Great Problems Seminar

Throughout most of Earth’s history, species disappeared at an average rate of 1 to 5 per year. Fossil evidence shows that five mass extinction catastrophes have occurred. Scientists estimate that we are witnessing the sixth mass extinction; species are currently disappearing at 1,000 to 10,000 times the normal background rate. This Great Problems Seminar will examine scientific debates about past and present causes of extinction, the factors that contribute to vulnerability or resiliency of endangered species, and the consequences (to the planet, to regional ecosystems, and to human societies and economies) of species loss. Where are extinctions currently having the greatest impact? How might conservation efforts prevent extinctions? What can we expect from efforts to revive extinct species? Student project groups will focus on specific extinction-related problems, and develop and present sustainable solution approaches based on their investigations.

During C term, take an engineering adventure back to 19^th-century Worcester and join an exciting role-playing game.  With anxiety running high, residents at a mass meeting express their concerns over the heavily polluted Blackstone River and the spread of disease from its human and industrial waste.  How should Worcester deal with this challenge from an engineering & social perspective?  What human factors must be considered? How do you apply simple engineering principles from different disciplines? With whom should you form alliances to help promote your recommendation?  How do you build an engineering model on a limited budget to showcase your solution?  During D term, apply your newfound knowledge to propose a solution to an engineering challenge today in a developing country.  

Some people get enough, even too much, to eat. Others not enough to stay alive. That’s not right. So how can production, distribution and consumption be managed so that there is food for everyone? In the first term, we will examine economics, government policy, farming practices and technology, resources, nutrition and culture as they relate to availability of sufficient food. In the second term, you will work in small project teams to develop a real food-related intervention at the local, regional or even global level, and then present your results to university, community, and government experts during a project presentation day.

Every community faces energy problems. Solutions to these problems involve both positive and negative consequences. Fossil fuels currently dominate the energy landscape but have impacts that are becoming less and less acceptable. Renewable sources of energy, like wind and solar, are gaining traction but present a whole new set of challenges. This course investigates the depth and breadth of energy production, transmission, and use. It explores the technical, social, economic, and environmental effects and challenges of power generation.

This Great Problems Seminar addresses the possibilities and liabilities of human life in the urban environment. As an increasing proportion of the world’s population becomes urban, the possibilities for human achievement and the particular difficulties encountered in city life become more pressing. Through lectures, readings, discussion, and group projects this course will examine the ways in which the interaction of urban ecology, globalization and labor markets, social and environmental justice, city design and planning, and gentrification come together to create contemporary urban life. Urban sprawl can pose many threats to the environment, and we will examine ecological conditions (e.g., land use, pollution, heat island), patterns (e.g., changes in diversity), and processes (e.g., invasion of non-native species) associated with urbanization and how these influence and are influenced by social conditions in cities. Additionally, students will develop an area of expertise in one problem of urban living and research, present, and propose sustainable solutions.