Environmental Sciences

Return to: College of the Environment

Introduction

Chair: Ruth Sofield

Environmental science draws on basic knowledge of the physical, chemical, biological, and quantitative aspects of natural and anthropogenic processes in environmental systems. This knowledge is applied to addressing problems largely created by human activities in natural systems and built environments, ranging from rural to urban development. Graduates will be able to develop and integrate scientific evidence that describes, predicts and cares for the natural resources that sustain our lives and communities. Graduates in environmental science enter a wide variety of career paths in local, state and federal governments; universities; and the private sector. Fields include environmental toxicology, ecology, environmental chemistry, environmental impact assessment, watershed studies, marine pollution assessment, climate change, and clean energy. Graduates may also choose to pursue advanced studies.  

We offer environmental sciences degrees on the Bellingham campus and the Salish Sea Region campus. On the Bellingham campus, we offer students the opportunity to generalize or to emphasize topics in the environmental sciences. These emphases include Environmental Toxicology, Freshwater and Terrestrial Ecology, and Marine Sciences.

Faculty

The interdisciplinary nature of environmental science is reflected in the wide-ranging expertise of the environmental science faculty. Oceanographers, toxicologists, chemists, biologists, limnologists, terrestrial ecologists, engineers, and others work together as an interdisciplinary team to offer a curriculum grounded in the science but oriented to understanding and solving environmental problems. Active engagement in research allows the faculty to bring new knowledge into the classroom.

Facilities and Equipment

Facilities are available for teaching laboratory courses and for student research projects. Students gain practical hands-on experience in data collection and analysis in both laboratory and field settings including terrestrial, aquatic, estuarine and marine environments. Specialized equipment is available for a wide variety of applications including toxicological and water quality monitoring (in a state-certified lab), dendrochronology, global positioning systems, wildlife telemetry, and forest and aquatic habitat characterization. Instrumentation includes an autoanalyzer for phosphorous, carbon and nitrogen, a gamma ray detector for sediment dating, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) equipped with a camera for underwater viewing of the marine environment as well as several small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS; “drones”) equipped with a variety of cameras for land use and land cover mapping. Extensive computer facilities include a Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing laboratory with state-of-the-art capabilities.

The WWU Shannon Point Marine Center offers access to aquaria and a wide variety of laboratory and field sampling equipment for students interested in the marine environment.

The Canyon Lake Creek Community Forest provides access to 2,300 acres in the foothills of Mt. Baker.

In addition to these university owned facilities, our location provides unparalleled access to public lands that cover a range of environments including the alpine zone, dense old-growth forests, wetlands, lakes, streams, estuaries, bays, and the ocean.

Faculty

RUTH M. SOFIELD (2003) Chair and Professor. BA (biology), West Virginia University; MS (environmental science), McNeese State University; PhD (environmental science and engineering), Colorado School of Mines.
JENISE M. BAUMAN (2014) Associate Professor. BS (horticulture), Eastern Kentucky University; MS (plant pathology), West Virginia University; PhD (botany) Miami University.
CHARLES J. BARNHART (2014) Associate Professor. BS (physics and astronomy), University of Washington-Seattle; PhD (planetary geophysics), University of California-Santa Cruz.
ANDREW G. BUNN (2006) Professor. BS (zoology) The Evergreen State College; MEM (resource ecology) Duke University; PhD (environmental science), Montana State University-Bozeman.
REBECCA BUNN (2010) Professor. BS, (civil engineering), Michigan Technology Institute; MS, (environmental engineering) University of Colorado; PhD (land resources and environmental science), Montana State University.
MARCO B.A. HATCH (2016) Associate Professor. BS (Aquatic and Fishery Sciences), University of Washington; MS and PhD (Biological Oceanography), Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego.
JAMES M. HELFIELD (2005) Professor. BA (English), Duke University; MSc (physical geography), University of Toronto; PhD (forest ecology), University of Washington.
SAM KASTNER (2021) Assistant Professor. BA (Physics and Music) Skidmore College; MS (civil & environmental engineering) University of Washington; PhD (civil & environmental engineering) University of Washington.   
ALIA L. KHAN (2018) Associate Professor. BS (environmental health science), University of North Carolina; MS (biogeoscience), University of Colorado; PhD (civil and environmental engineering), University of Colorado.
ROBIN B. KODNER (2012) Professor. BS (paleobiology) University of Wisconsin-Madison; PhD (organismic and evolutionary biology) Harvard University.
BROOKE A. LOVE (2012) Professor, BS (engineering geology) Stanford University, PhD (chemical oceanography) University of Washington.
JOHN F. McLAUGHLIN (1996) Professor. BA (biological sciences), BA (biochemistry), BA (integrated science program), Northwestern University; MS (biological sciences) and PhD (biological sciences, population biology), Stanford University.
ERIKA McPHEE-SHAW (2017) Professor. BA (physics) Dartmouth College; PhD (oceanography) University of Washington.
MANUEL D. MONTAÑO (2018) Associate Professor. BS (chemistry), Colorado School of Mines; PhD (applied chemistry), Colorado School of Mines.
JOHN M. RYBCZYK (2000) Professor. BS (wildlife biology), Michigan State University; MS (ecosystem biology), Eastern Michigan University; PhD (oceanography and coastal science), Louisiana State University.
IMRAN SHEIKH (2017) Associate Professor. BS (biomedical engineering), University of Wisconsin; MS, PhD (energy and resources), University of California-Berkeley.
DAVID H. SHULL (2003) Professor. BS (oceanography), University of Washington; MS (oceanography), University of Connecticut; PhD (environmental, coastal and ocean sciences), University of Massachusetts.
FROYLAN E. SIFUENTES (2019) Assistant Professor. BS (chemical engineering) Massachusetts Institute of Technology; MS, PhD (energy and resources) University of California, Berkeley. 
KATHRYN L. SOBOCINSKI (2019) Associate Professor. BA (environmental studies), Connecticut College; MS (aquatic and fishery sciences) University of Washington; PhD (marine science) The College of William and Mary, Virginia Institute of Marine Science. 
ANGELA L. STRECKER (2019) Professor and Director, Institute for Watershed Studies. BSc Honours (biology), University of Regina, PhD (biology), Queen’s University.
DAVID O. WALLIN (1995) Professor. BS (biology), Juniata College; MA (biology), The College of William and Mary; PhD (environmental science), University of Virginia.

Research Faculty

TARANG KHANGAONKAR (2018) Research Professor. BS (naval architecture) Indian Institute of Technology; Masters (ocean engineering), University of Miami; PhD (applied marine physics/ ocean engineering) University of Miami.
WAYNE G. LANDIS (1989) Research Professor. BA (biology), Wake Forest University; MA (biology) and PhD (zoology), Indiana University.
KATHRYN L. VAN ALSTYNE, Marine Scientist, Shannon Point Marine Center. PhD (marine ecology), University of Washington.
JOHN VAVRINEC (2021) Research Professor. B.S. (environmental & forest biology), SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry; PhD (Oceanography) University of Maine. 

Emeritus Faculty

LEO R. BODENSTEINER (1995) Professor. BA (biology), Moorhead State University; MA (zoology), PhD (zoology), Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
JOHN T. (JACK) HARDY Professor Emeritus of Environmental Sciences. BA, University of California-Santa Barbara; MA, Oregon State University; PhD, University of Washington.
PETER S. HOMANN Professor Emeritus of Environmental Sciences. BA (natural sciences) and BS (chemistry), Case Western Reserve University; MS (forest ecology), Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies; PhD (forest soils, nutrient cycling), University of Washington.
WAYNE G. LANDIS (1989) Professor Emeritus of Environmental Sciences. BA (biology), Wake Forest University; MA (biology) and PhD (zoology), Indiana University.
ROBIN A. MATTHEWS (1986) Professor Emeritus of Environmental Sciences. BS (biology), University of California-Riverside; MS (environmental studies), Indiana University; PhD (botany/aquatic ecology), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
J. RICHARD MAYER Professor Emeritus of Environmental Sciences. BS, Union College; MA, Columbia University; PhD, Yale University.
BRADLEY F. SMITH Professor Emeritus of College of the Environment. BA, MA, Western Michigan University; PhD, University of Michigan.

Adjunct Faculty

TRACY K. COLLIER, Senior Associate and Project Manager, Ocean Associates, Inc. PhD (Fisheries), University of Washington. 
SUZANNE STROM, Marine Scientist, Shannon Point Marine Center. PhD (biological oceanography), University of Washington.

Affiliated Faculty

JOHN BOWER, Professor, Fairhaven College
DON BURGESS, Assistant Professor, SMATE 
BRADY OLSON, Assistant Professor, Biology
ARUNAS OSLAPAS, Professor, Engineering Technology
JOHN TUXILL, Assistant Professor, Fairhaven College

Affiliated Teaching Faculty

CATHERINE AUSTIN, Instructor, PhD Aquatic Science, University of Washington.
HOLLY COE, Instructor, MS Ecosystem Analysis, University of Washington.
GREGORY GREEN, Instructor, MS, Wildlife Ecology, Oregon State University.
MORGAN EISENLORD, Instructor, MS Biology. University of Washington.  PhD student, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University. 
NANCY LANE, Instructor, MS Botany-Chemical Ecology, University of South Florida.
CATHERINE REIDY LIERMANN, Instructor, PhD Physical Geography (Ecohydrology) Umea University.
ABE LLOYD, Senior Instructor, MS, Ethnoecology, University of Victoria.
ELI LOOMIS, Instructor, MS, Plant Genetics, University of Montana.
KATRINA POPPE, Instructor, MS, Environmental Science, Western Washington University.
RALPH RILEY, Instructor, PhD, Ecosystem Studies, Stanford University.
CHRIS TRINIES, Instructor, MS Environmental Science, Western Washington University.
RYAN VASAK, Instructor, MS Aquatic Ecology, Western Washington University.

Programs

• Environmental Science — Freshwater & Terrestrial Ecology Emphasis, BS
• Environmental Science — Marine Science Emphasis, BS
• Environmental Science — Toxicology Emphasis, BS
• Environmental Science, BS
• Student/Faculty Designed, BS (College of the Environment)

• Environmental Science Extension Major, BS

• Environmental Science Minor

• Environmental Science, Marine and Estuarine Science (MES), Thesis, MS
• Environmental Science, Thesis, MS

• Data Science for Environmental Applications Certificate
• Ecological Restoration Certificate (Extension)
• Salmon Enhancement: Habitat Restoration Certificate

Courses

Courses numbered X37; X97; 300, 400, 500 are described in the University Academic Policies  section of this catalog.

• ESCI 101 - Environmental Studies: A Scientific Approach
• ESCI 204 - The Oceans: Topics in Marine Science
• ESCI 205 - Distinguished Scholar Program Seminar: Ds
• ESCI 225 - Beginning Ecology
• ESCI 300 - Directed Independent Study
• ESCI 302 - Environmental Disturbances
• ESCI 307 - Topics in Environmental Science
• ESCI 308 - Writing in Environmental Science
• ESCI 309 - Grand Canyon Riparian Conservation
• ESCI 314 - The Science of Cheesemaking
• ESCI 315 - Art, Science and Ethics of Flyfishing
• ESCI 316 - Advanced Flyfishing: river stewarship, reflection, and native trout
• ESCI 321 - Oceanography
• ESCI 322 - Oceanography Laboratory
• ESCI 325 - Fundamentals of Ecology
• ESCI 328 - Introduction to Ecosystem Management
• ESCI 330 - Natural History of the Pacific Northwest
• ESCI 333 - Introduction to Environmental Toxicology
• ESCI 340 - Biostatistical Analysis
• ESCI 342 - Problem Solving in Environmental Science
• ESCI 360 - Energy Efficient and Carbon Neutral Design
• ESCI 361 - Water Quality
• ESCI 380 - Energy and Environment
• ESCI 392 - Introduction to Climate Change
• ESCI 393 - Our Coastal Seas and Climate Change
• ESCI 400 - Directed Independent Study
• ESCI 402 - Topics in Environmental Studies
• ESCI 404 - Indigenous Resource Management in the Salish Sea
• ESCI 407 - Forest Ecology
• ESCI 408 - Field Methods in Wildlife Ecology
• ESCI 409 - Riparian Conservation
• ESCI 410 - Habitat and Ecology of Pacific Salmon and Trout
• ESCI 411 - A Field Practicum in Fish Habitat Assessment
• ESCI 412 - Fisheries Science
• ESCI 417 - The State of the Salish Sea Ecosystem
• ESCI 423 - Paleoclimate and Paleoecology
• ESCI 425 - Environmental Biology of Fishes
• ESCI 426 - Marine Invertebrates and Their Environment
• ESCI 428 - Freshwater Algae Bioindicators
• ESCI 429 - Stream Ecology
• ESCI 430 - Limnology and Limnology Lab
• ESCI 431 - Watershed Biogeochemistry
• ESCI 432 - Topics in Marine Ecology
• ESCI 433 - Population Biology
• ESCI 434 - Scientific Conference Preparation, Participation, and Evaluation
• ESCI 435 - Landscape Ecology
• ESCI 436 - Invasive Species Ecology and Management
• ESCI 438 - Scientific Writing and Presentation
• ESCI 439 - Conservation of Biological Diversity
• ESCI 440 - Wetlands Ecology
• ESCI 442 - Introduction to Remote Sensing
• ESCI 443 - Ecological Images
• ESCI 444 - Biogeochemistry of Marine Sediments
• ESCI 445 - Marine Geochemistry
• ESCI 451 - Environmental Sampling and Analysis
• ESCI 452 - Introduction to Science and Management of Contaminated Sites
• ESCI 453 - Science and Management of Contaminated Sites
• ESCI 454 - Science, Management and Outreach of Contaminated Sites
• ESCI 455 - Environmental Toxicology I
• ESCI 456 - Environmental Toxicology II
• ESCI 457 - Environmental Toxicology Laboratory I
• ESCI 459 - Aquatic Toxicology
• ESCI 460 - Contaminant Fate and Transport
• ESCI 461 - Mechanical and Environmental Systems in Buildings
• ESCI 462 - Air Pollution
• ESCI 463 - Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment
• ESCI 464 - Sustainable Building Analysis and Design
• ESCI 465 - Plant and Soil Interactions
• ESCI 466 - Life Cycle Analysis
• ESCI 470 - Ecological Restoration
• ESCI 471 - Forest Restoration in the PNW
• ESCI 472 - Monitoring Restored Habitat
• ESCI 475 - Renewable Electric Power Systems
• ESCI 477 - Wetland Plant Identification
• ESCI 480 - Applications in Energy Production
• ESCI 482 - Greenhouse Gas Mitigation
• ESCI 485 - Global Environmental Change in the Cryosphere
• ESCI 490 - Environmental Risk Assessment
• ESCI 491 - Oceanography of the Salish Sea
• ESCI 492 - Climate Change
• ESCI 493 - Environmental Impact Assessment
• ESCI 494 - Marine Conservation
• ESCI 495 - Teaching Practicum
• ESCI 496 - Integration of Environmental Science and Policy
• ESCI 498A - Senior Thesis
• ESCI 498B - Internship
• ESCI 498C - Senior Project
• ESCI 498D - International Study
• ESCI 499A - College of the Environment Speaker Series
• ESCI 499B - Seminar
• ESCI 499C - Seminar
• ESCI 499D - Solar Power and its Impacts
• ESCI 499E - Seminar
• ESCI 499F - Seminar
• ESCI 499G - Seminar
• ESCI 499H - Seminar
• ESCI 499I - Seminar
• ESCI 499J - Seminar
• ESCI 499K - Seminar
• ESCI 499L - Seminar
• ESCI 499M - Seminar

Return to: College of the Environment