Courses

Professor Cohan teaches the following courses at Rice University:

• CEVE 307 Energy and the Environment: This course explores the physical principles of energy and how various sectors and fuels impact Earth’s environment and climate. We also examine policies and technologies that could foster more sustainable use of energy resources. The course includes a group project in which each team of students will with a mentor from industry or local agencies to design a plan to address a business challenge in a profitable and environmentally beneficial manner.
• CEVE 411/511 Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate: This course explores the chemical and physical processes that govern the formation, transformation, and transport of gases and particles in the atmosphere. The primary phenomena of focus are atmospheric transport; global climate change; stratospheric ozone depletion; tropospheric ozone formation and related oxidant and reactive nitrogen chemistry; acid deposition; particulate matter; and mercury and other air toxics. In addition to the atmospheric chemistry and physics processes that influence these phenomena, we also consider the broader context of environmental policy, control technologies, and impacts on human health and the environment.
• MLSC 553 Solving the Climate Challenge: This course is organized around a series of critical questions about the climate challenge and how it can be addressed. We begin by introducing the science of climate change and its impacts. We then explore what it will take to curtail emissions quickly enough to stave off abrupt climate change. In particular, we consider the economic and policy challenges of mitigating emissions from electricity, transportation, and other sectors. Of particular interest are the conflicting visions presented by leading thinkers in framing the future of climate and energy. The course culminates with each student developing and presenting a recommended approach for addressing the climate challenge.
• CEVE 499 Special Topics: This course may be taken by undergraduates seeking to conduct research for course credit.
• CEVE 590 MCEE Special Study: This course is taken by Masters of Civil and Environmental Engineering students conducting their capstone research project.
• CEVE 800 Ph.D. Research and Thesis