Science and Energy Security

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Access to affordable energy has become paramount to the national and economic security of every nation. From wood to coal, oil to natural gas, nuclear to wind, global primary energy sources continue to evolve. Shifts in energy usage track with advancements in energy, natural resource, environment, and health science. In this course, we will examine the fundamental concepts in chemistry, physics, geology, and biology that underpin energy. Drawing from an interdisciplinary set of scientific concepts, we will discuss how those concepts have led to advancements in science that have changed our primary global energy supply over time. We will highlight the links among international policy, scientific policy, the scientific enterprise, and how scientific understanding is ultimately developed, tested, and revised. Some seats in this class are reserved.