EVS 589 Special Topics Emerging Tech & Sustainability

How are advances in information technology, biotechnology, automation, and digital sensing reshaping our environments? In what ways do they contribute to environmental problems, and how can they contribute to solutions? We?ll look at big-picture trends in emerging technologies (genetics, robotics, information technology and machine learning, nanotechnology) and assess how they are being applied, and could be applied, to the environment, including land use, agriculture, energy, climate response, biodiversity loss, and more. Students will be able to (1) understand the past and present trajectories and scientific advancements behind emerging technologies, (2) assess the potential effects of emerging technologies, and (3) identify levers for policy change.