Courses

Courses taught at the University of Michigan

• Below are links to courses taught during the 2024-2025 academic year.
• At the bottom are lists of previously taught courses.
• Related material can be found on the Resources page.

Current teaching portfolio (2024-2025)

• Behavior and Environment (ENV 360, Psych 360, EAS 560, Urban/Reg Plan 544, Social Work 710)
  • Introduction to environmental psychology that examines human-environment interactions, builds an information-processing model of human nature, and uses it to understand what conditions bring out the best in people and help to maintain their clarity and vitality
• Psychology of Environmental Stewardship (ENV 361, Psych 362, EAS 561)
  • Explores research on the psychology of environmental stewardship, reviews behavior change models, creates a toolbox of approaches for promoting durable conservation behavior and develops a framework for conducting small experiments
• Reconnection and Revitalization Seminar (EAS 568)
  • Examines the embedded benefits of transitioning to a simpler pattern of living. Framed as an opportunity rather than an inevitable downshift it shows how people may decide to transition early because it is important and fulfilling. Co-taught with Professor Princen
• Localization Seminar: Transitional Thinking for the New Normal (EAS 564 and ENV 484)
  • Examines the implications of an unprecedented downshift in energy and resource availability at the community level, envisions successful adaptation to such a future. Co-taught with Professor Princen

Courses taught previously (1984-2023)

• Conservation Behavior Seminar (EAS 661)
  • Advanced graduate seminar that examines the embedded benefits that help enhance psychological well-being from pursuing deep behavioral adaptation and re-localization
• Common Property Resource Management Seminar (Natural Resources 650)     
  • Advanced graduate research seminar that examines the psychology, behavioral ecology and policy aspects of successful, long-term common property resource regimes. Co-taught with Professors Princen and Low
• Junior Honors Seminar (Natural Resources 399 and Environment 399)
  • First course of the SNRE Honors program in which students prepare a proposal for their senior thesis projects. Course readings and discussions focus on research methods
• Master’s Project Planning Seminar (Natural Resources 701)
  • Graduate seminar in which research projects are initiated and developed by teams of students and a faculty advisor. Projects are conducted over three academic terms, involving student teams that produce a multi-authored research report
• Decentralism (Urban Planning 574)
  • Graduate planning course that examines the works of decentralist writers and the structure and psychology of self-reliant communities
• Introduction to Natural Resource Problems (Natural Resources 100)
  • Required course for first year natural resource students that teaches them to integrate information from separate natural resource fields
• Environmental Psychology (Psychology 476 and Psychology 702)
  • Psychology course on human needs in terms of informational requirements, on ways in which environments support or hinder the processing of information, and on how humans remain functional in non-supportive environments
• Managing Technical Change (Industrial and Operations Engineering 300)
  • Required undergraduate industrial engineering course examining human aspects of technical change and techniques for facilitating such change
• Theories of Administration (Industrial and Operations Engineering 522)
  • Graduate engineering course that examines the administration of complex organizations
• Research Paradigms (Natural Resources 741)
  • Required course for doctoral students that examines the research methods used in environmental studies. Co-taught with Professor Webb
• Cognition and Environment (Psychology 703)
  • Graduate psychology course examining cognitive aspects of environmental perception, knowledge, preference, and information sharing. Co-taught with Professor S. Kaplan