EME 466 Syllabus

EME 466: Energy and Sustainability in Society (Spring 2024)

This syllabus is divided into several sections. You can read it sequentially by scrolling down the length of the document or by clicking on any of the links below to “jump” to a specific section. That said, it is essential that you read the entire document, as well as material covered in the course orientation. Together these serve the role of our course "contract."

Instructor

Brandi Robinson
Associate Teaching Professor | Director of Advising
John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering
College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
The Pennsylvania State University

Email: Please use Canvas Inbox for all email inquiries about the class. If you don't hear from me within 24 hours (be it email, submission comment or discussion forum post, etc.) please email me directly at brobinson@psu.edu because maybe I've missed your initial inquiry somehow.

Office Hours: Please contact me if you'd like to schedule a call or a Zoom meeting. I am happy to accommodate your schedule.

Class Support Services

Penn State Online offers online tutoring to World Campus students in math, writing, and some business classes. Tutoring and guided study groups for residential students are available through Penn State Learning.

Course Overview

EME 466: ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY IN SOCIETY (3 credits). Capstone course for the online Energy and Sustainability Policy Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science Degrees

Prerequisites: GEOG 30N, CAS 100, and GEOG 432. As a capstone course, EME 466 is ideally taken in a student's graduating semester. Student must have instructor and adviser approval to register for EME 466.

EME 466 challenges students to apply the knowledge and skills acquired over the course of their studies to address a current sustainability challenge in their own communities. Venturing out from behind their computers, students will collaborate with Community Partners to work toward feasible, appropriate policy-driven solutions to local sustainability challenges. This course is structured around an inquiry-based project which tasks students with solving the more wicked problems of sustainability while forcing them to distill what they've learned about global challenges into local solutions.

What I expect of you:

Spend ten to twelve hours per week on the project itself - researching, reaching out to stakeholders and community members, and completing your project deliverables and other assigned work.
Step out from behind your computer - This project forces you into the real world to dig into a contemporary policy challenge. You will encounter the unexpected, and things will change. As you know from other facets of your professional lives, this is simply how the world works. It is your job to keep the project on track and to manage challenges as they arise. You will need to be (1) proactive, (2) persistent, and (3) flexible to effectively manage your project this semester. You will need to plan ahead and be resourceful. You will need to stay in touch with all people, events and organizations on which your project relies so that you can anticipate and manage changes. Meeting project due dates is your responsibility.
Approach this project eagerly, with genuine curiosity and enthusiasm - This project requires you to be exceptionally diligent with time management and self-directed work. You are representing not just yourself, but also the Energy and Sustainability Program and Penn State. Be polite, prepared, and deeply attentive. This is a terrific opportunity to learn and to meet new organizations and people--you may make contacts that you value for years to come.
Edit your work before submitting it - Assume every single assignment you submit for this class is something you'd put in front of your Community Partner or a prospective employer. This is a capstone course and the tolerance for poorly proofread submissions is low.

What you can expect from me:

Support throughout your project - This project is fun but can be a bit daunting and overwhelming at times. I'm here to help! If you need to chat about strategies for amplifying stakeholder involvement or anything else, you can always come to me. We're in this together.
Detailed and timely feedback - Ideally, we want your artifacts from this experience (the slide deck for your presentation, your poster, and your written report) to serve as exemplary examples of the high-caliber work of which you're capable as an ESP graduate. I'll do my best to help you create refined and polished deliverables.

Course Goals and Learning Objectives

This course provides a culminating experience in which you apply the knowledge, skills, and methods acquired through your studies in the mastery of an energy and sustainability policy topic of your own choosing. You will work independently to discover fully the science, technology, economics, and politics underlying the topic you have chosen. You will identify stakeholders, engage with others, form your own well-supported position and solution, and seek opportunities to participate publicly.

With the successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

perform fair and balanced research on current energy and sustainability policy issues
discuss your own sustainability worldview
form well-supported positions on current energy and sustainability policy issues
present position arguments clearly, both in writing and orally
approach and engage others, including your Community Partner(s), subject-matter experts, stakeholders, and citizens
prepare a Final Capstone Portfolio showcasing your work

Required Course Materials

No textbook is required. In order to take this course, you need to have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password (used to access the online course resources).

Using the Library

Just like on-campus students, as a Penn State student you have a wealth of library resources available to you!

As a user of Penn State Libraries, you can...

search for journal articles (many are even immediately available in full-text)
request articles that aren't available in full-text and have them delivered electronically
borrow books and other materials and have them delivered to your doorstep
access materials that your instructor has put on Electronic Reserve
talk to reference librarians in real time using chat, phone, and email
...and much more!

To learn more about their services, see the Library Information for Off-site Users.

For additional needs related to socioeconomic status, please visit Project Cahir.

Assignments and Grading

Your EME 466 course grade is based almost entirely on your project. Full details and grading criteria for each deliverable are described in the assignments themselves in Canvas.

Graded assignments are weighted as follows:

Course Deliverables
Deliverable	Percentage
Project Proposal	5%
Literature Review	20%
Draft Community Partner Deliverables	20%
Presentation Rehearsal	10%
Digital Story	20%
Sustainability Worldview	10% (parts 1-3 worth 2% each, part 4 is 4%)
Weekly Journaling	15%

All grades will be recorded in the Canvas gradebook. Overall course grades will be determined as follows. Percentages refer to the proportion of all possible points earned. To meet ESP program requirements, a C or higher is required. There is no rounding up and no extra credit.

Grades
Letter Grade	Percentage
A	93–100%
A-	90–92.9%
B+	87–89.9%
B	83–86.9%
B-	80–82.9%
C+	77–79.9%
C	70–76.9%
D	60–69.9%
F	<60%

Percentages refer to the proportion of all possible points earned by the student.

EME 466 Course Schedule

Printable Schedule

This course follows the Penn State Academic Calendar for the current term. Specific due dates are given in the Canvas course calendar.

Course Policies

Late Policy - important! Definitely read.

Due dates for all Capstone Project deliverables are posted on the course calendar in Canvas.

Schedules will shift: The nature of this project may (ok, likely will) present scheduling challenges in some cases. This is often due to the fact that we're not in total control of what's going on and we're working with external partners and their schedules may shift. It's your responsibility to be proactive, persistent, and flexible to ensure that your project doesn't just languish on a back burner. If you're going to need extra time on an assignment to accommodate changes that arise, the request must be made in advance. Otherwise, work submitted late is subject to a 10% per day late penalty.
Please note: no work due during the last week of classes may be submitted late for partial credit. If the work isn't in when I go to start calculating course grades, it's too late.

Technical Requirements

For this course, we recommend the minimum technical requirements outlined on the World Campus Technical Requirements page, including the requirements listed for same-time, synchronous communications. If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the IT Service Desk (for World Campus students) or Penn State's IT Help Portal (for students at all other campus locations).

Internet Connection

Access to a reliable Internet connection is required for this course. A problem with your Internet access may not be used as an excuse for late, missing, or incomplete coursework. If you experience problems with your Internet connection while working on this course, it is your responsibility to find an alternative Internet access point, such as a public library or Wi-Fi ® hotspot.

Mixed Content

This site is considered a secure web site, which means that your connection is encrypted. We do, however, link to content that isn't necessarily encrypted. This is called mixed content. By default, mixed content is blocked in Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome. This may result in a blank page or a message saying that only secure content is displayed. Follow the directions on our Technical Requirements page to view the mixed content.

Penn State E-mail Accounts

All official communications from Penn State are sent to students' Penn State e-mail accounts. Be sure to check your Penn State account regularly, or forward your Penn State e-mail to your preferred e-mail account, so you don't miss any important information.

Academic Integrity

This course follows the procedures for academic integrity of Penn State's College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Penn State defines academic integrity as "the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner." Academic integrity includes "a commitment not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation, or deception." In particular, the University defines plagiarism as "the fabrication of information and citations; submitting others' work from professional journals, books, articles, and papers; submission of other students' papers, lab results or project reports and representing the work as one's own." Penalties for violations of academic integrity may include course failure. To learn more, see Penn State's Academic Integrity Training for Students.

Course Copyright

All course materials students receive or to which students have online access are protected by copyright laws. Students may use course materials and make copies for their own use as needed, but unauthorized distribution and/or uploading of materials without the instructor’s express permission is strictly prohibited. University Policy AD 40, the University Policy Recording of Classroom Activities and Note Taking Services addresses this issue. Students who engage in the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials may be held in violation of the University’s Code of Conduct, and/or liable under Federal and State laws.

For example, uploading completed labs, homework, or other assignments to any study site constitutes a violation of this policy.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Office for Student Disability Resources website provides contact information for Campus Disability Coordinators at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the Office for Student Disability Resources website.

In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled. You will participate in an intake interview and provide documentation. See documentation guidelines at Applying for Services from Student Disability Resources. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

Change in Normal Campus Operations

In case of weather-related delays or other emergency campus disruptions or closures at the University, this online course will proceed as planned. Your instructor will inform you if there are any extenuating circumstances regarding content or activity due dates in the course due to these delays or closures. If you are affected by a weather-related emergency, please contact your instructor at the earliest possible time to make special arrangements.

Reporting Educational Equity Concerns

Penn State takes great pride in fostering a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated (Policy AD29 Statement on Intolerance) and can be reported through Educational Equity via Report Bias.

Counseling and Psychological Services

Many students at Penn State face personal challenges or have psychological needs that may interfere with their academic progress, social development, or emotional well-being. The university offers a variety of confidential services to help you through difficult times, including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, consultations, online chats, and mental health screenings. These services are provided by staff who welcome all students and embrace a philosophy respectful of clients’ cultural and religious backgrounds, and sensitive to differences in race, ability, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Services include the following:

Counseling and Psychological Services at University Park (CAPS): 814-863-0395
Counseling Services at Commonwealth Campuses
Penn State Crisis Line (24 hours/7 days/week): 877-229-6400
Crisis Text Line (24 hours/7 days/week): Text LIONS to 741741

Military Personnel

Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.

Connect Online with Caution

Penn State is committed to educational access for all. Our students come from all walks of life and have diverse life experiences. As with any other online community, the lack of physical interaction in an online classroom can create a false sense of anonymity and security. While one can make new friends online, digital relationships can also be misleading. Good judgment and decision-making are critical when choosing to disclose personal information to others whom you do not know.

Deferred Grades

If you are prevented from completing this course within the prescribed amount of time for reasons that are beyond your control, it is possible to have the grade deferred with the concurrence of the instructor, following Penn State Deferred Grade Policy 48-40. To seek a deferred grade, you must submit a written request (by e-mail or U.S. post) to the instructor describing the reason(s) for the request. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested before the beginning of the final examination period. It is up to the instructor to determine whether or not you will be permitted to receive a deferred grade. If permission is granted, you will work with the instructor to establish a communication plan and a clear schedule for completion within policy. If, for any reason, the coursework for the deferred grade is not complete by the assigned time, a grade of "F" will be automatically entered on your transcript.

Attendance

This course will be conducted entirely online. There will be no set class meeting times, but you will be required to complete weekly assignments with specific due dates. Many of the assignments are open for multiple days, so it is your responsibility to complete the work early if you plan to travel or participate in national holidays, religious observances or University approved activities.

If you need to request an exception due to a personal or medical emergency, contact the instructor directly as soon as you are able. Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Mandated Reporting Statement

Penn State’s policies require me, as a faculty member, to share information about incidents of sex-based discrimination and harassment (discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, and retaliation) with Penn State’s Title IX coordinator or deputy coordinators, regardless of whether the incidents are stated to me in person or shared by students as part of their coursework. For more information regarding the University's policies and procedures for responding to reports of sexual or gender-based harassment or misconduct, please visit Penn State's Office of Sexual Misconduct Prevention & Response website.

Additionally, I am required to make a report on any reasonable suspicion of child abuse in accordance with the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law.

Diversity, Inclusion, and Respect

Penn State is “committed to creating an educational environment which is free from intolerance directed toward individuals or groups and strives to create and maintain an environment that fosters respect for others” as stated in Policy AD29 Statement on Intolerance. All members of this class are expected to contribute to a respectful, welcoming, and inclusive environment and to interact with civility.

For additional information, see:

Disclaimer

Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus can be changed at any time, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. All changes will be communicated to you via e-mail, course announcement and/or course discussion forum.