Furman University

Funding:  Furman Advantage Fellow
The focus of this research is to better understand how ponds in the urban landscape function as biogeochemical reactors that transform nitrogen, carbon, and silicon.  Because urban streams tend to have relatively high concentrations of nitrate, algal production is stimulated in the ponds (including diatoms), which should draw down nitrate and silicon concentrations.  Decay of organic matter in the pond is tied to denitrification and ammonification, and microbial production should change the character of organic carbon.

Organic Matter Sequestration in Soils of Intensively Grazed Pastures
Student:  Claire Campbell
Funding:  Furman Advantage Fellow/Faculty Sustainability Research Grant

The object of this research is to evaluate the amount of soil organic matter in soils from a local sustainable farm (Greenbrier Farm) in the upstate that uses intensive grazing methods.  Intensive grazing, where high densities of cattle graze on a small area of land for a few days before being moved to a new paddock, is a form of agroecology that mimics large herbivore grazing patterns.  This type of pasture management, combined with no-till planting methods and elimination of chemical additives, should lead to rapidly increasing soil organic matter and rehabilitation of land devastated by a history of cotton farming.  Higher soil organic matter content should also correlate to higher soil moisture and greater resilience during periods of drought.  Higher soil organic carbon should also lead to higher amounts of nitrogen and phosphorous in the soils, making them more fertile.  This is the first year of a 4 year research project.  This summer, we are using a stratified random sampling method to determine baseline soil organic matter content for each soil type on the farm to a depth of 30-50 cm.

Efficiency of the Furman University Geothermal System, North Village
Student:  Laura Eubanks
Funding:  Mellon Foundation Shi Center Fellow
A geothermal system was recently installed in North Village (and is currently being expanded).  The system takes city water and pumps it deep underground so the water is 60 degrees F.  The water is used to either pre-heat or pre-cool air for the HVAC system to reduce energy costs.  The research will determine whether energy savings are significant, and whether student behavior overrides potential energy savings.  Two buildings and six apartments from each building will be compared - one with geothermal and one without.  Laura will also calculate an estimated payback time for the system.

Ecological Footprint of Furman University
Students: Miranda Joliff
Funding:  A.V.Davis Foundation/Furman Advantage Fellow
Ecological footprinting is a method of estimating the amount of land required to provide the resources necessary to sustain and assimilate the wastes of a person, business, or nation (or the planet!).  As part of Furman University's Sustainability Master Plan, we will be calculating an Ecological Footprint for Furman University, and using it to help reduce consumption of resources by the university.  We are partnering with Craig Simmons and associates of Best Foot Forward, London, England, to develop the footprint model.

Courses for 2012-2013

Fall Term
EES 112 Environmental Science ECOS edition
This version of the course is designed for the first year students in the Engaged Living Program and it examines the impact of humans on planet Earth. We will be exploring this question: Is there a limit to the growth of the technosphere? We will be reading papers, gathering data, and doing projects that will help answer this question. These students then go on to take a first year seminar on sustainability in the spring.

EES 402 Geochemistry
In this course, the focus is on using thermodynamic models that predict behavior of chemical reactions in natural systems.   We learn how to construct phase diagrams and then apply the results to natural aquatic systems in labs.  A key aspect of this course is understanding the strengths and weaknesses of mathematical models in science, as well as building quantitative and graphing skills.

Spring Term
SUS 242 Dynamic Systems Modeling
This course uses STELLA software to better understand systems and how they operate, with a special focus on the non-intuitive behavior of complex systems because of feedbacks. Student will build models using STELLA to explore a variety of human impacts on planet Earth.

EST 301 Environment and Society