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ETE students on field trip

Environment, Technology and Economy

Empowering students to build a just and sustainable world

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Introduction 

Human life and survival depend on the health and availability of the planet's natural resources, from water and air to fossil fuels and other energy sources. In this context, what does it mean to each of us to be a citizen of this community, this country, and this world?

The Environment, Technology and Economy (ETE) program takes on the complex and urgent issues of global sustainability from an environmental, social and economic perspective.

Students explore:

  • Human impacts on ecosystems and the natural environment;
  • The role of food systems in the just and sustainable production of food; and
  • The impact of policy on society and the environment.

The program offers a holistic and intersectional view of sustainability, examining how institutional systems and traditional power structures create differential exposure to environmental hazards depending on race, gender, and national origin. Ultimately, students are encouraged to work towards a more just and sustainable future, both in their personal lives and as agents of systemic change.

ETE is ideal for students who are interested in engaging with the world and their communities. All majors are welcome and in fact, encouraged, to ensure a diversity of perspectives.

Colloquium and Lecture Topics

  • The impacts of waste on people and the planet
  • Global climate change and ecosystem services
  • Guest lectures from experts on Climate Change, Indigenous foodways, insect pollinators, environmental policy and other topics
  • Sustainable and regenerative approaches to food production and distribution, with an emphasis on the historical roots of these practices in Black and Indigenous cultures
  • Corporate sustainability and ecological economics
  • New and emerging trends in energy, transportation, biotechnology, and computer science

Learning about the interconnected relationship between environmental issues, economic security and social equity has helped me find connections between my ETE coursework and other classes.

Kaylyn Miller
Kaylyn Miller '23

Other Learning Opportunities

ETE offers a variety of opportunities to enhance students' classroom learning. UMD's location near Washington, DC, means students have access to world-class museums and to organizations with national influence.

Students also have the opportunity to:

  • Work with a team to write a grant proposal to address an issue they care about, with the opportunity to implement the grant with faculty support; 
  • Learn about the history and ecology of the Anacostia River with the Anacostia Watershed Society while canoeing with friends;
  • Hike in the region's many green spaces, including the Arboretum and Botanical Garden that is the UMCP campus, to experience firsthand the positive impact outdoor activity has on mental health;
  • Tour Philip Merrill Environmental Center, the world’s first LEED-platinum building;
  • Explore permaculture practices and native plant dining at Forested LLC, an experimental food forest.

ETE further works closely with UMD's Office of Sustainability, Resident Facilities, the UMD Arboretum and Botanical Garden, and other partners to facilitate sustainable initiatives on campus. Student projects have included revitalizing an interpretive trail on the Wooded Hillock, reducing student water use in showers, a tree-safe location for hammocks, and installing an algal turf scrubber to clean up campus waterways. Several projects have been awarded grant money so students can put their ideas into action.

Curriculum Overview

Over the two-year program experience (four semesters), students will complete two supporting courses that will count toward their ETE Scholars citation. In most cases, these will fulfill General Education requirements. Note that your Scholars courses—colloquium, practicum and supporting course—will generally be in addition to any courses you take to satisfy major requirements.

The following table represents a typical two-year curriculum, but individual schedules may vary. Details about courses and requirements can be found on the ETE Citation Checklist.

SEMESTER COURSE CREDITS
Semester 1 CPET 100: Colloquium I 1 credit
Semester 2 CPET 101: Colloquium II (DSSP, DVUP) 3 credits
Semester 3 CPET 200: Colloquium III 1 credit
Semester 4 CPET 230: Internship; or
CPET 240: Service-Learning; or
CPET 250: Research
1-3 credits
Semester 1, 2, 3, or 4 Supporting Course (var. Gen Ed)
Supporting Course (var. Gen Ed)
3 credits
3 credits

Office Address

1108B Chestertown

Office Phone

301-314-1520

Faculty

Portrait of Tim Knight

Tim Knight

Program Director, Environment, Technology and Economy
Portrait of Dani Moore

Dani Moore

Assistant Director, Environment, Technology and Economy

News and Notes, Etc.


Environment, Technology and Economy News

Showing 13 - 18 of 23
  • In-Person Service Day Relaunches With Enthusiasm

    Kids bent over boxes of school supplies. Tubs of tomatoes, picked fresh off the vine. College students clad in waders, waist-deep in pond water. These were just a few of the scenes witnessed during College Park Scholars’ annual Service Day, which took place on Friday, Aug. 27, this year.

  • Despite Being Virtual, Scholars Showcases Promote Personal Interaction

    For most University of Maryland (UMD) students, the end of the spring semester heralds the start of finals. But for sophomores in College Park Scholars, for the past 24 years, this time of year has signified Academic Showcase. The event, one of the largest exhibitions of undergraduate student learning on campus each year, typically involves more than 600 Scholars sophomores presenting on their capstone projects to fellow students, faculty, parents and other members of the UMD community.

  • Scholars Citation Class of 2020 Recognized at Virtual Awards Ceremony

    When the Scholars Citation Class of 2020 arrived at the University of Maryland in fall 2018, they were wide-eyed freshmen who took part in the usual rites of passage in Scholars: Service Day, excursions related to the annual theme, a kickball tournament the spring of their freshman year. And, while the 984 students’ second year in Scholars fell during the program’s 25th anniversary, “that year turned out to be anything but ordinary,” observes Scholars Executive Director Marilee Lindemann. In March of their second year, the UMD campus shut down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and these students faced an abrupt pivot to remote learning.

  • Scholars Recognizes 2019 Citation, Founders Circle Award Winners

    In 2017, College Park Scholars welcomed more than 800 freshmen to what would become its 24th citation class, the Scholars Class of 2019. All who successfully completed the requirements of their Scholars program received their official Scholars citation. But there were some that went above and beyond the expectations, leaving a lasting impact on the community. On Oct. 18, 2019, Scholars honored these extraordinary students at its annual Citation Awards. Those recognized included 24 juniors—two from each program—chosen by their program directors for outstanding achievement and 24 for outstanding citizenship.

  • What Scholars Did on Their Summer Break

    It’s a perennial back-to-school query from teachers: What did you do on your summer vacation? When we asked some of our Scholars students and alumni, they had a lot to tell us… and not surprisingly, they made the most of their summer break. Now that students have settled in on campus and the semester is a few weeks in, we highlight some of our impressive Scholars accomplishments from over the summer. Amit and Erin Koppel Year: Sophomore (Amit), Senior (Erin)

  • Scholars Turn 'Shower Power' Colloquium Project Into Real-Life Sustainability Push

    In the Environment, Technology and Economy (ETE) Scholars program, the second-semester colloquium is largely devoted to the “Connections” Project. Teams of four to six students propose an idea to enhance sustainability on campus or in the community. They research an idea, propose how best to achieve it and implement one aspect of the proposal by the end of the semester.

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