PH 303Course Syllabus:
Climate Change, the Environment and Human Health
Lectures will be held twice a week Tuesday and Thursday
inLapham Hall Room 250.
Course Instructor:
Michael D. Laiosa, Ph.D
Assistant Professor
Office Hours by appointment:
In Lapham Hall Room 225A
Phone: 229-2279
Email:
Please include “PH 303” in the subject heading of all email correspondence to facilitate response time.
Course Description:
Climate Change, the Environment and Human Health challenges students to acquire knowledge about and be able to identify ways in which climate change adversely affects human health globally, nationally and locally.
Credits (3):
Successful completion of this course will result in attainment of 3 credit hours to one’s transcript. In accordance with University policy, one credit hour is equivalent to three hours engagement with the material per week to include in class instruction, discussions, assessments and outside activities such as reading, writing, group projects and other learning activities. Thus, for this three credit course, students should plan on spending 2½ hours of time in class plus a minimum of 6½ hours out of class per week on study, readings, and projects that will facilitate acquisition of critical thinking skills necessary to attain the learning objectives.
Prerequisites:
Students should have taken one of the following courses or obtain permission from the instructor:
PH 101, CES 210, BioSci 150, Global 201, GeoSci 100, Geog 120, Geog 125,
General Education Requirements (GER):
Successful completion of PH 703 satisfies the Natural Sciences GER based on attainment of competencies described below.
Why take PH 303?
As a society in the 21st Century facing climate change, “…We are stuck between the impossible and the unthinkable. … For the rest of your life, your job is to make the impossible possible.” – David Roberts
Learning Objectives:
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
1)Identify at least five types of global changes that are evidence of a changing climate and use at least two publicly available surveillance databases that track these measurements.
2)Describe the life cycle of a global, national, and local zoonotic infectious disease and identify ways in which climate change, urbanization and environmental degradation make the disease more or less likely to impact human health.
3)Characterize the impacts of climate change on chronic diseases and identify the populations who are most susceptible to these impacts.
4)Debate the pros and cons of different types of adaptation and mitigation strategies that communities and nations may deploy to combat the worst effects of climate change.
GER Natural Science Competencies:
Attainment of the Natural Science GER definition (a) and criteria(b) 1, 3, &5, will be achieved bystudents who uponcourse completion will be able to:
1)Understand Natural Scientific processes that include geochemical and geophysical processes such as ocean currents, the water cycle, the carbon cycle, and thermodynamics.
2)Explain how these processes impact biological systems such as agriculture, infectious disease transmission and human health.
3)Explain data on the effects of changing C02 levels on complex processes including but not limited to:
- biological processes such as plant growth;
- geochemical changes to ocean pH;
- changing terrestrial temperatures on disease transmission;
- impacts of air pollutants on the cardio-respiratory system.
4)Discuss how the ethical concept of social and environmental justice predicts the health burdens of climate change and how this knowledge can be leveraged toward solutions that benefit all members of society.
5)Demonstrate Social and Environmental responsibility including civic knowledge and engagement locally and globally through ethical reasoning and action in fulfillment of the UW System shared learning goals.
Required Text:
Climate Change and Human Health. Risks and Responses
A.J. McMichaelet al.
World Health Organization (publisher)
Available online in print form for less than $10.00 (with shipping) or download for free at:
Additional Resources:
In addition to the required text, additional readings will be provided to D2L from the following sources:
The 5th Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report, due out in 2014
Fevered: Why a Hotter Planet Will Hurt Our Health -- and how we can save ourselves
byLinda Marsa
Rodale Books (August 6, 2013)
Changing Planet, Changing Health: How the Climate Crisis Threatens Our Health and What We Can Do about It
byPaul R. Epstein
University of California Press (June 12, 2012)
Green Cities: Urban Growth and the Environment
byMatthew E. Kahn
Brookings Institution Press (September 1, 2006)
Climate Change and Global Poverty: A Billion Lives in the Balance?
LaelBrainard (Editor)
Brookings Institution Press; 1st edition, edition (July 16, 2009)
Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts:
(2011)
Course Outline:
The conceptual organization of this course generally follows the following diagram on the interdependence of human health on a sustainable environment:
To gain a better appreciation of this interdependence the course has been divided into four modules that build on one another creating a comprehensive understanding of the various ecosystem factors that are changing due to human activities and how those changes impact human health now and in the future. The following outline of readings and activities will facilitate student learning and acquisition of course objectives in the broad interdisciplinary public health discipline of environmental health:
Module 1: Environmental Change
Week 1: Introductions and Expectations.
Read: McMichael, chapter 1, p1-15.
Group activity 1–How to make group work fair for everyone.
Week 2:C02, fossil fuels, and global terrestrial and ocean temperatures
Read: McMichael, chapter 2, p18-40.
Read: 2014 IPCC Report “Summary for Policy makers”
Week 3: Oceanic pH, coral bleaching, and fish overharvesting
Read: Epstein chapter 6
Watch Jeremy Jackson Ted Talk online (18 minutes)
Read: IPCC Report Chapter 5 “Costal Systems and low lying areas”
Group activity 2 – Sustainable Fisheries regulations and reporting websites.
Week 4: Food systems and food insecurity
Read: IPCC Report Chapter 7 “Food security and food production systems”
Read: Epstein chapter 5
Group activity 3 – Food group life cycle analysis.
Module 2: Climate, the Environment and Infectious Disease
Week 5-6: Zoonotic infectious diseases and climate
Read: McMichael Chapter 5 – “Impacts on health of climate extremes”
Read: Epstein Chapter 2 and 3.
Group activity 4 – CDC influenza hotspot analysis.
Week 6: From Global to local. Potential changes in infectious disease distribution in Wisconsin and Upper Midwest.
Read: McMichael Chapter 6 – “Climate change and infectious diseases”
Read: Wisconsin Initiative on Climate change impacts chapter 1.
Week 7:Review session and Mid-term exam
Module 3: Climate, the Environment and Chronic Disease
Week 8: Air pollution, ozone, and asthma
Read: McMichael Chapter 8 – “Urban Areas”
Group activity 5 - EPA Air pollution Maps
Week 9:Social and Environmental Justice of Climate Change
Read: Epstein Chapter 4
Read: Brainard Chapter 2-3
Group activity 6 – Pollution and Poverty Map analysis.
Module 4: Adaptation and Mitigation
Week 10:Energy Wedges to reduce C02 emmissions. Identification, quantification and enforcement.
Read: IPCC report Chapter 14-15 – “Adaptation needs and options”
“Adaptation planning and opportunities”
Group activity 7 – Calculating the wedge.
Week 11: Game Theory in the Climate Debate
Read: Epstein Chapter 11 and 12
Group activity 8 – Carbon Tax analysis
Week 12: Emergency Preparedness in a Warming Climate:
Read: McMichael Chapter 11 – “Adaptation and adaptive capacity in the public health context”
Watch: David Robert’s Ted Talk
Group activity 9 – Create a disaster plan
Week 13: Policy change
Read: McMichael Chapter 12 – “From science to policy: developing responses to climate change”
Group Activity 10 – Debate market based versus regulation based approach.
Week 14:Climate Change in the Badger State and What to do about it?
Read: WICCIA report Chapter 8-9 – “Implementing Adaptation and Moving Forward”
Week 15:Student Presentations
Week 16: Final Exam
Grading:
Percentage of Final Grade:Reading quizzes / 10%
In class activities / 20%
Mid-Term Exam / 15%
Term Paper and Presentation / 30%
Final Exam / 25%
Total / 100%
For this course, grades will be based on the following scale:
Percent / Letter Grade94 – 100% / A
90 – 93% / A-
87 – 89% / B+
84 – 86% / B
80 – 83% / B-
77 – 79% / C+
74 – 76% / C
70 – 73% / C-
67 – 69% / D+
64 – 66% / D
60 – 63% / D-
< OR = 59% / F
Reading Quizzes:
Each week, there will be a D2L quiz designed to test your understanding of key concepts from the readings. Quiz must be completed prior to the first class session of each week. There will be no reading quizzes during the week of the Mid-term or student presentations.
In class Activities:
There will be 10 in class activities throughout the semester to be done in groups of two to three students. Activities range from small group discussions and thought questions to basic analysis of data on various public health databases and websites. Activities are denoted on the class schedule under the heading Group Activity. Materials will be explained on the day of the activity and submission of the results from the activity will be due at the end of class. Activities will be held on Thursdays unless otherwise announced by email and in class the previous week.
Review Sessions:
There will be two review sessions to permit additional discussion and integration of the different topics covered. The first will be during week 7 with the review session being held during our Tuesday class and the Mid-term to be held during the Thursday class session.
The second review session will be during our second class session of Week 14. Review sessions will be open ended with the format being student-initiated questions and answers provided by the instructor. Questions may be submitted to D2L in advance of the review session if students prefer.
Term Paper:
Students will choose a topic in environmental sustainability and write an8-12 page term paper. The paper must research and discuss the following:
1) Statement of the problem.
2) Evidence demonstrating the scope of the problem.
3) Implications of the problem on public health with supporting evidence.
4) Achievable Solutions “you can sell” to all stakeholders.
The term paper should include at least 10 references with proper in text citations. We strongly encourage you to use a reference manager program such as endnote (available for purchase), or Refworks (free web/cloud based program) available through the UWM library. At least half of the references should be from the primary literature (peer-reviewed journal articles). The solutions section should be a presentation of various mitigation strategies you have uncovered in your research. However, you should think about obstacles to the solutions (big business, anti-government regulation, etc), and consider ways these solutions can be packaged so that the public will buy into the implementation.
Format: Please use Arial font, 12pt, double spacing. 1 inch margins top and bottom. 1 inch margins right and left.
Important Term Paper Due dates:
Topic: (5 points) One paragraph covering the chosen topic is Due to Dropboxby class time on Tuesday of Week 3.
Outline: (10 points) Two page outline of the term paper covering the four primary sections of the paper (problem statement, evidence of problem, public health connection, and solutions).Due to dropbox by class time on Thursday of Week 6.
Rough Draft: (20 points) Rough draft of paper with references is due by class time on Thursday Week 9.
Final Draft: (45 points) Final draft due to dropbox by class time on Tuesday session of Week 14.
In addition to the written paper, students will be expected to present their research during class time during week 15. Each student will have 10minutes for a presentation, with emphasis placed on the solution portion of the topic.
Draft Presentation: (5 points) Draft of powerpoint presentation due to dropbox by Thursday of Week 14.
Final Presentation (15 points) 10 minute oral presentations will be given during Week 15 during class time.
All assignments are due at the start of class time. 5% reduction for every day late starting with class time
Assessment of student attainment of GER Natural Science Competencies:
Throughout the course, you will be given group activities, and individual quizzes designed to facilitate your attainment of the course learning objectives and GER competencies. You’re attainment of these competencies will then be individually assessed on questions on the mid-term and final exam and through a careful review of you’re term paper and associated presentation.
The following table provides information on the critical thinking skills and scientific discussion points you need to make in order to demonstrate accomplishment of the course general education requirements:
Course competencies 1&2 encompass Natural Science learning outcome 1 and will be assessed through the use of weekly group activities that will prepare students for questions on the mid-term and final exams.
Furthermore, attainment of the Natural Science Core competencies will be assessed individually on the term paper using the following rubric for the paper:
Additional Administration and Course Ethics Information:
Attendance Policy: Students are expected to be in attendance at each class. Unexcused absences will result in deduction from the class participation grade equivalent to the number of classes missed.
Course Evaluations:
The Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health administers end of semester course evaluations. Students enrolled in this class will receive an evaluation via PantherMail during the last full week of the semester, and they must complete it before the last day of final exams. If you do not use your PantherMail, then please forward all messages to your primary email account, so you do not miss this correspondence.
General Information:
In the event of disruption of normal classroom activities due to an outbreak, or any other public health emergency, the format for this course may be modified to enable completion of the course. In that event, you will be provided an addendum to this syllabus that will supersede this version.
Grade of “Incomplete”: Students are expected to complete all course work by the designated deadlines during the semester. Grades of Incomplete will only be assigned when students are unable to complete the requisite number of research hours and all assignments.
Incomplete Grade:An "Incomplete" grade will be given only for a major reason that occurs at the end of the semester and only if the bulk of the course work is complete. The student must make arrangements with me to complete the course work by a designated time.
Contesting a grade: Students are expected to contact the instructor within 2 weeks of receiving a grade on any assignment if the student feels she/he was graded unfairly.
Comprehensive information on UWM policy: Specific points are mentioned below.
The policy can be found at
Accommodation for Religious Observance: Students will be allowed to complete examinations and other requirements in advance of religious observance given that the student informs the instructor at the beginning of the semester or no later than 3 weeks prior to absences related to religious observance.
Drop /Withdrawal/Repeat Policies: A student may drop a full-term course(s) through the end of the eighth week of classes.
Special Needs: Students in need of special accommodations in order to meet course requirements are expected to contact the instructor as soon as possible to make arrangements.
Cancellation of Class:If the canceled class is an exam date, the exam will be held on the next class day. If weather conditions warrant the cancellation of class, the UWM home page, the radio or TV will announce the closing. Also check UWM email.
Academic Misconduct Policy: Academic misconduct is an act in which a student seeks to claim credit for the work or efforts of another without authorization or citation, uses unauthorized materials or fabricated data in any academic exercise, forges or falsifies academic documents or records, intentionally impedes or damages the academic work of others, engages in conduct aimed at making false representation of a student's academic performance, or assists other students in any of these.
Prohibited conduct includes cheating on an examination; collaborating with others in work to be presented, contrary to stated rules of the course; submitting a paper or assignment as one's own work when a part or all of the paper or assignment is the work of another; submitting a paper or assignment that contains ideas or research of others without appropriately identifying the sources of those ideas; stealing examinations or course materials; submitting, if contrary to the rules of a course, work previously presented in another course; tampering with the laboratory experiment or computer program of another student; knowingly and intentionally assisting another student in any of the above, including assistance in an arrangement whereby any work, classroom performance, examination or other activity is submitted or performed by a person other than the student under whose name the work is submitted or performed.
In fairness to all students and to promote academic integrity, the Instructor of this course accepts responsibility to deal effectively with any instance of academic dishonesty should it occur. Students who violate academic standards as set forth in UWS Chapter 14 and UWM Faculty Document 1686 ( will be confronted and must accept the consequences and sanctions levied against them for their actions.
Plagiarism and Cheating: (Student Handbook – pgs. 154-155)
Dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly supplying false information or deceiving the school and its officials is a violation of the student conduct policy. Any student who is found to have violated this policy is subject to disciplinary sanctions up to and including suspension or permanent dismissal. Please be aware that plagiarism is presenting another’s ideas as one’s own and includes paraphrasing as well as copying without proper citations or quotation marks.
What is copyright?
Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) to the authors of “original works of authorship,” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works. Section 106 of the 1976 Copyright Act generally gives the owner of copyright the exclusive right to do and to authorize others to use their materials. You must get permission to use copyrighted original works of authorship if you plan to make your project available to the public in any way. For more on gaining permission, see: