Monitoring Environmental Impacts

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

Compulsory five day field camp in the second week of the mid-semester break. Students will be required to fund their own accommodation and meals costs for duration of camp, estimated total cost no greater than $300.

120 hours

None

None

Completion of the following subject or equivalent will assist with learning in this subject:

Credit points will not be given for either of the following subjects when taking this subject

OR

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

The subject has a strong practical component with a five day field camp during the mid-semester break involving bothe student and tutor-led environmental monitoring activities. There is also a semester long project to design and implement an environmental monitoring program supported by weekly practice classes

Component skills taught in this subject:

• Conceptualising environmental responses
• Selecting and using environmental measurement techniques (considering scale issues)
• Analysis of environmental monitoring data

On completion of this subject students should be able to:

• Identify the practical challenges of conducting environmental observations
• Design an environmental monitoring program to meet the requirements of a client, including conceptualising the environmental system under investigation
• Select environmental sensors, sampling theory and field techniques
• Use and interpret environmental measurements
• Use a range of environmental instrumentation
• Demonstrate team and communication skills through the participation in a major group project

• One 2000 word individual report, due at the end of the semester (25%)
• Field camp activities in mid-semester break (25%)
• One 500 word student/group report, due in week 6 (5%)
• One 1500 word/student group report, due after field camp (15%)
• Two x 20 minute tests distributed throughout the semester (15%)
• Oral presentations, during the semester and field camp (15%)

Hurdle requirement: Participation in the field camp is a hurdle requirement to pass this subject

None

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• Ability to undertake problem identification, formulation, and solution
• Ability to utilise a systems approach to complex problems and to design and operational performance
• Ability to communicate effectively, with the engineering team and with the community at large
• Ability to manage information and documentation
• Capacity for creativity and innovation
• Ability to function effectively as an individual and in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, as a team leader or manager as well as an effective team member

Field trip will have associated food and accommodation costs