ISEN Courses - Graduate

ISEN has developed a series of graduate courses on the topics of sustainability and energy, with an expected audience spanning the whole university, from physical sciences and engineering to social science, business, communication, and law. 

ISEN 410 Topics in Contemporary Energy and Climate Change

Course Overview: The increasing worldwide demand for energy presents a number of complex interdisciplinary challenges, from resource depletion to climate change. This class will challenge students to answer the question, How shall we power the world in the 21st century? We will examine the history and geography of energy use; links between energy and climate change; and technological, economic and environmental benefits and drawbacks of various energy sources. Cross-listed as EARTH 342. Open to graduate students from all disciplines, senior undergraduates majoring in natural sciences or engineering, and other interested undergraduates by instructor consent.

Instructor: Yarrow Axford
Offered: Fall 2018; TuTh 11:00am - 12:20pm, Tech F285

ISEN 430 NUvention: Energy

Course Overview:  Over an intense quarter, graduate students from schools across campus come together in interdisciplinary teams to develop a product or service and a business in the burgeoning sustainable energy industry. By simulating the product/service and business development process, NUvention Energy helps students develop creative, interpersonal, business, and technical skills.  Teams are mentored by an ISEN board of energy industry professionals and cleantech entrepreneurs.  Course teams have been extremely competitive on the business plan competition circuit, and many have gone on to form successful companies, including SiNode, Metergenius, Ampy, INJoo, and Hazel Technologies.  NUvention: Energy is collaboratively offered by ISEN and the Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation; Farley runs the NUvention program portfolio (which includes other offerings in medical, nano, web, social impact, etc).  Cross-listed as ENTREP 474.

Instructor: Mark Werwath
Offered: Winter 2019, Th 6:00pm - 9:00pm, Ford ITW

ISEN 490 Modern Techniques in Heterogeneous Catalysis Research

Course Overview: The purpose of this course is to provide students the necessary training to conduct independent research in heterogeneous catalysis. The course will not only touch on the elementary principles of common experimental methods, but also give the students hands-on experience operating necessary equipment for fundamental heterogeneous catalysis research. The course is designed for groups of students to undertake and complete a small catalysis research project. Starting with catalyst synthesis, students will spend several weeks learning practical aspects of instrumentation and catalyst testing/characterization techniques. At the end of the first quarter, students will plan and submit a research proposal based on questions raised from their own literature research and results from the first several weeks. The second quarter will be used to execute their own experiments. At the end of the second quarter, students will be expected to assemble a publication quality manuscript and present their work to a group of faculty advisors and industrial partners.

Instructors: Neil Schweitzer and Justin Notestein
Offered: Winter 2019, M 1:00pm - 3:00pm, Tech L170 and F 2:00pm - 4:00pm, Pancoe Auditorium

ISEN 495 Special Topics: Communicating Science Beyond Academia (Cross-listed as EARTH 450)

Course Overview: Through reading, discussion, writing and peer critique, this course will explore strategies for successful scientific communication beyond academia. How can scientists break through barriers to understanding and foster engagement with scientific information, while still conveying nuance and uncertainty? What happens when science becomes politicized and controversial? This seminar is open to graduate students in all STEM disciplines, with preference to students who have begun to conduct independent research.

Instructor: Yarrow Axford
Offered: Winter 2019, M 2:00pm - 4:50pm, Tech F391

ISEN 495 Special Topics in Energy and Sustainability: Industrial Energy Management and Utilization (Cross-listed as MECH_ENG 467)

Course Overview: As time permits, in this course the students will learn about historical energy usage; energy conservation vs. energy management; elements of an energy audit; data normalization of energy consumption using product-mix data or degree days etc.; utility rate structures & deregulation; energy economics; energy conservation opportunities in thermal-fluid Systems; combustion systems; steam & condensate Systems; energy recovery systems; industrial insulation; and electrical energy conservation.

Instructor: Manohar Kulkarni
Offered: Winter 2019, M, W, Fr 10:00am - 10:50am

Seminar: Powering the Future (not-for-credit)

Course Overview: "Powering the Future" is an exclusive, by-application weekly seminar in which senior-level cleantech and utility executives lead discussions on new technologies and novel financing structures that are presently disrupting U.S. power markets.  Weekly guest speakers include regulators, executives, scientists, and entrepreneurs, among many others.  Following each weekly lecture, students will have an opportunity to network with executives over dinner and explore employment opportunities. 

Instructors: Bert Valdman (WCAS '84), Gary Kremen (MEAS '85), Nat Kreamer (SOC '99)
Offered: Spring 2018; T 4:00pm - 7:00pm, Tech TBD -- Spring 2019 date TBD