2009 Institutional Report
Reporting Institution
UBC Okanagan
Earth & Environmental Science
IK Barber School of Arts and Sciences
Representative
Dr David Scott
Program/Course Changes
Course Additions & Deletions
Earth & Environmental Science (BSc Program). We have given the Earth and Environmental Sciences Program a thorough overhaul to bring it up to date with changes in new courses. We are proud that it is an extremely flexible degree program that offers many opportunities for students to tailor the program to their interests.
Changes made for current (2009/10) calendar:
Extensive changes, including:
1) Introduction of the new first year Environmental Science course
(EESC 101) as an option for 1 st year students
2) Changes to allow students much greater program flexibility, in 2 nd ,
3 rd and 4 th years. This will allow students to better take advantage
of our expanded course offerings, and make it easier for students
to meet registration requirements (e.g., APEG).
3) Introduction of a minor in Earth & Environmental Sciences
specific for Arts Majors.
Freshwater Science (BSc)
Extensive changes to the Freshwater Science Program, including:
1) Several, largely cosmetic changes to first and second year (e.g., we changed the GEOG course numbers to numbers for equivalent, cross - listed EESC courses)
2) Introduction of a new, required first year Environmental Science course (EESC 101)
3) Changes to 3 rd and 4 th year to allow students greater program flexibility, and allowing students to better take advantage of our expanded course offerings.
4) Added EESC 309 (Global Biogeochemistry).
5) Moved EESC 302 (Freshwater Resource Issues and Management) to 4 th yr (EESC 402) as capstone course for FWSc.
6) Introduction of a Freshwater Science Honours Program.
7) Dropped EESC 321 (Paleontology), EESC 333 (Analytical Geochemistry), and EESC 400 (Freshwater Science II).
Forthcoming changes:
The statistics (Biometrics – BIOL 304) requirement is expected to
move from 3 rd year to 2 nd year. To compensate, a 2 nd year course will
move to 3 rd year.
Environmental Sciences (MSc & PhD):
Dropped ENVI 501 (“Natural and Threatened Environments of Southern BC”) as a program requirement
Revised calendar language to clarify application procedures
Prerequisite Changes
Changes made for current (2009/10) calendar:
EESC 342 Hydrogeology prerequisites now more strictly defined as:
“Either (a) Math 100 and one of PHYS 111, PHYS 112 and one
of EESC 111, EESC 121, GEOG 109, GEOG 205; or (b) ENGR
340. Third year standing also required.”
EESC 350 Exploration Geophysics prerequisites, altered to:
“Either (a) MATH 101 and either (a) PHYS 102 or (b) a score of
68% or higher in PHYS 122; or (b) ENGR 340”
Staffing
Dr Jeff Curtis (Biogeochemist, Head of Unit 3 (Chemistry and Earth & Environmental Science)
Dr John Greenough (Petrologist; Mineralogist)
Dr Ian Walker (Paleoecologist, cross-appointed with Biology)
Dr Yuan Chen (Economic Geologist)
Dr Craig Nichol (Geohydrologist)
Dr Robert Young (Geomorphologist; cross-appointed with Physical Geography)
Dr Adam Wei (Forest Hydrologist/ Eco-hydrologist; FRBC Research Chair Watershed Management)
Dr Bernard Bauer (Geomorphologist) (Associate Provost)
Dr David Scott (Forest Hydrologist; FRBC Research Chair Watershed Management)
Personnel Notes
Bert Mueller has recently joined us in the position of LA ICP MS technician.
Jeff Curtis took over as Unit Head (Chemistry and Earth & Environmental Sciences) as of July 2008.
John Greenough was on sabbatical from July. 2008 to Dec. 2008; and will be on sabbatical again from July 2009 to Dec 2009. John took over as Editor of the Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences in January of 2008.
Robert Young organized the 2009 meeting of the Cordilleran Section of the GSA Meeting in Kelowna earlier this month.
Adam Wei is on sabbatical leave from January 2009 to Dec 2009.
Enrolment Trends
1st year “Bums in seats” for winter, summer & fall
Winter ‘08 60
Fall ‘08 141
Winter '09 153
“declared Majors” 2008/09 (data compiled 20 May 2009)
Earth & Environmental Science (EESC) majors* :
2 rd year: 15 students (10 M, 5 F)
3 rd year: 25 students (13 M, 12 F)
4 th year: 20 students (9 M, 11 F), including 3 honours students
(8 students graduated the preceding year – 2008)
Freshwater Science (FWSC) majors*:
2 rd year: 5 students (3 M, 2 F)
3 rd year: 2 students (2 M, 0 F)
4 th year: 3 students (0 M, 3 F), including 1 honours students
(2 students graduated the preceding year – 2008)
ENVI MSc : 11 students (6 M, 5 F)
2 students (1 M, 1 F) successfully defended in 2008/9
ENVI PhD : 4 students (2 M, 2 F)
*Note that many students do not elect to declare their major before 4 th year; thus, 2 and 3 rd year numbers tend to underestimate the number of students who will complete the EESC and FWSC programmes in future years.
The “EESc Course Union” is very active and successfully creates a sense of community amongst our students.
Broader university growth continues, and with it more campus activity and atmosphere. The Engineering program in particular has grown very rapidly. New Arts & Science Building is under construction.
Grants/Etc.
Construction of the Laser Ablation ICP MS lab in the Fipke building continues.
We continue to propose a new research chair in ICP MS for the new laboratory in the Fipke Centre.
We expect to appoint the Director of the Okanagan Sustainability Institute soon
Changes to admission requirements:
None
Partnerships: No changes
Transfer Agreements: No changes
Accreditation: No changes