This advanced seminar explores AI translation between English and Chinese. Students analyze the capabilities and limits of machine translation, applying advanced tools to diverse texts. The course emphasizes a collaborative human-AI model, focusing on challenges requiring human expertise in context, culture, and intent for effective cross-cultural communication.

The scientific method and its application to natural systems. The physical and biological processes which drive ecosystem functions. Anthropogenic changes in ecosystem functions at local and global scales. Emphasis on the degradation of the atmosphere, soil, water and biological resources caused by human activity. Renewable and non-renewable resource sustainability. Laboratories will include hands-on field and lab related practical experience.

This general interest course explores the composition, structure and origin of the Earth and the tectonic, chemical and biological processes that have evolved over the last 4.5 billion years. It explains how planet "works" as a complex system. It provides a fundamental basis for understanding many of the environmental challenges faced by human societies especially natural hazards, water shortages, and climate change, and the importance of natural resources to our economy.

This course consists of a survey of the planet's water resources and the major issues facing the use of water. Topics include: Earth, the watery planet; water, the last great resource; Canada's waters; Ontario's waters; water and man; water contamination; and protecting our waters. Case studies such as the Walkerton tragedy will be studied. No prior knowledge of environmental science is required.

A survey of the science, history and applications of wind. Topics include storms including hurricanes, tornadoes and mid-latitude cyclones, global circulation, local circulations, measurement of winds, impact of winds on land surfaces, wind power, winds and pollution, historical and literary winds, and contemporary wind research. No prior knowledge of environmental science is required.

Because of pollution, our surroundings are becoming increasingly hazardous to our health. The past century has seen intense industrialization characterized by the widespread production and use of chemicals and the intentional and unintentional disposal of a wide range of waste materials. This course explores the relationship between the incidence of disease in human populations and the environmental pollution. Emphasis will be placed on understanding where and what pollutants are produced, how they are taken up by humans and their long term effects on health; the role of naturally-occurring carcinogens will also be examined. The course will include a view of risk assessment and toxicology using case studies. No prior knowledge of environmental or medical science is required.

This course illustrates the environmental effects of urban expansion, changing methods of agriculture, industrialization, recreation, resource extraction, energy needs and the devastation of war. Drawing on information from a wide spectrum of topics - such as waste disposal, tourism, the arctic, tropical forests and fisheries - it demonstrates what we know about how pollutants are produced, the pathways they take through the global environment and how we can measure them. The course will conclude with an examination of the state of health of Canada's environments highlighting areas where environmental contamination is the subject of public discussion and concern. No prior knowledge of environmental science is required.

The physical and chemical processes responsible for the development of regolith at the surface of the earth and the mechanics of entrainment, transport and deposition of mass by rivers, wind, glaciers, water waves, gravitational stresses, etc., which control the evolution of surface morphology.
Field excursions and laboratory exercises will allow students to apply theory to natural systems and to understand the dynamics of one man-modified geomorphic system.

This is an overview of the physical and dynamic nature of meteorology, climatology and related aspects of oceanography. Major topics include: atmospheric composition, nature of atmospheric radiation, atmospheric moisture and cloud development, atmospheric motion including air masses, front formation and upper air circulation, weather forecasting, ocean circulation, climate classification, climate change theory and global warming.

The water and energy balances; fluxes through natural systems. Process at the drainage basin scale: precipitation, evaporation, evapotranspiration and streamflow generation. The measurement of water fluxes, forecasting of rainfall and streamflow events. Human activity and change in hydrologic processes.

A study of the processes of pedogenesis and the development of diverse soil profiles, their field relationships and their response to changing environmental conditions.
An examination of the fundamental soil properties of importance in soil management. An introduction to the techniques of soil examination in the field, soil analysis in the laboratory and the basic principles of soil classification.

Planet Earth is at least 4,400 million years old and a geological record exists for at least the last 3,900 million years in the form of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. The changing dynamics of convection deep within the Earth's mantle and associated super-continent assembly and breakup along with meteorite impacts, are now recognized as the major controls on development of the planet's atmosphere, oceans, biology, climate and geo-chemical cycles. This course reviews this long history and the methods and techniques used by geologists to identify ancient environments.

Examines the origins and systems of production of the major plants and animals on which we depend for food. Interactions between those species and systems and the local ecology will be examined, looking at issues of over harvesting, genetic erosion, soil erosion, pesticide use, and impacts of genetically modified strains.

Competition for water resources between countries is common; population and economic growth are exacerbating this. The socio-political, environmental and economic aspects of transboundary water transfers are explored; the success of relevant international treaties and conventions, and the potential for integrated management of transboundary waters are assessed. Examples from Asia, Africa and the Middle East are presented.

This course is an investigation of the geological background and possible solutions to major hazards in the environment.
Environmental hazards to be studied include: landslides, erosion, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, asteroid impacts, flooding, glaciation, future climate change, subsidence, and the disposal of toxic wastes. This may be of interest to a wide range of students in the life, social, and physical sciences; an opportunity for the non-specialist to understand headline-making geological events of topical interest. No prior knowledge of the Earth Sciences is required.

A comprehensive introduction to crystalline structure, crystal chemistry, bonding in rock forming minerals, and optical properties of minerals. The course includes laboratory exercises on the identification of minerals in hand specimen, and identification of minerals using polarizing microscopes.

Sedimentary basins hold the bulk of Earth’s rock record and are fundamental in the study of past environments, tectonic evolution, climates, and biosphere. This course will explore different basin types and the nature of their infills. The course will also emphasize the economic resources within sedimentary basins and paleoenvironmental significance.

This course describes the processes and energy sources shaping the solid Earth's physical evolution and the means by which the properties of the planet’s interior can be inferred. Topics include detection of the Earth's core, Earth's magnetic field, manifestations of Earth's secular cooling (e.g., mantle convection) and Earth's gravity field.

This course applies a multi-disciplinary lens to the subject of biological invasions and is intended to build upon foundational understandings of global environmental change. The course explores the foundational ecological theories of biological invasions, ecological conditions and mechanisms driving invasions, multi-scale perspectives on the environmental impact of biological invasions (community, ecosystem), past and current approaches to the management of invaded environments, social and economic impacts of species invasions, and invasion risk assessment and biological invasion policy.

This course focuses on the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) for solving a range of scientific problems in the environmental sciences and describing their relationship with - and applicability to - other fields of study (e.g. geography, computer science, engineering, geology, ecology and biology). Topics include (but are not limited to): spatial data types, formats and organization; geo-referencing and coordinate systems; remotely sensed image manipulation and analysis; map production.

Theoretical and practical aspect of the evolution of organismal diversity in a functional context; examination of species distributions and how these are organized for scientific study. Emphasis will be on the highly diverse invertebrate animals. Topics include biomes, dispersal, adaptation, speciation, extinction and the influence of climate history and humans.

Groundwater represents the world's largest and most important fresh water resource. This basic course in hydrogeology introduces the principles of groundwater flow and aquifer storage and shows how a knowledge of these fundamental tools is essential for effective groundwater resource management and protection. Special emphasis is placed on the practical methods of resource exploration and assessment; examples of the approach are given for aquifers under environmental stress in southern Ontario, the US and Africa.

To familiarize students with the relevant legislation, qualitative and quantitative approaches and applications for environmental impact assessments and environmental auditing. The focus will be on the assessment of impacts to the natural environment, however, socio-economic impacts will also be discussed. Environmental auditing and environmental certification systems will be discussed in detail. Examples and case studies from forestry, wildlife biology and land use will be used to illustrate the principles and techniques presented in the course. Students will acquire "hands-on" experience in impact assessment and environmental auditing through case studies.

Experiential learning in environmental science is critical for better understanding the world around us, solving pressing environmental issues, and gaining hands-on skills for careers in the environmental sector. This course provides exciting and inspiring experiential learning opportunities, across disciplines with themes ranging from geoscience, ecology, climate change, environmental physics, and sustainability, across Canada and internationally. The course entails a 7-10-day field camp with destinations potentially changing yearly, that prioritizes environmental skills including environmental data collection, in-field interpretation of environmental patterns and processes, and science communication.

North America is endowed with eight of the twelve largest lakes in the world. The origin and geological history, cycles of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, and structures of ecosystems of the North American Great Lakes will be used as examples of large lacustrine systems. Fundamental concepts of limnology will be related to features found in the Great Lakes.  Topics include: lake origins, lake classification, lake temperature structure and heat budgets, seasonal water circulations, productivity, plankton ecology, food-web dynamics, exotic species invasions, eutrophication-related phenomena and water quality/fisheries management.  Specific anthropogenic influences will be illustrated using case studies from the local environment, and students will be allowed to pursue their own interests through a series of short seminars.

The world's oceans constitute more than 70% of the earth's surface environments. This course will introduce students to the dynamics of ocean environments, ranging from the deep ocean basins to marginal seas to the coastal ocean. The large-scale water circulation is examined from an observationally based water mass analysis and from a theoretical hydro-dynamical framework. The circulation of marginal seas, the role of tides, waves and other currents are studied in terms of their effects upon the coastal boundary.

The course will cover fundamental aspects of chemical processes occurring at the Earth's surface. Terrestrial and aquatic geochemical processes such as: mineral formation and dissolution, redox, aqueous-solid phase interactions, stable isotopes, and organic geochemistry in the environment will be covered.

The course will provide a general introduction to the most important methods of geophysical exploration. Topics covered will include physical principles, methodology, interpretational procedures and field application of various geophysical survey methods. Concepts/methods used to determine the distribution of physical properties at depths that reflect the local surface geology will be discussed.

An advanced supervised readings course that can be taken in any session. Students will follow structured independent readings in any area of Environmental Science. A description of the objectives and scope of the individual offering must be approved by the Supervisor of Studies. Two papers are required in the course; the supervisor and one other faculty member will grade them. The course may not be used as a substitute for EES Program requirements.

This course will focus on how urban areas modify the local environment, particularly the climates of cities. The physical basis of urban climatology will be examined considering the energy balance of urban surfaces. The urban heat island phenomenon and its modelling will be studied based on conceptual and applied urban-climate research. The impact of climate change on urban sectors such as urban energy systems, water and wastewater systems, and urban transportation and health systems will be examined through case studies. Students will have the opportunity to choose their own areas of interest to apply the knowledge they learn throughout the course and demonstrate their understanding in tutorial-based discussions. The students will be required to work with community or industry partners on a project to assess the impacts or urban climate change.