Program Overview
This three-week program explores global environmental issues, particularly air, water, and soil pollution. Students gain a comprehensive understanding of pollutants' sources, effects, and laboratory and field-scale techniques for analysis. Through field research, lab experiments, and expert lectures, participants develop skills essential for careers in environmental science, engineering, and related fields. The program includes a day trip to Birmingham Institute of Forest Research and a postgraduate program taster session.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
This three-week program, equivalent to an accredited undergraduate course (20 UK credits, 5 US credits, or 10 ECTS), focuses on current global environmental issues, particularly air, water, and soil pollution. It aims to provide students with an understanding of the sources, flows, and effects of key environmental pollutants, including laboratory and field-scale techniques and tools. The program also considers the broader impacts of pollution on key ecosystem services and relevant environmental policy aspects. It is ideal for students interested in understanding how the molecular scale properties of pollutants affect their mobility, accumulation, and remediation.
Outline:
The program is delivered through a variety of learning sessions, including:
- Introduction to Specific Environmental Topics: Students are introduced to specific environmental topics and select one to research for a final presentation.
- Designing a Research Question: This session focuses on the research process, planning experiments, determining data needs, analyzing samples, and setting a hypothesis.
- Field Research Skills I: This session focuses on soil and vegetation sampling, observational skills, and keeping a lab notebook (including an e-notebook).
- Field Research Skills II: This session builds on the first field research session, focusing on aquatic measurements, such as water quality, pollutant presence, and invertebrate analysis.
- Lab Research Skills I: This session focuses on laboratory measurements, such as determining pollutant concentrations, degradation rates, and degradation modes.
- Lab Research Skills II: This session focuses on the impacts of pollutants on key indicator organisms, including bacteria, algae, and Daphnia. Concepts such as dose-response, acute versus chronic exposure, adaptation, and resistance are considered.
- Visit to BIFoR (Birmingham Institute of Forest Research): This day trip provides insights into the role of forest ecosystems in mitigating climate change and the essential services they provide. Students participate in research activities, such as mapping lichen distribution and assessing tree health or biodiversity.
- Research Taster: Students visit research groups to learn about environmental science research, meet University of Birmingham students, see equipment and processes, and ask questions.
- Postgraduate Programme Taster: This session introduces postgraduate programs in the School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences, providing a glimpse into lectures and coursework.
- Learning from Mapping & Modelling: This day-long session involves processing datasets from field courses and the BIFoR visit, introducing mapping using ArcGIS and modeling approaches.
- Learning from Experts: This session features mini-lectures on environmental pollution, transformations, sources and sinks for key pollutants, and environmental regulations.
Assessment:
The program is formally assessed at the end of the three weeks. Students complete a short assessed presentation (10-15 minutes) on an aspect of their chosen research topic. The program is equivalent to an accredited undergraduate course (20 UK credits) and includes 44 contact hours. Students are required to undertake independent individual and group study.
Teaching:
The program utilizes a variety of teaching methods, including lectures, local field trips, research demonstrations, and hands-on experience in state-of-the-art labs. Students learn from leading experts in their fields.
Careers:
The program provides students with the skills and knowledge to pursue careers in environmental science, environmental engineering, public health, and related fields.
Other:
The program is based in the heart of England, where the first industrial revolutions took place. It provides students with a unique interdisciplinary approach to understanding global environmental issues. The program is part of the Birmingham International Summer School (BISS) and includes excursions and events as part of the wider summer school social program. All students receive a certificate of attendance upon successful completion of the course.
