the art methods of detection and enumeration. The last 2.5 million years has seen the repeated formation of large continental ice sheets over North America and Europe. The landscape of Ontario is a fossil landscape inherited from the last Laurentide Ice Sheet that disappeared only 10,000 years ago; much of southern Ontario is buried by glacial sediments and the Great Lakes are the direct result of glaciation. The course will review the cause of glaciations and their geological and geomorphological effects paying special regard to the long record of past glacial and interglacial climates preserved in the Toronto region. A field course on selected topics in aquatic environments. Aquatic environmental issues require careful field work to collect related hydrological, meteorological, biological and other environmental data. This hands-on course will teach students the necessary skills for fieldwork investigations on the interactions between air, water, and biota. This course is intended for students who would like to apply theoretical principles of environmental sustainability learned in other courses to real world problems. Students will identify a problem of interest related either to campus sustainability, a local NGO, or municipal, provincial, or federal government. Class meetings will consist of group discussions investigating key issues, potential solutions, and logistical matters to be considered for implementation of proposed solutions. Students who choose campus issues will also have the potential to actually implement their solutions. Grades will be based on participation in class discussions, as well as a final report and presentation. A comprehensive introduction to crystalline structure, crystal chemistry, bonding in rock forming minerals, and optical properties of minerals. The course includes laboratory exercises on the identification of minerals in hand specimen, and identification of minerals using polarizing microscopes. This course surveys the processes that produce the chemical and mineralogical diversity of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks including: the distribution, chemical and mineral compositions of rocks of the mantel and crust, their physical properties, and their relation to geological environments. Descriptive petrology for various rocks will also be covered. Natural hydrochemical processes; the use of major ions, minor ions, trace metals and environmental isotopes in studying the occurrence and nature of ground water flow. Point and non-point sources of ground water contamination and the mechanisms of contaminant transport. Climate change over the last 150 years is reviewed by examining the climate record using both direct measurements and proxy data. Projection of future climate is reviewed using the results of sophisticated climate modeling. The climate change impact assessment formalism is introduced and applied to several examples. Students will acquire practical experience in climate change impact assessment through case studies. This field camp will familiarize students with several geological settings and modern environments. The design, implementation, and reporting of a substantial research project involving laboratory and/or fieldwork. Existing faculty research allows a broad range of possible topics. The course should be undertaken after the end of the 3rd Year, subject to faculty availability. Faculty permission and supervision is required; open only to those students who have either completed or are undertaking specialist courses in the area of intended study. Students having a B+ or higher standing may be eligible for summer financial support from research projects. The design, implementation, and reporting of a substantial research project involving laboratory and/or fieldwork. Existing faculty research allows a broad range of possible topics. The course should be undertaken after the end of the 3rd Year, subject to faculty availability. Faculty permission and supervision is required; open only to those students who have either completed or are undertaking specialist courses in the area of intended study. Students having a B+ or higher standing may be eligible for summer financial support from research projects. Permission of the co-ordinator must be obtained. The motion of water at the hill slope and drainage basin scales. The relationship between surface and subsurface hydrological processes. Soil hydrologic processes emphasizing infiltration. Stream flow generation mechanisms, hydrometric and isotopic research methods. Problems of physically based and empirical modelling of hydrological processes. Snowmelt energetics and modelling. This course consists of a study of the ways in which hazardous organic and inorganic materials can be removed or attenuated in natural systems. The theory behind various technologies, with an emphasis on bioremediation techniques and their success in practice. An introduction to the unique challenges associated with the remediation of surface and ground water environments, soils, marine systems, and contaminated sediments. Students will select a research problem in an area of special interest. Supervision will be provided by a faculty member with active research in geography, ecology, natural resource management, environmental biology, or geosciences as represented within the departments. Project implementation, project monitoring and evaluation will form the core elements for this course. This course is designed to provide a strong interdisciplinary focus on specific environmental problems including the socioeconomic context in which environmental issues are resolved. The cohort capstone course is in 2 consecutive semesters, providing final year students the opportunity to work in a team, as environmental researchers and consultants, combining knowledge and skill-sets acquired in earlier courses. Group research to local environmental problems and exposure to critical environmental policy issues will be the focal point of the course. Students will attend preliminary meetings schedules in the Fall semester. This course will be organized around the DPES seminar series, presenting guest lecturers around interdisciplinary environmental themes. Students will analyze major environmental themes and prepare presentations for in-class debate. This course consists of 12 lectures given by senior industry professionals to prepare students for a post-graduate career in environmental consulting. Lectures will convey the full range of consulting activities, including visits to environmental investigation sites in the Toronto area. Technical writing and oral communication skills will be stressed in assignments. |
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