This is a file server site for documents related to the graduate program in Environmental Sciences.

This one credit course is meant to give students exposure to different topics of relevance to Environmental Sciences. Students will learn about current research initiatives at the University of Puerto Rico and abroad through a series of graduate students and faculty seminars. The seminar will also provide an opportunity for students to learn skills essential for becoming successful student researchers.  Students will be able to identify and obtain research opportunities that are appropriate to their professional goals. This seminar will also allow students to develop an awareness of the diversity of research opportunities available to them in the environmental sciences. Skills that students will acquire will include among others finding the right research advisor, critical analysis of research manuscripts and how to navigate the whole research process.

This one credit course is meant to give students exposure to different topics of relevance to Environmental Sciences. Students will learn about current research initiatives at the University of Puerto Rico and abroad through a series of graduate students and faculty seminars. The seminar will also provide an opportunity for students to learn skills essential for becoming successful student researchers.  Students will be able to identify and obtain research opportunities that are appropriate to their professional goals. This seminar will also allow students to develop an awareness of the diversity of research opportunities available to them in the environmental sciences. Skills that students will acquire will include among others finding the right research advisor, critical analysis of research manuscripts and how to navigate the whole research process.

File server for Graduate Affairs Committee

The course will focus on the accelerating environmental and social risks which our society is facing and will continue to face in the coming years. Students will read the scientific and public policy literature related to the modeling and evaluation of these risks and present their assessment of their readings to their student peers. By the end of the semester, the successful student will have a thorough understanding of the degree of risk which society will have to mitigate and for which we as scientists will have to devise public policies. In addition, the course will strive to encourage students to carry out critical readings of the scientific and public policy literature as well as some popular debates on appropriate social responses to risk. Students will be required to defend their own scientific positions related to controversial scientific and public policy topics before their peers and practice the role of peer review by critically examing the work of each of the other members of the class.

Course Synopsis:

This one credit course is meant to give students exposure to different topics of relevance to Environmental Sciences. Students will learn about different research initiatives currently underway at the University of Puerto Rico and abroad through a series of graduate students and faculty seminars. The seminar will also provide an opportunity for students to learn skills essential for becoming successful student researchers.  Students will be able to identify and obtain research opportunities that are appropriate to their professional goals. This seminar will also allow students to develop an awareness of the diversity of research opportunities available to them in the environmental sciences. Skills that students will acquire will include among others finding the right research advisor, critical analysis of research manuscripts and how to navigate the whole research process.

There is a growing consensus that constraints on the supply of petroleum and the negative environmental consequences of burning fossil fuels, require that modern societies adopt alternative sources of energy. These alternatives must be both renewable and environmentally sustainable. Biomass represents an attractive alternative for both energy and chemical production that meet these requirements. Due to their sustainable nature (constantly being replenished by photosynthesis), while storing significant amounts of energy-rich compounds (oil, starch and other biopolymers), biomass has been placed on the bioenergy priority list.  Therefore, it is vital for us to train the next generation of green workers in this critical area. With that in mind, this multidisciplinary course is designed to provide participants with an overview of algal biomass cultivation and characterization. Topics will be interdisciplinary and will include algal diversity, collection from various habitats and preservation. All these techniques will be investigated through field forays and laboratory studies. Cultivation essential for biodiversity sampling and analysis will also be emphasized. This course will use real-world examples while providing insights into technological trends aiming at securing our energy future. The course will feature prominent guest speakers and lectures focusing on current energy related events. In addition to in-class lectures, information will be shared via outside reading assignments, laboratories projects and sites visits to local algae farms.

This one credit course is meant to give students exposure to different topics of relevance to Environmental Sciences. Students will learn about the research currently being conducted at the University of Puerto Rico and abroad through a series of graduate students and faculty seminars. The seminar will also provide an opportunity for students to learn skills essential for becoming successful student researchers.  Students will be able to identify and obtain research opportunities that are appropriate to their professional goals. This seminar will also allow students to develop an awareness of the diversity of research opportunities available to them in the environmental sciences. Skills that students will acquire will include among others finding the right research advisor, critical analysis of research manuscripts and how to navigate the whole research process.

This one credit course is meant to give students exposure to different topics of relevance to Environmental Sciences. Students will learn about the research currently being conducted at the University of Puerto Rico and abroad through a series of graduate students and faculty seminars. The seminar will also provide an opportunity for students to learn skills essential for becoming successful student researchers.  Students will be able to identify and obtain research opportunities that are appropriate to their professional goals. This seminar will also allow students to develop an awareness of the diversity of research opportunities available to them in the environmental sciences. Skills that students will acquire will include among others finding the right research advisor, critical analysis of research manuscripts and how to navigate the whole research process.

Our quality of life is mainly being driven by the way we exploit and consume energy; which somehow differentiate us from pre-industrial societies. Unfortunately, energy, the largest industry in the world, also turned out to be the biggest polluter on the planet. Therefore it is vital for us to think critically about energy issues, if we want to maintain our lifestyle and not jeopardizing future generations. With that in mind, this multidisciplinary course is designed to provide participants with an overview of energy technologies, fuels and environmental impacts. Topics will be interdisciplinary and will include an introduction to quantitative concepts in energy, including the differences among fuels and energy technologies. This course will use real-world examples while providing insights into technological trends aiming at securing our energy future. The course will feature prominent guest speakers and lectures focusing on current energy related events. In addition to in-class lectures, information will be shared via outside reading assignments, laboratories projects and a research paper focusing on a specific energy topic.

The purpose of this course is to provide the basic scientific knowledge and understanding of how our world works from an environmental perspective. Toward this end, we will touch on topics as broad as general issues on the environment, basic principles of ecology and ecosystem function, water resources and pollution, hazardous chemicals, air pollution and climate change, biodiversity, energy resources, and sustainability. The limited scope of this course will allow us to only cover basic techniques in the analysis of water, air, and soil quality using a hands-on approach. The discussion of processes and topics, as well as techniques studied will include: chlorine, alkalinity, hardness, nutrients, suspended solids, dissolved solids, sedimentable solids, biochemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, total organic carbon, fecal coliforms, turbidity, oils and fats, and long-term monitoring.

Biogas Lab Group Meeting

The purpose of this course is to provide the basic scientific knowledge and understanding of how our world works from an environmental perspective. Toward this end, we will touch on topics as broad as general issues on the environment, basic principles of ecology and ecosystem function, water resources and pollution, hazardous chemicals, air pollution and climate change, biodiversity, energy resources, and sustainability. The limited scope of this course will allow us to only cover basic techniques in the analysis of water, air, and soil quality using a hands-on approach. The discussion of processes and topics, as well as techniques studied will include: chlorine, alkalinity, hardness, nutrients, suspended solids, dissolved solids, sedimentable solids, biochemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, total organic carbon, fecal coliforms, turbidity, oils and fats, and long-term monitoring.

Se estudia de forma “hands-on” como hacer las técnicas básicas de un análisis de calidad de agua, aire, y tierra. En grupos de 3-4 estudiantes hacen un informe de evaluación ambiental comparando dos sitios en Puerto Rico usando las técnicas que aprendieron durante la clase. La discusión de procesos y tópicos y las técnicas estudiadas incluye: cloro residual, alcalinidad, dureza, nutrientes, sólidos suspendidos, sólidos disueltos, sólidos sedimentables, demanda bioquímica de oxígeno, demanda química de oxígeno, oxígeno disuelto, carbón orgánico total, coliformes fecales, turbidez, aceites y grasas, y monitoreo.

This is the shared web site for all new Haitian students in the graduate programs of UPR

Bienvenue

Gary Gervais, gary.gervais@uprrp.edu, 787-764-0000 x (1)7344#