3 credit hours | Spring Semester
This course explores nature-based solutions (NBS) - strategies inspired by nature to protect, manage, and restore ecosystems for environmental sustainability and societal benefit. Students will gain a foundational understanding of NBS concepts and ecological engineering practices, with a focus on water resource applications.
Course Format: Lectures, case studies, site visits, guest speakers, and collaborative projects examining real-world challenges and solutions related to:
Key Topics: Erosion, contamination, nutrient loading, biodiversity loss, and flooding
Applied Practices: Floodplain restoration, coastal protection, habitat enhancement, and regenerative agriculture
This course emphasizes working with nature to design resilient, sustainable systems.
3 credit hours | Fall Semester
This course introduces students to the use of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS)—commonly known as drones—for capturing high-resolution aerial imagery to support water resource planning and management. Students will gain hands-on experience in the full workflow of remote sensing and GIS mapping, from drone operation to digital map creation.
The course emphasizes practical applications in watershed planning, with a focus on safety, technique, and data analysis.
Course Format:
Lectures, field training, and computer-based lab sessions
Key Topics & Skills:
By the end of the course, students will be equipped to take the FAA Part 107 Certified Remote Pilot test (non-OU affiliated, if desired by the student) and able to collect, process, and apply geospatial data to real-world environmental challenges.
3 credit hours | Fall Semester
This course examines applied environmental biology; biological consequences of environmental impacts; mitigation of environmental impacts via biogeochemical, ecological, and microbial processes.
Lori Han, Ph.D., holding a baby goat.
Lori Han, Ph.D., flying a sUAS (drone)
1–2 credit hours | Spring and Fall Semesters
This course guides students through the development of an annotated bibliography on a graduate-level research topic selected in collaboration with the instructor. The bibliography is conducted adjacent to the student’s thesis or research work.
1 credit hour = 25 annotated sources
2 credit hours = 50 annotated sources
Students will engage in critical reading, synthesis, and documentation of scholarly literature relevant to their field of study.
3 credit hours | Spring or Fall Semester
This course offers undergraduate students in the Honors College the opportunity to engage in independent research under faculty mentorship. Students will explore a topic of mutual interest with their instructor, culminating in the completion of an honors thesis.
The course emphasizes critical thinking, research design, and scholarly writing, providing a strong foundation for future academic or professional pursuits.
