Introductory SEED Courses
Faculty -Baskin School of Engineering: Ali Shakouri, Mike Isaacson
Faculty - Social Sciences Division: Ronnie Lipschutz (Politics), Melanie DuPuis
(Sociology), Steve Gliessman (Environmental Studies), Ben Crow (Sociology)
After successfully launching two new courses, SEED investigators are
developing an integrated curriculum connecting a series of courses and
programs focused on sustainable development in the built environment.
Students complete longer term projects through SEED -sponsored
internships, community service and senior capstone design projects. A
combination of hands-on laboratories and applied learning activities,
community projects, etc. create a learning environment that cultivates
innovation and inclusiveness, while building quantitative skills and
expanding topical knowledge in sustainability science and engineering.
SEED
Engaged
Interdisciplinary
Learning
EE80S Sustainable Engineering and Ecological Design
Fall Quarter 2008 - 2011
Introduction to scientific, engineering and social principles in the design,
deployment, and operation of resource-based human systems, and
solutions sustaining these for future generations.
Ecosystems
Social change & sustainability
 Global energy resources
politics
 Renewable energy sources
Agroecology & Food Systems
Urban Planning and sustainable cities Greening industry
Transportation needs and alternatives Green business
Green building
Interactive
Learning
Activities
1:Defining Sustainability Criteria
2: Measuring Carbon Footprints
3: Life Cycle Analysis of Biofuels I
4: Life Cycle Analysis of Biofuels II
5: Risk Assessment on Photovoltaics
6: Solar thermal demonstration
7: Coltan I: The Social Side of Life Cycle Analysis
8: Coltan II: Making Cell Phones More Sustainable
EE80J Renewable Energy Systems*
Spring Quarter 2009 - 2012
http://classes.soe.ucsc.edu/ee080j/Spring09/
*EE180J Advanced Renewable Energy Sources
Introduction to energy conversion and storage with emphasis on renewables
Fundamental energy conversion limits
 Energy sources discussed: solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal fuel cells
 Analysis of alternative sources using scientific, economical, and social
science concepts.
Roadblocks for large scale implementation examined.
Intro to latest research on solar cells and applications of nanotechnology on
energy conversion and storage.
Hands-on
Laboratories
Lab 1: Greenhouse effect Lab 5: Hydroelectric
Lab 2: Flywheel
Lab 6: Wind turbine
Lab 3: Solar path finder Lab 7: Thermoelectric
Lab 4: Photovoltaic motor Lab 8: Hydrogen fuel cell car
Students also complete home energy audits during the first three
weeks of the class. Teaching manual available.
Acknowledgments
Strength: SEED benefits from a
strong collaboration between
engineering and social sciences
Weakness: SEED needs to do
more to recruit and retain
students from ALL backgrounds
Dustin Mulvaney, James
Barsimantov, Oxana
Patchenko, Katie Monsen,
Corina McKendry