Office of the Registrar
Spring 2027 New and Special Topics Courses

EFB 497 | AdvTopics in Animal Physiology | 42246
Th | 03:30 PM - 04:25 PM | Downs,Cynthia Joy

This course explores current research and emerging questions in animal physiology, with emphasis on how organisms regulate function and respond to environmental change across levels of organization, from molecules and cells to whole animals. Topics may include thermoregulation, metabolic and energetic adaptation, stress physiology, immunology, and physiological responses to climate change, habitat disturbance, and disease. Students will engage with the primary literature through readings, discussion, and critical analysis, and will develop skills in communication. Prerequisite: a prior course in animal physiology or permission of the instructor.

EFB  497 | Aquatic Ecology of Fly Fishing | 42247
W | 09:30 AM - 10:25 AM | Arsenault,Emily R

Recreational fly fishing is rooted in principles of ecology, entomology, and field observation. In this seminar, we will study the morphology and behavior of insects of various groups and life stages in relation to their associated artificial fly and/or nymph patterns and their dependence on water quality. Students will learn about effective construction and presentation of artificial flies through an ecological lens. They will consider key aspects of fly fishing ecology, including fish behavior and the role of insects in aquatic food webs, and will consider anglers as both naturalists and agents of ecological change. Spring. 1 credit.

EFB  797 | AdvTopics in Animal Physiology | 42248
TH | 03:30 PM - 04:25 PM | Downs,Cynthia Joy

This course explores current research and emerging questions in animal physiology, with emphasis on how organisms regulate function and respond to environmental change across levels of organization, from molecules and cells to whole animals. Topics may include thermoregulation, metabolic and energetic adaptation, stress physiology, immunology, and physiological responses to climate change, habitat disturbance, and disease. Students will engage with the primary literature through readings, discussion, and critical analysis, and will develop skills in communication. Prerequisite: a prior course in animal physiology or permission of the instructor.

EFB 797 | Aquatic Ecology of Fly Fishing | 42249
W | 09:30 AM - 10:25 AM | Arsenault,Emily R

Recreational fly fishing is rooted in principles of ecology, entomology, and field observation. In this seminar, we will study the morphology and behavior of insects of various groups and life stages in relation to their associated artificial fly and/or nymph patterns and their dependence on water quality. Students will learn about effective construction and presentation of artificial flies through an ecological lens. They will consider key aspects of fly fishing ecology, including fish behavior and the role of insects in aquatic food webs, and will consider anglers as both naturalists and agents of ecological change. Spring. 1 credit.

 EFB 797 | Environmental Leadership Wkshp | 42336
ASYNC | Hirsch,Paul D

The Environmental Leadership Workshop supports students in developing a practice of facilitative environmental leadership.  Students taking the class for three credits will complete a semester-length project that provides traction towards their professional and/or civic objectives.  Students taking the class for one credit participate in workshops and complete related assignments, but do not do a project.  For Spring 2027, workshop topics include: supporting pluralism in a polarizing environment, navigating complex trade-offs, and building system-level trust.  To take the three-credit version, students should have taken at least two courses from the Environmental Leadership, Justice, and Communication curriculum or obtain permission from the instructor.  Online Asynchronous.  Workshop and peer/instructor feedback sessions to be scheduled based on student availability.  

FCH 496 | Aquatic Ecology of Fly Fishing | 34598
W | 09:30 AM - 10:25 AM | Ninokawa,Aaron T

Recreational fly fishing is rooted in principles of ecology, entomology, and field observation. In this seminar, we will study the morphology and behavior of insects of various groups and life stages in relation to their associated artificial fly and/or nymph patterns and their dependence on water quality. Students will learn about effective construction and presentation of artificial flies through an ecological lens. They will consider key aspects of fly fishing ecology, including fish behavior and the role of insects in aquatic food webs, and will consider anglers as both naturalists and agents of ecological change. Spring. 1 credit.

FCH 797 | Aquatic Ecology of Fly Fishing | 42457
W | 09:30 AM - 10:25 AM | Ninokawa,Aaron T

Recreational fly fishing is rooted in principles of ecology, entomology, and field observation. In this seminar, we will study the morphology and behavior of insects of various groups and life stages in relation to their associated artificial fly and/or nymph patterns and their dependence on water quality. Students will learn about effective construction and presentation of artificial flies through an ecological lens. They will consider key aspects of fly fishing ecology, including fish behavior and the role of insects in aquatic food webs, and will consider anglers as both naturalists and agents of ecological change. Spring. 1 credit

FOR 296 | Intro to Physical Geography | 42218
TuTh | 03:30 PM - 04:50 PM | Shaker,Richard R

Physical geography examines why climates, landforms, waterways, soils, and ecosystems vary across Earth's surface. This course introduces the natural processes connecting the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere, from local watersheds to global climate patterns. Topics include Earth's energy balance, weather and climate, the hydrologic cycle, geomorphology, glaciation, soils, and the geographic distribution of plants and animals. Students will use maps, satellite imagery, and geographic examples to explore environmental patterns, landscape evolution, and interactions between human activities and natural systems. This course will draw on examples from New York, the Great Lakes region, and around the world to illustrate how physical processes shape landscapes and ecosystems across spatial and temporal scales. No prerequisites or prior background in geography are required. Instructional Format: Offered entirely online in two separate sections: synchronous (scheduled live instruction) and asynchronous (flexible, independent learning within established deadlines).

FOR 296 | Intro to Physical Geography | 42305
ASYNC | Shaker,Richard R

Physical geography examines why climates, landforms, waterways, soils, and ecosystems vary across Earth's surface. This course introduces the natural processes connecting the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere, from local watersheds to global climate patterns. Topics include Earth's energy balance, weather and climate, the hydrologic cycle, geomorphology, glaciation, soils, and the geographic distribution of plants and animals. Students will use maps, satellite imagery, and geographic examples to explore environmental patterns, landscape evolution, and interactions between human activities and natural systems. This course will draw on examples from New York, the Great Lakes region, and around the world to illustrate how physical processes shape landscapes and ecosystems across spatial and temporal scales. No prerequisites or prior background in geography are required. Instructional Format: Offered entirely online in two separate sections: synchronous (scheduled live instruction) and asynchronous (flexible, independent learning within established deadlines).

FOR 496 | AI Data Analysis | 36053
MWF | 11:40 AM - 12:35 PM | Shaker,Richard R

This course examines how artificial intelligence (AI) can support data discovery, database development, and analysis in environmental science and natural resource management. Students will identify and evaluate data sources, acquire and organize information, and construct databases for scientific investigation. They will explore machine learning and AI-assisted tools for data processing, statistical analysis, visualization, and the identification of patterns in environmental and spatial datasets. Emphasis is placed on the exploratory use of AI to identify relationships, generate hypotheses, and investigate complex datasets, while independently validating findings through established statistical methods, empirical evidence, and scientific reasoning. Attention is given to data quality, reproducibility, uncertainty, and the limitations of AI-generated results. Undergraduate students will develop foundational analytical skills, while graduate students will pursue more advanced applications and independent investigations. No prerequisites or prior experience with artificial intelligence, programming, statistics, or database development are required. Instructional Format: Offered entirely online in two separate sections: synchronous (scheduled live instruction) and asynchronous (flexible, independent learning within established deadlines).

FOR  496 | AI Data Analysis | 35640
ASYNC | Shaker,Richard R

This course examines how artificial intelligence (AI) can support data discovery, database development, and analysis in environmental science and natural resource management. Students will identify and evaluate data sources, acquire and organize information, and construct databases for scientific investigation. They will explore machine learning and AI-assisted tools for data processing, statistical analysis, visualization, and the identification of patterns in environmental and spatial datasets. Emphasis is placed on the exploratory use of AI to identify relationships, generate hypotheses, and investigate complex datasets, while independently validating findings through established statistical methods, empirical evidence, and scientific reasoning. Attention is given to data quality, reproducibility, uncertainty, and the limitations of AI-generated results. Undergraduate students will develop foundational analytical skills, while graduate students will pursue more advanced applications and independent investigations. No prerequisites or prior experience with artificial intelligence, programming, statistics, or database development are required. Instructional Format: Offered entirely online in two separate sections: synchronous (scheduled live instruction) and asynchronous (flexible, independent learning within established deadlines).

FOR  796 | AI Data Analysis | 36055
MWF | 11:40 AM - 12:35 PM | Shaker,Richard R

This course examines how artificial intelligence (AI) can support data discovery, database development, and analysis in environmental science and natural resource management. Students will identify and evaluate data sources, acquire and organize information, and construct databases for scientific investigation. They will explore machine learning and AI-assisted tools for data processing, statistical analysis, visualization, and the identification of patterns in environmental and spatial datasets. Emphasis is placed on the exploratory use of AI to identify relationships, generate hypotheses, and investigate complex datasets, while independently validating findings through established statistical methods, empirical evidence, and scientific reasoning. Attention is given to data quality, reproducibility, uncertainty, and the limitations of AI-generated results. Undergraduate students will develop foundational analytical skills, while graduate students will pursue more advanced applications and independent investigations. No prerequisites or prior experience with artificial intelligence, programming, statistics, or database development are required. Instructional Format: Offered entirely online in two separate sections: synchronous (scheduled live instruction) and asynchronous (flexible, independent learning within established deadlines).

FOR  796 | AI Data Analysis | 42306
ASYNC | Shaker,Richard R

This course examines how artificial intelligence (AI) can support data discovery, database development, and analysis in environmental science and natural resource management. Students will identify and evaluate data sources, acquire and organize information, and construct databases for scientific investigation. They will explore machine learning and AI-assisted tools for data processing, statistical analysis, visualization, and the identification of patterns in environmental and spatial datasets. Emphasis is placed on the exploratory use of AI to identify relationships, generate hypotheses, and investigate complex datasets, while independently validating findings through established statistical methods, empirical evidence, and scientific reasoning. Attention is given to data quality, reproducibility, uncertainty, and the limitations of AI-generated results. Undergraduate students will develop foundational analytical skills, while graduate students will pursue more advanced applications and independent investigations. No prerequisites or prior experience with artificial intelligence, programming, statistics, or database development are required. Instructional Format: Offered entirely online in two separate sections: synchronous (scheduled live instruction) and asynchronous (flexible, independent learning within established deadlines).

LSA 496 | Queer Landscapes | 42238
TU | 02:00 PM - 04:30 PM | Yang,Jean A

Queer Landscapes? — Theory, Space, and the Question of Normativity. What makes a landscape queer? And what do we even mean when we call something queer? In this small seminar, we will approach queerness through multiple lenses — film, music, popular culture, anthropology, rhetoric, geography, queer theory, art, and landscape. We will encounter different ways of thinking about queerness: as identity and community, but also as a way of questioning norms, unsettling categories, reading power, noticing difference, and imagining other ways of being together. We will bring those ideas back to space. What might a song, a film, an ethnography, or a theoretical text teach us about how landscapes organize bodies, behaviors, relationships, nature, belonging, visibility, and power? Can a landscape itself be queer? Or is it more useful to think about queering as a way of reading landscape? The course is capped at 15 students and will operate as a collaborative seminar and research group. We will read, watch, listen, discuss, observe, map, and write together. Rather than beginning with a fixed definition of “queer landscape,” we will develop one through the semester. Our work will culminate in a collectively researched and written paper, with students participating as co-authors, asking what queer thought can offer landscape architecture as a way of seeing, knowing, and practicing.