Fun Fact: Syracuse University students can take classes at SUNY-ESF.

Don’t be afraid, it’s not too scary on the other side of the Carrier Dome. We take your classes all the time. It is usually about halfway through the semester when you realize all the kids in your calculus class with hard hats and flannel are Stumpies.

Here, in my educated opinion, are some worthwhile classes to consider when registering this week.

EFB 120: ‘The Global Environment and the Evolution of Human Culture’ is offered every semester and is required by many majors at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. If The Facts of Life 101 was a class on where babies come from, then Global Environment is The Facts of Life 102 — it’s that important. I took it for my social science general education requirement. This class is a basic overview of a broad range of environmental issues examined with biophysical economics in mind. Biophysical economics means treating ecosystems and natural resources as having value and accounting for environmental damage as an economic issue.

I highly recommend ERE 275: ‘Ecological Engineering I’ or ERE 496: ‘Ecosystem Restoration Design’ to students majoring in any of the sciences, engineering, policy or design disciplines.

The former is more about design principles and the latter delves into a variety of ecosystems. Both deal with ecological engineering as designing ecosystems for the mutual benefit of people and nature. The focus is on interdisciplinary design and making sure to include the perspective of every stakeholder in your design. Be prepared to examine life beyond the Hill and take field trips to Syracuse’s Near Westside. I learned more while hopping fences along Onondaga Creek and climbing up storm sewers than I ever could have sitting on campus.

ESF began as a forestry school, and although our main campus is itty bitty, we own a grand total of 25,000 acres around Syracuse and in the Adirondacks. ESF is managing its land to take in harmful carbon emissions and will be carbon neutral by 2015. Take advantage of all that gloriousness and learn about trees in EFB 336: ‘Dendrology.’ Tree hugging is not required, but certainly acceptable. There’s a lab in which you’re always outside, so they only offer it in the fall, but you can always start planning ahead.

FOR 489: ‘Natural Resources Law and Policy’ is a fantastic way to explore many facets of environmental law. The only prerequisite is an American government class and junior or senior standing. The professor is passionate and puts an emphasis on Socratic discussion. Get excited about heated discussions in class.

You’ll need to have taken an economics course before taking ERE 519: ‘Green Entrepreneurship,’ but I’ll bet a lot of you have already done that. This class focuses on startups in environmental science and technology, and their role in the marketplace. Part of sustainability is financial sustainability — there are so many business opportunities to be created through environmental cleanup. Creating more efficient technology that uses renewable energy sources also holds a wealth of entrepreneurial promise.

Most majors will find something of interest at ESF. I’m encouraging you to take advantage. This is only a smattering of the available classes. Definitely peruse the ESF registrar for more options. We’re really friendly, I promise.

Leanna Mulvihill is a senior forest engineering major and environmental writing and rhetoric minor. Her column appears every Tuesday. She can be reached at lpmulvih@syr.edu.

 

Published on November 14, 2011 at 12:00 pm