Study the Environment @ OU
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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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Name | Department | College | Research Interests |
---|---|---|---|
Amy McGovern | Meteorology | A&GS | AI applied to weather and climate |
Brad Illston | Oklahoma Mesonet/Climatological Survey | A&GS | instrumentation; observation networks; urban climatology |
Chenghao Wang | Geography & Environmental Sustainability | A&GS | urban climate; urban sustainability |
Diana Denham | Geography & Environmental Sustainability | A&GS | Indigenous geographies; global South urbanism, socio-environmental movements; food sovereignty |
Elinor Martin | Meteorology | A&GS | climate change |
Greg McFarquhar | Meteorology | A&GS | climate change; arctic studies; tropical cyclones; clouds |
Jason Furtado | Meteorology | A&GS | climate change; extreme weather; subseasonal-to-seasonal forecasting; statistical analysis |
Jeff Basara | Meteorology | A&GS | climate change |
Jens Redemann | Meteorology | A&GS | climate change; climate forcing; aerosol-cloud interactions; aerosol-health interactions |
Laurel Smith | Geography & Environmental Sustainability | A&GS | geopolitics of knowledge production; geohumanities; tribal environmental sovreignty; climate change |
Marcela Loría-Salazar | Meteorology | A&GS | |
Mark Shafer | Geography & Environmental Sustainability | A&GS | climate adaptation; climate policy |
Michael Biggerstaff | Meteorology | A&GS | convective storms, tornadoes and hurricanes |
Renee McPherson | Geography & Environmental Sustainability | A&GS | climate change; climate adaptation |
Scott Greene | Geography & Environmental Sustainability | A&GS | renewable energy |
Thomas Neeson | Geography & Environmental Sustainability | A&GS | freshwater sustainability |
Todd Fagin | Center for Spatial Analysis | A&GS | biodiversity; land use/land cover change; land systems science; conservation geography |
Travis Gliedt | Geography & Environmental Sustainability | A&GS | sustainability; environmental economic geography |
Xuguang Wang | Meteorology | A&GS | numerical weather prediction |
Bo Kong | International and Area Studies | CIS | energy; climate change; foreign policy; energy economics of China |
Emma Colven | International and Area Studies | CIS | environmental justice; environmental policy |
Abby Moore | Micro & Plant Biology | DFCAS | biodiversity; herbarium; museum collections; plant evolution; biosurvey |
Adam Feltz | Psychology | DFCAS | natural resource management; recycling; animal use and conservation |
Aimee L. Franklin | Political Science | DFCAS | hazard mitigation; stakeholder and community engagement; environmental politics; climate adaptation |
Amy Johnson | Communication | DFCAS | |
Amy Buthod | Oklahoma Biological Survey | DFCAS | herbarium and collections management; rare plant species; invasive plant species; floristic inventories; biosurvey |
Annabel Ipsen | Sociology | DFCAS | environmental sociology |
Asa Randall | Anthropology | DFCAS | |
Brenda Smith | Oklahoma Biological Survey | DFCAS | conservation biology; biosurvey |
Brian Burkhart | Philosophy | DFCAS | |
Bruce Hoagland | Oklahoma Biological Survey | DFCAS | plant ecology; GIS; biosurvey |
Carol Silva | Political Science | DFCAS | environmental politics; climate change |
Caryn C. Vaughn | Oklahoma Biological Survey | DFCAS | conservation; stream ecology; biosurvey |
Caryn C. Vaughn | Biology | DFCAS | conservation; stream ecology; biosurvey |
Cliffton Cottrell | Native American Studies | DFCAS | climate change |
Courtney Hofman | Anthropology | DFCAS | human-wildlife interactions; conservation |
Daniel Becker | Biology | DFCAS | disease ecology; conservation biology; population ecology; mammals; avian ecology |
Edward Sankowski | Philosophy | DFCAS | sustainability; climate change; land-centered environmentalism; energy and the environment |
Eli Bridge | Oklahoma Biological Survey | DFCAS | biosurvey |
Elizabeth Bergy | Oklahoma Biological Survey | DFCAS | conservation biology; biosurvey |
Elizabeth Grennan Browning | History | DFCAS | environmental history; environmental justice |
Elyssa Faison | History | DFCAS | |
Emily Remmel | Environmental Studies | DFCAS | environmental law; water law |
Gary Wellborn | Biology | DFCAS | OU Biological Station; population ecology; community ecology; evolutionary ecology; behavior |
Hairong Song | Psychology | DFCAS | |
Hank Jenkins-Smith | Political Science | DFCAS | environmental policy |
Hayley Lanier | Biology | DFCAS | biodiversity; climate change; conservation; genetics; IUCN; mammals; phylogeography |
Heather McCarthy | Micro & Plant Biology | DFCAS | |
Hunter Heyck | History of Science, Tech & Med | DFCAS | |
Ian Carrillo | Sociology | DFCAS | environmental justice; environmental sociology |
Ingo Schlupp | Biology | DFCAS | invasive species; fishes; Greater Antilles; mosquito control |
J. Phil Gibson | Biology | DFCAS | evolutionary ecology; plant-animal interactions |
James Hung | Oklahoma Biological Survey | DFCAS | pollinator conservation; land use change; climate change; biodiversity; community science |
Jayash Paudel | Economics | DFCAS | environmental economics; energy economics |
Jeffrey Kelly | Biology | DFCAS | conservation biology; avian ecology |
Jeremy Ross | Oklahoma Biological Survey | DFCAS | biodiversity; biosurvey |
Joe Ripberger | Political Science | DFCAS | climate change |
Justin Reedy | Communication | DFCAS | climate adaptation; communication; environmental politics; stakeholder and community engagement |
K. David Hambright | Biology | DFCAS | limnology; plankton ecology and evolution; geographical ecology; harmful algal blooms; invasive species; microbial diversity |
Kathleen Brosnan | History | DFCAS | environmental history; environmental justice |
Katie Marske | Biology | DFCAS | biodiversity |
Kevin Kuruc | Economics | DFCAS | environmental economics; climate change |
Kyle Harper | Classics & Letters | DFCAS | climate history; environmental history |
Lara Souza | Micro & Plant Biology | DFCAS | climate change; biosurvey |
Lawrence Weider | Biology | DFCAS | evolutionary ecology; aquatic ecology; ecological genetics of zooplankton |
Lindsey Meeks | Communication | DFCAS | environmental politics; environmental framing effects; gender; partisanship; political campaigns |
Lucas Bessire | Anthropology | DFCAS | climate change |
Michael Givel | Political Science | DFCAS | |
Michael Kaspari | Biology | DFCAS | geographical ecology; terrestrial invertebrates; biogeochemistry |
Miriam Gross | History | DFCAS | environmental health; environmental justice; environmental history of Asia |
Pete Soppelsa | History of Science, Tech & Med | DFCAS | environmental history; environmental technology |
Piers Hale | History of Science, Tech & Med | DFCAS | environmental ethics |
Priscilla Crawford | Oklahoma Biological Survey | DFCAS | conservation biology; biosurvey |
Rebecca Sherry | Environmental Studies | DFCAS | plant community change; agricultural systems |
Roxanne Mountford | English | DFCAS | |
Samantha Johnson | Economics | DFCAS | sustainability; environmental economics |
Sarah Hines | History | DFCAS | environmental history; water history; climate history; environmental justice; Latin America |
Scott Johnson | Classics & Letters | DFCAS | travel; cartography; geography; pilgrimage; organization of knowledge |
Stephen Weldon | History of Science, Tech & Med | DFCAS | religion and environment; politics of climate change; culture history of environmentalism |
Suzanne Moon | History of Science, Tech & Med | DFCAS | |
Thomas Burns | Sociology | DFCAS | environmental ethics; environmental sociology; human ecology |
Traci Voyles | Women's & Gender Studies | DFCAS | environmental history; environmental justice |
Zev Trachtenberg | Philosophy | DFCAS | environmental ethics; environmental political theory; niche construction |
Angela Person | Architecture | GCA | sustainability; architecture; communication; design; museums; pedagogy; resilience |
Daniel Butko | Architecture | GCA | sustainability |
David Boeck | Architecture | GCA | sustainability |
Felipe Flores | Architecture | GCA | sustainability |
Lee Fithian | Architecture | GCA | sustainability |
Ron Frantz | Environmental Design | GCA | historic preservation; downtown revitalization; neighborhood preservation; architecture |
Amy Cerato | Civil Engineering and Environmental Science (CEES) | GCoE | reusable foundation systems; soil stabilization; erosion control |
Elizabeth Butler | Civil Engineering and Environmental Science (CEES) | GCoE | nutrient recovery; water and wastewater treatment |
Mark Nanny | Civil Engineering and Environmental Science (CEES) | GCoE | environmental chemistry; water chemistry; microplastics; perfluoroalkyl substances; biocorrosion; emerging contaminants; nanophotonic sensors; spectroscopy |
Randall Kolar | Civil Engineering and Environmental Science (CEES) | GCoE | hydrologic and hydraulic modeling; numerical methods; flood forecasting |
Robert Knox | Civil Engineering and Environmental Science (CEES) | GCoE | groundwater hydrology; subsurface transport and fate processes; remediation; nature-based solutions; engineering with nature |
Robert W. Nairn | Civil Engineering and Environmental Science (CEES) | GCoE | nature-based solutions; ecological engineering; watershed biogeochemistry |
Andy Elwood Madden | School of Geosciences | MCEE | water quality; environmental nanoscience |
Caitlin Hodges | School of Geosciences | MCEE | soil biogeochemistry; soil carbon cycle |
Heather Bedle | School of Geosciences | MCEE | renewable energy; climate mitigation |
Lynn Soreghan | School of Geosciences | MCEE | paleoclimate; dust aerosols; loess; glaciation; chemical weathering; paelosols; soil; paleoenvironments |
Michael Soreghan | School of Geosciences | MCEE | paleoclimate; sediment pollution; lakes; East Africa |
Sina Saneiyan | School of Geosciences | MCEE | environmental geophysics |
Megan Elwood Madden | School of Geosciences | MCEE | mineral-water interactions; brine geochemistry and spectroscopy; chemical weathering and carbon cycling |
Brandi Coyner | Mammalogy - Sam Noble Museum | SNOMNH | |
Cameron Siler | Herpetology - Sam Noble Museum | SNOMNH | biodiversity |
Dahiana Arcilia | Icthyology - Sam Noble Museum | SNOMNH | |
Hayley Lanier | Mammalogy - Sam Noble Museum | SNOMNH | biodiversity; climate change; conservation; genetics; IUCN; mammals |
Janet Braun | Mammalogy - Sam Noble Museum | SNOMNH | |
Jessa Watters | Herpetology - Sam Noble Museum | SNOMNH | collections management; conservation; educational outreach |
Robert Bailey | Art History | WFCFA | environmental 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