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Study the Environment @ OU

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Study the Environment @ OU

Students taking soil samples

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Courses

OU offers nearly a hundred undergraduate courses that deal with the environment from 20 different departments.

Learn more about these classes by searching our approved electives table for Environmental Studies.


Programs

OU offers 12 undergraduate environmental degree programs from six different OU colleges. 

Environmental Design

The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design (En.D.) program is an undergraduate program in the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture that gives students who want to make a difference the know-how and ability to work on critical community issues. From revitalizing historic downtowns to imagining new neighborhoods, En.D. students learn about problems that are worth solving to make places that matter to people.

Website: https://architecture.ou.edu/environmental/

Environmental Studies

Environmental Studies prepares you for interdisciplinary efforts to solve environmental problems. Our majors learn skills and ideas from multiple academic disciplines and experience the cross-disciplinary teamwork that generates effective environmental knowledge. Environmental Studies is inherently interdisciplinary because the environment is all-encompassing. Rather than offering a specific academic discipline alongside others, OU's Environmental Studies Program is a place where disciplines overlap, providing an opportunity to interact across boundaries and create dynamic approaches to the environment that responds to multiple sources of knowledge.

Check out our home page.

Environmental Sustainability

Environmental sustainability studies how human societies can meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Achieving this goal requires balancing short- and long-term needs related to jobs and economic growth, societal well-being, and environmental health. Students typically have an interest in how individuals, organizations, and societies can affect the environment, and creating a better world in which to live. This degree enables students to develop the necessary technical skills to address relevant environmental and societal problems, including skills in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), statistical and spatial reasoning, and remote sensing. The nature of the degree allows for flexibility, as multiple electives and degree options are available.

Geography

Geographers integrate knowledge of culture, society, and the economy with an understanding of the earth’s physical system and biosphere to provide a holistic perspective on human-environment relationships. This integrative perspective is vital to understanding and addressing the world’s complex problems, including renewable energy, environmental change, and indigenous cultures in a globalizing world. 

Website: https://www.ou.edu/ags/geography

Meteorology

The School of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma is the largest such program in the nation, with approximately 250 undergraduate and nearly 90 graduate students. The School is routinely ranked near the top of the nation in terms of undergraduate awards, such as the annual number of undergraduate scholarships awarded from the NOAA Hollings and American Meteorological Society (AMS) programs. For example, our students received 7 of the 23 Named Scholarships of the AMS. Our graduate students are also quite successful in competing for awards with a Blue Water and Marshall Sherfield Fellowship among the top honors. Our students have received numerous best poster and best oral presentation awards at recent conferences and symposiums. 

The undergraduate and graduate programs are unique due to our co-location with NOAA, Department of Interior, and Department of Energy programs as well as several university strategic organizations, which broaden the education, training, and research portfolio of the School. 

Website: http://meteorology.ou.edu/

Environmental Geology

Environmental geologists apply geological, geochemical, and geophysical techniques to develop sustainable relationships between the earth and its inhabitants. They work to assess the potential environmental impacts of human activities, prevent future pollution, perform environmental monitoring, protect our natural resources, and assist in the cleanup of contaminated sediments and waters. Additionally, environmental geologists work with engineers to support construction projects and prevent damage from natural hazards such as earthquakes, floods, and landslides.

Website: https://www.ou.edu/mcee/geosciences/undergraduate_degrees/bachelor-geology

Civil Engineering and Environmental Science

Using the principles of physics, biology, and chemistry, environmental engineers develop methods to meet environmental challenges such as water and wastewater treatment, air pollution control, solid and hazardous waste management, waste recycling, and water resources management. Environmental engineers understand and protect us from environmental hazards, and learn to build solid structures without polluting the environment. OU Students have the opportunity to specialize in water and wastewater engineering, solid and hazardous wastes engineering, or hydrology/water resources with their environmental engineering degree.

Environmental scientists take on the vital role of preservation, conservation and restoration of the environment. OU's environmental science program is designed to produce well-prepared professionals familiar with the intricacies of collecting and analyzing air, water and soil samples; monitoring compliance with environmental laws and regulations; assisting industries in environmental compliance and development of sustainable cost effective technologies; and addressing public audiences on local, regional and global environmental challenges.

Website: https://www.ou.edu/coe/cees/undergrad_programs

Global Energy, Environment and Resources

Drawing on the interdisciplinary framework of IAS, students in this major receive training that emphasizes policy, management, and sustainability in an international context. After fulfilling a Foundations of GEER requirement, students take courses in three areas of concentration: Energy, Climate, and Environment; Global Environmental Sustainability and Ethics; and International Society and Environment. Students then specialize in one region of the world, allowing them to combine their thematic interest with area studies expertise. Students will receive real-world experience by interning or engaging in service learning with either an energy company or an internationally-oriented environmental NGO. This major provides students with the skills they need to succeed in an international field with growing employment opportunities.

Website: https://www.ou.edu/cis/ias/undergrad-academics/majors/global-energy--environment--and-resources

OU also offers many opportunities for graduate study of the environment. Consult the websites of the programs listed above to learn more.


People

OU has dozens of faculty and researchers who work on environmental topics. 

Use this directory to explore their work. Click on individuals' names to see their web pages and on department names for departmental pages.

You can find people by name, department, college (abbreviations below table) or research interest using the search box. Click to see a list of keywords used to identify research interests.

NameDepartmentCollegeResearch Interests
Amy McGovernMeteorologyA&GSAI applied to weather and climate
Brad IllstonOklahoma Mesonet/Climatological SurveyA&GSinstrumentation; observation networks; urban climatology
Chenghao WangGeography & Environmental SustainabilityA&GSurban climate; urban sustainability
Diana DenhamGeography & Environmental SustainabilityA&GSIndigenous geographies; global South urbanism, socio-environmental movements; food sovereignty
Elinor MartinMeteorologyA&GSclimate change  
Greg McFarquharMeteorologyA&GSclimate change; arctic studies; tropical cyclones; clouds
Jason FurtadoMeteorologyA&GSclimate change; extreme weather; subseasonal-to-seasonal forecasting; statistical analysis
Jeff BasaraMeteorologyA&GSclimate change
Jens RedemannMeteorologyA&GSclimate change; climate forcing; aerosol-cloud interactions; aerosol-health interactions
Laurel SmithGeography & Environmental SustainabilityA&GSgeopolitics of knowledge production; geohumanities; tribal environmental sovreignty; climate change
Marcela Loría-SalazarMeteorologyA&GS 
Mark ShaferGeography & Environmental SustainabilityA&GSclimate adaptation; climate policy
Michael BiggerstaffMeteorologyA&GSconvective storms, tornadoes and hurricanes
Renee McPhersonGeography & Environmental SustainabilityA&GSclimate change; climate adaptation
Scott GreeneGeography & Environmental SustainabilityA&GSrenewable energy
Thomas NeesonGeography & Environmental SustainabilityA&GSfreshwater sustainability
Todd FaginCenter for Spatial AnalysisA&GSbiodiversity; land use/land cover change; land systems science; conservation geography
Travis GliedtGeography & Environmental SustainabilityA&GSsustainability; environmental economic geography
Xuguang WangMeteorologyA&GSnumerical weather prediction
Bo KongInternational and Area StudiesCISenergy; climate change; foreign policy; energy economics of China
Emma ColvenInternational and Area StudiesCISenvironmental justice; environmental policy
Abby MooreMicro & Plant BiologyDFCASbiodiversity; herbarium; museum collections; plant evolution; biosurvey
Adam FeltzPsychologyDFCASnatural resource management; recycling; animal use and conservation
Aimee L. FranklinPolitical Science DFCAShazard mitigation; stakeholder and community engagement; environmental politics; climate adaptation
Amy JohnsonCommunicationDFCAS 
Amy ButhodOklahoma Biological SurveyDFCASherbarium and collections management; rare plant species; invasive plant species; floristic inventories; biosurvey
Annabel IpsenSociologyDFCASenvironmental sociology
Asa RandallAnthropologyDFCAS 
Brenda SmithOklahoma Biological SurveyDFCASconservation biology; biosurvey
Brian BurkhartPhilosophyDFCAS 
Bruce HoaglandOklahoma Biological SurveyDFCASplant ecology; GIS; biosurvey
Carol SilvaPolitical Science DFCASenvironmental politics; climate change
Caryn C. VaughnOklahoma Biological SurveyDFCASconservation; stream ecology; biosurvey
Caryn C. VaughnBiologyDFCASconservation; stream ecology; biosurvey
Cliffton CottrellNative American StudiesDFCASclimate change  
Courtney HofmanAnthropologyDFCAShuman-wildlife interactions; conservation
Daniel BeckerBiologyDFCASdisease ecology; conservation biology; population ecology; mammals; avian ecology
Edward SankowskiPhilosophyDFCASsustainability; climate change; land-centered environmentalism; energy and the environment
Eli BridgeOklahoma Biological SurveyDFCASbiosurvey
Elizabeth BergyOklahoma Biological SurveyDFCASconservation biology; biosurvey
Elizabeth Grennan BrowningHistoryDFCASenvironmental history; environmental justice
Elyssa FaisonHistoryDFCAS 
Emily RemmelEnvironmental StudiesDFCASenvironmental law; water law
Gary WellbornBiologyDFCASOU Biological Station; population ecology; community ecology; evolutionary ecology; behavior
Hairong SongPsychologyDFCAS 
Hank Jenkins-SmithPolitical Science DFCASenvironmental policy
Hayley LanierBiologyDFCASbiodiversity; climate change; conservation; genetics; IUCN; mammals; phylogeography
Heather McCarthyMicro & Plant BiologyDFCAS 
Hunter HeyckHistory of Science, Tech & MedDFCAS 
Ian CarrilloSociologyDFCASenvironmental justice; environmental sociology
Ingo SchluppBiologyDFCASinvasive species; fishes; Greater Antilles; mosquito control
J. Phil GibsonBiologyDFCASevolutionary ecology; plant-animal interactions
James HungOklahoma Biological SurveyDFCASpollinator conservation; land use change; climate change; biodiversity; community science
Jayash PaudelEconomicsDFCASenvironmental economics; energy economics
Jeffrey KellyBiologyDFCASconservation biology; avian ecology
Jeremy RossOklahoma Biological SurveyDFCASbiodiversity; biosurvey
Joe RipbergerPolitical Science DFCASclimate change  
Justin ReedyCommunicationDFCASclimate adaptation; communication; environmental politics; stakeholder and community engagement
K. David HambrightBiologyDFCASlimnology; plankton ecology and evolution; geographical ecology; harmful algal blooms; invasive species; microbial diversity
Kathleen BrosnanHistoryDFCASenvironmental history; environmental justice
Katie MarskeBiologyDFCASbiodiversity
Kevin KurucEconomicsDFCASenvironmental economics; climate change
Kyle HarperClassics & LettersDFCASclimate history; environmental history
Lara SouzaMicro & Plant BiologyDFCASclimate change; biosurvey
Lawrence WeiderBiologyDFCASevolutionary ecology; aquatic ecology; ecological genetics of zooplankton
Lindsey MeeksCommunicationDFCASenvironmental politics; environmental framing effects; gender; partisanship; political campaigns
Lucas BessireAnthropologyDFCASclimate change
Michael GivelPolitical Science DFCAS 
Michael KaspariBiologyDFCASgeographical ecology; terrestrial invertebrates; biogeochemistry
Miriam GrossHistoryDFCASenvironmental health; environmental justice; environmental history of Asia
Pete SoppelsaHistory of Science, Tech & MedDFCASenvironmental history; environmental technology
Piers HaleHistory of Science, Tech & MedDFCASenvironmental ethics
Priscilla CrawfordOklahoma Biological SurveyDFCASconservation biology; biosurvey
Rebecca SherryEnvironmental StudiesDFCASplant community change; agricultural systems
Roxanne MountfordEnglishDFCAS 
Samantha JohnsonEconomicsDFCASsustainability; environmental economics
Sarah HinesHistoryDFCASenvironmental history; water history; climate history; environmental justice; Latin America
Scott JohnsonClassics & LettersDFCAStravel; cartography; geography; pilgrimage; organization of knowledge
Stephen WeldonHistory of Science, Tech & MedDFCASreligion and environment; politics of climate change; culture history of environmentalism
Suzanne MoonHistory of Science, Tech & MedDFCAS 
Thomas BurnsSociologyDFCASenvironmental ethics; environmental sociology; human ecology
Traci VoylesWomen's & Gender StudiesDFCASenvironmental history; environmental justice
Zev TrachtenbergPhilosophyDFCASenvironmental ethics; environmental political theory; niche construction
Angela PersonArchitectureGCAsustainability; architecture; communication; design; museums; pedagogy; resilience
Daniel ButkoArchitectureGCAsustainability
David BoeckArchitectureGCAsustainability
Felipe FloresArchitectureGCAsustainability
Lee FithianArchitectureGCAsustainability
Ron FrantzEnvironmental DesignGCAhistoric preservation; downtown revitalization; neighborhood preservation; architecture
Amy CeratoCivil Engineering and Environmental Science (CEES)GCoEreusable foundation systems; soil stabilization; erosion control
Elizabeth ButlerCivil Engineering and Environmental Science (CEES)GCoEnutrient recovery; water and wastewater treatment
Mark NannyCivil Engineering and Environmental Science (CEES)GCoEenvironmental chemistry; water chemistry; microplastics; perfluoroalkyl substances; biocorrosion; emerging contaminants; nanophotonic sensors; spectroscopy
Randall KolarCivil Engineering and Environmental Science (CEES)GCoEhydrologic and hydraulic modeling; numerical methods; flood forecasting
Robert KnoxCivil Engineering and Environmental Science (CEES)GCoEgroundwater hydrology; subsurface transport and fate processes; remediation; nature-based solutions; engineering with nature
Robert W. NairnCivil Engineering and Environmental Science (CEES)GCoEnature-based solutions; ecological engineering; watershed biogeochemistry
Andy Elwood MaddenSchool of GeosciencesMCEEwater quality; environmental nanoscience
Caitlin HodgesSchool of GeosciencesMCEEsoil biogeochemistry; soil carbon cycle
Heather BedleSchool of GeosciencesMCEErenewable energy; climate mitigation
Lynn SoreghanSchool of GeosciencesMCEEpaleoclimate; dust aerosols; loess; glaciation; chemical weathering; paelosols; soil; paleoenvironments
Michael SoreghanSchool of GeosciencesMCEEpaleoclimate; sediment pollution; lakes; East Africa
Sina SaneiyanSchool of GeosciencesMCEEenvironmental geophysics
Megan Elwood MaddenSchool of GeosciencesMCEEmineral-water interactions; brine geochemistry and spectroscopy; chemical weathering and carbon cycling
Brandi CoynerMammalogy - Sam Noble MuseumSNOMNH 
Cameron SilerHerpetology - Sam Noble MuseumSNOMNHbiodiversity 
Dahiana ArciliaIcthyology - Sam Noble MuseumSNOMNH 
Hayley LanierMammalogy - Sam Noble MuseumSNOMNHbiodiversity; climate change; conservation; genetics; IUCN; mammals
Janet BraunMammalogy - Sam Noble MuseumSNOMNH 
Jessa WattersHerpetology - Sam Noble MuseumSNOMNHcollections management; conservation; educational outreach
Robert BaileyArt HistoryWFCFAenvironmental justice; environmental history; art and environment

College Key:

  • A&GS = College of Atmospheric & Geographic Sciences
  • CIS = College of International Studies
  • DFCAS = Dodge Family College of Arts & Sciences
  • GCA = Gibbs College of Architecture
  • GCoE = Gallogly College of Engineering
  • MCEE = Mewbourne College of Earth & Energy
  • SNOMNH = Sam Noble Museum of Natural History
  • WFCFA = Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts