The interactions of human society with its physical environment are complex and multifaceted. The course will use a systems engineering perspective to investigate pressing large-scale interconnected problems such as global warming, energy shortages, water dead zones, desertification, food crises, overpopulation, poverty and economic instability. The course seeks to combine mathematical tools for complex and nonlinear systems; aspects of atmospheric, oceanographic, and ecological science; methods of observation and inference based on remote sensing; and associated societal issues of informed decision making, stakeholder fairness, and decision support systems. [Offered: W] Prereq: Level at least 3B Systems Design Engineering
