Environmental Science
Environmental Science
Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical and biological sciences, (including but not limited to Ecology, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Soil Science, Geology, Atmospheric Science and Geography) to the study of the environment, and the solution of environmental problems. Environmental science provides an integrated, quantitative, and interdisciplinary approach to the study of environmental systems.
Related areas of study include environmental studies and environmental engineering. Environmental studies incorporates more of the social sciences for understanding human relationships, perceptions and policies towards the environment. Environmental engineering focuses on design and technology for improving environmental quality.
Environmental scientists work on subjects like the understanding of earth processes, evaluating alternative energy systems, pollution control and mitigation, natural resource management, and the effects of global climate change. Environmental issues almost always include an interaction of physical, chemical, and biological processes. Environmental scientists bring a systems approach to the analysis of environmental problems. Key elements of an effective environmental scientist include the ability to relate space, and time relationships as well as quantitative analysis.
Environmental science came alive as a substantive, active field of scientific investigation in the 1960s and 1970s driven by (a) the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to analyze complex environmental problems, (b) the arrival of substantive environmental laws requiring specific environmental protocols of investigation and (c) the growing public awareness of a need for action in addressing environmental problems. Events that spurred this development included the publication of Rachael Carson's landmark environmental book Silent Spring along with major environmental issues becoming very public, such as the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, and the Cuyahoga River of Cleveland, Ohio, "catching fire" (also in 1969), and helped increase the visibility of environmental issues and create this new field of study.
Matching Environmental Science Colleges
| Name |
|---|
|
Texas A & M University-College Station
Four or more years; Public; $20,687 average out-state tuition; $5,297 average in-state tuition |
|
University of California-Santa Barbara
Four or more years; Public; $34,098 average out-state tuition; $11,220 average in-state tuition |
|
Sonoma State University
Four or more years; Public; $16,632 average out-state tuition; $5,472 average in-state tuition |
|
Western Washington University
Four or more years; Public; $17,320 average out-state tuition; $6,973 average in-state tuition |
|
University of South Florida-Main Campus
Four or more years; Public; $14,916 average out-state tuition; $5,726 average in-state tuition |
|
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Four or more years; Public; $24,953 average out-state tuition; $5,128 average in-state tuition |
|
San Francisco State University
Four or more years; Public; $16,632 average out-state tuition; $5,472 average in-state tuition |
Environmental Science Scholarships
| Name | Amount | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship | Up to $7,500 | January 26, 2018 |
| Vera L. Vincent Scholarship | Up to $3,000 | November 10, 2017 |
| George and Harriett Cleveland Scholarship | $2,500 | March 01, 2018 |
| Regeneron Science Talent Search | Up to $250,000 | November 15, 2017 |
| Caroline Thorn Kissel Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship | $2,000 | February 05, 2018 |
| Apprentice Ecologist Initiative Scholarship | $1,750 | December 31, 2017 |
| Tough Turtle Turf Scholarship | $1,500 | December 31, 2017 |
| GreenWay Scholarship - ILCC | $1,250 | October 01, 2017 |
| Rob McCarvel Memorial Scholarship | $1,000 | February 01, 2018 |
| Code Like a Girl Scholarship | $1,000 | November 05, 2017 |
Environmental Science Related Majors
- Environmental Studies
- Natural Resources Conservation
- Wildlife, Fish and Wildlands Science
- Forestry
- Natural Resources Management and Policy
- Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management
- Forest Sciences and Biology
- Forestry Technician
- Forest Management
- Wood Science and Pulp and Paper Technology
- Land Use Planning and Management/Development
- Water, Wetlands, and Marine Resources Management
- Urban Forestry
- Natural Resource Economics
- Forest Resources Production and Management
