#  Teaching 

 



**Courses**

**[Earth and Planetary Sciences 239. The Consequences of Energy Systems](http://environment.harvard.edu/courses/search/earth-and-planetary-sciences-239-consequences-energy-systems)**  
*Fall 2015, Fridays, 10:00-12:00*This course will examine future climate change in the context of Earth history, and then consider various strategies for what might be done to deal with it. The likely impacts of continued greenhouse gas emissions will be explored, emphasizing the scientific uncertainties associated with various predictions, and how this can be understood in the context of risk. In the latter third of the class, the question of how to mitigate climate change will be discussed, including an examination of various options for advanced energy systems.

[**Science of the Physical Universe 29. The Climate-Energy Challenge**  ](http://environment.harvard.edu/courses/search/science-physical-universe-29-climate-energy-challenge)*Fall 2015, Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00*  
This course provides an introduction to the physical and chemical impacts of energy choices on human society and natural ecosystems. Topics will include the carbon cycle, climate, air and water pollution, impacts of energy systems on health, land use consequences of energy technologies, and nuclear waste and proliferation.

[**ENVR E-104: The Climate-Energy Challenge**  ](http://environment.harvard.edu/courses/search/envr-e-104-climate-energy-challenge)*Spring 2016, Mondays, 7:40-9:40pm*  
This course examines future climate change in the context of earth history, and then considers various strategies for what might be done to deal with it. We discuss measuring ancient temperature and carbon dioxide levels and investigate the basic physics and chemistry that control climate through the lens of climate variations in the geologic past. The likely impacts of continued greenhouse gas emissions are explored, emphasizing the scientific basis for climate change predictions. We explore impacts of climate change on human societies and on natural ecosystems. A major focus of the course addresses the question of how to mitigate climate change, including an examination of various options for advanced energy systems. Each student designs a low-carbon energy system for the US, considering the four basic energy sectors (transportation, industry, residential and commercial, and electricity). During the second half of the course, a large portion of class time focuses on the low-carbon energy system exercise.[](http://environment.harvard.edu/courses/search/envr-e-104-climate-energy-challenge)

**Additional Educational Activities**

Dan Schrag, in collaboration with Annenberg Media, created the **[Habitable Planet: A Systems Approach to Environmental Engineering](http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/)**, a multimedia tool for high school teachers and adult learners interested in studying environmental science. The Web site provides access to course content and activities developed by leading scientists and researchers in the field.

The conceptual backbone of the course consists of 13 units that cover key ideas in environmental science. Faculty from different fields in environmental science specified the scientific content and then closely edited several rounds of drafts written by a journalist with expertise in environmental science, which allowed us tap into knowledge at the frontiers of environmental science from more than a dozen individuals, but to maintain a consistent voice in the final product. A carefully crafted Web navigation system allows users to browse the content in whatever order suits their needs and to access its diverse components (which include text, video, interactive laboratories, animations, and graphics) (see the photo, right) from anywhere within the course.

Learn more about the [concept of using video to build learning contexts online](http://www.sciencemag.org/content/328/5982/1119.full).



 

##  Affiliations 

Sort    [   ![squares_for_web.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum8926/files/styles/hwp_1_1__100x100_scale/public/dschrag/files/squares_for_web.jpg?itok=ChsHf9PD) 

 ](http://www.environment.harvard.edu) 

  [Harvard University Center for the Environment](http://environment.harvard.edu/) 

    [   ![harvard_shield.png](/sites/g/files/omnuum8926/files/styles/hwp_1_1__100x100_scale/public/dschrag/files/harvard_shield.png?itok=MO7VB6f_) 

 ](http://www.eps.harvard.edu) 

  [Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences](http://eps.harvard.edu/) 

    [   ![seasveritas.gif](/sites/g/files/omnuum8926/files/styles/hwp_1_1__100x100_scale/public/dschrag/files/seasveritas.gif?itok=itWpi1l0) 

 ](http://www.seas.harvard.edu) 

  [John A. Paulson School of Engineering & Applied Sciences](http://www.seas.harvard.edu/) ([Environmental Science & Engineering](https://www.seas.harvard.edu/programs/engineering/environmental-science-and-engineering)) 

    [   ![hkslogo_belfer_cmyk.gif](/sites/g/files/omnuum8926/files/styles/hwp_1_1__100x100_scale/public/dschrag/files/hkslogo_belfer_cmyk.gif?itok=qmyTwLrx) 

 ](http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/project/44/science_technology_and_public_policy.html) 

  [Harvard Kennedy School](https://www.hks.harvard.edu/) ([Belfer Center's Science, Technology, & Public Policy Program](https://www.belfercenter.org/programs/science-technology-and-public-policy))