Professor Peter Newton is an interdisciplinary scientist who studies the sustainability of socio-environmental systems. His work examines how interventions, such as policies, incentive programs, and technologies can influence trade-offs and synergies between environmental, social, and economic outcomes. His research addresses three focal areas: 1) How people living in and around forests use and manage them to support their livelihoods; 2) The sustainability of global commodity supply chains; and 3) Sustainable food systems. He works mainly in the US, and in tropical forest and agricultural landscapes in Brazil.
keywords
environmental governance, tropical forests, sustainable agriculture, sustainable development, deforestation, livelihoods, community based natural resource management, climate change mitigation, land use change, environmental studies, food systems, poverty
ENVS 3525 - Intermediate Environmental Problem Analysis: Topical Cornerstones
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Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Fall 2020
Engages students in in-depth study of a topic such as climate change, energy, natural resources or sustainability. Through lectures, discussions, readings and activities, students will become conversant with how science, policy and values are integrated in environmental problem solving, and develop their own sense of how to critically engage with proposed solutions. Fulfills cornerstone requirement for Environmental Studies Major. Recommended prerequisite: ENVS 1000. Recommended corequisite: ENVS 3020. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours, provided the topics vary.
ENVS 4100 - Special Topics in Environmental Studies
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2019
Various topics not normally covered in the curriculum: offered depending on student demand and specialties of faculty. Applied to specialization requirement for Environmental Studies major. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours, provided the topics vary.
ENVS 4800 - Capstone: Critical Thinking in Environmental Studies
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2019
Examines a specific environmental topic in depth, synthesizing information from complex and controversial issues. Different course sections present different topics. Fulfills capstone requirement for Environmental Studies major. Recommended prerequisites: ENVS 1000 and ENVS 3020.
ENVS 4850 - ENVS Honors Thesis Research
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2020 / Spring 2021
To be taken in final academic year prior to graduation. Consists of honors research and thesis preparation under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Department enforced restriction: Requires a minimum 3.3 GPA and a declared ENVS major and approval by departmental honors committee.
ENVS 4950 - Seminar: ENVS Honors Thesis
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2021
Offers an opportunity for students who are either in the process of writing an Honors thesis, or are in the early process of conducting Honors research, to receive guidance on the process of thesis writing, evaluation and presentation of research results, and defending a thesis. Thesis requirements and the role of the A&S Honors Council will be discussed. Also offers the opportunity to hear practice defense talks from the graduating Honors candidates. Department enforced prerequisite: Requires a minimum 3.3 GPA and a declared ENVS major and approval by departmental honors committee.
ENVS 5100 - Special Topics in Environmental Studies
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2019
A variety of topics not currently offered in curriculum; offered depending on instructor availability and student demand. May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours, provided the topics vary.
ENVS 6305 - Food System Solutions? Evaluation of Food System Debates
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Spring 2021
Explores the evidence and ideas underlying some of the most important contemporary food system debates. We will ask: in enhancing the environmental sustainability of food systems, what do the data tell us about the roles that can be played by genetically engineered food, organic agriculture, local food systems, changes to animal agriculture, and reductions in food waste? Students will draw on peer-reviewed research to address the science, policy, and ethical dimensions of these topics.
