SUNY ESF
Fall 2026 New and Special Topics Courses

CME 496 | Circular Economy for SusBuiltEnv | 20739
MWF | 09:30 AM - 10:25 AM | Hossain,Mohammad Uzzal

This course will explore how circular principles transform how we design, build, and manage the built environment - from materials to cities. The circular economy replaces the traditional linear "take-make-dispose" model with a regenerative approach that keeps materials and resources in use through reuse, recycling, and material recovery. In the built environment, this means integrating circular principles across the full lifecycle of buildings and infrastructure — from design and construction through to deconstruction — with strategies such as modular design, adaptability, and design for disassembly. Performance is measured through metrics like carbon footprint, resource intensity, and waste reduction, while innovative business models help drive the transition at scale. Realizing these outcomes requires cross-disciplinary collaboration among architects, engineers, planners, and policymakers to embed circular strategies into both practice and policy. 

EFB  496 | Forest Health & Restoration | 21128
TBD | TBD | Teale,Stephen A

EFB  496 | Topics in Raptor Biology | 21498
TBD | TBD | Briggs, Christopher

Students will explore the diverse world of raptors through guided discussion of scientific literature. Topics include raptor anatomy, physiology, hunting adaptations, behavior, ecology, and conservation. The course emphasizes critical analysis of primary research papers and textbook chapters, with brief lectures providing context for understanding raptors as a remarkably diverse and successful group of predators.

EFB 496 | Marine Symbiosis | 15676
TTH | 9:30AM - 10:50AM | Reich, Hannah

In marine symbiosis, we will study host-microbe interactions across the tree of life. Our survey of marine symbioses will span mutualistic, commensal, and parasitic relationships across diverse ocean environments. We will examine the transmission, fidelity, and functions behind a variety of symbioses. These mechanisms integrate concepts from cell biology, genetics, ecology, and evolution*. You will also get the opportunity to dive in depth into the study of a symbiosis of your choice, and to share the results of that research with your classmates. Three hours of lecture and discussion per week. There is a large emphasis on peer reviewed paper discussions and students are expected to participate in discussions.

 EFB 496 | One Health: Where humans, animals, plants and their environment meet | 21516
TBD | TBD | Leydet, Brian

The well-being of humans, animals, plants, and the ecosystems they inhabit is deeply interconnected. This course examines One Health theory as an interdisciplinary framework for understanding and addressing complex global challenges such as increasing disease prevalence, climate and ecological change, and other threats to the biosphere arising from both human activity and natural processes. Students will develop a strong theoretical foundation through discussion of scientific literature, followed by in-depth analysis of diverse real-world case studies that illustrate the application of One Health principles in research, policy, and practice. Emphasis is placed on critical evaluation of scientific evidence, interdisciplinary thinking, and collaborative problem solving. The course culminates in a team-based project in which students assume the roles of different disciplinary experts to analyze, debate, and critique contemporary One Health challenges and evaluate/propose evidence-based solutions.

EFB 496 | Stream Ecology | 21536
TBD | TBD | Arsenault,Emily R

EFB 634 | Ecosystem Restoration Design | 20646
TBD | TBD | Diemont,Stewart AW

A summer field course followed by a weekly seminar and workshop during the Fall. Will travel in Mesoamerica. Will examine degraded and restored ecosystems. Will travel on public transportation and stay in low-cost hostels. Will use contemporary problems as source material for course projects. Each student will work individually with the instructor to develop an approach to explore a novel research direction for ecosystem restoration. Continuation of restoration project designs and analysis from the field trip will be part of the coursework after returning to Syracuse. The course will explore restoration strategies in many different ecosystems. Will consider restoration needs in less developed countries, and how that shapes design and evaluation. Course fee. Fall. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.

EFB  696 | Forest Health & Restoration | 21179
TBD | TBD | Teale,Stephen A

EFB 696 | One Health: Where humans, animals, plants and their environment meet | 21515
TBD | TBD | Leydet, Brian

The well-being of humans, animals, plants, and the ecosystems they inhabit is deeply interconnected. This course examines One Health theory as an interdisciplinary framework for understanding and addressing complex global challenges such as increasing disease prevalence, climate and ecological change, and other threats to the biosphere arising from both human activity and natural processes. Students will develop a strong theoretical foundation through discussion of scientific literature, followed by in-depth analysis of diverse real-world case studies that illustrate the application of One Health principles in research, policy, and practice. Emphasis is placed on critical evaluation of scientific evidence, interdisciplinary thinking, and collaborative problem solving. The course culminates in a team-based project in which students assume the roles of different disciplinary experts to analyze, debate, and critique contemporary One Health challenges and evaluate/propose evidence-based solutions.

EFB  696 | Topics in Raptor Biology | 21499
TBD | TBD | Briggs, Christopher

Students will explore the diverse world of raptors through guided discussion of scientific literature. Topics include raptor anatomy, physiology, hunting adaptations, behavior, ecology, and conservation. The course emphasizes critical analysis of primary research papers and textbook chapters, with brief lectures providing context for understanding raptors as a remarkably diverse and successful group of predators.

EFB  796 | Bayesian&FrequentistApproaches | 15671
TU | 02:00 PM - 04:35 PM | Cohen,Jonathan

Using R and WinBUGS, we will use Bayesian and frequentist approaches to analyze linear models (including t-tests, ANOVA, and regression) and generalized linear models (such as logistic and count regressions) with ecological data.  We also will discuss hierarchical (mixed effects) models and their solution using Bayesian methods.

EFB 796 | Stream Ecology | 21537
TBD | TBD | Arsenault,Emily R

ENS  596 | River Form and Process | 15707
MW | 03:45 PM - 05:05 PM | Endreny, Theodore

Three hours of lecture and demonstration per week. Students study the restoration of rivers and their corridors by identifying impairment pathways affecting river form and process, learning about river classification and evolution, and evaluating and developing restoration designs based on established conservation practices. Fall. Prerequisites: Physical or engineering hydrology

EST 410 | Critical Climate Studies | 20718
TH | 02:00 PM - 04:50 PM | Mikulewicz,Michael

The currently-offered, experimental version of this course is the only graduate-level course at ESF that is focused exclusively on climate change and at the same time rooted in social-science and humanities. For undergraduate students, this class is the next step up from EST 135: Introduction to Climate Justice, which I also teach.

EST  496 | PoliticlEclgs ofFood&Agricultr | 15507
MW | 12:45 PM - 02:05 PM | Zurawski,Erica

Three hours of in-person lecture and discussion per week. This course explores the interwoven social, political, environmental and economic aspects of food and agriculture. Students will engage with historical and contemporary historical and contemporary issues in the agri-food system through advanced readings and case study analysis. Focus will also be paid to the many historic and ongoing food and agriculture social movements.

EST  496 | Fed Indian Law in EnvContexts | 15580
TuTh | 08:00 AM - 09:20 AM | Gelatt,Andrea E

This course is designed for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students and will cover the history and development of federal Indian law within environmental contexts. Federal Indian Law is the body of law created by the United States to structure its colonization of Native peoples and the legal lens which the United States still engages with Native Nations today. The course will prepare students to recognize and analyze legal environmental issues affecting Native Nations in the varying contexts in which students may face them – as government employees within other governments, representatives of private citizens groups, or as environmental professionals working for Native Nations. We will discuss questions of Treaty rights related to water, hunting, fishing, gathering, and environmental data, and questions of jurisdiction, including the various sources of inherent and federal authority that govern Nations’ environmental regulation and land use.

EST  496 | Water Climate & Society | 21115
TuTh | 03:30 PM - 04:50 PM | Shinn,Jamie Elizabeth

Many of the impacts of climate change will be water-related (e.g., sea level rise, floods, droughts). These impacts pose complex challenges for society and require novel solutions. In this discussion-based class, students will learn about a variety of case studies, ranging from local to international. They will gain understanding of water-society relationships and options for water governance and policy in a changing climate, ranging from international treaties to community-based solutions. 

EST 610 | Critical Climate Studies | 20717
TH | 02:00 PM - 04:50 PM | Mikulewicz,Michael
The currently-offered, experimental version of this course is the only graduate-level course at ESF that is focused exclusively on climate change and at the same time rooted in social-science and humanities. For undergraduate students, this class is the next step up from EST 135: Introduction to Climate Justice, which I also teach.

EST  696 | PoliticlEclgs ofFood&Agricultr | 15508
MW | 12:45 PM - 02:05 PM | Zurawski,Erica

Three hours of in-person lecture and discussion per week. This course explores the interwoven social, political, environmental and economic aspects of food and agriculture. Students will engage with historical and contemporary historical and contemporary issues in the agri-food system through advanced readings and case study analysis. Focus will also be paid to the many historic and ongoing food and agriculture social movements.

EST  696 | Fed Indian Law in EnvContexts | 21114
TuTh | 08:00 AM - 09:20 AM | Gelatt,Andrea E

This course is designed for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students and will cover the history and development of federal Indian law within environmental contexts. Federal Indian Law is the body of law created by the United States to structure its colonization of Native peoples and the legal lens which the United States still engages with Native Nations today. The course will prepare students to recognize and analyze legal environmental issues affecting Native Nations in the varying contexts in which students may face them – as government employees within other governments, representatives of private citizens groups, or as environmental professionals working for Native Nations. We will discuss questions of Treaty rights related to water, hunting, fishing, gathering, and environmental data, and questions of jurisdiction, including the various sources of inherent and federal authority that govern Nations’ environmental regulation and land use.

EST  696 | Water Climate & Society | 21116
TuTh | 03:30 PM - 04:50 PM | Shinn,Jamie Elizabeth

Many of the impacts of climate change will be water-related (e.g., sea level rise, floods, droughts). These impacts pose complex challenges for society and require novel solutions. In this discussion-based class, students will learn about a variety of case studies, ranging from local to international. They will gain understanding of water-society relationships and options for water governance and policy in a changing climate, ranging from international treaties to community-based solutions. 

EST 715 | Cmunty Based Participatoy Rsch | 21103
F | 12:00 PM - 02:50 PM | Nyblade,Madeline 
Three hours of lecture and class discussion each week. Foundations of community-based participatory research (CBPR) in environmental fields. Explores theory, practice, and examples of CBPR to provide students with the foundations and tools necessary to engage CBPR approaches within their graduate research and professional environmental practice. Graduate students of all disciplines are welcome.

EST 797 | Proseminar for Env Studies | 15579
W | 03:45 PM - 04:40 PM | Selfa,Theresa

EWP 494 | Creative Non-Fiction/Science | 20626
TuTh | 12:30 PM - 01:50 PM | Gedetsis,Jacob

Three hours of classroom instruction per week. Students in the course will read and write creative nonfiction, a genre that reflects a harmonious movement among subjective experience, factual research, and public interest in science and the environment. The course focuses on the writing processes and techniques used to write ideas, theories, and experiences to a lay audience.

EWP 496 | Podcasting&Audio Storytelling | 15715
TuTh | 02:00 PM - 03:20 PM | Fenn,Jess

Podcasts and audio stories have a massive, and expanding, audience. But what makes for compelling podcasts and audio stories? This course offers an introduction to basic skills in the pre-production, writing, recording, editing, and distribution of podcasts and audio stories. By taking this class, you will gain the practical skills for creating and distributing everyday digital audio projects as well as a theoretical background in sound studies, engaging an audience through soundscapes and other sound elements, and the changing nature of the sonic environments surrounding us all. 

FCH 496 | Survey of Environmental Chem | 21513
MWF | 11:40 AM - 12:35 PM | Dibble, Theodore

This course will introduce students to topics in the chemistry of air, water, and soil, largely in the context of climate change. For the atmosphere, we will focus on formation of smog near ground level and how chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) cause depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer. Ozone depletion affect global surface warming and potentially worsens smog. In water, the acid-base chemistry of CO2 affects the pH of our oceans and, potentially, the health of shellfish. We will study the wide variation in the stability / reactivity of pollutants in water; perfluorinated compounds (like PFAS) are very stable in air, soil, and water. Soil holds enormous stores of carbon that are slowly exchanged with the atmosphere and oceans; soils can immobilize or degrade some pollutants. The course will touch on the chemistry of destroying pollutants such as PFAS, chemicals in waste water, and combustion emissions. Prerequisite: one year of General Chemistry.

FCH 496 | Env Data Anlys:Chng Global Ocn | 15717
M | 11:40 AM - 02:05 PM | Ninokawa,Aaron 

The oceans are rapidly changing with widespread consequences. In this class, you will learn about how the oceans are changing. You will also explore different methods used to detect signals of global change in and build the skills to analyze and interpret those data in the statistical software, R. During this course, students will work with large datasets, visualize and analyze time series data, use sensors and analyze their data, conduct an independent data analysis project, and communicate results to both scientific and general audiences. Prereqs: FCH152 or equivalent, APM395 or equivalent, prior coding experience will be helpful but not required.

FCH 496 | Nutritional Biochemistry| 21517
TTH| 12:30 PM - 1:50 PM | Mostofa, Mohammad

Explains nutrient interactions with metabolism and disears.   Emphasis on digestion, absorption, metabolic pathways, and nutritional managment of metabolic disorders. 

FCH 796 | Nutritional Biochemistry| 21518
TTH| 12:30 PM - 1:50 PM | Mostofa, Mohammad

Explains nutrient interactions with metabolism and disears.   Emphasis on digestion, absorption, metabolic pathways, and nutritional managment of metabolic disorders. 

FCH 796 | Env Data Anlys:Chng Global Ocn | 15718
M | 11:40 AM - 02:05 PM | Ninokawa,Aaron 

The oceans are rapidly changing with widespread consequences. In this class, you will learn about how the oceans are changing. You will also explore different methods used to detect signals of global change in and build the skills to analyze and interpret those data in the statistical software, R. During this course, students will work with large datasets, visualize and analyze time series data, use sensors and analyze their data, conduct an independent data analysis project, and communicate results to both scientific and general audiences. Prereqs: FCH152 or equivalent, APM395 or equivalent, prior coding experience will be helpful but not required.

FOR 496 | Hydrogeology | 15655
MWF | 10:35 AM - 11:30 AM | Young,Nathan L

This course is designed for Undergraduate students interested in the fundamental physics of groundwater flow and its applications in earth and environmental sciences.  Course materials are structured to help students understand the movement and occurrence of groundwater and its role in the hydrologic system, and to develop the skills required for quantitatively analyzing applied hydrogeologic problems across a range of environmental contexts. Topics include the physical properties of porous media, quantitative descriptions of groundwater flow using Darcy’s Law, water potential, aquifer properties and structure, and groundwater-surface water interactions. Assignments will focus on quantitative problem solving and applications of theory to real-world settings including aquifer characterization, groundwater storage and supply evaluation and contaminant migration.

FOR 796 | Hydrogeology | 21519
MWF | 10:35 AM - 11:30 AM | Young,Nathan L

This course is designed for Graduate students interested in the fundamental physics of groundwater flow and its applications in earth and environmental sciences.  Course materials are structured to help students understand the movement and occurrence of groundwater and its role in the hydrologic system, and to develop the skills required for quantitatively analyzing applied hydrogeologic problems across a range of environmental contexts. Topics include the physical properties of porous media, quantitative descriptions of groundwater flow using Darcy’s Law, water potential, aquifer properties and structure, and groundwater-surface water interactions. Assignments will focus on quantitative problem solving and applications of theory to real-world settings including aquifer characterization, groundwater storage and supply evaluation and contaminant migration.

PSE 596 | Six Sigma &Adv Process Control | 21462
TTH | 08:00 AM - 9:20 AM | Scott, Gary