Science Elective Recommendations

Characteristics and physical processes of thunderstorms, tornadoes, lightning, hail, hurricanes, blizzards, cyclones and other storms.

Energy transfer at infrared, visible, and microwave wavelengths. Analysis of satellite measurements of the atmosphere and surface.

The meteorology of hydro, wind, and solar power. Atmospheric processes affecting renewable energy on global, regional & local weather scales.

Seminars and field trips introducing the major global, regional, and local environmental issues facing human societies.

The role of energy in human societies throughout history and the environmental and social implications of energy use. Coverage of both the science and policy of energy use. Energy supply and demand, energy transitions, analytical tools, impacts, and alternatives.

Current issues. Application to agricultural, energy, and resource systems in terrestrial and aquatic contexts. Analysis of complex problems; incorporation of science into novel interdisciplinary solutions.

Sustainability analysis through a series of case studies. Example approaches include cost-benefit analysis, trade-offs analysis, and life-cycle analysis. Active learning in a computer lab using real-world data.

Mathematical computer-based problem solving in the physical, chemical, and biological sciences. Problems drawn from studies of the earth, the oceans and the atmosphere.

Cutting edge problems in earth, ocean, atmospheric and planetary sciences. Topics will be introduced through discussions of the current literature.

Introduction to crystallography, physical and chemical properties of minerals. Recognition and identification of common minerals.

Measuring geological time and understanding Earth history using stratigraphic principles, paleontology and radioactive decay.

Application of classical theory of scalar and vector fields to geophysical sciences. Conductive, convective and radiative energy flux, gravitation, electrostatics, and magnetostatics. Gauss' and Stokes' theorems.

Introduction to diversity of marine habitats and ecosystems; hydrothermal vent, intertidal, coral reef, estuarine, deep sea, and polar ecosystems; impacts of ecosystem change; evolution of ocean plankton; invasive species; climate change; pollution.

The Earth as a planet: its composition, internal dynamics, and surface evolution. Rotation, magnetic field, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes. The ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere as components of a varying geo-environment. No background in science or mathematics is required. Not for credit for students in specializations administered by the Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences.  (https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/undergrad/degrees). Not for credit if you have already taken EOSC 110.

An introduction to the Earth with emphasis on its industrial and aesthetic resources. Rocks, minerals, gold, diamonds, sediments, fossils, oil and gas, canyons, and volcanoes and the processes that create them. No background in Science or Mathematics is required. Not for credit for students in specializations administered by the Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences. (https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/undergrad/degrees).

An introduction to the oceans and the processes that have shaped them, their composition and movement, waves, tides, beaches, interactions with the atmosphere and human exploitation of the non-living resources. No background in Science or Mathematics is required. Not for credit for students in specializations administered by the Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences. (https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/undergrad/degrees)

An introduction to life in the oceans, its variety and evolution; primary producers and their links to the environment, zooplankton, marine communities, living marine resources and their role in today's world. Not for credit for students in specializations administered by the Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences. (https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/undergrad/degrees).

Theories of storage and movement of water within groundwater systems; Groundwater-surface water interaction; Role of groundwater systems in watershed management and regulating the environmental impacts of global change; Groundwater sustainability; Impacts of climate & land use changes on groundwater resources This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

The fossil record of adaptation and extinction emphasizing the interaction of biological and geological processes. Not for credit in Geological Sciences and Geophysics specializations.

Mechanisms and processes of past and future global climate change. Climate models and projected impacts. Climate solutions including carbon sequestration, adaptation and geoengineering.

Principles of geophysical survey design, data acquisition, processing and interpretation with emphasis on near-surface problems. Magnetic, seismic reflection/refraction, electromagnetic and ground penetrating radar surveys. Case history analysis of environmental and geotechnical problems.

Introduction to tensor calculus and continuum mechanics. Stress, strain and strain-rate tensors. Mass, momentum and energy balance. Applications to problems of geophysical heat transport, elasticity and fluid dynamics. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: One of EOSC 250, MATH 317.

Continuous and discrete Fourier transforms, correlation and convolution, spectral estimates, optimum least-squares filters, deconvolution and prediction, frequency-wave number filtering. A practical course on computer techniques applied to the analysis of a wide range of geophysical phenomena.

Physical and chemical processes and their controls on the distribution of plankton in the ocean.

Physical, chemical, and biological processes in the ocean and their interaction with climate and marine food-webs.

Application of data analysis and empirical modelling strategies for conducting a data-oriented research in geosciences; from setting research questions and hypothesis to delivering and interpreting results. Examples are drawn from across the Earth, ocean, atmospheric and planetary sciences.

Foundational knowledge of the interactions between microorganisms and Earth's surface chemistry. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

Theory, application and quantitative interpretation of potential field methods for use in exploring the interior structure of Earth and planets. Topics drawn from problems in geophysical exploration, geodesy, geodynamics, geomagnetism, planetary magnetic fields, heat flow and fluid flow.

Identification and quantitative analysis of diverse physical problems in the earth, ocean, atmospheric, and planetary sciences.

A quantitative examination of processes regulating the abundance, distribution and production of phytoplankton, zooplankton, microbes and fish. Controls of primary and secondary production, ecosystem dynamics and foodwebs.

An interdisciplinary study of pollution, with examples drawn from coastal and oceanic environments, including areas of local interest. Intended for third and fourth year students with a background in the sciences.

Advanced biology, ecology and diversity of marine microbes. Emphasis on the roles of bacteria and viruses in marine foodwebs and geochemical cycles.

An introduction to the ecology and management of freshwater and marine fisheries. Topics include: population dynamics, species interactions, communities, environmental influences, stock assessment, economics and sociology of fisheries. Laboratories will consist of numerical analyses and simulations.