TEACHING

Spring 2021, 2022 – Ecosystem Ecology & a Sustainable Future RNR 458/558

  • Instructor: Dr. Laura Meredith, Assistant Professor, School of Natural Resources and the Environment

Principles of Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology for a Changing World. Rapid changes to Earth’s biosphere will influence how natural and managed ecosystems function and alter the services they provide. Issues from conservation biology to sustainability and global climate change rely on a comprehensive understanding of ecosystem processes. In this class, students will learn the principles of terrestrial ecosystem ecology, examining the influence of biological, ecological, and physical processes on energy and material flows and water and elemental (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous) cycling in ecosystems. This class is a mixture of interactive lectures and discussions.

Text: Principles of Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology, F.S. Chapin, P. Matson and P. Vitousek, 2012 (freely available through University of Arizona Library)

3 credits 

Taught: Spring 2020, Spring 2021 (planned)

Fall 2019 – Ecology of Water Harvesting RNR TBD

  • Instructors:
    • Dr. Laura Meredith, Assistant Professor, School of Natural Resources and the Environment
    • Dr. Vanessa Buzzard, Research Specialist, School of Natural Resources and the Environment
    • with Dr. Bo Yang, College of Architecture, Planning & Landscape Architecture

How do rainwater harvesting landscape designs affect urban ecology?
To find out, join us in this new collaborative and hands-on course and study the soil ecology of iconic rainwater harvesting buildings on campus.

Working with landscape design students (LAR 612, Design Studio V, Prof. Bo Yang), students enrolled in this course will develop an experimental design to evaluate intersections between landscape design and ecology. They will gain hands-on experience collecting, processing, and analyzing environmental data. This year, specific questions will include impacts of design on the microbial communities, diversity, and health of soils. Ecological and design dimensions will be compared against social dimensions including social experience, attention-restoration effects, and human well-being. This Grassroots Teaching Initiative integrates concepts from landscape design and ecology to put science to work and provide evidence-based design for the built environment. Results to be incorporated into the national EPA RainWorks Challenge Design Competition. Students from all disciplines welcome! Max enrollment: 10 students.Supported by College of Architecture, Planning & Landscape Architecture
Teaching Innovation Grant

1-3 credits TBD. 

Taught: Spring 2020

Fall 2018, 2021 – Ecosystem Genomics Seminar RNR 696A/496B-005

Students, help define the emerging field of Ecosystem Genomics @ UA! Enrolled students attend the weekly Ecosystem Genomics Seminar Series featuring internal (UA) and external faculty with research programs embodying different aspects of this nascent field. Students read 1-2 papers by each presenter. Through in-class discussions students learn diverse methods and concepts and help drive our evolving understanding of Ecosystem Genomics. Professional development sessions provide relevant info academic and non-academic careers in Ecosystem Genomics. By semester’s end, we develop a revised summary statement for Ecosystem Genomics @ UA tailored to the research and trajectories of our students, researchers, and faculty.

The Ecosystem Genomics Initiative (http://egi.arizona.edu/) seeks to “discover the emergent properties and processes of ecosystems through ‘top down’ analysis of communities, populations and organisms, and ‘bottom up’ analysis of genomes, transcriptomes and metabolomes.” Students from all disciplines welcome.

Final 2018 Seminar Schedule. Watch selected seminars on the BIO5 Insitute YouTube Channel

2 credits.

Taught: Fall 2019, Fall 2020

Spring 2019 – Atmosphere Biosphere Interactions RNR 555

  • Instructors:
    • Dr. Laura Meredith, Assist. Prof. of Ecosystem Genomics
    • Dr. Alex Cueva, Biosphere 2 Postdoc

Foundations and Formulations of the ‘Breathing of the Biosphere.’ This course will cover key and interacting physical, chemical, biological, and ecological processes that control biosphere-atmosphere exchange of trace gases, water, and energy. Students will learn the fundamentals of quantitative flux measurements and analysis across scales ranging from microbes and leaves to ecosystems and regions. Case studies from recent literature and ongoing local experimentation will be used to illustrate concepts.  Theory will be applied to real-world trace gas and flux data from the National Ecological Observatory Network, Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center, and Biosphere 2 Data Archive. Microbe-mediated trace gas fluxes and genome-informed approaches for their study and prediction will be emphasized. The course format will consist of lectures, in-class discussions, hypothesis generation and testing with data, a field trip to Biosphere 2, and a final project. Students taking this course will be equipped with new tools to study interacting biological and abiotic processes of the biosphere and their fascinating impacts the atmosphere, and correspondingly, the entire Earth system.

Text:  Terrestrial Biosphere-Atmosphere Fluxes, R. K. Monson, D. D. Baldocchi, 2014

3 credits.

Taught: Spring 2019, Spring 2020 (planned)

Visual Science Communications

100% Engagement Non-Credit Experience

Have you ever wondered how beautiful infographics are created? Had a great idea for an eye-catching landing page on a website?

In this course, you will work independently to solve real-word problems in visual science communications (your choice of print, web, or social media). With appropriate guidance from friendly faculty you will create a well-honed finished piece by the end of 16 weeks. Your work will be presented in an exhibit where local community partners will bid to implement your design solutions. Focal ares may include Biosphere 2 research and education, Department of Entomology’s Insect Discovery Outreach program, and more.

Your experience learning how to communicate information effectively, and developing and negotiating industry partnerships will give you a competitive edge when applying for jobs.

Visual Science Communications offers positive impacts for your education and integrates you with your broader community! Join us!

Example Infographic