GEO 3368 - Energy Choices for the 21st Century

Graduate students should enroll in GEOG 5368 or GEO 5368 and will be held to higher standards and/or more work. This class provides an introduction to critical energy issues facing our planet, with a focus on controversial topics and issues in Utah. These may include: hydraulic fracturing (fracking), offshore oil and gas development, oil shale and tar sand development, nuclear energy, renewable energy technologies such as wind and geothermal, the smart grid, difficulties in commercializing new energy technologies, air pollution, transportation choices, energy policy development, and global issues including population dynamics, climate change, carbon management, water resources, the Law of Unintended Consequences, and tipping points. A number of outstanding guest lecturers will provide expertise in their respective fields.