Teaching

I have taught undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education courses at Arizona State University (ASU) and the University of California Extension program. At ASU I have introduced two core graduate courses and have modernized one undergraduate course. I have also introduced seminar courses for our graduate students that are focused on developing skills for critical analysis and writing of technical publications. The courses are described below. I won our department’s teaching award and was selected for the National Academy of Engineering's Frontiers of Engineering Education.

Recent Courses

  • Spring 2024

    Life Cycle Assessment

    Life Cycle Assessment is a core course in Civil, Environmental, and Sustainable Engineering as well as the School of Sustainability. The course covers cradle-to-grave systems thinking, analysis of energy systems (fuel combustion, electricity generation, and energy delivery), air quality and atmospheric chemistry, supply chain analysis, infrastructure interdependency analysis, ecological and human impact assessment, and economic valuation. I emphasize the importance of structuring analyses around attributional (i.e., technology- or process-focused) versus consequential (i.e., policy- or decision-focused) framings so that students appreciate how their results can be most effectively communicated to various stakeholders. I have offered this course annually since 2012. See the Spring 2024 syllabus for additional information.

  • Spring 2024

    Urban Infrastructure Anatomy

    Urban Infrastructure Anatomy focuses on the major design principles of urban infrastructure systems (transportation, buildings, water, electricity, fuels, and waste), the relationships between urban design and behavior (including behavioral analysis), and the science for transitioning infrastructure to alternative configurations for sustainability and resilience goals. The course includes a module on climate change mitigation and adaptation and students now explore how components of infrastructure have been designed for historical weather events (e.g., 100-year storms) that are becoming more frequent and environmental conditions that are quickly changing (e.g., water flows to power generation facilities). During the semester the students complete (as a class) a course research project to redesign infrastructure. The students work with a local infrastructure manager to develop an assessment and set of transitional strategies. They work in teams to assess the current infrastructure system, design a solution, develop environmental and economic assessments of the solution, and develop strategies for overcoming institutional barriers that may prevent the solution from being implemented. See the Spring 2024 syllabus for additional information.

  • Fall 2023

    Transportation Systems Planning

    Transportation Systems Planning focuses on economic theory, travel demand modeling, and behavioral analysis. The course covers core concepts such as the operation, management, control, design, and evaluation of passenger and freight transportation systems, demand analysis, network analysis, and design of control strategies. In addition to this core material, students are introduced to a cross-threading of new concepts focused on infrastructure design, sustainability, and resilience. They are exposed to more in-depth infrastructure planning principles including historical drivers of roadway deployment, the impact of parking requirements, interdependencies (vehicle manufacturing, supply chains, energy production, etc.), and design for sustainability and climate. I have offered this course annually since 2013. See the Fall 2023 syllabus for additional information.

Past Courses

  • 2013 2013

    Sustainable Engineering Technical Writing

    Research-focused students peer-review each other's work, develop a publication over the semester, and learn about the peer-review process. I offered this course in Fall 2013 at Arizona State University.

  • 2012 2012

    Sustainable Engineering Journal Review

    Introduction to peer-reviewed journal publication writing styles and presentation of results. I offered this course in Fall 2012 at Arizona State University

  • 2012 2012

    Industrial Ecology and Design for Sustainability

    Arizona State University. Introduced students to the conceptual, ethical and practical challenges arising from the design, manufacture, and life cycle performance of engineered products and the services they enable. Students will become familiar with key methodological perspectives for systems analysis such as material flows analysis, ecological footprinting, and urban metabolism. Other topics covered include defining sustainability, evolution of technology, life cycle assessment, social dimensions of Industrial Ecology, and the link between biological systems and Industrial Ecology. I offered this course in Spring 2012 at Arizona State University.

  • 2010 2009

    Energy Use and Climate Change

    University of California Extension. Explored current energy practices and renewable practices within the context of climate change. The energy infrastructure from fossil fuel consumption and combustion to electricity generation was reviewed. The challenges of nuclear energy from facility cost overruns to public perception to advanced technologies was presented. Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydropower, and biomass were introduced with their potential to satisfy current demand as well as their technological barriers. Fuel cell technology and hydrogen as a feedstock was also discussed as well as energy efficiency and economics. The effects of these topics on climate change was a continuing theme throughout the course.

  • 2010 2009

    Transportation Sustainability and Life Cycle Assessment

    University of California Extension. Covered the history of US transportation passenger and freight behavior. Discussed current energy and environmental trends and national and urban scale effects. Introduced students to alternative vehicle and fuel technologies.