Introduction to environmental engineering
Summary
Key themes in environmental science and engineering will be show-cased, with examples - from equator to the poles - including atmospheric processes and climate change, water quality, energy resources and urban development, with the amazing technologies used to study and address current challenges.
Content
In this course the professors of the Institute of Environmental Engineering will show examples of their work on a wide range of topics related to our changing environment.
With examples from around the world you will experience cutting-edge research and engineering work ranging from soil microbiology to satellite remote sensing, and learn about how we work in the extreme environments of the Arctic and Antarctic, from deep in the ocean to the top of the ountains and high into the atmosphere, as well as in urban environment(s) and in the adjacent landscape.
How do we guarantee clean drinking water ? What does plastic pollution really mean? How do we detect a virus ourbreak ? From where will we get our energy ? What is happening to our glaciers ? How can we use robots and computers to measure environmental change ? What is the link between climate change and atmospheric processes ? How do we know the climate of the past? How can we protect coral reefs ecosystems ?
These are just a few of the topics that will be covered in this big-picture introductory course, which is intended contextualize your studies within the Section of Environmental Science and Engineering.
Keywords
Water resources, air pollution, viruses in the environment, climate change, energy resources, CO2 storage, sustainable resource management, ice cores and glaciers, avalanches, autonomous robots, environmental sensing, population genomics and health, coral reefs, plants and microbes... and much more.
Learning Prerequisites
Important concepts to start the course
Basic knowledge (high school level) in mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, the student must be able to:
- Recognize a range of important environmental challenges and emerging solutions to address them
- Take into consideration a broad range of factors affecting our current and future climate
- Examine critically (mis)information about enviromental problems
- Recognize different mechanisms controlling climate change
- Recognize the spatio-temporal orders of magnitude of importance to our Earth System
- Recognize the physical, chemical and microbial processes that influence the quality of our drinking water
- Explain to themselves and their parents why they study environmental science and engineering at EPFL
Teaching methods
Lecture ex cathedra and exercises.
Lectures will be given in French and English, depending on the teacher.
Expected student activities
Attend in person all lectures and excercise sessions.
Assessment methods
The course will be evaluated with two mid-term exams during the semester.
These exams will be multiple-choice tests, each counting 50 percent.
Dans les plans d'études
- Semestre: Automne
- Forme de l'examen: Pendant le semestre (session d'hiver)
- Matière examinée: Introduction to environmental engineering
- Cours: 2 Heure(s) hebdo x 14 semaines
- Exercices: 2 Heure(s) hebdo x 14 semaines
- Type: obligatoire