Introduction to Sustainability: Challenges and Solutions (210-0-20)
Instructors
Udayan Singh
Meeting Info
Annenberg Hall G15: Tues, Thurs 4:00PM - 5:30PM
Overview of class
This course introduces core analysis principles for understanding and assessing sustainability and
improvement pathways, with a particular emphasis on life-cycle thinking for holistic sustainability
analysis. Students will learn about major challenges for achieving more sustainable societies through the
lenses of different overarching analysis principles, including life-cycle analysis, technology stock
modeling, cost analysis, and considerations of time, location, and development when assessing
opportunities for societal change. These principles will be applied in homework assignments and the
course project to develop basic quantitative insights into societal challenges related to energy and
resource use, consumption and development, and environmental damages. These analytical perspectives
will be employed by students to develop an understanding of potential solution pathways, including
technology deployment, behavioral and societal changes, and policies, standards, and regulations as well
as the human, institutional, and political barriers to these pathways.
Registration Requirements
There are no pre-requisites for this course.
Class Materials (Required)
We will not be using any textbook for this course. Instead, you will be assigned several readings from the academic literature, media, policy documents, white papers etc. These will be made accessible to all students using the course website or will be accessible via the Northwestern library resources
Class Notes
Required course for the Sustainability and Energy Undergraduate Certificate. Offered once per academic year, typically in the Fall quarter.
Class Attributes
Social & Behavioral Sciences Distro Area
SDG Responsible Consumption