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CONTENTS

GENERAL INFORMATION

ACADEMIC UNITS

COURSES

PERSONNEL

REFERENCE

Coupled Systems Courses (Examples)
ASTR 140 Foundations of Astronomy 
OCN 320 Aquatic Pollution 
OCN 330 Mineral and Energy Resources of the Sea 
OCN 331 Living Resources of the Sea 
OCN 620 Physical Oceanography 
OCN 621 Biological Oceanography 
OCN 622 Geological Oceanography 
OCN 623 Chemical Oceanography 
BIOL 265 Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 
BIOL 360 Island Ecosystems 
BIOL 410 Human Role in Environmental Change 
BIOC 241 Fundamentals of Biochemistry 
GG 301 Mineralogy 
GG 309 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy 
GG 324 Low temperature & Environmental Geochemistry 
GG 455 Hydrogeology 
GG 466 Planetary Geology 
MET 302 Atmospheric Physics 
MET 303 Introduction to Atmospheric Dynamics 
GEOG 300 Climatology 
GEOG 402 Agricultural Climatology 
GEOG 405 Water in the Environment 
AREC 432 Natural Resource Economics 
SOIL 304 Fundamentals of Soil Science 
SOIL 430 Soil Chemistry 
SOIL 461 Soil Erosion and Conservation 
ECON 321 Introduction to Statistics 
ECON 358 Environmental Economics 
ECON 638 Environmental Resource Economics 
PHIL 316 Science, Technology, and Society 
SOC 412 Analysis in Population and Society

The student may also wish to take additional courses in fundamental physics, chemistry, biology, or mathematics. Global environmental science currently has no formal tracks (or combination of electives). However, majors may emphasize, for example, the marine environment, the climatic environment, or policy issues related to the environment. Majors should consult with their adviser as early as possible to devise a curriculum suited to their particular goals.

Senior Research Paper (3-6 hours)
OCN 499 Undergraduate Thesis

Each student is required to complete a senior thesis based on research conducted with one or more chosen advisers.

Instructional and Research Facilities

Hawai‘i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology

The Hawai‘i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP) conducts geological, geochemical, geophysical, and oceanographic and atmospheric laser and passive remote sensing research, as well as remote sensing research in earth, space, and marine sciences. Programs embrace research and advanced training in marine geology and geophysics, marine geochemistry, materials science and high-pressure geophysics, oceanic biology, evolution of the solar system, seismology and solid earth geophysics, planetary geology, volcanology, and petrology. The institute maintains various specialized facilities in support of its research endeavors. HIGP includes the Hawai‘i Space Grant College, which runs a wide variety of education and fellowship programs at the K-12, undergraduate, and professional levels and also provides outreach to the Hawai‘i community.

Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology

The Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) provides facilities and services for faculty members, graduate and under-graduate students, and visiting scholars for research and education in marine biology and related topics. Marine biology is concerned with the life processes of marine organisms, including plants, animals, and microbes. Research at HIMB covers a broad range of topics, including coral reef biology and ecology, tropical aquaculture, fish endocrinology, behavior of reef animals, pollution and management of marine ecosystems, coastal bio-geochemical processes, and fisheries.

HIMB is unique in that it lies close to a well-equipped laboratory, to a major university campus, and to subtropical environments. The primary focus of HIMB activities is on Coconut Island in Kane‘ohe Bay (on the east coast of O‘ahu), which provides a unique setting for graduate-level topics courses and field-trip and demonstration opportunities for under-graduate and graduate students. The island is surrounded by a 64-acre coral reef dedicated to scientific research. Facilities at the marine laboratory include research vessels and skiffs; ponds, aquaria, and tanks; a flow-through seawater system; remote monitoring capabilities; reef microcosm systems; a wide array of computerized analytical equipment; and support services. HIMB also operates the Mariculture Research and Training Center, with both saltwater and freshwater capabilities for pond aquaculture and research activities.

Hawai‘i Natural Energy Institute

The Hawai‘i Natural Energy Institute (HNEI) was established by the state Legislature in 1974 as a research institute at the University to provide leadership, focus, and support for natural energy research, development, and demonstration. HNEI works closely with the federal, state, and county governments; private industry; the utilities, community and international organizations; and individuals to initiate and complete renewable energy and ocean resources activities. HNEI attracts government and industrial funds for basic research, demonstration projects, feasibility studies, and field evaluation programs.

As part of SOEST, the institute draws on the expertise of faculty and staff from throughout the campus to investigate technical, cultural, environmental, social, legal, and economic aspects of renewable energy and ocean resources.

Hawai‘i Undersea Research Laboratory

Hawai‘i Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL) was established in 1980 by a cooperative agreement between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the University of Hawai‘i. HURL is one of the national laboratories sponsored by NOAA’s Office of Undersea Research. HURL operates the Pisces V research submersible and the RCV-150 remotely operated vehicle to support marine research to oceanic depths of 2,000 meters. These underwater vehicles are being integrated into the new mother ship, the 222-foot R/V Ka‘imikai-o-Kanaloa. Archived data are available to researchers on deep-sea biology, geology, and chemistry of the central Pacific.

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